Monday, August 4, 2014

On a Sunday Afternoon


Sitting on the grass,
on a Sunday afternoon,
hands working, 
cutting the "hairs" off the garlic
and then peeling off the dirty layer. 
One head at a time, 
slowly, 
with intention. 

Feeling connected,
to my food,
to this earth,
to people who came before me.

Putting food by 
is a simple pleasure
for me.
In times past,
while I am sure 
it was a pleasure,
it was also necessary,
to make it though 
the long, cold and dark
winter.

This is not lost on me
as I can, freeze,
and preserve
summer's bounty.
The world has changed,
putting food by 
isn't necessary,
and my life doesn't 
depend on it,
but my soul does.

As I work in the garden,
harvest the food we grow,
chop it, cook it, can it
and freeze it,
I feel deeply connected 
to women of the past.
I can almost hear them conversing
as they worked, 
talking with children 
who played at their feet, 
or neighbours who stopped
into help.

It was different,
back then,
and at this time of year
it is something I am so happy
to connect to.
It is soul warming,
and fills me with gratitude.
Gratitude to all those who came 
before me, and passed down
the pleasure and joy
of putting food by.

11 comments:

  1. Words that echo :) I too stop and enjoy doing little chores and think of people in the past doing the same chores, with the same life in days gone by. I bet your hands smelled of garlic and earth :)

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    1. It is always so interesting to me, to think back and imagine people doing the same things we are doing now. I know life was harder, or at least we perceive it that way, but to them it was just life.

      Yes, garlic and earth, and it was wonderful!

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  2. I've been having similar thoughts with quilts recently too. Not so much need, very helpful technology now, but it still feels like there's a connection with the past there, especially when reusing fabric. That looks like a great garlic crop, must smell good too.

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    1. Oh yes, that is a wonderful connection too. I feel that same way when I am knitting, thinking back to the women of the past who sheared their sheep, washed and carded their wool, spun it into yarn and then knit with it. Deep connections for sure.

      It was a great crop of garlic this year. 74 heads, and yes, smells amazing!

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  3. Beautifully said and so true... same sentiments have been expressed here the last few days. So thankful for this chance at connection, so blessed by the luxury of it being a "hobby" more than a lifeline.

    Have a lovely day dear friend.

    xo

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  4. Having a connection with our food is such an important part of life I think. I can just picture your Sunday afternoon Kim, sounds perfect to me.

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    1. I think so too Tracey. It was perfection.

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  5. Kim, for some reason these words have me all choked up. I imagine it's because I feel as if I could have written these same words myself, which makes me wish, even more than I already do, that we lived close enough to gather together. You have expressed so beautifully what my heart often feels. That deep connection to those who came before us. I think when one owns an old farmhouse (circa 1860s) as we do that you cannot help but be connected to those who came before us. I feel so certain (though don't know for a fact) that babies must have been born in this space, that children were surely educated in this space. That gardens and animals were part of this space (that part we know) and that much canning and putting food by was surely done in this space. I am glad to be continuing these activities here and I hope that those women who came before us would be proud. xo

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    1. Awe, Shel, I totally get it. Like you, our home, an old schoolhouse, built in 1878, also holds many connections to the past. I think for sure, those women of the past are looking down on us, with great pride.

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  6. Look at those braids of garlic! Yum, yum yum. I can't get enough of garlic.

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    1. It is pretty amazing stuff. We are just finishing up the stash that didn't make it to the braids, and then I will start in on these. It is so good.

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