Bryan left early Friday morning,
to Emery, Utah, to help his
folks re-roof his grandpa's garage.
He didn't return home until late
Saturday night.
So in the meantime, at Garden Cottage...
Myra played with Maisy in the shade
while the boys and I pulled out all
of the old kale and broccoli plants.
We pulled weeds...(everything in life
is changing...but not the weeds.)
The kids picked (and ate) blackberries
by the handfuls.
We ate so many apricots.
My favorite are the ones that are
almost ripe...but still a little sour.
I had been in the backyard weeding for
a while, when I finally took a break
and started munching on apricots.
Of course, that was just the time that Myra
came around the corner toting Maisy.
"Mom...I thought you were weeding?!...
Can it be your turn to hold Maisy now?"
I laughed, imagining how she was
perceiving it all.
Nice.
We harvested a basket full of our
pickling cucumbers...
and, for the first time ever,
Myra and I made pickles.
A 'From Garden to Gullet' post is
in the works.
If there was ever a family of pickle snobs...
that would be us.
They can't be too soft...too
hot...too funky tasting....
too bland...
But all of us love these pickles.
The basket of cucumbers made 7 pints on Friday.
Today, there is 1 pint left on the shelf.
And that is only because
we've been trying our best to conserve.
Needless to say, we will be planting a
whole heck of a lot more pickling cucumbers
in the future.
We also made some soap,
which Myra decorated with
marigold petals and other finds from the
garden.
Finally, Mr. Morten's safe return was celebrated
by us all.
On Memorial Day, we worked again in the garden...
but this time with man power.
We plucked as many apricots as we could reach.
Then Mr. Morten shook the dickens out
of the tree.
He also hunted gophers,
mowed the grass,
weeded,
and surveyed the corn.
I harvested ripe veggies,
pulled up the garlic and laid it out to dry,
washed/pitted/bagged 10 gallon bags full of
apricots.
The kids helped, and played,
and slept.
For dinner, Mr. Morten and I made salmon
burgers with all the toppings exclusively from our garden.
Such a tasty time of year!
We went to our town cemetery and
paid tribute to those who have gave so much
and to those who gave all.
and to those who gave all.
McCoy, who has recently learned to spell/write
his name, found just that on one
of the headstones...
which happens to belong to my great Aunt
and Uncle.
Here in the MotherLand I am related
to so many people...
living and dead.
Oh, how I miss my sweet Grandma Robison.
So many times I ask myself...
"what would Grandma do?!"
She raised her big family of 10 children
right here in the heart of the MotherLand
back in the days before air-conditioning was a blessing.
I thank my lucky stars that I get to carry her name
(Emily Pearl, that's me),
that I was able to know her in this
life and that I will be able to give her a great big hug
and hear her call me Lovey again, someday.
I am so eternally grateful for all of those
who have gone before, and paved the way
that me and my family may live in
peace and comfort.
I would love to thank them all!
And I feel that I sort of can, by teaching my children
about their sacrifices, their hardships, their endurance
and their never failing faith in God.
And then I can show my gratitude
by trying not to complain
when it's so hot...or when the laundry piles up...
or when I feel like I have nothing to wear...
or when I get overwhelmed with life.
We returned to Garden Cottage as
the last of the sun hid behind
the mountains.
We played ball and laughed in our field.
And we finished the day with
fresh apricot crumble cobbler
with a dollop of coconut cream.
I hope that your Memorial Day was
memorable!
{Have a Terrific Week!}
