WHAT?!? is on Your Kitchen Counter?

Every two days or so, one of my kitchen counters starts to look like this:

Try as I might to keep it tidy, this is one hot spot that gets dumped on continuously. In fact, I couldn't even find the time to take a picture of it looking "uncluttered." But trust me, when it starts looking like this I take a few minutes to clear the space and bring it back to square one---just so it can get cluttered up again. Tell me you know the vicious cycle! Please? You must have a favorite dumping ground for everything coming in or planning to go out of the house. Well, this counter is ours: mail, homework, cups, bags, keys, electronic devices for charging.  The usual--that is, until last week when I came across a small sandwich baggie that caused me to laugh so hard, I swear my ab muscles hurt the next day. 

I was sifting through a random paper pile when I spotted this at the very bottom of the stack:

The occasional sack-o-outside-debris wouldn't usually cause me to pause. My girls are constantly collecting nature.  I'm not sure why their collections tend toward the browns and grays of nature, but who am I to judge their sensibilities?  Still, this bag seemed to contain something outside the realm of normal...what IS that? Round pebbles? A seed or nut of some sort?

As I stood there with baggie in hand a memory began to materialize:

Flash back 

to two or three days prior. It was a milder winter day and the residual snow had melted away.  The girls were itching to get outside to stretch their legs and vocal chords so out they went. I was busy in the kitchen as usual, slaving over a culinary treat that would intentionally turn my kids stomachs--because I love to cook things that make people say, BLEH!  

Anyway, as I was banging pots and pans around in the kitchen, I could see from my window my third daughter bending down to examine brown leaves in the yard. 

The window was open in the living room and I remember my second daughter, who had already had her fill of the outdoors,  shouting out:

THERE'S A PILE OF BLACK NUTS OVER BY THE SWING SET! CHECK IT OUT!

Bring me a baggie!

Came the fainter reply, as Olivia stooped over said pile. 

I was busy trying not to burn anything, so I didn't even notice Ava going into the pantry for a plastic bag for her sister. In fact, I thought nothing more than let me get this to the table hot when Olivia showed up behind me with her bag of nature.

Look what I found!

She proudly thrust the bag in my face as I turned to her with spatula in hand. I remember giving the typical busy mom response without really looking at the bag:

That's nice, baby. 

Stick it on the counter and let's eat!

Flash forward two days later

as I stood here with baggie in hand. 

I was having what can only be described as a The Usual Suspects Moment--

When all the pieces fall together (and two days later you find them hidden on your counter) as the story of Keyser Soze unravels before your eyes.

Nature collection...

There's a pile of black nuts by the swing set...

that's nice, baby without really looking...

a plastic baggie swept under counter debris...

And that's how you end up with a pile of DEER POOP hidden on your kitchen counter for a few days. 

We are still laughing about how Olivia "Poop Fingers" Hutchinson unwittingly collected deer pellets from the yard to add to her Nature Collection--brown theme.

Even she thinks it is hilarious, so I don't mind sharing it here. 

What's the craziest thing you ever found on your kitchen counter?

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