Summer Traditions: Blackberry Picking (and a Charlie Visit) pt. 2

Every summer we head to Mr. Dennis' and Ms. Shirley's and pick blackberries!  This started when my mom and Papa were summering on their property in their RV.  Last year was a bit of a blur and we never made it, but this year we collected Nana and made a morning of it.  It was a gloriously cloudy and cool morning: perfect for picking. 

We heard Charlie Dog was staying with them while his owner was on a bike trip.  Clearly he remembered us and we had a great time reuniting with him for a couple of hours. 

Wrestling with Isaac. 

Hey, I know you! *Insert big, slobbery kiss*

Most handsome mutt ever! 

Waiting for auntie, perfecting her non-chalant pose: first time getting her hand in her pocket!

Shielding herself from too many doggy kisses. 

Let's do this, ladies!

Charlie has become the dog we always knew he'd be: such a LOVE!  He was enamored with Lucy right off and smothered her with kisses.  Once he settled down a bit, she really warmed up to him. 

The kids really took their jobs seriously this year and both came back with full buckets -- with no nudging or prompting!  

Meanwhile, Lucy ran around, chatted, and rode in the little coupe. 

We did our part between chatting and keeping track of Lucy. 

My kiddo... What can I say? She's just...THE. CUTEST. Oh my! I know, I know, I'm biased, but seriously. 

Beautiful.

Nature is crazy cool sometimes.
Also, apparently my phone can take an epic picture under the right lighting circumstances.

This is how Charlie lives life, and it makes my heart so happy!  We know we did the right thing adopting him out to Chad.  He's a happy dog with an amazing owner, and the best grandparents who love him and live in a veritable doggy paradise:

No time to talk, former mom, I've got KIDS to round up! 

So we learned an important lesson today...  Lucy loves blackberries.  She had unfettered access to them today... If you feed a toddler enough, they will have purple poop...watery, stain-the-diaper-lavendar-poop, watery, stain the diaper lavender, let's just chuck this insert it's so gross poop.... Followed by more poop....and then some more, which resemble the original source more and more closely.  Now, don't you want to go eat some delicious blackberry pie?

Lesson learned.  Limit the blackberry intake...  Unless you're trying to help a constipated child, in that case go for it -- but beware! they're fast-acting!

Hold on mom, I need one more drag of my paci first... 

Sneaking berries: such an opportunist!