Why I Love This Man
August 1, 2008|Comments (16)
Few men look completely comfortable with sticky limbs belonging to squirming youths draped all over them. Even fewer men will happily spend four consecutive hours in a swimming pool with three children while patiently throwing them off his shoulders or taxiing them around while they blow bubbles and kick their feet. He’s rare. He’s wonderful. And I never forget that.
For reasons that only a child could possibly understand, my husband is the ideal jungle gym, diving board, and swing set. One would think that upon looking at his tattoos, muscles, and hearing his deep voice that children might be intimidated by him. I have never seen that happen. Instead, they flock to him and after long hours of play will curl up in his arms or prop up against him and sleep. Perhaps they sense that he genuinely enjoys spending time with them. His expectations of them are clear and his rules are fair. Is it any wonder that I can’t wait to raise little ones with this man? Who would have ever guessed that a Ranger could be cuddly?
NOTE: The picture with the kids and Josh was taken after they were told it was time leave. Would you look at the expression on Sam and Abby’s faces? Wow!
The Wondering Eyes of a Child
August 1, 2008|Comments (8)
To celebrate the publication of News From Razor Family Farms at GRIT.com, I decided to invite some friends over for homemade ice cream, blueberry jam (I may have forgotten to tell them that they would have to make it themselves… oops), and swimming. Most of the fun came from watching the children enjoy some of the fundamentals of country life: canning and making ice cream. Of course, Katy and I watched all of this from the safety of the shady part of the deck because we are shockingly Caucasian.
Her three glorious children skipped from the garden (where they plucked tomatoes and ate them sun-warmed) to the pool and then dripped across the deck to watch the ice cream maker churn. I imagined my future children doing the same dance — from one new discovery to another. Children truly appreciate simple living to the fullest, don’t they?
Katy’s kids don’t miss a single detail of the world around them. With wide eyes and secret smiles, they are in constant motion until they become entranced by a line of ants marching across the steps. Then they are in a completely different plane of existence. The laws of science cannot begin to explain how the concentration of a fascinated child can simply stop time. We have much to learn from them, do we not? Just look what they found with their x-ray vision?
This tiny little fellow clung to a tomato branch and has likely lived there for months watching us blunder about pulling tomatoes off the vine and fussing over Japanese beetles. The children spotted him or her right away. I stood there lost in thought and blindly snapping pictures. How much we would miss were it not for the wondering eyes of a child!
Mad Love: Blueberry Jam
August 1, 2008|Comments (10)
Few foods are as much fun to make as blueberry jam. From the plunking of the berries hitting the bucket while you pick them to the pop of the lid after the jars have finished processing. Each step of the process is more satisfying than the one before. Perhaps the best part (and I’m sure that Sam, Aunt Katydid’s middle child, would agree) is the smashing of the berries.
We decided to make a small batch with the kids so they could learn the ins and outs of canning jam. Our recipe called for 2 cups of mashed blueberries, four cups of sugar, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and a package of liquid pectin (which I advise using if your helpers are plentiful and all under the age of twelve). Not that you should listen to me or anything.
I also advise setting the ingredients out ahead of time because by the time you have measured everything out — the kids have scattered all over your property and have chased the chickens up a tree or disemboweled your car. Just remember that I warned you.
If you have several youngsters involved in your canning project, have them sort the blueberries and pull out the little stems. Keep in mind that you should double check their finished product even if you have an excellent dental plan. No one likes to chip a tooth on blueberry hedge bits.
Bring the mashed blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil and add the pectin. Wait until your mixture returns to a boil. Let boil for a full minute and remove from heat. Thank your sweet stirrers for helping during all that. Now to fill the jars! (That’s Willy, Aunt Katydid’s oldest young ‘un filling jars like a pro.)
More jar filling by Sam (Aunt Katydid’s middle child, remember?). Sam, by the way, is wearing a bathing suit. I just thought I would let you know. We have a pool and the kids were just about to get in it. Anyway, after placing lids and rings on their little jars of blueberry jam, we processed the jars in a boiling water canner for ten minutes (enough time for people to change into swimwear). And we were off to the pool to cool off!
Have you ever attempted canning with children present? What did you make? Do you have any advice because I am about to embark on doing this sort of thing with three or four children on a fairly regular basis and I am VERY open to suggestions.
Read about picking the blueberries in Friendship Harvest: Blueberries and Tranquility
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