Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Storm's a comin', so I'm baking cookies



It rained , off and on, all night. Nothing ominous or foreboding , just a reminder that the seasons change and life keeps going forward. I woke up a couple of times listening to the soft, wonderful sound of the dry earth passionately embracing and accepting the life-giving moisture. There are few sounds so wonderful as rain here in the foothills. Summer is finally over...
In the morning I took the dogs out for their first run of the day. They love to go outside early in the morning and make the rounds of the front yard, smelling everything and leaving their own liquid scent everywhere.
The rain magnifies all the aromas of 3 Dog Farm. It's a combination of trees, bushes, someones wood fire, and the leaves that cover the walkway. It's the familiar and welcome breath of Autumn.
After breakfast I baked Snickerdoodles...
I love to bake these sugary, cinnamony cookies on a cold day. It fills the house with a wonderful aroma and the Prospector loves them. He will say..." Are these for us?" and I will say "Yes, just for us." and there will be , smiles all around and a few of them missing from the plate.
The prospector had been down at his Mother's for a couple of days. It was my turn to hold down the "fort". He came home a few hours ago. His Mom is doing much better. She is getting lots of therapy and hopefully, this will all work toward getting her back home soon. A broken hip at 89 years of age is tough. We are hoping for the best recovery. It will be a hard one, but this is a tough woman and if anyone can recover from this, she can. I have to admire this generation that is slowly leaving us. They make no excuses, they do what they have to do and when life gets difficult they persevere. It's a lesson I pay attention to.
Violetta ( that's my mother-in laws lovely name.)  told me something once.  I was pregnant with my first child and getting close to the delivery. I was not ready to have this baby and I was scared. I said something about my fear to Vi and she said...." You don't have a choice my dear. You just have to get through it. It will be OK. You have your Mom and you have me. We will be there to help you.  The baby will come and there is no other choice."  I think we say there are no other "options." now.  I still did a fair amount of whining about all of this, but I did a lot of growing up that year. I was much better prepared five years later.
Now I have two wonderful sons that rarely complain about anything. When they did, as children, and Grandma Vi was around she would give them the "look" and say... " to the moon". They knew what she meant. They had an understanding with her. There was no other "option" but to behave. Maybe we all learned something from her.
Vi was tough and with some things she was right. Sometimes you just have to put one foot in front of the other and move ahead. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and there are no "options". If there are other choices then take one, but don't whine about it. Just do it.
I love this woman for this lesson in life and the kindness she has always showed me. Between my wonderful, loving and giving mother and my practical, no-nonsense mother in law... I was covered. I guess you could say I was blessed.
It's like knitting or following a recipe. If you want good results you have to read the directions, follow all the steps to the end and pay attention.
Enough ... There is a storm moving in. Tomorrow will be a wet day. I need to think about dinner and finish the washcloth I'm knitting.... but first I think I'll go have a cookie....

10 comments:

  1. I am glad that your mother-in-law is doing better with her therapy and recovery. Sounds as if she is a smart lady who has a will to persevere. Glad you enjoyed one of my favorite cookies! The baking season will soon be upon us. I only hope I can keep them stored in the cookie jar for others to enjoy before I eat them all! I have no self control.... LOL

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Connie what a word of encouragement for me! Thank you so much. I saw, felt, tasted, and listened. I feel like we just had a visit together in your lovely place and you were sharing a strong word to keep on, to persevere . One of the hardest things about my accident is it has added so much time and question to the recovery. Big surgery- big fall- big recovery-sometimes i wonder if I'll ever be able to use my arm again. But you said it exactly just put one foot in front of the other and take the whining and shoot it to the moon. You tell Miss Vi I am praying for her and ask her to pray for me we are in the same boat. This was a great post and boy am i jealous of that rain we are in a drought!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are very lucky to have had such a wonderful mother and to have a terrific mother-in-law. My prayers are still with her and I am sure she will come through this ordeal with flying colors. Your cookies sound so good. We are hoping for rain it has been an awful dry September and October. Have a blessed evening and a great weekend. Thanks for your visit to my blog. Madeline

    ReplyDelete
  4. So glad to hear that Vi is improving and able to have therapy now. She's quite a woman.

    We're getting rain in the valley too, and it's just so welcome. Wishing you and the Prospector a quiet, restorative weekend, with plenty of cookies.
    love,
    C

    ReplyDelete
  5. You my dear, have a wonderful family all around and are so very fortunate. I'm glad to hear Vi is getting better and will be up and about soon.

    I love hearing the rain. So cleansing. It can wash troubles away and your words make lives a little easier to take :)

    I'm coming for the cookies. Watch out!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You're lucky not only to have such a straight-up mother in law but I think you're also very lucky and smart to take the wisdom and apply it. Your chats are always enlightening...I can almost taste the tea and cookies at your table...p.s I didn't see the angels at Hatley Castle so I guess I'll have to go again for a look...maybe in the snow...angels look so pretty in the snow.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You are exactly right about the generation we are now losing, they were not whiners but doers & took every obstacle as a challenge!
    We had some lovely rain this week too, & the temps have dropped to where i can tell summer is over.
    I feel like baking today, have some over-ripe bananas but first I have to get rid of this migraine I awoke with, it's somewhat abated but still there.Katie says her migraines are the rats eating her brain!

    ReplyDelete
  8. That is, indeed a wonderful life's lesson from Vi.
    Just like you, I LOVE to bake when it's stormy and/or cold out. (Doesn't everybody??). But I haven't made Snickerdoodles in a very long time. I may just have to do that.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Even in their later years, our fore-mothers have much to teach us by example. Blessings for Vi in her recovery, and enjoy all your time with her!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a lovely post Connie. I love Vi, wish I had her in my life. You are all the richer for having her. Send her the best wishes from us, okay? Enjoy those cookies, yum. And thanks for reminding us it is good to bake for our loved ones. Thanks for coming by and taking a look, I am lucky to have Maddie, and vice versa! She's having a good life. luv ya, Riki

    ReplyDelete

Please leave a comment here.
I love to hear what you think about my blog. Feel free to speak your mind. Please be honest.., but remember your manners.