Growth Charts

It occurred to me last night while I was picking blackberries, that I can age my daughter by her role in the blackberry picking. Some people have growth charts hanging on their wall. That'd just be too easy.

The summer Anna was two, she was fearless and ferocious in her quest for the purple fruits. Briars were no match for Miss Anna. She ate most of the berries she picked and about one third of the ones I put in the bucket. She giggled and bounced like Tigger during the blackberry adventure.

When Anna was three, she was more of a pointer. "There's one, mama." Older and wiser, she left the scratches and pricks to me. She understood well what became of anyone who got too close to the limbs of the blackberry bush. Mind you, she still managed to return to the house with a purple ring around her mouth.

This year Anna is four. She picks a few berries and then talks a lot. She eats a few berries and then she talks a lot. She points out a few berries and then she talks a lot. She is four now, and, oh so good at it. She only dumped the berries on the ground twice. And, yes, she came back in the house sporting a lovely blackberry juice mustache.

Eventually, she'll figure out like her brother and sister, that you can shirk the blackberry picking and get to eat cobbler anyway. I wonder what age five will bring?

 

 

Author's Note

She is five now and still eats half as many as she picks. And still talks a lot.

Published in the August 2009 edition of The Other Herald (http://www.otherherald.com/)
How blessed am I that she still follows me to the fence rows to pick the blackberries?

Reviews

[Raef C. Boylan]

It's so sad to see no reviews for this, when I remember there being lots.

I love the simplistic description in this, and - overall - the concept of a child's behaviour being the more accurate growth chart. You depict Anna's trial-and-error learning really well, using a paragraph for each year, which was easy on the eye and mind.

This is an amusing and pleasant read. Thanks for [re] posting it.

[Corset]

This is so wonderful, she sounds delightful, :) Children are so wonderful, poems about children are perfect poems.

[Emily B]

everybody should have that child at least once :)

[Corset]

if they can, without a doubt. :)

[Donald Meikle]

ten! Throw away the growth chart. write more. bake more. Try not to miss anything! There's a prom coming up!

[Emily B]

and this summer, she will be ten . . . where does time and space go?

[...]

. oh, what a magical slice of life ... an absolute joy to read ... even if this comment is originating from someone who can shirk almost everything ... :P ... i am no good ... but i loved this blackberry adventure ... i especially loved the "talking a lot part" ... i can almost hear it ... and it's so melodious and charming and enchanting ... thank you for this precious post, emily ... sending you and Ms. Anna a million smiles ... loved the picture too ... :) ...

[kmartell]

I love this. I remember my father taking eight or nine of us berry picking. My father would pick a full five gallon bucket, while between the rest of us, we might end up with a coffee can full. I liked this imensly. you should try writing longer pieces like this.

[Fretty Pastille]

well, i guess in some ways i do
through your writing

[Fretty Pastille]

I love this Emily
and the photo is wonderful

lovely insight
i would love to see life through your eyes

[Emily B]

gosh, time marches on, Anna is eight, and still eats berries out of the bucket while we're picking . . .

[OT]

this is so sweet - you are perhaps unrivalled in regards to true, real writing! you always pick little things that so many would overlook, blackberry picking here and make it into such a strong and moving write! bravo, another great piece here!! so nice to read!