Huckleberry Picking!

The huckleberries are out! Clara (who is 28 months now) and I found two different types just out beyond our yard... a low growing vine type with a large deep purple berry, the other a greener leafed more blue in color berry. Oh, how she enjoys eating them! Though now she has gotten lazy and wants momma to pick them, so she can eat 'em, rather than fill her yellow bucket and save them for breakfast.
We found that the huckleberries that were exposed to more sun are the ripe ones, and those bushes growing under the trees have green berries still. We have found more and more small plants here and there surrounding our house which makes it so convenient for picking. But, last season we found the mother load of all patches at the lake! Of course I cannot divulge my secret stash of huge berry bushes that would take a good few days to pick over. Surely you can understand my secrecy.
When I was just a child my family would berry pick up near Lionhead. Dad would always bring a pistol in case we came upon a bear (which only happened once I think). Anthony and I would leave the afternoon with stained hands and faces. Now it's Clara and Lilly's turn for purple shirts and mouths!
Tip for all you pickers out there: make sure to turn every bush over and look underneath. Sometimes that's where the largest most ripe berries are found! Also do not rape the bush... meaning BE A CLEAN PICKER and leave the leaves alone so the bush can replenish itself!