Chap 28

(earlier story:  http://ognyen.blogspot.com/2018/03/rt-mac-story-chaps-26-current.html )

 

Chapter 28

Redtail approached the church grounds and scanned for edibles.  A young grasshopper hopped sluggishly in the damp grass.  Again, her mind began wandering.  “Lots of pineapple weed and peppergrass.  I bet the grasshoppers get pretty thick here later on.  The plants look lush and green.  I doubt it’s been sprayed –at least not this year yet.”

Redtail got to the front door, to find it still locked.  She set her things down on the concrete pad next to the building.  The overcast sky precluded Redtail’s need to find shade for her stuff.

Redtail straightened back up, stretched and scanned the church grounds.  Mostly gravel parking lot and driveways with the rest mowed to the tree line.  She wasn’t sure how far the church property extended, so she decided to browse the obvious for potential foraging.

Redtail explored about 20 minutes, and sat down by the front door to do some munching.  Then she sat back and closed her eyes.  Not long after, Redtail heard some crunching on the gravel and she opened her eyes.  Pastor Tix was walking over from the parsonage across the parking lot.  Redtail rustled into more wakefulness.

“Hi Redtail,” said Pastor Tix.  “Oh, no need to get up.  You here early for some music and crafts?” 

“I guess so.”  She got up and brushed off a bit, then continued. “I’ve got a couple questions you might be able to help me with.”

“I’ll see what I can do.  Let me get unlocked here and we can go on in.”

Redtail laughed a bit.  “Oh, it’s not a sit-down deep theological issue at all.  When I was here Sunday, the kids all seemed excited about eating wild, so I thought I should take them on an edibles walk.”

“Eating natural is a pretty hot topic these days.  I think that’d be fun and timely.”

“My questions were: Are the parking lot and mowed area the extent of the church grounds? And how often does the place get sprayed?”

Pastor Tix said, “Those woods are ours, as is the meadow out there.  I know we haven’t sprayed this year yet, but we probably should be doing so fairly soon.”

“I was also thinking I could do that wild edibles walk here on the church grounds, if that’d be OK,” said Redtail.

“I don’t know that we’d have all that much to eat right here on the grounds.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised.  There’s almost as much edible as there is grass out here.”

“Maybe that weed spraying is due quicker than I thought.”

“Oh, please don’t,” said Redtail. “Just in the lawn itself are a dozen or so edible species of plants and practically nobody’d notice them if it stays mowed.”

“I guess there’s no rush.  Nobody’s ever fussed about the weeds.   But I’m not gonna get to it today anyway. I gotta get stuff ready for tonight.  You want to bring your things in?”

Redtail said, “Thank you.  I’ll do that.  Where’ll tonight’s festivities take place?”

“We’ll be in the Fellowship Hall in the basement, this way.  You going to do more edibles hunting?  It’ll be around an hour before most of the people get started,” said Pastor Tix.  “I’ll leave the basement door unlocked for you.  And feel free to come and go as you like.”

Redtail foraged behind the church, nibbling from time to time on things she thought clean enough.  A car pulled into the front lot and stopped.  Redtail heard snippets of familial bickering between car doors closing.  “Mo-ommmmm! She’s…”  “Just let it go…”  “…but sheee…”  Redtail smiled to herself and peeked around the corner to spot Lydia and who she guessed to be her older sister and her mom.  Redtail decided to intervene.

“Oh, hi, Lydia!  I thought I heard voices out here.”

Lydia smiled and got instantly happy as she ran over to Redtail.  “That’s my mom, and my sister.  Dad’s got his music night tonight and we’re gonna…”  Lydia stopped like she was just about to let out a big secret.  “Me and Lucy, my sister, are gonna do other stuff.”

“OK, sounds like a secret mission,” said Redtail, as she walked toward Lucy and Mom for introductions.  “I’ll be sure not to tell anyone.”  Lydia smiled big, but Redtail could see she really wanted to spill what she knew.

Mom and Lucy walked toward Redtail and Lydia, and they all walked toward the church.  Mom and Lucy carried black trash bags full of what looked to be donated clothes.  Redtail said, “I can take one of those if you like.”  Lydia rushed in and relieved her sister of one of her bags before she could hand it to Redtail.

“You’re weird,” Lucy said to Lydia. 

Lydia stuck out her tongue at Lucy, and Mom gave her ‘the look’.  Lydia straightened up quickly.  Mom said they had bags of clothes for the community clothes closet in Higginsburg.  Redtail made a mental guess at Lydia’s being about 7 years old and Lucy being around 12, but she didn’t guess out loud.

Lydia said, “This’s my dad’s church.”

“Is not,” said Lucy with a condescending smile.

Redtail gave both a look. And Mom drew in her breath to speak, but Lydia shot back, “Is so.”

Lucy said, “Is not.  It’s God’s church and Daddy’s just the pastor.”

Amy snapped, “Girls, just stop it!  You’ve been at each other all day!”

Mom extended her hand to Redtail and said, “Hi.  I’m Amy, and these two wonderful” (she clenched her teeth and looked at Lucy and Lydia) “loving” (and then the ‘Mom-look’) “Well-behaved young ladies are my daughters.  And yes, Herman is their dad and my husband.”

“Well, I’m glad to meet you guys,” said Redtail.  “I met Pastor Tix Sunday, and Lydia last week.”

They arrived at the door and Redtail reached for the handle.  Lydia slipped past, grabbed and held the door open with a proud smile, dropping her bag of clothes.

“Why thank you,” said Redtail and she walked in.

Amy walked in saying, “Thank you,” and a bit more quietly, “and try to be more careful.”

Lucy walked in Lydia’s open door and muttered, “Klutz,” and made instant eye contact with Mom.  She then added, “Thaannnnnk you, Lydia.”

Lydia curled her nose and snorted, “You’re WELLLLcome.”

Inside the church, Amy poked her head into the pastor’s office and then accompanied Redtail to the basement.  Lucy and Lydia stowed the clothes bags in an unused classroom and soon joined Mom and Redtail.  Lucy plopped down in a metal chair and laid her head on the table with a harrumphing sigh.  Lydia scampered off to the kitchen and grabbed some toy cars.  Pastor Tix brought in a box full of snack food from the car and set it on one of the tables.

Redtail asked, “Oh, is this a potluck, too?”

Pastor Tix said, “It’s informal finger foods.  Don’t let not having a contribution keep you from fellowshipping.”

Redtail said, “I’ve got an idea for something I can get real quick.”

Lucy lifted her head from the table and looked interested.

Redtail continued, “May I use the sink to rinse some foraging?”

“Treat the place and people here like home and family,” said Amy.  “Go right ahead with the sink.”

Lucy asked, “Are you going outside and, like, just pick stuff?”

“Only the good stuff,” replied Redtail.

Lucy sat up.  “Can I help?”

“Sure,” said Redtail, “That’d be fun and faster.”

Lydia ran into the Fellowship Hall from the kitchen eagerly offering, “Me too!  Me too!”

“Mo-ommmm!” fussed Lucy.

“She’ll be just fine,” said Amy.  “I bet you’ll hardly notice her.”

Redtail smiled.  Lucy sighed.  Lydia hopped up and down happily.

Of course, Mom was right.  Only a minute or so after Redtail explained finding dandelion flowers when they’re closed, clover, henbit and dead nettle flowers, Lydia was off on her own chasing grasshopper nymphs.

Lucy asked, while picking dandelion flower buds, “So how come there’s hardly any yellow dandelions?”

“Well,” began Redtail, “most people don’t think of it like this, but plants really do have feelings.  I don’t think they feel pain or emotions like we do, but they certainly know hot and cold, dry or wet and even stuff like hard and soft.  Some even respond quickly to touch.  The dandelions know the bees aren’t out.  They know the weather’s damp.  They even know it’s evening.  They don’t want to waste energy being pretty when there’s nobody to be pretty for.  To them, their pretty is functional, not aesthetic.”

Lucy and Redtail collected almost three cups of dandelion buds with just a few open flowers.  They gathered a couple hands full of violet leaves, flowers and pods, some pennycress (sometimes called peppergrass), curly dock and dead nettle and wild onion greens.  Redtail planned to save the onion bulbs but decided to add them to the salad, too.    She stopped at a fat thistle rosette and pulled out her new pocket knife.  Lucy gave a small squeak and a smile.  “I have that knife at home.”

Redtail looked at Lucy, raising an eyebrow.  Lucy corrected herself, “Well, one just like it.”  They both laughed.

Redtail reached down and cut off half a dozen leaves near the base, and put them on top of the forage sack.  Lucy said, “Eww!  What are you going to do with those?”

“I’m going to trim off the prickles and we’re going to eat the thick part.”

Lydia, in the meantime, squished three grasshoppers and a cricket and captured a new ‘pet’ cutworm.  They all got back inside and Lucy found a big colander while Redtail started processing their salad.  Redtail said, “It looks like you’ve done this before.”

Lucy smiled.  “We have a garden.”

Lydia gave a gasp and muffled shriek and ran outside.  By the time Amy got out to see what the problem could be, Lydia was squatted over a big black ant.  She was blocking its route with her finger, every way it tried to go.  Amy learned it was now a non-issue that Lydia’s worm got lost.

By the time the salad got all cleaned up and shook and patted dry, there was enough to almost fill a large mixing bowl.  “Not too bad for not quite a half hour’s work,” said Redtail.  “Thank you so much for your help, Lucy and—“

Redtail glanced around for Lydia, and Lucy rolled her eyes and sighed, “Lydia probably got distracted by a butterfly or something.”

Amy returned, saying, “Or something.  She found an ant, but was upset that she’d lost her worm.”  Amy smiled and shook her head.  

Lucy clearly took pride in helping Redtail as she picked up the salad bowl and the little bowl of thistle spears.  Redtail took the onion bowl and headed to the groaning board (or food table).  The door to the parking lot opened and Lydia erupted with chatter, ran to the door, and escorted Chloe back outside to play with bugs.

Chloe’s sister, Kimmy, walked in, craning her neck this way and that until she spotted Lucy.  She walked brisky and happily up to Lucy and bounced to a stiff stop.  Lucy eye-gestured to Redtail and Kimmy spotted her.  Lucy made introductions “Redtail, this is Kimmy, my bestest friend and Kimmy, this is Redtail,” she paused, “ my newest friend.”

They shook hands and Kimmy said, “Pleased to meet you, Redtail.”  Redtail returned the greeting and Kimmy added, “That’s Kimmy with a Y.”

Redtail said, “I’ll try to remember that.”

Kimmy said, “Yep, C-H-Y-M-M-E-I-G-H, Kimmy.”  She gave a self-satisfied smile and Redtail wasn’t quite sure how to respond.

Lucy looked back and forth between the two.  She sighed, “Nah-ahhhh, Kimmy.”

“Well, it could be spelled like that,” said Kimmy.  “CH like Chemistry, Y like in Lydia, MM like in, well, Kimmy and EIGH like in the name, Leigh.”

Lucy said, “That’s just dumb.”

“I think it sounds kinda fun,” said Redtail.

The door opened again and in came Kitty with a sack of goodies for the groaning board.  “Oh, hi, Redtail, and Amy, and Lucy.”

Suddenly a blast of music shot through the basement.  Pastor Tix shouted, “Whoa!” and quickly turned it down.

Redtail said, slightly too loudly at first, but toning down with the music, “Wow, loud but cool music.”

With an embarrassed laugh, Herman said, “Sort of my theme song.  I like it, and,” he smiled, “I pick the music.  Ephesians 5:19 and 20 says God wants us singing to him, so I think it should be singing we’re excited about as well.”

“I’ve heard that song before,” said Redtail. “That’s… that’s…”

“Larry Norman,” said Herman.  “I think the song serves to show the devil, in fact, does NOT have all the good music.”

Amy and Kitty sat down with bags of craft materials.  They both pulled out projects.  Lucy and Kimmy gauged movements on what Redtail was up to.

Kitty said, “Redtail, you mentioned this morning that you brought a craft for tonight.”

Redtail said, “Yes I did, strange as it may look.  But I’ve got an excuse in that I’m a bit different.” She proudly pulled some flattened catfood bags out of her pack.  “These are going to be weather-resistant supplies bags, and these will be firewood sheets for carrying more than mere armloads of firewood.  They’ll just be narrow sheets with handles on each end.”

Kimmy, who sat down across from Redtail, asked, “Where do you get your material for your crafts?”

“Oh, I got all these bags out at the Supply Depot behind Grandpa George’s place,” said Redtail.

Lydia asked, “What’s a Supply Deeple?”

Lucy and Kimmy sighed and Lydia gave an exasperated, “What?!?”

Kimmy knowingly and carefully pronounced and spelled, “Dee-poe.  D-E-P-O-T.”

Chloe giggled, saying, “That’s dee-pot.”

Lucy sneered, “Nah-ahhh, it’s French.”

“OK,” broke in Redtail with a sigh and laugh, “The Supply Depot is where I get lots of my supplies.  It’s a place out at Grandpa George’s where people put stuff they don’t want anymore.  They’re not supposed to do it, but they do anyway.  What they can’t use anymore is often stuff I can use quite nicely.”

“Oooo! Oooo!” grunted Lydia as she jumped up and ran around the table to whisper to Lucy.

Lucy’s eyes got wide and she glanced at Amy.  Amy nodded and the girls got up and dragged Kimmy and Chloe upstairs with them.

Amy smiled and explained, “They got some sort of secret project going on.”

The girls got upstairs and opened up the clothes bags.  “I thought we were gonna get caught when we saw Redtail when we got here tonight,” said Lucy.

Kimmy asked, “D’ya think she knows?”

“Nah,” said Lucy.  “She doesn’t suspect a thing.”

Lydia piped up, “She’s pretty smart, you know.  She might know.”

Kimmy said, “Well, even if she does, we’ll pretend she doesn’t so it’ll be a surprise anyway.”

Lucy gave Kimmy a confused look and a head shake, “Like, what-ever.”

Chloe said, “Mommy and Aunt Kathryn picked out a bunch of their clothes for Redtail.”

Kimmy said, “Mom wasn’t sure if we were gonna come tonight, so she gave our bag to your mom.”

Lucy laughed, “I thought three bags was a lot for just my mom.  When we give them to her, let’s call it ‘craft material’ so she won’t think we feel sorry for her or like she’s a charity case –well, she is, but…  I better quit now.”

The girls sorted clothes, taking a bit of time to play with some and snip at one another.  Meanwhile in the basement, the music played on.

Ted and Jane came in with Kevin.  Kevin was a little disgusted he had to come at all, until he spotted Redtail.  Ted brought a music-skeptic friend of his from work.  They picked places to sit close to Pastor Tix.

Ted made introductions.  “Mark, this is Pastor Tix or Brother Herman or Herman.  Pastor Tix, this is Mark from work.  He’s one who seems to hear only that butterflies and rainbows easy-listening Christian music.  I thought I’d bring him out to hear some of the good stuff.”

Mark said, “So far, I’m liking what I’m hearing.

Redtail asked, “Who is that?  He sounds so familiar.”

“That’s Bob Dylan,” said Pastor Tix.  “With your wild eating, it’s sort of interesting that the first task God gave man was to identify stuff.”

Redtail said, “Yeah, I wish I knew my proper ID, but until then, I’m gonna take joy in being Redtail.”

“Speaking of ID and wild food,” said Pastor Tix, “did you have a particular time you wanted to do an edibles walk?”

“I could come out and show wild edibles just about any time, but a few weeks out might make it easier for people to schedule attendance,“ said Redtail.

“Let’s make it the third Wednesday in July then,” suggested Pastor Tix.  “That should allow planning time.”

Redtail said, “Sounds like a plan then.”

Audio Adrenaline came up on the play list and Mark smiled and nodded his head.  Pastor Tix said, “There’s lots of music out there for our demographic if you hunt for it, but it feels like the Christian Music Industry targets the soccer and stay-at-home moms and female office workers.  It’s almost impossible to find real rock music with a clean Christian message on the radio.”

Kevin leaned over to Redtail.  “Can I come to that wild edibles thing in July, too?”

Redtail said, “Why sure you can!  Bring Mike and Jerry, too.” 

“THUMP!  TH-Thump, BUMP BUMP…!” went the stairway.

Amy spoke softly but firmly at the 4 girls who emerged giggling from the stairs, “WHAT was THAT!?  Your dad weighs as much as all four of you put together and doesn’t even make a quarter of the noise you do in the halls and stairs!  Walk softly.”

The girls looked caught, but not really remorseful.  It wasn’t the first time adults got after them for stomping and noise –probably wouldn’t be the last, either.  They got over it pretty quick and the noise level went back up a bit as they swooped in on the snack table.

Amy stopped her needle-felting and Kitty stopped her quilt block to watch Redtail sew.  Kevin and Kimmy were already watching and the other kids were playing across the room.  Redtail felt their eyes and silence and looked up.  She glanced back and forth between Amy and Kitty.

Amy smiled and asked, “Do you make all your tools and equipment, too?”

Redtail paused to look at her needle and thread and smiled.  “I guess I do, at least on this project.  The needle is a big honey locust thorn and the thread, if you can call it that, is unwoven from a cat food bag.  It’s really pretty tough stuff.”  She shook out the sheet of about one by three feet with a handle sewn on one end and held it up.  “When I get the handle sewn on the other end, I’m going to employ this and another one to help me carry fire wood.

Lydia suddenly broke away from her play to run over to Redtail.  She had an anxious but unworried look on her face.  Kimmy gave a look saying, ‘You’re invading my space’ as Lydia squeezed in to stand by Redtail.

Redtail said, “Looks like you’ve got something on your mind.  What might that be?”

With a rare, almost-shy tone in her voice, Lydia asked, “How come your name is Redtail?”

“Ly-deee-aaaaaaa,” scolded Lucy as she neared the table to see what was going on, “That’s personal!”

Lydia crossed her arms and gave an exasperated “Welllllll?”

Amy groaned, “Oh girls, just quit!”

By now, the little fuss had gotten everyone’s attention, followed by a couple seconds of quietness where Tourniquet sang of God, asking, “...I wonder if He laughs?”

Mark glanced at the speakers and answered softly, “Probably lots of times.”

Redtail said, “Oh, that’s really OK.  I don’t mind.  I don’t bring up my name unless people ask.”  She gave Lydia’s head a little pat.  “Sometimes you gotta ask to satisfy your curiosity.”

“Well,” began Redtail, “Tom, an old guy I met early in my remembered life, called me ‘Redtail MacSumpneruther, the Scotsman,’ after I told him what little I knew of my story.”

Mark gave a muffled snort and said quietly, “Scot maybe, but you shore ain’t no man.”

Kitty and Amy gave Mark the look and Mark grinned sheepishly and dropped his head in his hands.

Herman smiled and said, “You know, you’re right.  But… well…”

“Well good,” said Redtail.  “I’m glad to hear there’s no argument there.”

Chloe broke out of her usually quiet box and said, “Well, I think Redtail’s pretty.”

Kevin whispered, “Me too.”

Mark put his head on the table and laughed.  “I actually said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“Soooo,” continued Redtail, “Tom got what I told him a little jumbled up.  I think he had Alzheimer’s or something.  I figured the name was good enough ‘til I remembered what my parents named me.  Grandpa George gave it some thought and shortened it to RT Scot, and that one’s even official and on a library card.”

Lydia giggled, “And on the Museum guest list!”

The door opened and in walked George and Sarah.

Ted said, “Well, speak of the d..” and got cut short.

“You’ll do nothing of the sort,” barked Jane.  

George said, “Sounds like some heated discussion was goin’ on in here.”

Redtail said, “Oh, I think we’re all just funnin’.”

Pastor Tix said to George and Sarah, “Hey, help yourselves to some munchies!  We got plenty.”

“We got here pretty late,” said George, “so we didn’t pack anything.”

Herman said, “Suit yourselves.  The offer’s still good.”

Redtail said, “Yeah, eat!  Lucy and I even brought salad.”

Sarah said, “Well now, that one’s got me curious.”  She took a look at the snack table and then to the wall clock.  “There’s still quite a bit for only 15 minutes left on the schedule.  I better check out that salad.”

Lucy smiled and accompanied Sarah to the groaning board, but she had cookies on her mind, rather than salad.

Sarah said, “I recognize most of these salad fixings, but not this one.”

Lucy looked at what Sarah pointed to and proudly said, “That’s thistle leaf.  It’s sorta like wild celery.”

Sarah sat down by George, who’d planted himself by Pastor Tix, the D-J, and across the table from Ted and Mark.  George looked at Sarah’s salad bowl and chuckled, “An Oreo salad?”

“No!” snarled Sarah, “I got stuff for both of us.  And they’re not Oreos.”

George leaned back and looked at Redtail, who sat on the other side of Sarah, but somewhat buried in kids.  “Redtail, your salad looks almost like the one we got for our program.”

Redtail smiled and said, “I think it’s pretty much the same except this doesn’t have curly dock.”

“We poked around a bit in the woods for ya before we headed out,” said George.  “We wanted to make sure you weren’t out back somewhere when we headed in to see that you had a ride home.”

Redtail said, “I got to ride into town this morning with Chloe.  I got to meet her mom, Kitty and several other new friends.”

Kimmy and Lucy looked at George and smiled.  Amy waved. 

Pastor Tix interrupted the activity. “Looks like this is the last song on the playlist.”

Amy got up and started closing snack packages and putting lids on containers.  Most of the kids jumped up for last hoarding of junk food.  Lucy didn’t refill, and Lydia had to be a little self-controlled with Mom standing right at the table.  Kitty hopped up and started bussing tables, packing and stacking bowls, plates and other trash so they took the least amount of space in the trash can.  George and Sarah stepped back with Mark, as regulars and Redtail rearranged the basement to its pre-fellowship state.

Sarah commented, “Looks like you’ve been doing this for a long time, Redtail.”

“I got here before it was all set up for the Music and Crafts night,” said Redtail, “so I knew what it looked like to begin with.”

Mark mumbled to George, “I didn’t want to throw my wrench of helpfulness into this seemingly well-oiled machine.”

“Me neither,” said George.  He looked at Redtail and said, “Sarah made me clean out the cab of the truck today, so we got plenty of room for all three of us to ride home.”

“MADE you!?” said Sarah.  “I did as much physical stuff as you did.”

“You sure did a heap o’ pointing and sighing,” said George.

Sarah gave George a whop on the head.

“Ow!” muttered and smiled George as he shielded his head from another attack.

Kimmy giggled.

Pastor Tix said, “You sort of asked for that love pat.” 

Sarah said to Redtail, “I think you better sit between us on the way home to make us behave.”

Redtail packed up her gear and got her leftover forage from the ‘fridge.  Lucy got another small bowl of greens and bagged up the rest and handed it to Redtail.

“Thank you!  Do you want to take more before I run off with the leftovers?” asked Redtail.

“I think I’m gonna pick some tomorrow,” Lucy said with a smile.

Redtail reminded her, “Only eat the stuff you know about, right?”

George asked Redtail, “About ready to head out?  I can get your stuff for you.”

“Thank you,” said Redtail.  “Sometimes it’s good to have extra hands.”

They bid farewells and loaded up in the truck.

Chapter 29

Redtail woke to a soft, high-pitched whining noise.  It got louder and louder until she slapped herself on the ear and sat up.  She looked at her hand and thought, “Great! Mosquitoes,” and she absent-mindedly licked her hand.  “You’re not takin’ any part of me away.”  She paused and thought, “I suppose I oughtn’t eat the little bloodsuckers.  There’s no tellin’ where they might’ve been for a previous snack.  That goes for the whole edible vampire clan: mosquitoes, other biting flies, ticks, fleas, bedbugs, lice and the other little bloodsuckers.  I think I’ve got my next library research topic!  How do mosquitoes find food?  What attracts them?  What repels them?”

Redtail stepped outside the tent, startling an opossum.  “Good morning.”  The animal stopped, turned and looked at Redtail as if asking if her greeting was directed at him.  Redtail smiled and thought, “Redtail Scot, Possum Whisperer –I can think of more appealing-sounding titles than that.”  She said to the possum, “Yeah, you.  I gotta be more careful with my cooking and eating.”  As the possum waddled off, she said apologetically, “It’s not like I don’t want to share, but I like to know when I’m gonna have company.”  Redtail swatted at another mosquito near her face.

Redtail wondered, a bit, what she’d do for this unscheduled Thursday.  She slapped a mosquito and swatted at another.  “One thing I gotta do,” she thought, “is get moving so any potential aromatic or CO2 vampire attractant dissipates faster.”  Her Thursday plan appeared.  A new foraging ground awaited, so she packed up her forage bag, knife, a lunch and water and set out for the conservation area at the back of George’s place.

The most productive foraging spots, overall, are forest edges and recently broken ground, which is to say, broken within the last couple years.  The parking lot on the other side of the wide spot in the creek would at least have the edges along the lot and the access road.  The morning sun began poking through holes in the light clouds.  Redtail stretched, took a deep breath and smiled as she approached her old campsite.  Her feet squished on the soft ground, confirming the good choice in moving the camp uphill.

Down to the creekside and downstream to the berry patch showed a big up-coming harvest of blackberries if Redtail could beat the critters to them.  Her mind wandered to competition with the animals and other fruit.  “I gotta keep my eyes open for May apples, and later on, for paw paws and persimmons.

Redtail arrived at the spot at the creek where Sarah had hopped across a few days earlier.  Redtail gave a sigh.  The water level rose about six inches since then, making rock-hopping impossible –well, without getting wet, anyway.  She weighed her alternatives.  She could wade across with her shoes on, and squish soggy-footed the rest of the day.  She could take her shoes off and wade across and put them back on when her feet dried.  She could also put off her exploration for a few days when the water level went back down.  Redtail didn’t have the tools and didn’t want to take the time to build a bridge or cut a sapling stout enough to vault the creek.  She smiled as she pondered another option.  “I’m a big girl now, so I probably shouldn’t sit down and pout.”  Redtail glanced around and found a fallen tree.  She spotted a place and sat down.  No, she didn’t pout, but took off her shoes and put them in the forage bag.  She carefully went to the creek and crossed.

On the other side, a large rock stuck up out of the forest floor.  Redtail figured it to be a fine place to reassemble her feet for exploring.  She approached the rock and started to sit down.  She froze in mid-action.  She gasped and her heart raced when she saw what she was about to do.  Redtail breathed a sigh of relief as the reality of her situation sunk in.

A little embarrassed, Redtail said, “Well hello there.  I’d never met a hog-nosed snake before.  I thought you were a copperhead at first.  I’d never met one of those, either.  Shouldn’t you be on a south-FACING bank, rather than on a south bank?” 

The snake answered, “I’m hunting, not sunning.”  At least Redtail imagined the snake saying that.  The snake slowly slithered off and under the leaves.   

Redtail cautiously sat down and waved her feet around in the air.  She stood up on the rock and gave a couple light, flat-footed stomps to shake off excess water and debris from her feet.  Sitting back down, she looked around and listened.  After a few minutes of watching, listening, rubbing  and airing, Redtail decided her feet were ready for reassembly.  She put herself back together and headed out to check the May apple patch she spotted while her feet dried.

Redtail found about 20 fruits, which is a nice find in one patch.  They were far from ripe.  She remembered the entire plant, except the ripe fruit, is poisonous.  Now she wondered if picked May apples would ripen like lots of other fruits do.  Redtail figured if she didn’t get them as she found them, the deer and squirrels would beat her to them.  Erring to the side of safety, she let them be.

Redtail continued her trip to the spot where the creek widened.  “Wow!” she thought, “A little water sure changed this place!  It looks more like a marsh or lake that can’t quite make up its mind.”  A short distance farther, Redtail stopped walking.  Ahead was more woods.  To her right, she could still see the new marsh through the trees.  “Hmm.  Much farther would preclude the parking area’s being convenient for Sarah to have met us Sunday.”  She decided to walk just a little more before changing course.

About fifty yards farther, she came across a small path too clear to just be a game trail or erosion.  Redtail decided to head south, because to the north, downhill, was the marsh.  Before she got tired of walking uphill, her path abruptly widened.  “Well no wonder I couldn’t see the lot from below,” thought Redtail.  The parking area looked more like a mini campground with half a dozen or so sites.  The canopy of trees was barely broken by the little roads connecting the parking spots.  She looked around and found very little broken ground on which to forage.  “Maybe I’ll find broken ground up the road a bit.”

Redtail spotted a post with a little wooden box on it.  She checked it out to find maps of the conservation area with rules for use.  “This will be quite handy, and it’s even got space to map out Grandpa George’s place!”  She looked at the map as she walked up the winding rocky access road.

Redtail came to a small rocky clearing at the roadside.  The clearing was ringed with blackberry bushes.  “It won’t be long and I can come back for lots of berries –depending on how many other folks and critters have that same thought.  I might have to fight Lena for them, too.”  Redtail laughed as she thought about Lena foraging the same patch.”

Past a curve in the narrow drive, Redtail’s path teed into a gravel road wide enough for careful two-way vehicular traffic.  “Oh, decisions,” thought Redtail.  “Map! I’ve got a map!”  Redtail sat down and opened up the map.  She oriented the map to align with the roads she was on.  To her left was the county road and to her right were two more parking areas.  The far lot looked to be inaccessible during high water, and this just might be what the conservation folks considered high water.

Redtail decided she’d explore the other lots and the water downstream some other day.  She headed left, or east, for the county road.  She passed a box turtle, a sunning rat snake, another box turtle, but no flora that caught her eye.  The rabbit held very very still as Redtail neared.  Redtail smiled and said, “It doesn’t matter how motionless you are.  You won’t turn invisible.”  At that, the rabbit bolted for cover.  After about another ten minutes walking, Redtail found herself at the county road.

As Redtail approached her old crayfish hole, she smiled.  “Here’s where my new life started to feel settled,” she thought.  “Water’s a bit too roiled for decent crayfishing, but, I don’t have a license anyway.”  Redtail heard the sound of an approaching car so she stepped off the road, into the corner of George’s place.  She glanced at the car and noticed it was law enforcement, so she waved as she started into the woods.  The car pulled over and the siren gave a quick “whirr.”  Redtail stopped, turned and headed back to the road.

Frank rolled down the window and called out, “Hey, Redtail, you want a ride somewhere or are you just out grocery shopping?”

Redtail stepped up to the road’s edge and looked around.  “Yeah, I guess I am grocery shopping, but thanks for the ride offer.”  She laughed.  “When you tapped the siren, I had the thought to drop my stuff and sprint off into the woods just to see your reaction.  Of course if I’d done that, I couldn’t have seen your reaction.  And I wasn’t totally sure who it was, either.”

Frank rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  “There’s that, and seein’ I knew who you were, I’m not sure what I’d’ve done.  It’s probably best that way.  We law enforcement types shouldn’t be predictable.” 

“I actually enjoy and need shopping days,” said Redtail with a smile.  “I wonder if there’s a shoppers’ anonymous for my affliction?”

Frank laughed.  “Not that I know of, but I better be heading out.  Now you shop responsibly, OK?”

“And you drive carefully.  May your day be as uneventful as you want it.”

Frank nodded, “And happy shopping to you.”  He looked over his shoulder and gave a little wave as he departed.

Redtail went back to the road and continued north.  Almost to ZZ, she spotted a fair sized patch of day lilies.  While she gathered a handful of buds and flowers, Redtail pondered the differences between day lilies and Asiatic lilies and the conflicting information on alleged or real toxicity.

“Day lilies are edible and Asiatics aren’t.  Asiatics are toxic to cats, and seldom from well-known sources do we hear they’re safe for human consumption.  There are a few people who get nasty stomach upset if they eat too many day lilies too fast before they get used to them.  But where’s the line between enough and too many?  And so many people confuse them.

Day lilies have long smooth stems topped with flowers and buds and the leaves are in long thick grass-like blades.  Asiatic lilies are on top of stems that have leaves poking out of them their whole lengths.  Some of the flowers could be said to be similar, but that’s it.  I don’t eat the Asiatics.”  Redtail dug about half a dozen day lily tubers and proceeded to the next grocery department.

Heading west on ZZ, Redtail spotted a patch of curly dock and sighed in disappointment.  She knew it was getting to be summer, but Redtail liked spring greens best.  These greens were getting a little old.  She smiled and wondered what spring edibles she could think of:   “Chickweed, henbit, dead nettle, yellow rocket, pennycress, morel mushrooms, peppergrass, shepherd’s purse, dandelions, curly dock, thistle, stinging nettle, green brier, day lily, young lamb’s quarter, violets, clover, plantain, mallow, elm and maple seeds, redbud flowers, bedstraw, day flower, dryad’s saddle, chicken of the woods, wood ear, garlic mustard, garlic and onion, May apple, knotweed.  I’d heard sumac and milkweed shoots are edible, but never tried them.  I should compile a big list of seasonal edibles.  That could be fun, and George could even use it for his programs.” 

Redtail wondered about multiflora rose leaves and flowers. “I guess I’ve got something else to look up at the library,” she thought.  Like she often did, Redtail wondered about many things as she walked and foraged.  “So so much wild forage can be used for tea.  I wish I had more time and facilities for tea.  I suppose one could get good nutrients in tea, but they’re so, well, watered down.”

“Why am I not afraid or worried about myself?  I guess it’s because what-if games are a waste of time.  What if I’m an illegal alien and they deport me?  I guess, then, I’d find out where I live.  But I’d have to learn a new language.  Maybe I’m from Canada?  Nah, my voice has southern US inflections.”

“What if I’m in really big trouble and there’s this huge nation-wide hunt going on?  Probably not.  Sarah and Frank are almost family and they’d have heard something.  Then again, I DID get stopped by the police within the last hour.”  Redtail laughed to herself.

“I seem to be healthy enough.  Mental health even seems to be OK, except the lost memories.  Of course, if I was a psycho, I’d think I was OK anyway.  Hmm.”

Redtail wiped her arm across her forehead and puffed her shirt in and out a few times to circulate some air.  “Wow!  It’s sticky after the rain and now with the sun evaporating it back up into the air.  It feels like more storms are fuelling up,” she thought.  She took a couple long open-mouth breaths, picked up her stuff and moved along. 

As she neared George’s driveway, she realized the distant drone of a small engine was coming from home.  Then she spotted George on a mower.  Redtail turned and started down the drive.  George and Redtail made eye contact and exchanged waves.  Redtail made a mental note to learn the mowing procedure.  After all, if she lived there, it was only right for her to participate with chores.  She smiled as she thought about mowing and yard work as practical exploration for edibles, too.  If the church had a mower, maybe she could keep that mowed, too.  Back at camp, Redtail spread her forage out: some to dry and some to eat soon.

Meanwhile, at the hardware store, “Creak, slap jingle” went the door and in walked Lorenzo from the salvage yard with an armful of stuff.

Chapter 30

Big Al looked up from his inventory paperwork.  “Good afternoon, Renzo.  What kind o’ project you got going on there?”

Renzo looked at the stuff he brought in.  “Nah, this ain’t MY project.  That girl you had in here the other day, Redtail.  She come around much?”

“I think she’ll be around from time to time, but she’s on a mighty casual schedule,” said Al.

“I got three ranges to scrap,” said Renzo, “but they had good racks and one had a nice broiler pan.  The way Redtail described her home, I thought she could put these to good use.”

Al said, “Oh yeah, we can get those to her easy, whether she comes in or not.  George or Sarah could handle that efficiently.  I gotta figure out how to get Redtail on the payroll.  She’s covered for me a couple times and accepted very little for it, but it’s sure helped me out.  I think she still needs a fair bit of practical stuff if she’s going to stay living out in the woods.”

Renzo said, “She talked about making smoking and drying racks to put by a fire and I figured these’d at least be a start.  I kicked around the idea of giving her a range for heat, but thought it’d be more unsightly than the old truck or car hood she had in mind.”

Al said, “She could tie four of those racks together as a stable stand and still have two to use as grills.  I think she’s pretty creative.”

Renzo laughed.  “I don’t usually go out of my way to deliver free stuff to folks but something about Redtail makes me happy to help her out.”

“She does seem to leave a wake of smiles behind her.  I gotta introduce Judy to her pretty soon, said Al, “I don’t need her getting suspicious of me talking so nice about this new girl at work.”

Renzo said, “I’m glad I’m single so I don’t have to worry about those politics.”

Al said, “I hear tell she’s already told a guy she’s not available.  I guess she wants to do her new Redtail thing right, on the chance her memory does come back and she finds herself married or otherwise committed.”

“She’s a fun one,” said Renzo.

Al said, “I figure the community oughtta appreciate her and her quirks while she’s here.  Who knows?  She might disappear one day as quick as she came.”

“Anybody know where she’s from?” asked Renzo.

“I guess Law Enforcement’s working on it, sort of a side project since she hasn’t broke any laws they know of,” said Al.  “We’re all hoping they don’t come up with anything so she’ll stay, but for Redtail’s sake, they’re gonna keep on.”

“Well,” said Renzo, “I better get going.  I still got those stoves to unload in the ‘burg.  Good to know the other stuff will find its way to Redtail.”

Just then, Lena walked in from the back of the store.

Al said, “Ha! Caught ya sneakin’ up on us!”

“Yeah” said Lena, “I snuck in the back and left your T.D.Fera order on your desk.  I’m gonna check on a couple blackberry patches on the way home to see how much longer they got.”

Al asked, “Out at Perry’s Bend?”

“Yep, I got a few spots that’re easy to check.”

“Care to make another delivery on your way?” asked Al.  “Renzo left some stuff for Redtail.”

“That’d be fun.  Frank said he caught her out foraging this morning,” said Lena. “I wouldn’t mind seeing what all she got.  Sure, I’ll do it.”

“See,  Renzo?” said Al.  “Easy delivery service.”

Renzo smiled as he departed, saying, “Thank you Al and Lena.  Looks like the grills are in good hands.”

Lena said, “I drive right by George’s.  If Redtail’s not around, I’ll just lean ‘em against her tree so she won’t miss ‘em.”

The three exchanged waves and Lena departed with Renzo, but she went out the back with grills and pan tucked under her arm.

Lena pulled into George’s driveway.  She parked as close to Redtail’s camp as she could.  George finished mowing and was inside and Redtail was in her tent.  Lena got out of her car.  The thick humid air trapped the smell of the fresh cut grass, and a few hints of garlic and common ragweed, bush honeysuckle and elder flowers.  Lena thought, on picking out those four aromas, now interesting the air must be to a dog.

Redtail stopped spreading leaves and flowers from her forage on sheets of cardboard and popped her head up and listened.  Yes, there it was again: a soft “Helloooo, you home, Redtail?”  Redtail smiled and got up.

“Good afternoon, Lena,” said Redtail.  “I thought I heard someone pull in.  Why so quiet?”

“I didn’t want to disturb a stalking in progress or even a nap.  I got some stuff here for you that Renzo left at the hardware store.”

“Oh wow!  I think I know what I’ll do with most of it already,” said Redtail, “if it didn’t come with special instructions.”

“Oh yeah!” exclaimed Lena, “Renzo did ask that I get them to YOU.”

After a slight pause, Redtail smiled and raised an eyebrow. “OK?”

Lena shrugged and said, “That was my only instruction.  Was it special?”

Redtail shook her head, “Well, ya, I guess that was special, and it won’t affect my idea.”

Lena handed Redtail the grills and pan.  Redtail gave Lena another raised eyebrow.  Lena said, “Well, I tried to be funny and it usually doesn’t work real good, but sometimes it does.  I guess this time it was a usually.”  Lena laughed.

“Aaaannnyway,” said Redtail happily, “I’ve got a project going right now that I can use those grills for.  Did Renzo say how much he wanted for these?”

“No, it sounded like it was just something he thought he wanted to give to you.”

“That’s cool.”  Redtail ran into her tent and after a few snipping noises, she emerged with several pieces of wire and began wiring the grill pieces together.

Redtail fastened four grills together into a two-by-two sheet.  She lifted the sheet and folded it in two, like a standing book cover.  She wired the two remaining grill pieces flatwise in the uprights, just like Al thought she’d do, and carefully brought the rack to her fire site.  She stirred the ash a bit and discovered a bit of smoke, so she piled kindling on the spot until the fire re-ignited.

Lena said, “It’s cool watching you work.  Let me know if I can do anything.”

“I’m not fully certain what I’m doing, so I don’t really know what to say,” said Redtail as she went to the tent and brought out the forage she’d been spreading on the cardboard. “The rack should make quick work of drying stuff, providing the wind stays down.” 

Redtail took the leaves and flowers off the cardboard and started placing them on the grills.  Lena joined in.  Lena asked, “What is all this stuff?”

“Mostly day lily flowers, then red clover and a few hibiscus –rose of Sharon and flower-of-an-hour.  Good tender greens are getting a little harder to come by as summer sets in.  I still got a little curly dock, amaranth, lamb’s quarter and to add a little bitter flavor, I’m going to throw in some dandelion and chicory.  There’s still violets, plantain and even some good chickweed around the house, but I didn’t forage much there today.”

Lena pointed to some little spear-like pieces. “And what are these?”

“Oh, that’s thistle leaf.  I’m eating that raw after a rinse.  Wanna help me clean up some more thistle?”  Redtail smiled.  “It’s painfully fun!”

“Sure, I’ll help ya,” said Lena.  She pointed at some ragweed plants and said, “I wish those were good for more than just fuel for sneezing and watery eyes.”

“Actually, they are,” said Redtail.  She got up and pulled a fat 7 footer and pointed to a swollen spot in the stem.  “I think this is pretty cool.  A little work, but fun.”  Redtail got a small container and a knife.  She smacked off the dirt from the root ball, and cut the root off the plant.  Gently, she started to split the stem from the bottom near the swollen spot to reveal a trail that had been eaten up the core of the stem.  “Ha!  There we go. See the worm in there?  They make great fish bait and people-snacks.”  She gave a little laugh and dropped it into the container.

Lena jumped, and exclaimed, “Aw, shoot!  Time’s gettin’ away from me!  I gotta check on some blackberry patches out at Perry’s Bend.  Care to come along?”

“Sure,” answered Redtail, “I got nothing else going on today.  These leaves and flowers should be nice and crispy when we get back.”  She looked at the fire and then scooted the whole rack back a bit.  “I hope that’ll work.  I’m ready.”

Off they went.  Slightly down the road, Redtail perked up and craned her neck as they drove by a patch of lavender flowers.  “Now how did I miss those?  I walked right past them.  I should at least have smelled them.”

“That wild bergamot can sure be pretty showy –AND aromatic!  I know where some bigger patches are.  Wanna hit some?

Redtail said, “Thanks, but I don’t particularly like horsemint.   I just thought it weird I missed it earlier.  At a glance, that stuff can even look like bush crown vetch.”

Lena laughed.

Redtail asked, “Have you heard weather predictions?  This humidity sure feels like a fuel build-up for something.  Oh! Daisies!”

Lena laughed again.  “That’s sure an odd way to cuss.  And no, I’d not heard any weather, either.”

Redtail snorted, “No, I wasn’t cussing.  It just hit me that I hadn’t seen any daisies.  I wonder if I missed ‘em or if they just don’t grow around here?  Those flowers and leaves sure make some nice nibbles.  Does Wilder do anything for the 4^th?  That should be coming up soon, right?  It is still June?”

“Yeah, the 4^th’s just over a week off.  You can hear fireworks popping more and more often these days.”

“I thought so, but, it’s still pretty quiet around here.”

Lena turned into the conservation area that Redtail foraged earlier in the day.

Redtail said, “I wonder if we’re both eyeing the same blackberry patches?  I was in here this morning, but didn’t pick any.  But I don’t think it’ll be very long.”

They rolled past one patch, then another.  Lena said, “I see what you mean.  I think I’d give ‘em a good week before they’re ready.  I saw what I needed.  You got anything you want to look at?”

“I think I’m good,” replied Redtail.

After a short, but noticed silence, Lena asked, “Do you ever worry about not knowing your past?”

“Not so much worry, but I wonder about things from time to time.  I hope the other me isn’t getting way behind on important stuff.  I feel sometimes I should be trying to find out who thinks I’m gone, but in which direction and how far do I go with that?  I even considered professional help, but I sure don’t want to institutionalize myself.  Besides, who’d they send the bill to?   I’m not a danger to anyone, am I?”

Lena smiled, “Not in this person, and I’m guessing you were a pretty decent sort in your previous one, too.”

“Thank you.  No, I don’t think worry would make anything easier.  If anything comes up where someone’s looking for me, I’m sure our law enforcement folks will let me know.”

Chapter 31

Redtail thought, “Getting ready to tell my story in front of people shouldn’t be any more stressful than prep for a lecture, except Bardic Night’s less formal.  Now why does lecture prep pop into my head?”

George stepped out of the house, stretched, and started to head down toward Redtail’s camp.  He got about halfway there, and they made eye contact.  He gave a wave and Redtail returned it with a “Good morning!”

“Good morning!  I was headed into town and thought I’d see if you needed anything.”

Redtail said, “Nothing I can think of.  I think I’m alright, but thank you.”

“I’ll be back in ample time for tonight’s festivities.  You ready?”

“I feel like I shouldn’t be nervous, but I am.”

“Oh, not to worry!  Besides, it’ll be tomorrow before we know it.  Well, you have a wonderful day!”

Redtail waved as George departed.  “I should be easy to find when you get back, unless my memory returns and I gotta skip town fast.”

George swished that last comment away with a hand and a smile, and they parted ways for the day.

Redtail determined she should spend her day fishing, hunting and snaring and maybe she could get a bunch dried on the fire before departure time.

After about half an hour at the pond, Redtail had two decent bass and three sunfish.  She cleaned the fish and started her drying fire.  She put the fish on the grills and headed out to the woods and spent about an hour and a half snaring.  In the time it took her to get three wood rats, she also got a squirrel with her bow.  After cleaning them all, she got everything on grills for slow cooking and drying.  She sat on a log, leaned back on a tree and smiled with her eyes closed.  Then she got more thoughtful as she daydreamed about what was to come that evening.  Redtail Knew she only had to tell her story, buty she also wanted it to be entertaining or at least interesting so the Three Maidens could benefit from it.

Redtail heard the crunching gravel in the driveway with George’s approaching truck.and woke with a start.  She panicked a bit, thinking she may have overslept, but the length of the shadows assured her she was still OK.  She gave a relieved sigh.

By the time George got to Redtail’s camp, she was up and tending her morning’s catch.  George said, “That’s smelling mighty good.”

“You want a a chunk?  It’s pretty dry, but not real hard yet.”

“Sounds good, but I better save some room for pub-grub.  You remember Bardic Night tonight, right?  Hey, that rhymed pretty good”

“Yeah, that was an impressive string of rhymes,” said Redtail, “and I’m far from having forgot about tonight’s spotlight.”

“Well, I’m gonna head inside and get washed up.  I’ll be back for ya in a couple hours,” said George.

“I’ll be ready,” said Redtail.  “The food drying’s just about done and so I can be ready pretty quick.”

The rest of the afternoon flew by and soon, George and Redtail were sitting at the Three Maidens.  Krystin introduced Redtail to the smallish crowd of around thirty people who’d come for Bardic Night.  “I see a few new faces tonight.  I guess word of our guest speaker tonight got out.  When I first heard of the wild girl who lived in the woods near us, I didn’t expect, well, I certainly didn’t expect to meet her face-to-face, and in the Three Maidens, but I did.  And she came back to tell us of her experiences.  I want everyone to give a warm Three Maidens welcome to Redtail!”  And Krystin swept out her hand to Redtail as she curtseyed low.

Redtail got up and gave an almost embarrassed giggle.  “Thank you Krystin.  You make me sound important or something.”

Redtail began.  “I thought about making up a real exciting story about being lost in the woods in my infancy and being adopted and raised by a family of wild millipedes, but figured I’d better stick to what I know.  Really, all I remember starts only a couple weeks ago.  I woke up one morning beside a road with only my bag and took off walking.  I felt a little disoriented, but other than that, thought everything was wonderful.  Around dusk, I found some big concrete culverts.  They were clean and dry, so I crawled into one for the night.”

“Woke up the next morning almost face-to-face with a big, curious red tailed hawk.  I jumped and he flew away.  I started walking again and wound up at some state park or something that looked government run, I guess.  That’s where I met Tom, the guy who named me.  He was a funny old guy who walked with a cane.  I sat on a log, talking out loud to myself, wondering where and who I was.  Tom overheard and offered to help me out.  I told him the story of my morning, then said I might have something in my bag.  Then I muttered about having left that old plaid bag in the pipes.  Old Tom said he’d heard all he needed to figure out my dilemma.  He matter-of-factly stated I was Redtail MacSumpneruther, the Scotsman.  I see how he got the name, and maybe he thought I’d said plaid bagpipes, but, I never thought I came across as a man.”

A guy called out, “Tom’s cane was white with a red tip, right?”

Another voice said, “Prettiest dude I ever seen.”

Redtail said, “Thank you!  Thank you!  That’s reassuring.  Anyway, later that day, I found George’s place and even fixed me up a dinner of crawdads and earthworms.  Mmmmm, Yum!”  She laughed.

“I guess the next night I let my smoke drift too much and made too much noise, because the following morning I met George checking out what he smelled and heard down in his woods.  I didn’t know it was his… No, it really didn’t dawn on me I might be trespassing.  After George was convinced I meant no harm or burden, he gave me permission to stay.  Soon George introduced me to new friends.  I found rides into town and neighboring villages.  But I’ve decided to try to live in the woods and as much off the land as I can.  I don’t care to get too rooted, in case my memory does come back.”

“I guess that about brings me up to tonight.  Instead of making things up, I’ll try to answer some questions.”

A man near the stage asked the first question.  “I think I got your story, but I see three kinds of homelessness: There’s the truly destitute and fallen on hard times.  There’s the informed decision to choose that lifestyle to cut ties from all dependency.  And then there’s the irresponsible ‘Nobody’s gonna tell me what to do’ druggie and criminal group.  Where do you see yourself?”

George cut in, “Now hold on there.  That almost sounded accusatory.  I’ll have you know…”

And Redtail cut George off with a raised hand and said, “That’s OK, I got this.”  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  She smiled.  “In the first place, I’m not really homeless.  I’ve got a street address.  It’s really no more homeless than if you camped out in your grandparents’ back yard.  Of course, I can’t run home to Mommy if I get scared, ‘cuz I really don’t know where I’d run to.”

George gave Redtail a puzzled look.

Redtail grinned and sighed at George, saying, “Yeah, I know I could run to you, but I still don’t know my parents.”  She looked back at the original questioner and continued. “About your three categories, I guess I’d have to pick somewhere between the first two –but I guess I WAS trespassing until Grandpa George gave me permission to stay.

The questioner asked, “How are you a combination of the first two?”

“I started with nothing,” Redtail began, “so I guess I was destitute, but I never felt needy and just accepted I’d have to forage and find shelter.  But I didn’t choose this lifestyle –that I know of.  I don’t do drugs and I’d rather hang out with the local constabulary than get all drama’d up in illegalities.  So I’m not a druggie criminal or pouty teen.  My situation is beyond my control, so it’s sort of category one, but I’ve never felt lacking and I’m contentedly providing for myself where charity doesn’t.  And I’m not begging for or asking for charity at all.  I don’t want to burden anyone and nobody owes me a livelihood.

After a short silence, another hand shot up.  She asked, “You seem in unusually good spirits for someone dumped in rural Missouri with nothing but health.  How is that?”

Redtail said, “Lots of people might write this off as coincidence, but I’ve had many such events.  It all began in rural Missouri.  That’s lots safer than if I’d been dumped in New York City or inner Chicago.  Weather was nice.  I needed water and there was a drinking fountain.  I got hungry and there was ample forage.  I got tired and there were sleeping sites.  I even felt dirty and there was a secluded clear spot in the creek.  My and Grandpa George’s paths even crossed in time for shelter before the rains started.  Sunday, I even found a church home.  People can sneer and ridicule, but I firmly believe God is looking out for me.  Since God’s watching over me, I’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Redtail paused a bit.  She caught a couple eye rolls, two people clapped, one gave a thumbs up.  She didn’t feel at all like she’d be attacked.  She cleared her throat and said, “Betcha weren’t expecting a sermon tonight.  At least I kept it under twenty minutes.”

The clappers and thumbs up and a few others smiled, showing her commentary wasn’t falling flat.  Redtail continued.  “That all doesn’t mean I’ve never wondered about my past.  I’d really like to know.  It’s just that worry won’t fix anything.” 

Another hand went up.  “So, like, how come you still know how to camp and stuff?”

Redtail gave an eager gasp.  She smiled and leaned forward like a high school girl ready to share some juicy gossip.  “I know!  And reading and writing and speech, too!”

The girl who asked the question said, “Yeah, like that, too.”

Redtail leaned back, smiled knowingly, and said after a slight pause, “I don’t have a clue.”  And after another little pause, said, “No, really, our brains and how they work are so so cool!  I’ve only read a few articles on-line at the library on memory loss and how certain bits can be blocked from recollection by your body or your brain without your consent, at all!  Now there’s something for you worry-warts to drama over.”  She leaned forward and gave a wide-eyed intense look around the group.  “And it could happen to any one of you!”  Redtail sat back up and said, “But I ain’t gonna worry about it.  It’s happened to me and it’s really really rare and the worry’s still not worth it.”

Redtail got all intent again, “But is it really that rare?  Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went in there?”  She sat back up and smiled.

George smiled and shook his head.  Redtail looked at George and said, “You’re right.  This has been lots easier than I thought.”  She looked back at the room and said, “I almost worried about what I’d say here tonight.”  Redtail made eye contact with one of the Three Maidens and asked, “Y’all ready to put someone else in the hotseat?”

Kayla said, “We didn’t have anyone else scheduled tonight, so you’re stuck there ‘til you’re relieved or we close.”  She threw her hands in the air and said, “Sorry” and headed back into the kitchen.

George grinned.  Redtail looked at the kitchen door in disbelief and started to laugh.  Kayla poked her head back out and said, “Unless, of course, you’re done.  Then step down whenever you’re ready.  Kayla smiled and popped back into the kitchen.

“OK,” said Redtail and she looked back to the crowd.  “Any more questions?” 

A white-aproned guy cleaning tables asked, “What do you think of Donowutt County?”

Redtail answered, “Oh wow!  I love it here!”

George leaned over and told Redtail, “That’s Carl, Krystal’s husband.”

“Alliteration throughout?” asked Redtail. 

“No, Carl with a “C”,” said George.

Carl gave a little laugh.

Redtail continued, “Hi, Carl.  I got to hear snippets about you and the pub the other day.”

Carl gave a thumbs-up and continued wiping down the table.

Redtail said, “Everything I’ve heard about Donowutt County –its history, seclusion, the people, is all so interesting and fun.  I’ve been to Wilder, Midtown, Higginsburg and Nowhere.  I live near Wilder and heard of Rainy Island, Big River and Baldspot.  And don’t take this as a putdown in the least, but, I keep thinking somebody will ask me if I’d been to Mayberry or Pixley or Hooterville yet.”

One lady sprayed her drink on the guy she was with and he jumped and laughed.  Several others laughed.  One gave an emphatic “YESSS!”  She also got a few puzzled looks.

“No, I mean everybody’s so friendly and helpful and everything.  It’s like this whole thing is just one big fun story.”

The guy whose table Carl had been prepping raised his hand.  Redtail squinted and pointed in acknowledgement.  He asked, “Have you got a phone yet?”

Redtail smiled, “I thought that was you, Billy.  No, I don’t, but when I do get a phone, I’ll hunt you down and give you that number.”

After a short lull in the questions, one last hand went up.  She asked, “Speaking of sharing phone numbers, how DO you deal with romantic interests?”

Redtail said, “With all my foraging, hunting, cooking and other chores, I don’t have the time for romantic stuff.  No, really, I lost my memory and I don’t want my behavior now, to jeopardize anything I might’ve had back then.  I really want to stay loyal to Mr. What-If.”  There was a pause, then Redtail said, “I think I’m about ready to get out of the hotseat, but this is a pub, so it’s social.  If I’m still here and you have questions for me, ask them!”

Redtail returned to George’s table.  Sarah arrived shortly after Redtail took the stage, so she caught just about all of what people had to say.  When one of the “Ks” took a break, she would park at George and Sarah’s table, too.  Redtail barely caught her breath and Kayla sat down at seat five of six.

George gave Redtail a look of concern and said, “Shake if off.  You’ll be OK, just shake it off.”

Sarah whacked him with a menu, “Oh, stop it!  She was great!”

Kayla shook her head at George as he nursed the menu wound, and said to Redtail, “See, that wasn’t bad at all.”

 

 

Chapter 32

“Thump!”  Redtail’s eyes parted drowsily.

“Thump!” Again, and this time Redtail heard voices.  She jumped up, kicking her oven grills, but she caught them before any of her morning’s fish dumped into the fire.

“I must’ve dozed off,” she thought.  She brushed off and headed up toward the house to welcome her day’s guest, Ruby, and maybe her mom.

Redtail called out as she scurried up to the end of the driveway, “Good…” and paused, “well, latish by now, morning, Ruby!  I’m guessing this is your mom.”

“Yeah, this is my mom.  She insisted she had to come, too,” said Ruby.

“I’m Alexis, or Lexi,” said Ruby’s mom as she extended a hand.  “I just thought it’d be cool to see how you lived, too,” and she looked at Ruby, “rather than wait for the book.”

“Mo-ommmmm,” said Ruby with a smile.

Ruby asked, “May I start asking questions, Redtail?”

“I guess so,” said Redtail.  “That was a question, right?”

Lexi smiled.  Ruby, not quite expecting such informality, was a bit taken aback.

Lexi said, “Just go with it Ruby.  I think this will be fun, maybe not so businesslike as you’d read an interview should be, but still fun.  It’ll also be quite informative.”

Ruby sighed, “I know.”

Redtail said quickly, “What was your next question, so we can get back on track?”

Lexi said, “Ruby, take note to always be ready for the unexpected.”

Ruby reluctantly said, “An interviewer’s supposed to take control of the interview.”

Redtail said, “That’s probably for a reluctant interviewee.  I’ve got no reason to be defensive or guarded, so we can just have fun.”

Lexi looked at Ruby, then to Redtail, and back at Ruby.  She smiled and stepped back.

Ruby shook her head and gave a little shiver.  “OK, I’ll start over.”  She looked at her notepad.  “Redtail, how did you start your morning, in as much detail as you feel like sharing?”

Redtail said, “Besides the obligatory wake-up…  How much detail?”

“As much as you want?”

“OK, after wake-up was potty.  That might actually be interesting to readers who don’t know my lifestyle.  I found a secluded spot, or my secluded spot, and scraped a hole in the ground with my shovel head.  I pottied and covered it back up.  And aside from my little campsite, I try to be as invisible as possible.”

“Let’s head down to my campsite –or the place I call home,” said Redtail.  She motioned them to follow her.  They walked slowly.  “Step high.  That way you’ll get less dew on your feet.”  Redtail then continued as the group high-stepped through the grass.

“After potty, I think to myself, what are my plans today? –and what do I feel like eating today and tomorrow?  I can’t store up much food because I don’t have any electricity.  I’d say ‘no power’ but the sun and fire can be pretty powerful.  I dry lots of stuff.”

Ruby asked, while checking off another intended question, “What kind of stuff do you usually eat?”

“I eat lots of our local plants and small game animals.  Even some I eat, I’m not certain they’re legal, but I still do it.  I’m pretty sure they are,” said Redtail.

Ruby asked, “How do you know if they’re legal or not?”

Redtail said, “Oh that’s in the Wildlife Code book.  I picked one up at WalMart the other day when George and I went to Midtown.  If it’s in season, it’s fair game –except for trout, deer, turkey, and waterfowl.  They take special licensing, and I’d have a hard time convincing lots of people I really exist.” 

Ruby asked, “You mentioned some questionables.  What might those be?”

Redtail said, “Well, they sell rat and mouse traps all over the place, so it must not be illegal to kill them.  I haven’t seen anything, however, stating it is legal.”

Ruby said, “Oh yeah, that’s right.  You can eat rats and mice.  It’s a thought that takes some getting used to.”

Alexis laughed at Ruby’s surprise at rats and mice.  Then she looked interested to hear Redtail’s answer.

“Redtail said, “Sure you can eat rats and mice.  They’re meat, just like squirrel or rabbit, and they’re not hard to catch.  Wanna try it?”

Ruby curled her nose and said, “Eww!  I don’t think so!”

Alexis said, “C’mon Ms. Open-Minded Reporter!  I think it’d at least be fun to hear how it’s done.”

Redtail smiled.

Ruby said, “Yeah, well, it’s just…”  She drew in a deep breath.  “Let’s do it!”  She gave a weak laugh.

“That’s the spirit,” said Alexis.  She looked at Redtail.  “I’d never known Ruby to be squeamish.”

“Mo-ommmm,” sighed Ruby.

Redtail said, “It’s definitely not everyday mainstream food, but it’s cool you’re at least giving it a shot.  It’s a short trip to the brush pile where I get the rats, and we need to pack a little equipment.” 

The three arrived at Redtail’s campsite.  Ruby said, “Cool! Is this where you live?”

Redtail said, “Yes!  Talk about luxurious accommodations!”

Lexi and Ruby didn’t know how to respond, so they just looked around and smiled politely.

Redtail ducked into the tent.  “Y’all feel free to come in or just snoop around a bit.  I’ll try to think out loud as I gather up what we’ll need.  I don’t know how much you want to be in on, Ruby.  And, of course, feel free to interrupt if you have any questions.  You, too, Lexi.” 

Redtail stepped out of the tent just as Ruby stiffened up and pointed toward the corner of the tent.  Redtail looked at the ground and gave a laugh.  “Oh, he’s OK.  It’s almost a pet, but I haven’t given it a name yet.  Rat snakes are really quite common and now that you’ve seen him, you probably won’t startle one another.  OK, for my packing:  killing and cleaning tools and a bag to carry them in.”

Lexi asked, “Is your snake tame?  I mean, can I pick it up?”

Redtail said, “I’ve never tried it.  Sometimes they’re docile and sometimes they’ll bite pretty quick.  And people who call all non-venomous snakes ‘harmless’ had never been bitten by them.  A bite feels like a bunch of tiny paper cuts.  They can burn or sting, but don’t be scared of snakes.”

Lexi asked, “Do you mind if I try it?”

“Mo-ommmm!” said Ruby.

Redtail said, “You say that quite a bit.”

“Well”, said Ruby, “sometimes she’s, well, weird.”

“Cool,” said Redtail.  “I like weird.  Oh, and Lexi, go for it, but don’t make your movements look threatening and be ready to react to a strike.”

Lexi pursued the snake.  Redtail continued with Ruby. “My killing tool is what I call a cubit stick.  It’s really a lightweight club, but it can also be used as a throwing weapon.  My cleaning tools are this pocket knife, courtesy of Big Al, and a side-cutting pliers.  The fishpole is for the actual snaring.”

Alexis, who had the snake coiled around her arm, took interest at “snaring.”

Redtail said, in response to the snake, “Oh good.  He’s not a meanie.”

Lexi said, “Do you set a bunch of snares like a trapline, then come back and check on them later?”

“Naaah, my rat snaring is more interactive,” said Redtail. “It’s almost like bobber fishing.” 

Lexi walked over to Ruby, who stepped back at the snake’s proximity.

Redtail said, “The process is really quite simple.  Set the bait. Set the snare.  Wait patiently.  Yank the pole.  Run up and kill the rat.  Clean it quick.”  Then Redtail packed the supplies in her bag.

Lexi looked at Ruby, then to Redtail and back to Ruby.  “So, if you’re not going to ask, I will.  “Redtail, what do you use for bait?”

Ruby seemed a bit embarrassed at her oversight.  “Oh!  Yeah.”

Redtail said, “I’m sorry.  I should’ve said.  I make a paste from berries and fat and if I can find ‘em, leftovers from a McDonald’s bag or bread or seeds from old plants.  There’s probably lots better bait, but this works for now.  Oh, hey!  I’ll bet dried fish would work great!”

Ruby, starting to get more spontaneous, asked, “Why fish?”

“Fish,” said Redtail, “even dried rock hard, can be quite aromatic.”  She jumped up from her bag and ducked back into the tent, emerging with a sealed food container.  She approached Ruby and said, “Smell this!” 

Redtail popped the corner of the lid and Ruby jumped back.  “Eww!  That’s terrible!” said Ruby.

Redtail said, “And that’s not even spoiled.  Wanna try some?”  Redtail cut off a piece and put in her mouth.

Ruby said, “No thank you.”  The shocked tones disappeared from her voice.

Lexi said, “I wouldn’t mind trying some.  It doesn’t smell any worse than lutefisk.”

Redtail asked, “What’s lutefisk?”

Ruby said, “It’s some gross fish stuff Daddy’s family in North Dakota serves around Christmas time.”

“It sounds like it’d make good rat bait, too,” said Redtail.

“That’s about all it’d be ‘good’ for,” added Lexi.

Redtail asked, “Is lutefisk like dried fish?”

Lexi said, “It’s dried fish reconstituted with lye.  It takes on a gel-like consistency when that’s done, so it’s really weird.  It’s some sort of Scandinavian tradition.”

Redtail said, “I like different ethnic foods.”

Ruby said, “Lutefisk’s gross.  Let’s get back to rats.”  She paused.  “Eww!  That sounded so weird!”

“The catching is really quite simple, but maybe hard to explain,” said Redtail.  “The trapper sits really low behind a log about 15 feet from the bait.” 

Redtail got Ruby and Lexi to stand about six feet apart, and she slowly walked around them as she continued.  “The baiting area is in a fairly dense brush pile in a little eroded gully.”  Redtail stopped and reversed the direction of her circling.  Ruby and her mom smiled apprehensively.

“There’s not much breeze today and I needed to consider positioning.” Redtail stopped and looked at the two. 

Ruby asked with a light laugh, “What are you doing?”

Redtail answered, “Oh, I thought it smelled like one of you used some more scented soap or shampoo or something, and I think Lexi’s the culprit!”  Redtail smiled.

Lexi said, “Oh wow.  I didn’t think about that.”

“Not a problem,” said Redtail. “I bet you weren’t planning to snare rats today, either.”

Lexi laughed and Ruby was still not quite sure how to handle the situation.  Redtail said, “I was going to let one of you catch the rat while I did the messy and time-crucial part of killing and cleaning –unless you’d like to try the catch, Ruby.”

Ruby said, “Not really, but I’d like to see it.”

Redtail went on, “And Lexi, you’re just too good-smelling to be close to the trapping.  It’ll all still work.  I’ll explain the whole thing before we head down there, so we can be nearly silent when we get there.  Lexi can watch from downwind and Ruby, you can watch it all from up close if you want.  I hope it’s a successful snaring.  Sometimes I miss, but not often.”

Ruby asked, “Do you catch lots of rats?”

Redtail said, “Not really.  I’ve tried about half a dozen times and missed once.”

Lexi said, “Maybe I could find a dead animal to roll in to mask my smell. I think it’d be fun to try the actual hunt.”

“Mo-…!” Ruby caught herself. “mm,” she said quietly with a smile.

Redtail continued, “When we get there, we’ll smear some bait on a spot I use and fasten a loop of fishing line at the little chamber’s opening.  Then we let out some line and hide in our spots where we can watch the bait.  I’ll reel up the slack in the line and then we wait and watch.  If nothing happens in 15 minutes or so, we’ll go fishing.”

Lexi said, “Now fishing, I know.”

Redtail said, “When we’re hiding, We gotta keep our movement and noise to a minimum.  A rat will slowly walk out of the brush and cautiously up the log to the bait.  It’ll stop occasionally and sniff for your mom.  When it starts getting comfortable eating the bait… I’ll… YANK…” Ruby and her mom jumped. “…the fishpole!  The rat will come flying past us and I’ll try to steer it into smacking down on the ground to stun it.  I’ll run out and hit it with the cubit stick to kill it and immediately start cleaning it.  From YANK to cleaning happens lots faster than it takes for me to describe it.”

“Lexi asked, “Why do you have to clean it so fast?”

“That cubit stick can damage prey pretty bad,” said Redtail. “If I don’t clean it quickly, it’ll bruise or digestive organs could’ve ruptured to taint the meat, or at least I think so.  That’s why I try to be quick.  I think we’re about ready to head out.  Do you think so, too?  Anyone gotta potty first?”

“I think we’re good,” said Lexi as she looked at Ruby.  Ruby nodded and off they went.

“A lot of my food gathering is experimental,” said Redtail quietly.  “I considered getting some rat traps from Big Al, but kept getting this feeling that I might be killing the rats but not getting to them in time.  I hate the thought of useless killing.”

As they walked down the rocky trail to the snaring site, Lexi broke the near silence as she gave a little snort and smile.  “I was thinking about useless killing and my mind happened onto trophy hunting.  I saw a little cardboard shield with a dried rat head wired to it, hanging on your tent wall.”

Redtail laughed and added, “or a little catfish from the pond, but I wonder how a taxidermist does the whiskers.”

Down the path a bit more and Redtail hushed up her voice and nearly whispered, “Here’s about where we’ll need to split up.”  The girls stopped.  Redtail looked around, rubbing her chin as she thought.  “OK, Lexi.  We’ll put you over there on the rock by that fat old oak.  Adjust yourself so you can watch us, but try to stay concealed.  I’ll give a thumbs up when we’re all set up, and then the suspense can begin.”

Lexi sat on the rock and with a look, asked Redtail, “This one?”  Redtail returned a nod.  Lexi smiled and gave a thumbs up.

Ruby and Redtail continued down to the brush pile about 20 yards farther.  Redtail unslung her bag and pulled out the bait packet.  The bait was a chunky and greasy wad, wrapped in a piece of WalMart bag.  Redtail began to smear the bait inside a small chamber built of sticks and nails.  The chamber was walled on 3 of the 4 sides with the top and fourth side open.  The whole box was about 3 by 3 inches and out on the protruding end of the log.

Redtail said, “This little room is open on one side in order to steer the rat into the snare.  And it’s good to see the chamber clean because that means they’ve been coming out to it.  I hope they’re not spooked.  I got three this morning.” 

Redtail startled at a soft buzzing sound, but calmed quick when Ruby looked caught and answered a text on her phone.  She started to groan, “Oh Moo…” and caught herself. 

The text said, “Could you please move so I can see, too?”

Redtail whispered, “When I heard that buzz, I first thought we’d disturbed a bumble bee or even a snake.”

Ruby smiled but kept quiet as she took a couple pictures of the bait chamber while Redtail applied the bait and set the noose.  She side-stepped a bit so her mom could watch.  Lexi packed a small set of binoculars in her purse.  Ruby then asked, “Sorry, but can I take pictures for the story?  I didn’t even think of pictures until Mom texted me.”

Redtail said, “You go right ahead and get what you need, how you need it.”

Ruby replied with an eager, “Oh, thank you!”

Redtail pulled the cubit stick from her bag and made sure her knife was in her pocket, then she slung her bag to her shoulder.  She slowly backed up with the fishpole, carefully letting out line.   She signaled Ruby to sit behind a small brush pile.  Redtail carefully laid the fishpole across the brush and reeled up the slack, then carefully let it back out a bit until it just touched the ground in a gentle loop.  She, too, crouched down behind the brush. “This shouldn’t take real long,” Redtail whispered.

They waited.  They watched.  Lexi watched, too, often through her binoculars.  It seemed a long time had passed, but after slightly less than 5 minutes, a rat started out of the brush and up the log.  It moved in short jerky movements, pausing quite frequently to sniff the air.  The rat stopped at the bait chamber and sat upright on its haunches.  It preened itself, licking its paws and rubbing its face like it was getting washed up for dinner.  Redtail slowly picked up the fishpole and tightened herself like a trap spring as though she, too, was getting ready for dinner.  Redtail whispered, I’ll pull when he gets in up to his shoulder.”

Ruby watched.  The rat took two steps toward the chamber, and sniffed around casually.  It looked up and around, then poked its head into the chamber.  Redtail tensed again and shifted a bit on her feet.  Ruby smiled at the thought of how Redtail reminded her of a cat about to pounce.  The next few seconds shifted into slow motion for Redtail, but were more like a blur to Ruby and her mom.

The rat stepped both front feet into the chamber and Redtail pulled back hard on the fishpole, looking overhead in expectation of the rat flying past, but it didn’t happen.  She hadn’t felt the proper tension on the line and groaned in disappointment.  Redtail remembered she hadn’t popped the button back out on the reel after she let down the loop in the line.  Redtail jumped up and gave another exasperated shrug and groan.  Ruby jumped up too, and tapped Redtail on the shoulder, pointing to the trap log.  Redtail looked again and squeaked in relief as she realized the rat was still tangled and struggling in a very active ball, hanging about a foot below the log. 

“Yes,” exclaimed Redtail!  “Maybe we can still save this!  “This” being dinner, and not the rat,” as she scrambled to the log with her cubit stick.

Two lightning-fast blows from the cubit stick: first stunning and knocking the rat to the ground and the second blow to the head, killing it.  The two cubit stick blows and Redtail’s knife coming out of her pocket all happened in one smooth, seemingly seamless movement.  Redtail called Lexi out of hiding and apologized to the two of them.  “Sorry.  The whole actual killing through cleaning seems so gruesome and animal-like, but it’s gotta be done without hesitation or the meat can spoil pretty quick.”

Ruby said, “That’s OK.  It’s not so gross.  Dad takes me rabbit hunting.”

Lexi said, “Oh wow!  That rat’s almost cute, like a gray hamster.”

“Yeah,” said Redtail, “wood rats look lots different from Norway rats, which most people think of when they think ‘rats’.  Wood rat faces aren’t so pointy and beady-eyed.  Their ears are rounder and a little smaller and their tails are barely a third as long as a Norway rat’s.”

“My animal use isn’t quite as efficient as it maybe could be,” said Redtail, “but I try to use a lot. Meat and bait, mostly.  I’m saving bones from bigger animals like raccoons.  I’m pretty sure I can make some cool tools and weapons with them.”  She saved all the guts of the rat and held up the head of the rat with the skin.  “Not quite sure what to do with this.  Maybe the dry the skin and use it to make some light rawhide cordage?”

Lexi said, “I could see it securing arrow or spear heads.”

Ruby looked at her mom like she was seeing some unknown cave girl side being uncovered.

Lexi said, “I used to read a lot about native crafts. I just haven’t had lots of time to play with it.”

Redtail pulled more WalMart bag from her shoulder pack and tore it into pieces.  She wrapped the meat and skin in one piece and the innards in another.  She then packed everything back into the pack. “I’ll put this on the grill by the fire and then we’ll catch a few fish.”

Lexi said, “You sound so confident.”

“I don’t always get what I’m after,” said Redtail, “and if I don’t, I’ve got dried stuff to fall back on.  I’ll let you try some of that, too.”

“Too?” asked Ruby.

Redtail said, “Oh sure, I assumed you’d join me for a late lunch.”

Heading up to the camp, Redtail continued talking on things she thought might be of interest to Ruby.  “Except that I’d already been fishing this morning, you’re seeing a pretty routine day for me.  Get food.  Fix food.  Think about future food.  Play.  Water, food, shelter and then comes comfort and fun.  I’ve been so blessed to have George let me use his place and even his tent.  I don’t have to worry about anything because he’s made a standing offer of his tap water and even his house and barn.  I’ll still try to be pretty much self-supporting out here, but, it’s reassuring that if it all falls through, it’s not the end.  Yep, God’s got His eye on this little sparrow.”

While Redtail spread the rat on the grill, Ruby asked some more questions.  “You can’t remember your past, but why haven’t you more aggressively pursued finding answers?  That sounded almost too prying, but it’s only curiosity.” 

“No, that’s alright,” said Redtail.  “It’s a very valid question, and one I’ve pondered, myself.  I know our local police and even posse are alert to leads.  I don’t have a clue where I’d start.  And I guess I’m a little apprehensive of how authorities would treat me.  I’d just rather wait patiently for my answers rather then get institutionalized or drugged.  I’m not hiding from anyone or anything that I know of.”

Ruby asked, “How do you get money for stuff you need?  Like, or do you actually find everything you need?”

“I really can’t dwell on it,” said Redtail.  “The situation hasn’t arisen, so until it gets to be a problem, well, I’m trusting God.  It’ll all be OK.”

“Wow,” said Ruby.  “Your contentment is so cool.”

Redtail asked, “What other people have you written about?”

Ruby brightened up: “I’ve written on Robert M. Higgins, his son, R. Maxwell Higgins, or Robert, Jr., his son, Max, and Judge Hugo Noyugo.  I’d really like to research Warden William Husgow out at Rainy Island Prison, but he’s sort of elusive for interviewing and not much is written about him.”

Ruby continued with the questions, asking all the usual ones, and she included a physical description.  She knew readers wouldn’t be able to see Redtail was tallish at five foot eight inches and very fit-looking.  She had long straight black hair tied back in a low ponytail.  Redtail’s eyes were about as dark as her hair.  Redtail didn’t know her ethnicity, so they guessed at Amerasian or maybe Hispanic.  Ruby closed up her notebook and paused.

“I’m not going to write this down, but, like, I’m curious.  You’re so, well, pretty.  Do you have lots of guys after you?”

Redtail smiled.

Ruby said, “I mean, to see you and talk to you, it’s surprising you live alone in the woods.”

Redtail said, “Well thank you. I don’t get out much, and when I do, it’s usually with someone or I’m on a specific mission.  I got one guy who openly flirts with me when our paths cross.  I and a bunch of other people know he wants my phone number when I get one, but there’s been no male callers.  I don’t know what I have in my old life and don’t want to jeopardize any good things I might have with hasty decisions now.”

“Cool,” said Ruby.

Lexi added, “I like that.”

“And feel free to include that in your paper, if you like,” said Redtail.

Ruby opened her notebook again and said, “I just might.  Thank you.”

Ruby did come up with a thought provoking speculative question.  Ruby began, “I know you don’t really remember, but, what do you think your hobbies or interests might have been before now?  Or what do you think you’d like to be interested in?”

“Oh, I like that question,” said Redtail.  “I do know a few things in that area.  I know I like church and the library.  And the history of this area is fascinating.  I think I like research and I know I like history in general.”

Ruby said softly, “Me too.”

Redtail continued, “I’m pretty certain I have a background working with kids.  I wasn’t expecting to see y’all in the Museum, but as soon as I saw The Relics, I wanted to get involved with what they were up to.  And at church Wednesday and Sunday, the children seemed to gravitate toward me.  I loved it!  You and Rick are more like young adults than children.  Oh boy, there’s another interest area: words!  Why do we still use an archaic plural of child?”

Lexi cut in, “I think language is fun, too.  I’m the English teacher and consultant for The Relics.”

Redtail continued, “Yeah, I mean there’s so much cool stuff to learn.  I guess I could say I have an insatiable curiosity and want to be an enabler in that area for others.”

Ruby said, “It sounds like you were a teacher.”

Redtail said, as she packed up fishing gear, “I’ve wondered that from time to time.”

Redtail moved her fish to the top grill and suggested they head to the pond to catch a few more fish.  “Sometimes I wish I could catch a mess of fish and stock up, but I’m limited on food storage and preservation.”  Redtail continued, “I feel like God designed us for regular nibbling and foraging, rather than two or three sit-down meals a day.  I hunt food constantly, but it’s never felt stressfully urgent.  I always feel like I have plenty to share, too.”

Up at the pond, Redtail caught a small bass and a sunfish.  Ruby also got a bass and a sunfish.   Lexi caught a big sunfish as she was reeling up after her last cast.  On the way back to camp, Redtail gathered up a WalMart bag full of curly dock, lamb’s quarter, dandelion and flower-of-an-hour greens and lots of nearby flower-of-an-hour and dandelion flowers.  She also pulled about a dozen Queen Anne’s lace roots with their greens, explaining the difference between it and poison hemlock.  Redtail spotted Lexi looking up what she’d been telling them on her smart phone and smiled as Lexi looked up feeling caught.

A little embarrassed and with a hint of defensiveness, Lexi started to say, “Oh, I was just…”

Redtail interrupted and said, “No, that’s great to double-check what you hear about wild edibles, specially the potentially deadly ones.”  She added, “and I forgot how accessible the Internet is.  But we still gotta be careful there, too.  It often gives wrong info.”

Ruby said, “Forgetting about the Internet raises an interesting question, at least for me.”

Lexi quickly added, “So probably for your readers, too.”

Redtail said, “Well, I’m ready to give an answer.”

“How come, I mean, why,” began Ruby, “do you remember so much about camping and wild edibles and survival stuff, but don’t remember who you are or where you’re from?”

Redtail let out a big breath.  “Wow, I’ve wondered about that one a lot!  Why do I still know how to speak English, too?  Memory loss is weird.  Your brain can pick and choose what it wants to remember and what it wants to block out.  I hope the blockage isn’t anything scary or illegal, but I really don’t know.  If I let all that bother me, I could slip into a really nasty depression.”

They arrived back at camp and Redtail put the greens on to boil and squatted down to begin cleaning the fish.  “Got another blade?” asked Lexi.

“Sure,” said Redtail, handing Lexi her blade.  “I’ll grab another one from my box.  Ruby, you want one, too?”

Ruby said, “I’d like to, but I don’t think I should risk getting fish goop on my notebook.”

Lexi looked at Ruby.  Ruby said, “No, really, Mom!  I wanna keep on writing.”

Lexi laughed.  “I know.  I just didn’t want to miss a chance to give you a hard time.”

Ruby sighed.

Redtail explained, “My fish cleaning goes pretty quick: no scaling, no skinning, unless I’ll be drying it.  These’ll be for lunch.”

Ruby asked, “Do you enjoy cooking over a campfire?”

Redtail said, “It should seem odd, but it seems natural.  I still vaguely remember doing culinary things in a full kitchen.  Grandpa George says I can use his, but I think that’ll be more for emergencies.”

Lexi said, “Well it sure smells good.”

Redtail said, “Maybe that’s the hickory wood I found.  I don’t think it’s the simmering greens.  I’ve got an old memory, but I’m not sure where it’s from.  Still, I know paper birch bark smoke smells great!”  Shortly thereafter, she turned the fish.  “This looks like it will be ready in just a bit.”

Ruby looked at the fish and asked how Redtail knew done from not done.

“When it flakes apart and looks all white and not translucent like… like… Oh, here!” said Redtail as she poked about with her knife.

Ruby said, “Oh yeah.  I see that.”

Lexi asked Redtail why she cooked her fish right on the grill and not in a pan.

Redtail looked at the grill in puzzlement.  “I don’t really know.  Maybe less to wash?  Faster heating?  I grill them with skins on to help hold the meat together better.  I peel that off when I eat it.”  Redtail hopped up and ducked into her tent, emerging with a handful of eating utensils and some bowls.  “I’ve only got a couple forks, but I made a bunch of chopsticks.”

Lexi looked at the chopsticks and said, “I think I can still do this.  It’s been a while.”

Ruby said, “It’ll be fun.” 

The three sat on logs and scooped chunks of fish off the communal platter and into their bowls. Redtail’s serving fork for the greens looked like a tiny wood rake, made from a stick with the end split and splayed.  With this, she scooped dollops of greens into the bowls.

“Sorry for the lack of salt,” said Redtail.  “But I do have peppergrass or penny cress.  Those seeds are even starting to come in season.”

“This is good anyway,” said Ruby.  Lexi nodded in agreement.

They chatted away and finished lunch. “I thought the rat would taste weird or something, but it didn’t at all,” said Ruby.

Lexi said, “I thought it was quite pleasant.”

“It’s in there between squirrel and rabbit, I think.  Good stuff, but overlooked,” said Redtail.

Ruby asked again if she could walk around and take pictures.  And Redtail said she was free as she wanted to be.

Lexi said to Redtail, “I don’t know what all you’ve heard, but there’s already rumors of the wild girl or cave girl living out by Perry’s Bend.”

Redtail said, “We’d be neighbors then.  She sounds like someone I’d like to meet.  We could swap stories.”  Redtail and Lexi both laughed.

Ruby turned back to Redtail and asked, “What would you say is the hardest part of your lifestyle?”

Redtail sighed, “Oh, I don’t know.  Probably the not knowing what’s happening in my old environment.  But that’s all it is: not knowing.”

Ruby smiled and nodded, “And that’s beyond your control, so you don’t let that bother you.”

All three laughed, and Redtail said, “Yep, you got it!”

Ruby concluded she had all she needed for now and they all agreed their paths would cross again, offering opportunity to fill in the gaps if there were any.  Redtail walked up to the car with Ruby and Lexi. 

George was walking toward the group.  “Howdy y’all.  Got back from town and I saw a new car in the drive so I figured I’d check it out.”

Redtail introduced everybody.  George said, “I thought I’d seen you around town from time to time.  Glad to finally meet you.”

Lexi said, “Yeah, I knew who you were, but never really met you.”

George laughed, “Now I won’t just be that creepy old guy who waves.  I got a name now, and so do y’all.  Still, I try not to be creepy.  I’d heard some of the kids in town think I’m scary.”

Ruby looked back and forth between the three.  Redtail smiled and said, “Nah, you weren’t even creepy when you crept up on me that first day we met in the woods.  I’d have approached cautiously, too, to some weird squatter on my land.”

Lexi smiled at Ruby and raised an eyebrow.

Ruby asked, “Can I interview you, too, sometime to get your thoughts and feelings on a new, well, granddaughter?”

“Why sure,” said George.  “I’m usually pretty flexible on time.  I try to stay busy, but I’m my own boss now.”

Ruby giggled a bit and caught herself. “I’ll get back with you to set up a date.”

George said, “Looks like I might need to prepare a story about our story, Redtail.  I might have ta take notes tonight at the Three Maidens.”

Redtail said, “You do that, and Ruby, I think you’ll know how to find us when you get more questions.”

Lexi loaded their stuff up in the car as the others small-talked.

“Now, for tonight,” wondered Redtail, “How do I prepare for that?”

Chapter 33

The next few weeks went like the previous ones.  Hot and muggy.  Redtail foraged and visited Wilder from time to time.  Donowutt County only got rain twice.  No injuries with the 4^th of July festivities. 

Big Al and Redtail came to a reluctant wage agreement.  He wanted to pay her more, but she said it was her pleasure, and if she had to take anything, it shouldn’t be more than minimum wage.  Redtail got to pick her own days and hours, which started to settle on a few afternoon hours, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  Then Sunday rolled around again.

The preacher finished his sermon.  The closing hymn and prayer wrapped things up for the Sunday morning worship service.  Pastor Tix adjourned for the morning and the children accosted Redtail on their way out. The kids at church were getting excited about the up-coming wild edibles walk and wanted Redtail to start now. 

On their way home, Redtail thought out loud to George.  “To do a program: I’ve got my site and the event is scheduled.  It’s going to be a walk, and I’ve scouted the place out a bit, so I know where various plants and even critters are, to talk about them.  I don’t have any books on the topic, but I’ll be recommending and checking some out from the library.”

“Sounds like a good start, so far,” said George.  “You’ll be just fine.”

“I think there’s even some plants I don’t know, so will be trying to research while I’m there.  I want to show the first question should be, ‘What is this?’ rather than, ‘Can I eat this?’  And I’ll be taking them along the tree line and making sure they know poison ivy.”

George said, “I think that should get the kids interested in what’s around them.  Just their knowing the outdoors is more than ‘that green place with no roof’ is a great start.”

Redtail said, “The walk starts at 6:30.  Could I get a ride to the library at 4:30?  It’s no trouble with my leaving early to walk, but I’ll know how much time I’ll have to pre-forage if I got a ride.  I don’t start my hardware schedule ‘til next week, so I won’t already be there.”

“I’ll get ya there and even haul stuff if you want.  I’ll drop you off and run into Higginsburg to pick up a bit, and I’ll be back at quittin’ time,” said George.

“Oh, you can stay for the program, if you like.”

“I thought about that,’ said George, “but I do enough programs here and about that I didn’t want folks tempted to ask me the questions.  This is your program.”  He gave Redtail a reassuring smile. 

It rained Monday and threatened to do so on Tuesday and those two days dragged on for Redtail.  She did her regular foraging, but was nervous at her lack of extra storage, so she waited until Wednesday morning to collect for the samples buffet.  Wednesday morning finally came around for Redtail.  The sun shined and it got hot and muggy like a mid-July day in Missouri is apt to do.  Finally, she could forage without holding back, so she eagerly hit the trail.

Concentrating on edibles Redtail knew she could find on the church grounds later, she collected plantain, thistles, pennycress, pineapple weed, henbit, chickweed and, of course, dandelion.  She filled her burlap collection bag and took them to the barn to rinse in the sink.  George was away on some errands.  Despite regular invitations and encouragement, Redtail still didn’t want to use George’s house without an express invitation.

Redtail tried to think of truly hazardous plants the kids might encounter, but aside from the latex in dandelion stems and pokey thistle thorns, she was fairly sure they were in for safe foraging.  She hadn’t gotten out to the edge of the woods on the church grounds, so she planned to stay alert for poison ivy and wild parsnip.  Redtail considered poison hemlock, too, but thought she’d have noticed any stands of that.  She finished up her forage rinse and shook off excess moisture before she put it in a washed burlap sack.  She liked to keep a forage sack and a clean sack.

Redtail guessed the time to be a bit after lunchtime.  “If I have to start being places at certain times, I should probably get me a watch or clock,” she thought.  “I wonder what time it really is?”  Right about then the gravel started crunching.  George was back from his mission.

Redtail headed up to the house with her forage bags and knocked lightly on the door.  George called out, “Redtail, is that you?  Door’s open.”

“Grandpa George –Oh, here’s the time on your stove.”

“We still have a couple hours before you want to leave, right?” asked George.

“Oh yeah.  It’s only 1:45 and I don’t feel like I need to leave ‘til around 4:15.”

George walked into the kitchen drying his hands with a rag.  “Helpin’ a friend get his outboard motor runnin’.  Got a little dirty.  But we got it running, so it was a good morning.  How ‘bout you?  Ready for this evening?”

“I think so, but I also keep thinking I’m forgetting something.”

George reassured Redtail, “Yep, that’s the last step in prepping for a program.  You’re ready for this.”  He laughed.

Redtail asked incredulously, “What? You always forget something?”

George laughed again, “No, but I often think I have.  But even when I actually do, it still works out.”

“I stuck with foraging really common stuff I knew we could find at church, and washed it in the barn so we won’t need to clean the forage there.  I also plan to start at the library and get three or four books to have on hand.  Other than those books, I’m all packed right here.”  Redtail patted her burlap sacks.

“Oh maaan, I wish I packed that light!” said George.  “But that’s a thing about getting’ older.  You accumulate stuff.  I should try packing light a time or two –just to see if I can still do it.”

“I got a couple hours before departure.  I feel like I need to do something more.”

George suggested, “Just sit back in one of the living room chairs and close your eyes and see if you think of anything else you need.  If you happen to doze off, I’ll wake ya.”

Redtail pondered the idea and got up.  “I just think I might take you up on that.  I just hope I don’t get too comfortable.”

In the living room, the light was dim and filtered through yellowed translucent pull-down window shades.  The couch was on the far side under a window and two soft chairs faced it on either side of the kitchen doorway.  George offered a chair and Redtail slowly cushed down into it, letting out a long breath while she closed her eyes.  “I feel like I should be foraging or something, but I don’t want to get started in another project only to have to quit to head out for tonight’s festivities.”  She smiled and took another long breath.  “I guess if I take a nap, it was meant to be.”

Almost two hours later, George quietly asked Redtail if she was about ready to head into town.  She smiled and took another longish breath.  “I guess I was supposed to take a nap in preparation for the program.  Thank you!”

George and Redtail pulled up to the front of the library.  Redtail thanked George for the ride and George said he’d be to the church by about 7:00.  They bid farewells and Redtail headed into the library.

“Hello, Redtail,” said Linda-Jean. “Did you get off at the hardware early?”

“No,” said Redtail, “that doesn’t start ‘til next week.  I’m here for a few example books for foraging.  I’ve got that program at church tonight, and thought I’d throw in a plug for the library.”

“Well thank you!  I can use the publicity.  It would be cool to have more kids into books.”

“I’m looking for a couple good field guides to, like, wildflowers or common garden weeds and maybe a good wild edibles book or two.”

Linda-Jean pointed out that those could be found in several areas: wildflowers, survival or even foods and cooking.

After a bit of hunting, Redtail settled on a Missouri Department of Conservation, “Wildflowers of Missouri,” Golden’s “Guide to Field Identification: Wildflowers of North America,” Sam Thayer’s “The Forager’s Harvest,” John Kallas’ “Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods from Dirt to Plate” and “Foraged Flavor” by Tama Matsuoka Wong and Eddy Leroux.

Redtail milked her time and stretched it to the full 5:00 closing of the library.  Linda-Jean said, as she locked up the library, “I’ll see you at your program this evening.  I’ll have Louie with me, too.”

“Well,” said Redtail, “I think we’re going to have fun tonight.  At least I think I will.  Anyway, in between now and then, I plan to scout the church grounds so I know my way around the edibles.” 

“You’ll be quite knowledgeable after an hour of quiet walking.”

“Yeah, I got to thinking I might’ve given myself a bit too much time.  But it’s better than being late,” said Redtail with a smile.

Linda-Jean said, “Enjoy your tour, and we’ll see you later.”

Redtail arrived at the church, which is only a hundred or so yards from the library, and set her forage bags and books by the front door.  She gave the doors a light tug to verify they were still locked.  Redtail took a deep breath, let it out and smiled while she scanned the grounds.  She looked at the field and headed out to explore more closely that unmowed area.

The field or pasture had become a sort of community grazing area.  Quite often, horses or goats or even young cattle would be staked out there.  The plants never got much more than knee high and when they did, someone would cut and bale it.  The plan seemed to work out quite nicely.  Kids could have their 4-H larger animals, neighbors could have horses, and the church didn’t have to keep the whole place mowed.  Redtail walked through the red clover, yarrow, Queen Anne’s lace and past occasional yellow and white sweet clover and wild parsnip.  At the edge of the woods and near a drainage ditch, she found a small patch of older poison hemlock.  She made a note to ask about later eradication.  She also found her poison ivy, so that danger portion of her walk would happen like she wanted.  Redtail explored a bit along the woods edge and headed back to the building, adding hop clover, tickseed trefoil, hedge parsley and several other plants to her list. 

Redtail started back for the church and Pastor Tix headed there from the parsonage.  They exchanged waves.  Redtail arrived at the door just as Pastor Tix got it unlocked.   “I’ll get the rest of the place opened up for you in just a bit.  And I’ll be back in a couple hours after you start to lock up.”

“Just the basement door would be fine, and if you trust me, I can lock up to save you a trip.”

“I tell ya what.  If you don’t see me by the time you’re finished, go ahead and lock up.  It’ll all work out.”  He turned around and told Redtail, “The Allen wrench that engages the door lock is in that drawer, but be sure you got all your stuff before you let it all lock up behind you.”  He smiled as pointed to the drawer in the brochure table by the door.

“Yeah, it’ll all work.  Thank you so much for letting me do this!  I think the kids will love it.”

“I know Lucy and Lydia have been talking quite a bit about it.  I guess they know all about locking up.  They can guide ya through checking all the doors.  They know the routine.  I’ll see ya later.”

As Pastor Tix departed, his daughters, Lucy and Lydia ran laughing from the parsonage to the church.  Redtail opened the door and welcomed the girls.  Lydia collapsed dramatically on the floor and Lucy rolled her eyes.  Lydia got up and half-crawled to the drinking fountain.  After a long noisy drink, Lydia slumped down in the pew in the hallway and sighed loudly.

“Maybe it’s too hot and sticky out there for you to take a walk this evening,” suggested Redtail.

“It is pretty hot out there, and a long grueling walk across that parking lot.” Redtail glanced at Lucy and smiled. “Lydia needs to regain all the strength she can before we strike out on our adventure.”

Redtail pulled a sign, which read, “Wild Edibles Walk Starts from Basement out back” from her pack and taped it to the window.  “Well, I think we’re ready to head to the basement. Lydia, can you make it when you’ve recovered?”

Lucy rolled her eyes, but laughed, too.

Redtail and Lucy headed off to the basement, and Lydia caught up before they got to the stairs.  She didn’t want to miss out on any Redtail surprises.  At the bottom of the stairs, Redtail caught some movement through the window.  She hurried off to the door to get it unlocked.  Three car doors thumped shut.    Kimmy and her sister Chloe ran in the doors, and their mother, Kitty walked in after a few seconds.  Another car pulled in.  Kevin and his dad got out and two more cars headed down the drive to the basement parking lot.

Redtail confessed, “I don’t have any time-keeping device with me.  How close are we to starting time?” 

Kitty looked at her phone and said, “I’ve got 6:28”

“Let’s head outside and I’ll get us started when I get my thoughts straight.”

Pastor Tix met the group as Redtail and the indoor bunch stepped out onto the concrete pad at the basement door.  As the other two groups neared the pad, Redtail said, “Wow, this is a wonderful turn-out.  Do y’all have smart phones?  I know Kitty does.” 

Kevin’s dad, Ted, held his up and Redtail continued, “Good!  They’re quite a nice resource for plant identification these days.  Still, I like hard-copy books like these.”  She pulled the books from her bag.  “I don’t have a lot of books.  These came from the library. With the phones, I might have you Googling stuff.”

“I don’t use Google,” came a voice from the group.

“Whatever search engine you like, or whatever apps are your favorites are great.  I just use “Google” like a verb.  I guess one point I want to stress is that your first question should be, “What is it?” and not, “Can I eat this?”  Your phrasing should never be, “I just ate this: What is it?”   

Lydia dropped her field guide and fell to the ground, pouncing on a cricket.  She picked up her field guide and in the other hand, absent-mindedly studied her catch.  Lucy fussed at her like a good big sister usually does.

Redtail asked, “Whatcha got there?”

Lydia snapped back to the group’s world and said, “I caught a cricket!”

“Do you plan to eat it?”

An “Ewww” rippled through many of the group, while others seemed eager for the answer.  Lydia looked shocked and turned her back to Redtail to shield her catch.  “No!  It’s a pet!” said Lydia.

Lucy and Kimmy rolled their eyes and sighed.

Redtail said, “That’s OK, but insects really are a good source of protein and lots of other nutrients.”

One little boy piped up, “Spiders crawl into your mouth at night.”

Redtail laughed, “I guess they could, but it’s nothing to lie awake worrying about.”

Two bicycles scratched and slid to a halt in the gravel.  Jerry and Mike looked a little embarrassed at their loud entrance, so they quietly joined Kevin and his dad.  Dad gave the boys a faint scowl, then a smile.

Kevin raised his hand and Redtail acknowledged.  “I know I eat lots of bugs by accident.  I’ve even swallowed bugs before I knew what was happening while I rode my bike.”

“Yeah, most insects, or bugs, like I like to call them,” said Redtail, “are edible.  But there’s a few that are hazardous to eat.”

A little girl said, eagerly, “Like hornets!”

Mike said, “And some don’t taste good, either.  Ladybugs are nasty.”

Redtail said, “That’s funny because many of our heavily defended plants and insects are really very edible.  I don’t think ladybugs are edible, but I’m not really sure why.  Stinkbugs live up to their name, but they’re very pleasantly tasty, when you’re expecting it.  Oh, and here’s another tasty, well defended plant.  Anyone know what this one is?”  She squatted to the ground, pointed at a thistle rosette, and looked up at the group.

The kids crowded around.  “Dandelion!”  “Wild Lettuce?”  “Wild rose!”  “Thistle!”  “Grass cactus!”

Parents and Redtail smiled.  Redtail said, “These leaves do resemble dandelion and wild lettuce. And they’ve got sharp prickles like roses and cacti.  This is a thistle, and the leaves are a fun snack.  The stems and roots are even edible and the flower feels like gum when you chew it –without being sticky and gummy.”  She cut off three long leaves with her pocket knife.  “Gotta be careful though, because the little thorns can sting when they poke you.  A good thing is they’re not real brittle like other thornies that break off in your skin a bunch.”  Redtail shook her hand as she dropped the leaves.  “Even when you expect it, they can still poke you!” 

Redtail picked a leaf back up and held it tip-down by the thick central vein and showed the thorns.  The kids “oooh’d” and “ahhh’d”  Several reached in to sample the prickle with their tender fingertips.  She pulled out her pocket knife again and asked some of the closer kids to back up a little.  Redtail opened the knife and said, “Your knife should always be really really sharp.”  She neatly and smoothly trimmed the thorny edges off the leaf, leaving the long tapered central vein.  “What you have now is what I like to call wild celery.  At least it’s got a similar crunch.”  She wiped the vein spear off in her shirt.  “The flavor is milder than celery.”  She popped the spear in her mouth and convinced the group of the crunchiness.

With a hint of shock, Redtail exclaimed, “Oh, you should always wash your forage before eating it.  I was almost a totally bad example there, but at least I wiped it off first.”

Pastor Tix suggested, “Maybe you could tell us of the numerous ways foraged food could get contaminated.  I mean, when you pick a leaf, it can look so clean.”

“I’ll try that,” said Redtail, “but don’t let that scare you off eating all together.”  She stood up and looked around.  “There’s a good example.”  Redtail pointed to the church wall between the siding and ground.  “What do you see there?”  The kids looked and murmured with puzzlement.  “OK, would you lick the side of the building?”

Giggles and moans erupted, “Eww!”  “Yuck!”  “No!” “That’s gross!”

“What’s so bad about that?”

“It’s dirty!”

Redtail began to go into detail.  “What happens when it rains?”

“The rain soaks into the ground for the plants!”

“Well, lots of it does, but look at all this dirt on the wall.  Rain also splashes dirt on stuff.  It can rinse things, but it’s not always food-clean.   Now go a couple steps farther.  What sorts of things are also in dirt?”

A neighbor dog, wanting to get in on the action, came trotting up to the group, happily wagging its tail.  He stopped on the way to water a fence post.  The parents caught the significance and a couple kids did, too.  “Ewww!  Gross!”

Lydia said, “Oh!  They poop out here, too!”

Redtail said, “And then there’s the tiny things like slugs leaving their slime trails.  They’re known to carry diseases sometimes. Lydia knows about lots of the little critters running around here all the time.”

One of the boys pointed to the bird on the overhead line, “And there’s bird poop, too!”

Redtail smiled.  “After all this hazard-talk, I just might limit my trail nibbling on this walk.  Anyway, it’s always a good idea to wash your food before you eat it.  Washed and raw is OK, but cooking even takes it farther for being clean.”  She sighed and scanned the grounds.  “So, what do you see when you look out there?”  Redtail swept her hand to the field and woods.

“Trees and grass”   “Green”  “Lots of plants” “Bugs”  “Bees” “Birds”  “A frog”

“Well good!” said Redtail.  “’Outside’ is lots more than just that green place with no roof.  That big sheet of mowed green is lots more than just grass.  Let’s just stand and count how many different kinds of plants we see by our feet.” 

The kids began counting and it started to sound like a scramble to find the most different species.  Even the parents looked and appreciated the diversity.  Some kids dropped to the ground and began crawling around to find more.

Redtail said, “Just from here, I see white, hop and red clovers, two kinds of plantain, dandelions, pineapple weed, speedwell, chickweed, henbit, dead nettle, thistle –oh, at least three kinds of those.  Oh, and in the corner there’s dayflower.  I can see yarrow and Queen Anne’s lace in the field, and I’m really no good with my grasses, but there’s a bunch of different kinds.  There’s differential, Carolina and red-legged grasshoppers and field and house crickets honey, bumble and other bees.  Hmm, they should be getting to bed by now.  Let’s walk around and talk about some of these plants.  I specially want to show you a couple down by the woods, so lets go out there, fairly quickly.  Walk careful in the field.  I don’t want any of you tripping over a rock or dirt clod.”

As they approached the woods, with Redtail in the lead, she held up a halting hand as the pointed back and forth with her other hand.  “Carefully.  Don’t get into this stuff.  Who knows what this is?”

Chloe asked quietly, “Is that poison ivy?”

“Yes it is, Chloe,” said Redtail.  “How did you know that?”

Chloe smiled, but shyly shrugged.

Redtail smiled back and explained the way she recognizes poison ivy.  “Usually, poison ivy grows in groups.  They seem to like friends.  Look carefully at the stems.  It’s almost like they grow up looking for companionship.  They grow one way, then gently lean over the other direction to find other friends, then the other.  They almost remind me of snakes, very gently slithering upward.  When you recognize the stem shape, they’ll be easy to identify when they’ve lost their leaves.  Now look at the leaves.”  Jerry’s hand shot up.  “Yes, Jerry?”

“Leaflets three, let it be!  And also, berries white, poisonous sight.”

“Those are what I learned as a child,” said Redtail, “and they’re OK to identify what’s NOT poison ivy.  I say ‘what’s not’ poison ivy because if your plant has five or seven or more leaflets, or if the leaves are singular on the stem, it’s not poison ivy.  Also, if the berries are red or blue, it’s not poison ivy.  But you know what?  If you left everything alone that had three leaflets, you couldn’t eat strawberries or raspberries or clover or peas and beans and lots more.  So, you should learn more specifics about the leaves.”

Mike said, “My cousin says he’s immune to poison ivy.”

Redtail alerted on that comment.  “He might be resistant now, but that resistance is said to wear down with repeated exposures.   My Grandpa George never got poison ivy until he was in his mid-40s, and he said he’d played in the woods all his life.  His grandma’s friend bragged about being immune and she smeared a bunch on her face and arms.  That was the time her body decided to quit fighting it.  Her arms got all red, blistered and puffy and her eyes even swelled shut.   So whether you’ve had it or not, always take poison ivy’s presence seriously.  Now about the berries white thing, I don’t know of any white berries around here that are edible.  I’m pretty sure dogwood berries aren’t among the edibles.  Poison ivy berries aren’t always what most of us would call ‘white.’  They’re more a yellowish or greenish white.  Now I like my gooseberries dark and ripe, but most people pick them when they’re green and tart.  And there’s white mulberry scattered here and there, too.  You don’t want to go avoiding them because of their color.”

“My dad says poison ivy has hairy vines,” said one of the kids.

“When they’re climbing up the side of a tree, they can have fairly hairy stems, but not always.  “Not always” is about the only rule about poison ivy.  They’ll grow in a wet bottomland or on a high dry hilltop, or in the middle of a field or deep in a forest.  They’re small wiry twiggy things like these here, or free standing shrubs like… ah…  There!  That one in by that fallen tree.  Free standing or clinging like a vine.  I think the shallow, rather than deep roots help it spread faster.  The three leaflets are usually pointy tipped and glossy green in the summer.  The middle leaflet has a distinctly longer stem than the side leaves.  The side leaves often have this mitten-shaped lobe, but like these, over here, that’s not always.  Some people will tell you they have reddish stems, but lots of other plants do, too, and poison ivy doesn’t always have them.  They’re really rather attractive plants.  And they’re quite variable.  In the spring, the unfolding young leaves can be a beautiful almost oily-looking maroon color, and in the fall, lots of times the leaves turn a brilliant red.  Birds even love the berries.  I certainly don’t like handling poison ivy, but it’s a really cool plant.  Before this walk is over, I’d like each of you to at least have recognized one poison ivy plant without it being pointed out.”
 

Ted said, “I’d heard some people claim to have built an immunity to poison ivy through eating the young leaves in spring.  Do you know anything about that?”

“Yeah, some people swear by it, but others who say they’ve done that erupt with a mega-reaction, probably initiated internally.  I think that’s a dangerous practice, ‘specially with a plant as adamant about being left alone as poison ivy.  And when I say poison ivy, I mean poison oak and poison sumac, too.  We don’t have poison sumac around here at all.  That’s usually limited to around the Great Lakes and east of the Mississippi.  Poison oak is usually farther west than Missouri. I say "usually". I've never run into it around here. ”

“My grandpa has a big poison sumac patch on his hillside!” said a voice in the group. 

“You usually have to throw something like waders on to find poison sumac.  It grows in low, wet deep swampland and not on a hillside.  Watch that ‘poison sumac’ patch for berries.  I’ll bet on a hillside, even in poison sumac’s range, the berries will be red or reddish brown.  We have lots of smooth, winged, fragrant and even some staghorn sumac here in Missouri.”

The group walked along the tree line and kids pointed out lots and lots of poison ivy.  They were getting pretty good at spotting it, and even competitive.  “Be careful to keep away while you’re pointing out the poison ivy,” reminded Redtail.

“OK, here we are.  This is some vicious, nasty stuff here.  Poison ivy is bad enough, but this stuff can kill you.  It’s big enough not to easily confuse it with an edible, but there might be some evidence to confuse this poison hemlock with wild carrot or Queen Anne’s lace.  There are lots of differences between poison hemlock and the look-alikes, but if you’re not 100% sure, don’t mess with trying to forage the look-alikes.”  Redtail explained the differences as they moved closer to the church and more familiar lawn plants.

Redtail swatted at the air and caught the Japanese beetle that dive-bombed her.  She looked at the beetle in her hand and proudly announced, “These guys are everywhere this time of year.  They’re invasive, destructive and edible!”  She put it in a small plastic jar she had I her forage bag. 

Lydia called out with shrill excitement! “I found one, too!  It’s prettyyyyy!”

Ted said, “We always called those orange ones that gather in the windowsills in winter, Japanese beetles.”

“Those would be Asian ladybugs or ladybird beetles.  A lot of our ladybugs, and especially those that swarm in houses in cooler weather, are introduced as natural pest control.  It’s not so natural when they have to be imported,” smiled Redtail.  Another insect that likes to congregate in houses for cold-weather shelter is the boxelder bug.  They’re edible, and quite mouth friendly, but maybe even a little too light on texture.  After they’re dried, there’s not much to them.”

Redtail stopped the group near a small patch of yarrow that’d been eaten off quite near the ground.  “Has anyone seen those great big moths with the really feathery antennae?” 

“We get luna moths here sometimes,” said Kevin. 

Lucy said, “I saw a cecropia moth a couple years ago.”

Redtail continued, “At least some of you, then, can relate to this when I say ‘yarrow leaves look like long green moth antennae.’  Or they might look like a really tiny fern.”  She plucked up a leaf, crushed it in her fingers and squashed it around a bit.  Then she plopped it into Lydia’s hand.  “I think they smell really good, too.” And she plucked up a couple more leaves and passed them around.

“Oh cool, it does look like a antenna.” “That smells good!”  “Ew yuck, that stinks.” “I think it looks like a feather.”

“Yarrow’s a handy plant to know.  Besides its smelling good, it makes an insect repellant to rub it on you, and you can make tea from it,” said Redtail.  “It can also make an emergency anesthetic it you get a toothache when you’re out hiking.  Roll up a bunch of mashed leaves and tuck a pinch between your cheek and gum by the hurty tooth and it can sometimes make the area numb.”

Part way back to the church, Lucy let out a little yelp, then giggled, spitting a slimy green wad out of her mouth. “That yarrow made my mouth feel funny.”

Redtail smiled.  “See what I mean?  It can kinda deaden the feeling.  On our way back to the kitchen, let’s try to pick a few things to wash and eat.”

Several dropped to their knees.  Even some adults picked edibles.  Redtail snapped upright and with eagerness in her tone, said, “Oh good!  There’s a patch of day lilies around the propane tank at the parsonage.  The whole plant is edible, but I’ve heard you shouldn’t eat a whole bunch the first few times.  The young shoots in the spring are mild textured and have a nice texture, and the flowers and buds have a slightly peppery flavor.  I think the older stems like now would be a bit fibrous, and I’ve not yet tried the tubers, or roots.”

The group turned toward the church again and started down the hill to the basement entrance in the back.  Redtail pointed to the fence line.  “There’s another really good plant to know: elderberry.  Those berries aren’t quite ready, b t when they are, they’re one of the best cold and flu fighters around.  The berries have to be cooked, but after that, they can be made into jelly or wine or even frozen into ice cubes to use in drinks later on –sort of an immune system boost when you need it.”

Linda-Jean excitedly exclaimed, “Wow, we’ve got a big patch of that behind our place.  That’l be fun.  How long before they’re ripe?”

Redtail said, “I’d start watching them in a week or so.”

The group approached the basement door and Redtail pointed to the neighbor’s yard.  “That is rose of Sharon.  It’s one of our invasive plants, but the flowers, seeds and leaves are edible.”

Linda-Jean gasped and stopped her son. “No Louie!  Don’t just pull everything.  Leave the grass.”

“That reminds me,” said Redtail.  “Grass is also edible for humans, if it’s processed correctly.

Ted asked, “OK, how do you process grass for human consumption?”

“Well,” said Redtail, “first you let a rabbit or cow eat the grass, then you eat the rabbit or cow.”  She called out, “Everyone who picked some stuff to eat, c’mon over here and we’ll head on in and get it washed for eating.  The rest of us can come in, too.  The food bearers to the kitchen and the rest can go to tables, or hang out with us and watch us wash stuff.”

The group sighed with relief as they all stepped in to the cool basement of the church.  Several sat down,  but most crowded into the small kitchen.  Redtail began to open cabinet doors in the kitchen, then looked around, “Lucy do you know where a big colander is?”

Lucy eagerly sprang to assistance and found two.  Redtail spread a path to the sink and Lucy set the colanders in each of the two sinks.  “Lucy, do you know if there’s some paper plates or something to sort the goodies into for sampling?”

“Oh yeah, they’re right here.”  Lydia beat Lucy to the cabinet just outside the kitchen and pulled out about a dozen plates and handed them to Redtail. 

“Kevin, Riff and Raff,” called out Redtail, “as they get the greens washed, can you guys sort them by species into these plates?”

Mike eagerly volunteered, “Yeah, we can do that!”

Redtail said, “And put the ones that you don’t recognize on this plate, OK?”

Jerry and Kevin both gave thumbs-up as the three started sorting out the rinsed forage.  In the meantime, Redtail went out to the fellowship hall to make sure enough tables and chairs were set up for the wild buffet.  In just a few minutes, about a dozen plates of different wild edibles edged two eight-foot tables along the wall.  Redtail sat down in one of the metal folding chairs and put her head back and closed her eyes.  She smiled and sat back up. “Oh, no no no! That felt too good.  I brought some extra forage in case we didn’t find a lot, but we ended up with a pretty decent haul. Who’s ready to try some wild edibles?

The room erupted with eager takers.  Kevin and Mike sighed and Mike asked, “No road kill?”

“Not this time.  I figured I’d better save that for you hunters.”

Kevin, Mike and Jerry smiled satisfied smiles and looked back to the foraged greens.

Redtail explained some of the samples she brought and the kids hadn’t collected.  She brought blackberries, thistle leaves and stalks, wild mustard seeds and pineapple weed flowers.  The group snacked on those, and dandelion and clover flowers.  They also picked some plantain, old chickweed, Queen Anne’s lace roots, and dead nettle.

The group discussed how domestic garden plants are descendents of the wild plants, and how wild flavors and textures are different.  George cautiously poked his head in the door and stepped in when he saw the group eating.  He knew that signaled the instruction was just about over.

Redtail greeted George, then said, “Before we call any eating event over, we have to clean up and put our stuff away. I’ll take care of that, but I figured I’d better mention it.”

Lucy said, “I’ll help get everything all cleaned up.”

“Why thank you.  That’d be great!”

Lydia jumped up, “Me too!  Me too!”

Most everyone joined in with the cleaning.  Some continued munching and the chatter stayed mostly on wild edibles and camping and outdoorsy stuff.

Ted asked, “Will you be doing anything like this in the near future?”

Redtail answered, “I think I could do that.  Much of our wild edibles are seasonal, and a walk could be different every time.”

 

(story continues here:  http://ognyen.blogspot.com/2020/10/chapter-35.html )