Winter

Winter

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Early Morning


Early in the morning, when all is quiet and the sounds are just beginning. Out in the garden, the sounds of the bees in the pumpkins. The singing of the mockingbirds. The screech of the jays. All of it speaks of a peace that draws me and the feel of the dirt under my feet. Still cold from morning. Today, will be a hot day. The morning glories have already closed up for the day. The sun shining its golden rays over the mountains. I was taking pictures as the sun came up and I captured the first ray on my sunflower.

Time began in a garden. I know why it did. In a garden, you can see time change faster than that day to things that keep me so busy I don't notice. In the garden, already the sunflowers are tired. The pumpkins are showing the signs from the heat that beats down on them day after day. The leaves are turning yellow, and the stalks are starting to dry. Already, my thoughts are moving on to planting for the next spring. I have always wanted sweet peas, and I have decided that this year, I will make a place for them to grow.


The gourds have gone completely crazy. We counted 20 cantaloupes in there yesterday. I don't try to count gourds. When I was a kid, and in the summer I lived on horseback. We would ride as far as we could in those days. There was a place that in the summer gourds would grow wild. Then when winter came we would ride back and they would be dry. For some odd reason, we thought it was the best fun to have our horses step on the gourds, because they made the nicest popping sounds. Looking at this yesterday, it reminded me of the simple things that give joy.

I had to show you these pumpkins. They are starting to get their warts. I planted them because they are called warty pumpkins. I am so glad they will be that kind.



Another thing we did in the summer was we would ride to this place. These people must have had hundreds and hundreds of pigs. We could smell them before we could see them. We would sit on our horses and watch the melee of these pigs in the huge fenced area. We would laugh and just watch. I don't know why it gave us such a thrill. The people who owned the pigs, never paid us much attention. I kept telling my Dad about them and finally talked him into getting on a horse and coming with us. We rode over and we got to the place and we were sitting there just laughing watching the pigs and my Dad looking at us like we were crazy, because he couldn't see anything funny. The man came out that owned the pigs, and said hi to my Dad and called him by name. We sat there with our mouths hanging open. Dad knew that man? How could Dad know that man who owned all of those pigs?
They chatted for awhile. Come to find out the man would pick up the produce trimmings from Dad's grocery stores and that was what he was feeding his pigs. They laughed about it. Dad introduced us and apologized for us sitting there laughing at the mans pigs. The man was very gracious, and said we could come anytime.

That place lost its fascination for us after that. We just never went back. There are houses built there now. I always wonder if the people who live there ever smell pigs when they work in the yard.

Summer brings back memories. It must be the heat and how time just slows down. Gone are the dirt roads and the cotton fields. There are no more sounds of the frogs at night. Just the sound of the cars traveling on their ways. I find sometimes even now, the memories come in and become more real that the things that remain now.

Have a lovely Sunday.
~Kim~


The night wind with the big dark curves of the night sky in it, the night wind gets inside of me
and understands all my secrets.

---The White Horse Girl and the Blue Wind Boy,"
---Rootabaga Stories, Carl Sandburg, 1922

12 comments:

Pom Pom said...

Hi Kim! You are preserving your memory spot by farming and appreciating the "dirt" as you say. I love reading your horsey memories. I bet you loved your horse.
I will remind you to plant sweet peas on Presidents Weekend.

Julia said...

I love reading your old memories post. I never like the smell of pigs. I didn't mind the small piglet my dad would get every spring to raise for meat but the smell I didn't care for.

I love peas too and my snow peas are ready to eat. They are the kind that you can eat the pods and are so good in a stir fry. They love a cool ground to grow and needs to be planted early.
I was later than usual to plant them this year and I'm glad they survived the hurricane.

Hugs,
JB

You paint a pretty picture of your morning in the garden.

TexWisGirl said...

i love that last photo! stay cool!

Alica said...

I find it so fascinating, how each tiny seed produces exactly what it's supposed to produce...warts and all! :)

Beth said...

I really enjoyed this blog Kim. The memories from our childhood are something to be cherished.

Jacque. said...

Love your musings of days gone past. You are such an interesting woman, Kim and I am happy to call you my friend. I learn so much just coming to visit you here. xo

Elizabeth Ann said...

Beautiful garden and happy memories! I have about 6 sunflowers blooming now and its turned hot here in the desert, I guess they are happy about that, tomatoes don't look so happy about though. Have a great week!

Debbie said...

You have the best memories and tell the best stories!! The garden is looking awesome and your sunflowers, WoW!!

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Your garden looks fabulous and love that last sunflower photo!

Rugs and Pugs said...

That last picture is wonderful!!! I love it and your pig story.
Hugs :)
Lauren

Kessie said...

I was up all night with the baby, and its so nice to sit and look at pictures of the garden for a little. I wouldn't want to live where there had been a pig farm, but how do you ever find out the history of a place?

Anonymous said...

Rootabaga Stories! Oh, my. Very fitting quote for your post, and for your life. Very blessed.