Saturday, September 12, 2015

The Day You Turn Old

The morning ended with a cup (big one) of fresh ground Jamaican Me Crazy coffee beans brewed strong .  I have limited myself to one cup a day so the beautiful birthday cup from my friend fits the bill.  Sometimes coffee just tastes better in a special cup.  This one reminds me of the 1960s with the design and colors.  Ahhhhh, take me back, stay in the present or think of the future, all 3 have a place in my heart and thoughts.  Notice I started the blog with the ending.....just like me!
So good!

Time  has a way of bringing back memories, good or bad I find myself wandering back to the day I turned "old".  I don't know what day or year it was.   Turning thirteen was the first time thinking....now I'm old enough.  Of course I wasn't, it was a passage into teen life and I soon learned I needed to be 16.  Then I could drive, stay out until 10 pm and yes date.  Three years I counted down the days to be 16.  It happened just as I hoped with dating, driving and staying out until 10.  After a few months of being 16 I knew it was 18 that I really wanted to be...ha!  Old enough to buy alcohol, cigarettes and graduate high school.  Yes, that was the old enough age.  I would be an adult...go to cosmetology school, get married and start a family.  That was what I  dreamed of in the 1960s.  I lived the dream and never again wished I was older.  Well, maybe once in a while when retirement was a few years away.  I just didn't realize along with retirement comes the 60s (as in age).  Good grief...blink and I am still trying to remember what day I turned old.  Yeah, I know so many people say.....you are only as old as you let yourself feel.  Horse feathers as my sister-in-law would say.  No matter how you feel, what you can do or how much fun you are having, age does not lie.
So somewhere between then and now I turned old enough.  Old enough to wear what I want, do what I want and say what I want......just old enough!

Today my morning started with barn chores and checking the garden.  Dick is subbing at school so I am flying solo, just the animals to talk to.  Good morning hens, they quietly clucked back waiting for their feed and fresh cut squash and added treat of leftover buttermilk biscuits crumbled.  I love throwing treats, softly saying "here chick, chick" and watching them scurry to grab a certain piece.  In return by afternoon they have a nest of fresh eggs for us.  Fair trade.  The horses stand not so patiently waiting for their grain. Smokey, the big man thumps his hoof trying to hurry me along.  Then it's off to the garden which is almost ready to be put to rest until next spring.  The over ripe corn has been picked for the hens and a few raccoon have taken the rest.   Patty Pan summer squash is still thriving along with beautiful Heirloom tomatoes.  The shovel stands stuck in the ground by the carrot row.  As soon as the horses are finished eating grain they head to the pasture next to the garden.  They know a few carrots will be dug and thrown to them.  This gives us more time to rub their noses and ears, give them a pat or two and promise to see them later.  I picked a couple squash for tonight's supper.  Soon they will be gone and another pattern of eating will start at Cook'n by the Creek.

Just a few pears left to can.
Pears are washed and ready to be canned.  They are nice ones, juicy and very tasty with tender skin.  I sent one in Dick's pail and I had one for breakfast, who can resist fresh pears  fall fresh fruits and veggies, nothing better.  The shelves are filling up and soon we will start using all the canned "stuff".  You know I have to wait for that certain day to reach for the first jar of summer canning.  It's a savings account for the next 6 months of meals.