Day 3, Summer in Asia ~ Columbia, MO
We were determined to get to the blueberry farm by 7am when it opened. We had driven 40 minutes through the rolling hills to small field of blueberry bushes in Centralia. Yesterday Cali told me she’d never picked berries before. While we have done so, numerous times, she was too young to remember. Fairly certain she’ll remember today.
We’d been picking for over forty minutes, listening to the lambs bleating and two of our fellow pickers exchanging smoothie recipes, when we realized many of the bushes were entertwined with poison ivy. We were so focused on the berries we hadn’t noticed. Our sweet idyllic berry picking dreamworld was replaced with visions of the three of us covered to our armpits with oozing itchy rashes. We’d no doubt touched our faces and necks, too. This could get ugly.
Cali has never had poison ivy so didn’t understand why Sandy and I looked at each other and said, we have to get to a shower. We ditched that patch in record speed. The owner must have known there was poison ivy because they had a pump of foam specifically to use when you come into contact with it. They should warn people to be aware. We applied the foam but had no idea if it was going to be effective.
We sped home, but first stopped at a pharmacy and got this bottle of loveliness. Hello new best friend.
By now it was an hour and a half since first contact and the bottle said use within 2 hours of contact. Once we pulled into the driveway, we got out of the car, frantically rubbed the stuff all over our arms and faces, and hosed off in the front yard. I’m sure it would have been amusing to watch. Then we repeated it, showered with soap, washed all the clothes, and watched our arms. So far we are all clear.
The woman at the farm gave us her favorite blueberry recipe. We’ve adjusted the ingredients and renamed it:
No Poison Ivy Blueberry Cake
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1 box (18 oz) French Vanilla cake mix
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (don’t thaw)
In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Sprinkle half of mixture into greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish.
Prepare cake batter according to package directions and spread over mixture. Top with blueberries and remaining mixture and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.
My dad said it was the best cake he’d had in his life. We’ll take it, even if his memory is a bit sketch these days.
After our blueberry picking morning we went to Plato’s Closet. It’s the largest one I’ve ever seen. Cali came away with a number of new tops and Madi a new dress.
We had yummy Thai food for supper. Here are Cali and Sandy as they wait for the food to be ready.
A day that starts with a poison ivy scare can always end with cake.
