Yesterday the boys came to visit Mawmaw and Pawpaw while my daughter "Fred" ran errands for a few hours. The boys spent most of their time outside with their Pawpaw picking. Kids love to pick almost as much as they love to eat. There is a bumper crop of grapes hanging on the vine. The boys ate many more that what went in the buckets.
Then they moved to the plum trees and helped gather the plums and again ate more than they got in the bucket I think. I have to wonder when these boys grow up if they will remember fondly an August afternoon at their grandparents farm. The taste of warm plum juice running down their chins and the end of their fingers tinted purple from the grapes.
Hank helped me wash and pick the grapes off the stems to prepare them for making juice. Hank and I managed to can two cookings or 14 quarts of grape juice. When they come to Mawmaw's this is their beverage of choice and they have both grown up on home grown grape juice out of a mason jar. Hank was all excited to share with us where he went last week with his parents for vacation and everything they saw and visited. Owen at 16 months was just happy to eat constantly.
O Wise One threw some pork chops on the grill along with some potatoes and corn on the cob. Hank helped me slice some cucumbers and we feasted on grilled vegetables with fresh grape juice to wash it down.
I read somewhere the other day that 49 million Americans are food insecure and many of those children and the elderly. I find that so sad. It makes O Wise One and I especially thankful for a warm summer day, beautiful grandkids to spend it with us, a full pantry and a productive garden even if it is a bit weedy right now. We will eventually catch up and if not there is always next year to do better. We are indeed blessed and thankful every day for those blessings.
Blessings from The Holler
The Canned Quilter
And to that I will just say, "AMEN!"
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your posts, CQ! Sounds like the perfect way to spend an afternoon!
ReplyDeleteSuch precious times-I think they'll remember all of the wonderful days at "Mawmaw and Pawpaw's farm"! Some of my earliest memories are of my mamaw and papaw's house!
ReplyDeleteWonderful memories being made. It's amazing how fast those grandsons grow up.
ReplyDeletesounds like such a fun day!
ReplyDeleteIt is so good to have you back. That's all.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the weeds in life overtake us for awhile, but only for awhile. Then the wonders of life, such as you shared with us here, over shadow any weeds and they no longer are such a burden. Thank you for sharing the blessings from The Holler.
ReplyDeleteFern
I'm so glad to see your back! I've read your blog for a long time just don't comment often. We have had so many more weeds this year too such a wet cool growing season here in TN. However, we have been so blessed with an abundance of produce the harvest has been wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you take time out of your day to shed some wisdom, guidance, and training to this younger wife.
May God richly bless you!
Joy
Oh, the memories you made!
ReplyDeleteThat photo of your grandsons is so adorable!! How do you make your grape juice? It looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteBeth
What kind of grape are those? They look like the ones I have but I don't know what they are. Do they have seeds?
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you back!
What a lovely way to spend the day!
ReplyDeleteI love this post! I would love to hear what your grandsons remember about their days of visiting you on the farm. When my grandparents had a farm, I was small (about 5 years old) so I only remember the horses. They moved and my grandfather only grew crops that he could fit at the base of the deck -- tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, canteloupe (he called them muskmelon). He would walk up the hill eating an onion straight from the ground, bringing lunch in the form of cucumbers for "quick pickles" and a muskmelon for dessert.
ReplyDelete