Sunset

HOE DOWN ROAD

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cropped-sta712971.jpgJennifer Kay Lewis

 

                         “A Child, More Than Anyone Else, Is A Spontaneous Observer Of Nature.”                                        Maria Montessori

Mom announced she was gonna do her normal cleaning and her kiddies wanted to ‘escape’ to the outdoors.   Plus, we were overwhelmed by the various unpleasant scents and smells of her specific cleaners; and we hated the noise of the vacuum cleaner as it somehow seemed to be invading our ‘space.’

Let’s see … what can we do now?  In little short, we jumped to action and catapulted outside and do some more ‘investigating.’   (surely, there was some thrilling adventure 

waiting out there just for us … we had always found a trail needing exploration until the seemingly simple world of Mom or Dad might summon us back to reality!)

We had just ‘rescued’ a little, runt piglet that had been rejected by the mamma sow.  Our adopted little pig needed a proper name.  After brief consideration, we chose a name for our rescued pig and decided the name ‘Barney’ seemed fitting for him.)

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We asked our Dad for a little help in materials so we could fashion a small fenced-in pen for our newfound rescued pet.  By now, we had our Dad well-broken in so he might provide us with whatever resources we would need, (provided he knew we couldn’t hurt ourselves nor do any real damage with whatever he chose to give us.)

As kids might reckon, it wasn’t fair to make Barney be caged-up in his new pen without another animal to keep him entertained.  Therefore, we assigned a friend for Barney.  Our terrier dog, Jack would answer that call.  (poor ol Jack, he sure got run through the mill.  We dressed him in Lots of costumes, made him ride our horse strapped in the saddle, fed our dirt pies to him, and now he was in a pen with a pig!)  The two of them would be great friends and we most likely, had visions of them riding off merrily into the sunset together.  Who knows what kids think?

But, then we abruptly remembered we needed some supplies.  We better get to town before the stores close.  (at least, for now, we had ‘introduced’ Jack to Barney and all seemed agreeable there.)

Without Image result for boy with tools imagemuch preparation, brother Bill grabbed the hoe and commenced forming a primitive road so we could make a jaunt into  our local store to get more provisions.  (in real life ~ he was Billy, in ‘our’ make-believe  world, he was Don.) Image result for boy playing in sandbox Billy, (I mean Don) usually got the construction jobs.  He was eager to build this avenue!

Youngest brother, Kerry Mark gleefully became Tom, the twin brother of Don.   Tom was in charge of operations; he managed the vehicle fleet and monitored the daily reserves and helped us coordinate our job activities.  Tom held a very responsible position and he kept our equipment in fantastic condition.

For these adventures, I became Martha Jane.  While Don and Tom were busy with their respective ‘assignments,’ my job as Martha Jane was to help wash and vacuum the truck  and prepare foodstuffs and drinks to bring-along for the lengthy journey to town and the long trip back to the farm.                                                                                                                                         Image result for here's to all the girls who grew up image

My older sister, Colleen, was off doing her own ‘thing’ enjoying close-up views of the natural countryside by horseback.  Colleen had gone riding earlier with her friend, Sheila; she was an extraordinary ‘gifted’ horse-lover and horse-trainer.  They often rode together in our rural areas.  Unlike my talented and fearless, equestrian sister, I adored the make-believe characters that came to life in the dirt; or, I could be found tucked-away in the back bedroom making sweet music on my beautiful antique upright piano.

Uh oh … suddenly we heard the clamor of Barney and Jack.  Don/Billy abruptly stopped construction on our road and Tom/Kerry and I dropped our imagined duties and scurried behind Billy.

Sorry, I have got to go  for now.  Be back tomorrow.  Ya’ll come back now, y a hear!?   Image result for quotes about a child's imagination

Growing In Christ,

Jennifer K. Lewis

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“Thank You So much for allowing me to take your time.”                                                                                                           May our Lord God Richly Bless Your Life!

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My Life FARMER

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Jennifer Kay Lewis

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.       Galatians 6:9

Proudly, I was raised on a hustle and bustle working farm sprawling a couple-hundred acres.  We had ten ponds on our farm and a wandering creek divided our land almost in half.  We were passed the life my parents had so well-known as they both had grown-up living similar traditions.  My parents and their parents embraced values of planting and harvesting crops and cultivating huge varieties of garden foods.  As four little Lewis kids, we were fortunate to learn valuable lessons from Mom and Dad and both sets of Grandparents.

As many of you who read this will also testify, the farm-life manages to keep you busy from before the sunrises until well-after sunset!  Our farm would easily be akin to those descriptive images.   Oh sure ~ there are plenty of fun-filled times to treasure as we compiled memories of yesteryear days.  If there weren’t any planned activities, when you put four inquisitive, inventive growing brains together in children, creative adventures are bound to be discovered.

Two little girls and two younger boys seemed to have no boundaries.  Our parents kept us heaped in what seemed endless ‘fix-it’ projects, and repair tasks.  But, as our ages dictated, they also spoiled us rotten with colorful bikes, all-terrain motorcycles and well-trained quarter horses, so we could easily traverse and crisscross our many acres.

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Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.  Psalm 127:3

“Thank goodness for binoculars.”  Mom and Dad could stand on our Victorian front-porch and scout the land to, hopefully, spot their kids.    Think of turning loose four rambunctious young kids over two-hundred acres of investigative beckoning, land, it’s hard-telling where your youngsters may have landed.  Furthermore, it’s common knowledge that when things get ‘quiet’ you better find-out where your kids are and what they may be up to.

Often, our Mom would go to town to buy groceries and other staples we needed.  Typically, Mom would forego her own needs, and selflessly purchase for her children.  She liked to surprise us with a spiffy new outfit or the newest in shoes.  One of her inquisitive little kids would often ask of Mom “where did you get this?’  Mom’s witty and funny answer would always be, “at the ‘gettin place.”

And, as the warming sun rays and the spring rains permitted, Daddy would plant the corn and beans and walk through lengthy fields as he sowed oats.    Our father toiled long, hard days well into evening clearing the land of rocks that seemed to just keep multiplying and growing and out of thin-air.  Arduously, Dad methodically planted and as the unpredictable weather dictated, maybe Dad had to replant crops.  ALL FOR HIS WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN!!

All summer, our superman, and hero Dad would walk down the rows cutting-down weeds and clearing paths for his combine to straddle the rows for harvest in fall.   (his only request was a Pepsi now and then.)  Then, we all Prayed to be blessed with bountiful harvest

The coziness of winter would creep-in with a kind of ragged sigh of relief.   We girls liked to create to artfully designed snow-angels and the boys would build the most elaborate snow-forts in the fresh white blankets.  On days we were stuck inside, we frequently played monopoly or put 1000-piece puzzles together, after shoveling snow from our long driveway.  (those Big complex puzzles were our Dad’s brilliant idea to keep us busy!  He picked the hardest ones for us to assemble.  Thanks a lot ~ Dad!)

In search of the ‘perfect’ Christmas tree, our vast woods would surely offer just the right sacrifice.   Then, before we knew it, here came spring again.  With God at the helm, we got to start all over again.  Ours was a unique and treasured life.  Indeed, the life, fun, and work of a Farmer is never-ending, but it is also a rich inheritance.  I cherish those days and the tender memories we all made together growing and investing in our beautiful farm!

Oh; but if I could turn back time …               

 … then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.                                                                                                                                                          Leviticus 26:4

Growing In Christ,

Jen