Two places, or a million, at the same time

I have been feeling a little sad about not living closer to my family recently. I really love it here in Asheville, I just wish that it was closer to my parents, and my sisters, and my nieces and nephews who are growing up so so so fast.

I feel so jealous of my sis Moriah who gets to go home all the time. Here are a few pictures that she took of the farm when she was home last weekend.

you can view these pictures and more at her blog: http://moriahsmidwestinphotos.blogspot.com/

Heading Home

I am heading home for a little visit soon. I am so excited. I love the farm so much. While I am there I am going to do a million things.

-play with my nieces and nephews
-say hi to the cows
-go on a canoeing trip with my sister
-help my parents in the garden
-eat and eat and eat
-jump on the trampoline
-swim in the pool
-pick food from the garden

I cannot wait to see my family. Family is the best. As my parents get older I value the time that I spend with them more and more. It's crazy to think that they won't always be there.

From the top:

-Scallops at christmas time
-Taco Fillings
-The kitchen at night
-My mom at farmers market
-My sweet sweet parents
-Laundry drying indoors
-Sink in the upstairs bathroom
-My parents bedroom
-Back of the house
-Trampoline!!!
-Greenhouse
-Barn
-Cows
-Compost pits 
-Milk in the fridge 
-Garlic from the garden 
-My parents record collection 
-Bathroom reads 
-Niece in the garden--photo credit Moriah Spicer 
-Just your average lunch at the farm--photo credit Moriah Spicer

The Snow

Yesterday it snowed a little, today it snowed a lot. And there is more on the way, or so they say. The snow makes me think about home, and growing up. When I was little I was filled with the most intense joy as the first flakes fell. And then six months later the same joy returned when the snow began to melt. Now I find that the joy only comes once a year, and it's not when the snow falls. I remember being eight years old and jumping into the snow banks, void of inhibitions. I was free. I used to imagine that I was a snow flake. Light and fluffy, and very fragile. diving head first into the snow bank. Suddenly I am filled with a desire to embody my eight year old self and dive into the snow bank, but my inhibitions stop me. There are things that are appropriate for small children to do and there are things that appropriate for young ladies to do. Diving into a snow bank out of joy is not one of them. I need to think of a good reason. Maybe I will drop something into the snow, and then go in after it. Ah, maybe I will walk too close to someone and then pretend, when I fall into the snow bank, that they pushed me... I could always take a leaf out of my eight year old book and free myself from my inhibitions and jump in. Without a reason. Without a reason other then pure joy.

Sisters

I was always the little sister asking why you won't play.

Just for today I get to be you:

Is this what you were thinking?

Dirty clothes

from playing in the dirt

marker smudged face

make believe is still your favorite game

I can no longer stand the sound of "lets pretend..."

you've asked me thousand times can we play make believe

Lets pretend that we're on the moon

no lets not

how about... "we're at the fair. ".... no.

Okay what do you think about cow boys.

I don't want to play make believe. I don't want to pretend anything.

Please. No. I'm to old to pretend things.

Spiderman?

no

Covered wagon?

no

we used to play that all the time.

So?

why don't you play anymore?

Stop talking, i'm trying to concentrate

please

nope

pretty please with butter and cheese

Please stop

Why did you have to grow up?

(No response)

Hey, I've got an idea, lets pretend that you are my age.

I don't want to. I've got home work to do, and I'm too old for this.

I'm busy and I do grown up things, like go shopping and go to parties with my friends.

This is what you said

and this is what I think.

you were imagining being somewhere else.

Somewhere without me, with your "friends"

well,

Imagining...

Pretending...

they are the same thing

You were pretending the whole time,

why didn't you let me play your game?

All I wanted to do was play make believe...