Sunday, August 17, 2014

The Farm

We headed back to Whidbey Island today and saw our other daughter and granddaughter, Pam and Elizabeth.  They live in the central section of the island on a portion of what was once a very large farm.  The owner is renting out a home and several barns to our daughter.  Here they have gathered together chickens, a calf, goats, a sheep, dogs, a cat and rabbit.  Soon a horse and maybe a pig will join the family.


There is ample room for a garden and if I lived there I'd be gathering the blackberries and making jam and polishing up my canning skills.  In my imagination I'd tackle the endless duties that farm life presents with a  passion and then put up my feet to watch the sunsets beyond their yard over the Puget Sound with a glass of sun tea.

In my dream of dreams, I would become self-sufficient like my Grandmother Sophie on her farm in upstate New York during the Depression years.  Maybe her love of that life is what I carry in my genes drawing me to this rural lifestyle.  With the long, rainy winters here I would sew long aprons and sun dresses for the warmer months or knit scarves and write my long awaited novel.

Then reality sets in and I realize at my age it would be a difficult transition.  Caring for animals, mucking out the stalls and corrals, digging a garden each year and maintaining a yard and house would tax my elderly muscles and back.  Maybe though I would get back into shape and lose weight?!  I learned I would have no difficulty getting my shoe laces untied though in this scenario.  The beautiful goats did that several times for me while I admired them in their pen.  I'd have to learn how to maneuver around their horns without fear if I did this on a regular basis.  Did you know if you touch their horns, they can sense the feel of the heat in your fingers?  Elizabeth shared that information with us.  I always thought horns would have no sensory function at all.

Having the day and sharing Sunday dinner with our family was divine with Pam's roasted pork, potato and tossed salad and strawberry shortcake.  I felt like I was home enjoying one of my Mom's Sunday dinners.  I look forward to visiting with our girls again next year to see the progress they have made getting settled into their new home of just two months on the farm.
And yes, Jimmy was here.  He just took all the photos with none of himself while I played with the animals.  
   

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