Saturday, August 8, 2009

It's Saturday Night

My parents are here. They arrived Thursday afternoon. Marveled at the height of the children. Two years equals a lot of inches. We showed off baby lamb, baby turkey poults, baby chicks and baby guineas. We showed off the hay in the barn. We walked through the garden. We ate pork chops and mashed potatoes and zucchini and visited and caught up and reveled in grandparents' approval.

Friday morning Thomas and I got up to mill wheat and spelt. Mom helped make pizza crusts. Dad helped milk the goats. Mom washed dishes. Dad and the boys cleared out the basement and made potato racks. I baked. Mom washed more dishes. Dad and the kids dug potatoes. I baked. Mom washed more dishes. Philip brought home chinese food.

It is so good to have my parents here in our home.

I miss them. I wish they lived down the road. Or we lived down the road from them.

It is hard having them so many miles away. I want to share every week kind of things with them instead of every chance we get which seems to be every year of two. They have work. Travel for them involves trips to Arkansas to see 98 year old grandpa and grandma. We have work. We have a cow and goats to milk. We have 5 kids. We have a farm.

So we make the most of our opportunities.

They jump in and work. I ask them to sit down and take a break, please don't wear yourself out!

Saturday morning we all get up before dawn and make chocolate brioches and brownies and load up loaves of bread and milk the goats and feed the animals and head to market. Sell out of bread, head home, my parents tell me they are proud of me. It makes me very happy.

I guess I will go start some supper. Lamb chops, from our farm, of course. Fresh green beans. Some okra (from the market, not our garden). Daddy said we should fry some and boil some of the smallest, nice and tender with butter from Coco. Sky is heavy and overcast. We will sit on the deck and listen to summer noises and laugh and grow sleepy and get kids to bed.

They will go home sooner than I wish. We will miss them.

But now we revel in family. In kids who are taller than their grandma. In grandpas and grandmas who love us and bless us.

I think we better take them to Roaring Run for a picnic after church tomorrow. Otherwise Daddy might get inspired to do some more work. I'm tired. Let's wait til Monday.

PS This morning the moon was still almost full. It was veiled by steel grey gauze. Misty and mysterious. Geese glowed in the dark in the veiled glow of the moon.

8 comments:

Leonora said...

I love your day! Visits from family are precious and create the most wonderful memories for the children.

CountryDew said...

I hope your parents have a nice long stay.

morebutter said...

ginger i just had to tell you about the meal i made last night with your duck:

whole duck slow roasted with butternut squash (ecodorm garden) and onions, served with blueberry sauce (picked off the parkway), braised swiss chard and baby turnips (ecodorm garden) and buttermilk biscuits with rosemary and sage (ecodorm garden).

it was splendid! thank you for the duck! tonight the leftovers will make duck salad with lemon vinaigrette and butternut squash soup. maybe a side of red potatoes fried in duck fat?

gingerhillery@mac.com said...

Mom and Dad leave today, sad, but we have had a terrific visit. Holly, I want to eat supper at your house tonight! So glad you enjoyed the duck!

Unknown said...

Ginger, your writing is very beautiful. I love the lines, "This morning the moon was still almost full. It was veiled by steel grey gauze. Misty and mysterious. Geese glowed in the dark in the veiled glow of the moon."

I'm enjoying keeping up with you through your blog.

Beth said...

Your children are blessed to be able to spend such sweet time with their grandparents. My children never really knew any of their grandparents, and I feel sad about that (though they have adopted surrogate grandmas and grandpas). I'm so glad you really appreciate and treasure that time with your loved ones---I know your children will always do the same.

And I agree with Ingrid----your writing is beautiful, Ginger.

gingerhillery@mac.com said...

Thank you Ingrid and Beth! Your comments are so kind.

Kimberley said...

Lovely writing, Ginger! So that was your sweet mom sitting with you at the market. Didn't know you well enough then to realize :) I anticipate similar feelings when our families come to visit...now that we're farther...