Kids

Kids

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Lessons from the garden: Gratitude

Now that I am in a season of being able to harvest some of the fruits of my garden, she is teaching me yet another, beautiful lesson.

I don’t think I will ever look at produce the same way again. As I walk the produce aisle or through the farmers market, I am humbled. When I hold a bunch of grapes, a giant cabbage, a vine of tomatoes, a basket of apples, I think to myself and ask them ‘Where did you come from, my dears? Who grew you? What stories do you have to tell?’ These fruits, like my fruits, have been brought to pass by a labour of love. Someone, like me, planted them. Someone, like me, watered them. They tended them, supported them and when the time came, harvested them. Someone cared enough to take the time and effort to grow these vegetables.

Do we look at it that way?

Often, we walk into the store with our shopping list in hand; throwing whatever it is that we want, that we need into our carts and head out on our way, not stopping to think for a second about, well, anything.

Carrots. Check. Apples. Check. Rutabaga. Check. Diapers. Check. Next stop is the gas station, then the thrift store, staples and then home.

Do you know how long I have been waiting to harvest my carrots? My rutabagas? Do you know how often I gently dust away the dirt at the tops just to see how they are coming along?

It takes me 5 minutes to buy 2 lbs of carrots and a rutabaga yet is takes me MONTHS to grow them.

And this, my friends, is where my sweet garden has taught me yet another lesson. I am so grateful for the ability to grow. Buying produce has taught me nothing and growing produce has taught me everything. I have totally taken for granted the work, love and effort that goes into each and every ear of corn, bunch of beets and basket of peaches. It is not magic – they do not appear on the grocery shelves out of nowhere. They are brought to pass through months of labour and love.

I will never look at produce the same way again.

Lessons from the garden: Hope

These little plots of soil have taught me much.

In the first few weeks of spring bliss, I dug deep in the dirt and sewed many tiny seeds. Seeds of beets, carrots, beans, zucchini and hope. I had hope in them – every one – that they would grow and bring forth fruit. As each day passed, I went out to my sacred soil patch and witnesses miracles. Watching these seedlings burst through the soil and thrust toward the sun was like a balm to my soul. Some plants struggled, so I supported them and replanted along the way. I watered them, nurtured them and protected them as best as I could.

And then it hit.

As I sat perched on my window sill, I watched as balls of ice, as if flung from the heavens, laid waste to my tender plants. There was nothing else I could do. I was as frozen as those golf ball sized pieces of hail. So I sat. And watched.

When it was safe to do so, I went out and knelt by my little miracles. In disbelief, I pulled what could be salvaged and went about tending what else had been damaged by the hail. Once the kids were down for the night, I laid in bed and wept. The sobs quickly turned to wails as I felt I lost so much more than just plants. I had also lost hope. I had poured my heart and soul into these plants and just like that, they are gone. I had so much hope for them…

I was in a state of mourning, very similar to the state I was in when we lost our first child. I was wishing, grasping at anything that could turn back the hands of time and reverse what had just happened. But alas, that is not possible. I cried until my body gave way to sleep.

2 days later, upon returning from a much needed quadding trip into the mountains, I went out to see my sweet garden again. I felt the weight of it all coming back to me as I walked down the steps and approached the little beds. As my eyes well with tears, they caught hold of something. I pushed back the dirt a little bit and saw the most beautiful thing – the tender hook of a green bean plant emerging for the first time. The tears came gushing and I threw myself to the earth.

My garden is growing hope. Even when all is destroyed, there is new birth. Even when the darkness envelopes, the sun will rise again. Even when your heart is broken, it can be mended. With hope.

Gardening is Holy work.

Olympics Party!!!

August 5, 2016 was the opening ceremonies for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio!! To celebrate, we threw a party. We got a little carried away inviting people, so we decided to switch the venue from our house to the church. We had each family pick a country, bring a potluck meal from that country for dinner and then represent that country in the games we played after dinner. I was so happy – every family brought an authentic meal from their country and dressed up!!!


We represented China and made sweet corn dumplings.


The Irwins represented Germany and brought German potato salad. It was divine!! It had pickles and bacon and dill… I definitely went back for seconds.


The Potries represented England and brought a pudding. I SO wish I would have remembered to take a picture. Melissa decorated the top to look like England’s Flag!!!


The Christensens represented Laos and Pete made this chicken curry with bamboo that was to die for! Spicy and sweet…oh man, I am dreaming about it.


The Larsons represented Canada and brought none other than poutine. Yum!!!


The Malmbergs represented Brazil and Nickie made these authentic Brazilian truffles. They were so sweet and smooth. Mmm…


After dinner, we headed outside to play some games. We had basketball, discus, long jump, water balloon soccer, hurdles, t-ball and cheese puff toss. Doug found cheese puff toss online and insisted we play it. It was super fun!! One member of your team wears a shower cap covered with shaving cream while the other team members throw the cheese puffs and tries to get them to stick in the shaving cream.


We finished the night off with running races for the kids and medals. It was a brilliant night spent with the bestest friends a girl could ask for! The only thing that could have made it better is if the Bates and Holes could have made it. We love our friends and count ourselves very fortunate to have them in our lives.

Now, for the next two weeks, we’ll be cheering on our country!! Go team Canada!!

Night time hike

Another activity on our Summer Fun Bucket List was to go on a night time hike. Doug had a couple days off mid-week, so we kept the kids up late and took them down to the river bottom. It was so much fun!!! We gave the kids glow sticks and flashlights and they were in heaven. We walked until it was dark, check out animal tracks and a big piece of bark and stopped to sing some campfire songs. After, we stopped at Wendy’s for a late night snack.


When we got home, we watched the stars, which was another item on the bucket list.

How I love to make memories with my family! My life is so full!!!