Long ago and far way my step-grandmother would send all of us kids out into the woods to pick huckleberries. For those of us that remember Crisco cans always came with a wire handle. She would weave three cans through out belt loops...one on each side and one prominently over our bums. The can over out bums would have a hand full of pebbles dropped into it. We were given instructions to Fill our cans but to avoid any bushes that had a whitish slime to it...ummm...ok. That was all to my recollection. Fast forward to 1979 with my first friend in Alaska on a fishing trip on Montana Creek. She picked up a couple of beer cans, sprinkled the bottom with pebbles and handed me one. Shake this and whistle until we get to the mouth of the river. why? I asked like an idiot. She smiled a knowing and comfortable smile (having been born and raised on a homestead)... wellllll...to let the bear know we are here silly...what did you think? ????? REALLY???? That crazy woman never once told me that bucket of stones rattling over my butt was to scare away the BEARS! I still like Crisco has a baking ingredient...but I havent had a huckleberry pie since I was 26! That is all.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:08:39 +0000