By Cat Wilson
Happy July! People are heading out for vacations and fun in the sun here in Oregon. Whether a day, week or month – it’s nice to separate from work and get a new perspective.
Recently, my daughter’s husband was off camping with the older boys. My daughter invited me to join her and the girls for an overnight visit. It’s a rare opportunity for me, so I was happy to hang out with the girls and younger boys. She lives on a farm. It’s a very different perspective than life in the city.
One of the things about life on a farm is that there is a lot to do. Mostly hard work, if you look at it that way. It could be toil. Some find laughter in the chores. It’s about perspective.
On the farm my daughter and her kids are in constant motion. Inside the house, there are freshly gathered eggs from the chicken coop to fry. The kids cook their own eggs, because they like them cooked “their” way. Then they are busy with chores or a game or a song.
My daughter is moving from room to room, picking up or putting away. Calling out to the dog, “Annie! Stop that.” And to the kids, “Please do this. Please do that.”
I follow her, saying, “Can I help? Can I help?” She says, “That’s okay, just come along and we’ll talk Mom.” She knows when and how and what to do, and enjoys it all. If only I had super powers, like her.
Then it’s time to take care of the animals.
“Let’s go outside. Feeding time,” she announces.
Wandering out across the yard, and appreciating how much yard they maintain, my eyes were gobbling up loads of new information. Animals. Sounds. Smells. Tall Oaks. Bees. Barns. This is a different perspective than my accustomed home.
We sauntered over to the barn. I stood fascinated … watching my daughter grab a bale of hay, toss it into feeder, and laugh as the bulls, cows, and sheep made their way to the fresh hay. She petted waiting horns. It made me smile.
Back to the barn… she pulled down another bale for the sheep on the other side of the barn, lugged it over to the next yard, heaved it over the fence, and then laughed as it gracefully plopped in the feeding bin, and animals came running up to meet her for food, sheep “baaa baaaa-ing” … then receiving the gentle touch of her petting them on their heads.
“I need to run some water over to the grapes,” she said as she toggled out in her flip-flops from one fenced area to the next.
Running with glee around the growing corn, potatoes, and grapes is a frisky dog and an energized boy. The little one and dog follow her. She smiles and laughs again. “Busy place, Mom.”
So much to do. Toil or Laughter? It’s about perspective. Or maybe “It takes Super Powers”!
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