Raymon, Bet you had enough squash to feed Tennessee that year!! Pat ----- Original Message ----- From: Raymon Lindsey <gabbie@aeneas.net> To: <DanvilleCrossing-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, August 22, 1999 10:33 AM Subject: Re: Pride of a job well done > > HI Cher: > I liked your garden & canning story: it brought back memories of my > childhood! > I had to plow and help my mother get the garden ready to plant every spring > and had to plow it when it needed it. > I always had to help pick the vegies and can them : I thought I knew how > to garden:: but when I retired in 1978 and came back to TN. I had to learn > it over > because my mother did ALL the brain work.( I will tell you the story in > detail > when I see you: but for now one short note,( I planted 4 rows of squash 75 > ft. > long the first year!! ) enough said.gabbie > At 09:52 AM 8/22/99 -0400, you wrote: > > > >. When I pull out my large kettles I get to musing..... I don't 'can' > >because I 'need to' to put food in the pantry......I do it to feed my soul.. > >To do it is a pure labor of love.. It centers me. I have been 'puttin up' > >ripe tomato relish the past couple of days--can't get it in stores.. and we > >love it with pintos or northerns... > > > >For generations the women of my family were responsible for the family > >vegetable garden.. The men worked the fields for crops to market or to feed > >livestock through the winter... But, mamas and yungins grew and prepared > >the vegetables and fruits for the long winter. > > > >Planting a garden******* > >There is a great satisfaction from growing your own garden, working the > >soil, making straight rows for the seeds to be planted. Covering them > >...and either waiting for the next rain or watering them in..... to get > >them started faster. I love watching the vegetables grow, tend the soil. > >Smelling the mingled aromas of earth and plants is one of the best > >medicines! to cure what ails you. Such a simple thing.. to just take a hoe > >and go into the garden early in the morning...(while dew is still on the > >grass and the shadows are still long)...... and chop out real or imagined > >weeds... walking backwards down a row.. in a slow relaxed rhythm~ listening > >to the day wake up..... it truly the best time to reflect on people, ideas, > >problems... life problems seem to get a balance to them.... The muscles get > >tired, you get dirty, sweaty~ but, you loose the knitted brow line. The > >tension knot between your shoulders relaxes while you gain insight on your > >thoughts........ > > > >Harvest time ******** > > > >I love to go out to the garden and harvest my hard work... to take it to the > >house or under a shade tree to snap the beans... or shuck corn . While it > >is time consuming, it is so rewarding to see the perfect vegetables in my > >clean sparking jars. To have them sitting on the counter .. and listening > >for the ping of the lids to seal as they cool. Smiling privately when you > >hear it! Yup! There is another good jar! <bg> Paramount cannot touch my > >pickle recipes..or relish recipes... Smuckers? Naw, my black raspberry jam > >puts em to shame. Some of the recipes that I have are generations old.. > >not even written.. they were just taught from one homemaker to another down > >the line... There is a palpable connection with my grandmothers when I > >garden, and can..... I am doing the same work they did... using some of the > >techniques and materials they used and taught me....These ladies knew > >work...hard work. They were practical and quite poor with not time for > >frivialities. But, they had the spirit of creativity in their hearts,,, it > >showed in their daily lives, in their quilting, gardening and canning . > >Storing food for the long winter was a necessity for my fore mothers. > >Whether the food was stored carefully and lovingly was the difference in > >vegetables and fruit would not survive until December in the cellar.. or > >whether the jam turned to sugar . Sure, food could be 'put up' with less > >attention. But, I like to believe the extra care in their stirrin and > >tastin and fussin make a difference.... and it showed in their work and and > >I hope shows in mine. > > > >Time to stir my pot..... Thanks for listening... > >Cher > > > > > > > > > > > >==== DanvilleCrossing Mailing List ==== > >My family tree must have been used for Firewood !!! > > > > > > > ==== DanvilleCrossing Mailing List ==== > GENEALOGY is like Hide & Seek: > They Hide & I Seek !! > > > > >