A BUSHEL OF ADVENTURE

When you are 5 years old and celebrating your first ever March Break, where better to head to then the MacDonald’s Fun House?   The place that never fails to provide a good time, the good time, of course, being relative to the parties involved and the part in which they assume.  As we entered the “Big M.” (As Grace calls it), and the pandemonium that was within, it was very clear that this would be no ordinary low key luncheon.  Children swung from every conceivable (and inconceivable) perch, swarming the play area like an over populated chimpanzee habitat, shrieking and gesticulating a type of feral communication only they could understand.  Their parents waiting in an endless line to find a table, appeared oblivious to the anarchy around them, evidently relieved for some semblance of a break, as they watched with unseeing eyes, their fingers twitching fervently over their various communication devices, heedlessly absorbed in ironic fashion by their virtual worlds.

I held both our girls by the hands, trying to make sense of the chaos, trying to think of an out.  Sucking back against the wall, awestruck and terrified, I was about to bolt when Grace broke free of my grasp and raced into the mob, casting a glance over her shoulder that let me know, like a captive animal released to the wild, she was home.  Bethany was quick to follow and I forced myself to relax and let them have their fun, my pride bubbled as I watched Grace “bum boosting” Bethany to the top of the Fun House so she too could enjoy the slides.  I could hear their voices drifting over the mayhem from time to time, and it was evident by Grace’s coaxing that Beth was a bit leery of this adventure. Therefore I was relieved to see them both land unscathed at the bottom of the slide and smiled my approval as they ran passed me, laughing together as Grace began the arduous task of hoisting her Mini Me back to the top.

It was there, at the very top, suspended in a giant bubble far above my reach, that Bethany’s good sense prevailed and she succumbed to her gut instinct, despite Grace’s valiant efforts, she would go no further.  I began to shout above the din, shrugging off the realization that I had rousted the interest of several previously glazed over parents, I tried to coax her into following her Big Sis, but no amount of pleading or tugging from Grace would budge her.  She began to howl.  With every fleeting moment Beth’s cries grew in frequency until the shrieking around her paled in comparison.  Instinctually I flew into Mommy Mode and began the ascent to save her, twisting and contorting myself with every new level, constantly aware of the stricken weeping above me, I hesitated only once to consider what type of disciplinary measures I would face for having forgotten my boots on, while the Chimps, oblivious to the magnitude of the situation, shoved and prodded me out of the way and continued their escapades.  As I reached the top and scooped up my rescue, who was sitting in a heap, arms clasped tightly around her knees, her howls by then had become wrenching sobs, I was vaguely aware of the enquiring voices below, discussing who such giant feet could belong to, and why they would be in the Fun House?    

With Beth tucked safely under one arm, the other acting as a shield against the frenzied inhabitants as we made our way down, the potential to continue on to the slides and truly experience the Fun House in its entirety was not lost on me.  Casting a quick glance in the direction from which we came, as I twisted my way back through the levels, folding a protesting Bethany at the waist with each new platform, I discovered that the bottom of the climbing area was in fact transparent mesh and hovered at perfect eye level, mere inches in front of a family of diners.  My Super Mommy façade waned somewhat as myself appointed “Hippo in glass slippers” description came to mind, and the idea of how this, as I folded and stuffed myself up like the Grinch in Cindy Lou’s chimney, must have greatly influenced their family dining experience.

GRACE RIDING A NEW FRIEND "DI" ON HER MARCH BREAK

 

Spring is finally breathing the life back into us and I can’t help but appreciate that we have made it to pasture once again.  The farm is running as it generally does with its usual share of small victories and losses.  Jamie spent several weeks on a Bus Driving course which presented me with the opportunity to get out and work in the barns.  It’s been a while since I’ve really “worked” in the barns and, as I rolled out round bales of straw for bedding and pulled frozen strings from the bales of hay, it quickly became apparent that I had become soft.  Muscles long since forgotten made their presence known and callouses long softened by bread dough and dishpan hands began to resurface along with a renewed appreciation for the hours Jamie puts in here.  A good deal of the work requires brute strength, yet there is a great amount of strategizing required as well, particularly being an Out Of Shape Girly Farmer, but at the end of each day was the sense of accomplishment that comes from putting body and mind to the test and achieving the day’s goals.

 

GUSSIED UP FOR MEETING

 

Grace has been contributing elements to her kindergarten class that only a Farm Kid can offer.  Particularly after a bizarre and unfortunate incident of a young cow (one of our nicer heifers, isn’t that always the way?) sustaining some type of injury to her spine/pelvis while being bred, resulting in her being paralyzed from her hips down.  Grace, who always takes an interest in any sick or injured animal, quizzed Jamie at length on what happened, and of course how.  Grace has often witnessed the cattle breeding process, and by her own accord has deduced that the bull likes to take “Piggy Back Rides”, we’ve not yet bothered to correct her, therefore, the best explanation Jamie could offer, was that the heifer got hurt while giving a Piggy Back Ride.  This was easily accepted with a simple “she should know better”, and not much more was said.  A couple days later Grace arrived home from school and told me how she explained to her teacher that we have a cow that “broke her back giving the bull a Piggy Back Ride”, mildly embarrassed and whole heartedly amused, I asked what her teacher said.  Grace looked slightly bewildered and replied “she just said, “Oh my, that’s not good”, then she laughed a little and told me to go tell the other teacher”.

 

It’s strange how our two girls can be so much alike and yet so different, Grace has been begging us to get her a “real pair of coveralls” for a while now, so the other day Jamie and I paid a visit to our local Agro Co-Op and made the purchase.  Because Bethany has become Grace’s shadow, we knew that she would not want to be left out and we managed to find a pair of Coveralls in her size as well.  After picking Beth up a couple of spring dresses we headed home, eager to present our surprises.  When she opened the shopping bag, Grace immediately screeched with delight, put her Coveralls on and proceeded to model them before us.  Jamie excited to see the two of them in their matching attire called to Beth to come and try on hers.  Beth, however, was not as pleased as we expected and protested greatly as he folded her into them, just as soon as he zipped them up, she unzipped them and grabbed the new dresses insisting that she try them on.  Grace however, refused to take hers off, and declared that she was wearing them to school because “her friends would love them”.

THE NEW COVERALLS

 With spring in the air, there are a lot more footprints in the house as the girls have taken to removing their coats and boots when they think I’m not watching, and are spending much more of their days playing outside with the neighbour kids.  Our yard is a buzz of dogs, kids and bubbles as they play in the yard and jump on the trampoline (or Dibidobaleme as Beth calls it).  Hiccup has been getting a good bit of attention lately as well as Grace and her friends have begun taking him in and leading and grooming him on their own.  This week I hope to do some early planting in the greenhouse for our garden, Grace plans to have her own garden this year and asked Jamie if he could dig her a lagoon to irrigate it.

DIGGING FOR WORMS IN THE RAIN ON THE FIRST DAY OF FISHING SEASON

 

 

RECIPE:

CEREAL BARS

2 ½ cups Rolled Oats

1 cup Corn Flakes

1 cup Rice Crispies

½ cup Bran Flakes

½ cup Coconut (I use unsweetened)

2/3 cup Brown Sugar

1/3 cup Butter (I use Coconut Oil……yummmmmJ)

1/3 cup Corn Syrup (I don’t typically use this, I add a bit more honey and a couple tbsp. of Molasses)

¼ cup Honey

¼ tsp Salt

Vanilla to taste

 

TOPPING

 ¼ cup Milk Chocolate Chips

1tbsp butter

 

Mix Brown Sugar, Butter, Corn Syrup and Honey in a pan, bring to a boil until frothy, appx 2 minutes, remove from heat for 1 minute, then pour in vanilla.  Pour and mix liquid into dry and press into a 9 x 13 greased pan.  Melt Chocolate and butter, drizzle over the top.

BETH HELPING ME CHURN THE BUTTER

 

GRACE AND HER FRIEND CALLING THE HORSES IN