The Farmer's Wife...

I love reading the blogs of new-found cyber friends. So many of them are full of beautiful table settings, mouth-watering pictures of baked goods, clever craft projects, and thoughtful gift ideas, encouraging words of thankfulness... Most times a graceful display of a genteel and dedicated home-making, coupled with determined giving of joy to others.

I wish my blog were like that...

Instead, it’s like this. I spent the day being The Farmer’s Wife – helping to plant 5 acres of raspberry roots, getting filthy dirty, bone-weary and sore...Grumpy too, as this kind of physical labor is very low on my list of things I want to do. Actually, it is not on my list at all. It’s one of those things that sneaks onto my list under "Help & Encourage My Husband". I’m not sure I did too well at that either as my unfit body just couldn’t conceal the tightening of my back muscles, and the lack of mobility that ensued. I tried to smile occasionally, though inside there were times I wanted to growl – if I’d had the energy.

I spent the day filling 5 gallon buckets with raspberry roots....Roots that came from 75 lb. bags and boxes stuffed full. The buckets supplied the material for our workers to plant. I supplied roots to the buckets, standing bent over most of the day, pulling them free from a 2' x 3'x 3' block of massed roots. Nine buckets filled over and over again...Oh, how I wanted to stand up straight and go back to the house! I confess that thoughts of retirement filled my head, and wonderings of what it would be like if Randy had a refinery job...Fickle, fickle Farmer’s wife!

Out of my own weakness, I would have quit...but every time I looked out on the field, I saw this:

In that group of workers were 3 women who CHOSE to be out in the field yesterday. They were getting as tired as I (okay, they were more fit than I) but they chose to be there, to do such tiring work to make money for their families. They kept going, and at the end of the day were willing to stay longer if Randy wanted them to. I couldn’t quit in the face of such strength. I would have to do this for only a day or two. Who knows how many days this spring they will don the field clothes and head out to the dirt to better their families coffers...And I’m not even going to mention the 72 year old guy who was cheerfully doing as well as the younger men...

You cannot call this kind of work "genteel" , but in another way it also demonstrates a dedicated home-making, and a determined giving of good to others...I was inspired again by a group of strong women who take what opportunities they have to make the most of life, encouraging others by their intentional creation of good things.

I must do better when I head back out to the field today...