Cook'n by the Creek: The Pea Shuckers

Monday, July 20, 2020

The Pea Shuckers

If the joy of harvest time from the garden isn't enough it was an added bonus, pleasure, joy, think back time shucking peas this morning. We were out at the garden picking peas to can and freeze when the dogs started their alarm barking. I could have cried when I looked up to see my niece coming. She knew where to find us if not at the house. You see, Pam and I go way back to the day she was born. She is my brother's daughter and he just happened to be 25 years older than me. I was born in July and 6 weeks later along came my niece in September. My brother and his family lived across from us, the farm I grew up on. We are more like sisters and maybe even better. Good times, not so good times we have always been by each other's side. Our personalities are about the same, we tend to both have a "Gross" attitude. Perfect for this day and age. Pam had come up to help pick or shuck! I loved being with her and it sure made short order of getting 11 pints of peas shucked. We talked, bitched and complained and laughed. It took me back to our younger days of running around in our underwear on hot steamy summer days. We lived where nobody but the mailman came by. We would put our summer hats on, grab a little pail and head out to pick wild strawberries. Once we had enough it was back to the swingset and eat our berries. Life was simple pleasures that now makes me wonder how we were so satisfied to do so little compared to what kids do today.

Pam's house and our house overlooked the Oswayo Creek. We could see our Uncle Orville's farm way down the road which was the original Horse Run Road until the new bridge and road was put in because of the old road flooding all the time from heavy rains in the spring. The old road is now called Low St. I don't particularly like that name. Old Horse Run Rd is what I call it to this day. Our parents would let us ride our bikes down the old road past Uncle Orville's and back. The best part Aunt Nina always had some kind of fresh baked cookies. We just had to stop and say hi. I am sure she knew exactly why we stopped by and like most good bakers she probably enjoyed the chance to share her specialties. Hot summer days in the 1950s. That is what we did. The other memory I thought of was painting our nails. Pam's mom used red nail polish. We were not good at painting nails but we did our best and would head out to our neighbor's house, Laurabelle Karr. I can still remember standing there showing her our nails and insisting she pick who had the prettiest nails. Good grief, she tried everything to avoid the final choice. Looking back she probably thought, what persistent little brats and shuddered every time she saw us coming across the lawn.

Now here we are 70+ years into our life together. We discuss old women things and remember the younger days with a few wrinkles, age spots, gray hair and a little arthritis setting in the hands that are proof we have survived many storms. When we talk I look at her and see the little dark haired, brown eyed girl that kept me company through the years. ❤

Speaking of peas, I was you know 🌱 We are having a bumper crop. Moving the peas to the smaller garden near the barn where we could water them as needed proved to be the right choice. We have already picked double what we have in past years. 2 gallon bags in the freezer and 8 pints canned. I am guessing we will have that many and more in the next week. It's pea picking, shucking, canning and freezing time. In the next day or two it will be picking green beans, snapping and canning along with pickling beets. We had almost two weeks of doing nothing at the garden. Now back at it. And I will have "a little help from my friend" and niece. She has offered to come up, just give her a call. You betcha! Talking makes the time fly by.

15 pounds of peas picked by 7:45 am.

The 3 grandsons went home to MD yesterday. I am going to miss them. When they got here I told them, this is your vacation, enjoy the stay. They really did. From reading, playing video games, monopoly, mowing lawn, hiking, baking brownies, going to PA Grand Canyon, Kinzua Dam, and their all time favorite the Zippo in Bradford. The oldest is now hooked on Zippo Lighters. He bought his first one, the Ace of Spades. I was told everytime I come up I want to go to Zippo. He is saving his money for the next time. Then of course.......Red and Trudys. They have loved those hamburgers and shakes since the first time they went. It is a tradition for our kids and their kids.