Wild raspberries have a special place in my heart, since they remind me of childhood, and my younger sister in particular.
After having grown up in a somewhat "unusual" situation at times, I like to take those memories and turn them into my "Farmer Nubbins" stories. Farmer Nubbins is fashioned after my father, and all the stories are based on true events.
My raspberry memories helped me write this one, as someone once critiqued as not believable. (Have they heard of Barney the Purple Dinosaur??):
Story notes:
This story is based on one of the many stories based on my sister Sue, now all grown up and in law school. As a little kid she was always “Suzy” and she thank goodness has always marched to the beat of her own drummer. (One of our grandmothers insisted on calling her Suzyanna…).
We would spot her at 5am on many Rhode Island summer mornings, as she came strolling out of the woods carrying her “berry bucket”, wearing her long blue Easter dress, and big winter boots. Someone once told me this story was way too unbelievable.
Two thoughts about that comment:
1) Isn’t that the point of stories AND
2) They never met my sister!
My mom has had that “berry bucket” for years…
written May 2006
Farmer Nubbins’ Berry Bucket Breakfast
Farmer Nubbins awoke to a day of warm, fresh air.
He got up, got dressed, and combed out his hair.
The first thing on Farmer Nubbins’ mind was to have a good breakfast.
His stomach grumbled, since last night’s supper was the meal he ate last.
Farmer Nubbins poured his juice and looked out of the window over the sink.
He couldn’t believe what he saw, he rubbed his eyes and then blinked.
Coming from the woods was a little girl, Suzyanna.
She had on her big boots and her hair up in a bandana.
Farmer Nubbins went outside to greet his tiny neighbor.
When Suzyanna came to visit, he was always glad to see her.
“Suzyanna, what are you doing outside so early?”
“You must have gotten up before dawn, quite surely.”
Once Farmer Nubbins got closer, he could see she was covered with scratches all over.
“Now Suzyanna, where have you been? You don’t get scratches like that from walking in clover.”
Suzyanna said she’d thought it looked like a fine day for picking berries.
Although they had lots of sharp briars, getting a bucketful always made her merry.
Suzyanna showed Farmer her bucket full of berries, ripe and red.
“You did a great job of picking berries this morning,” he said.
Suzyanna replied, “I’ll make you a deal, we can call it a trade.”
She offered Farmer Nubbins some berries… in exchange for some Band-Aids.
They went up the walk and right up the stairs,
Then they sat down at the kitchen table and chairs.
Suzyanna washed her scratches and put the band-aids in place.
She actually even needed a few on her face.
Now that the band-aid part of the deal was complete,
they got ready to fill their bowls so they could eat.
They filled up their bowls with lots of berries & cornflakes,
and then they made some delicious raspberry pancakes.
Farmer Nubbins and Suzyanna ate their berry breakfast
Until they were filled up,
then they washed and dried all the dishes,
down to the last dirty cup.
”Well, Suzyanna, thank you, that was a great way to start off the day,
But now I must get outside to care for my animals without further delay.”
Farmer Nubbins waved goodbye to Suzyanna as she walked off up the street.
Suzyanna waved back to Farmer Nubbins, carrying her bucket with the rest of the berries for more berry treats.
I am a Putnamaniac that loves wild raspberries and my little sister!
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