Corny

I know this post may seem corny once you get reading it, but there is definitely a good reason for it.

My mom called me up and told me to plan on coming to pick corn for free at the neighbors the next day so that we could freeze some. I wasn't too excited about this because last year, it seemed like a long, drawn out night mare freezing 12 bags. But, she said that Jessie and Kirsten were coming so I thought, if not for corn, at least for the conversation.

Jessie and my mom picked corn while I drove the van and parked it right next to the fence so they could just throw the corn in. My back was hurting so they let me off easy... I didn't complain, driving, parking, getting out, watching them pick, driving, parking, etc. was not a bad end of the deal.

Jessie and I got so excited, though, when we saw the milk weeds that were growing along the fence line next to the road.

Why were we so excited about the milk weeds?

It took me back to my childhood. We loved when the milkweeds came up and we would go out and pick the pods off. The ones that were cracked open were dry enough that we could just blow the seeds away (like a dandelion). The ones that were still young, were green and had to be pried open. We loved to peel away the seeds because it had silky hairs and when you pulled them and rubbed them together it felt like silk. They were also the special plants where the monarch caterpillars live so they could eat the plant. We would catch them and put them in a special cage my dad had built for us and we would feed it and watch it create its chrysalis. It was so amazing to watch and then to see the beautiful monarch butterfly emerge so that we could release it out into the fields and watch it fly.

Corny, I know. But, it is always a sweet memory when I look back on those simple activities with my family

After our reminiscence, we were able to get back on task and had the corn picked by the time Kirsten got there. She was so relieved that she would have to find some special place to put Melly while we picked.

So we all grabbed chairs and set them up in the shade. Pull the corn out of the van...

and then we got hungry.

Mom made us lunch and we had a great time eating and talking, but then it was time for work.

Us four girls sat out in the shade of the afternoon shucking corn.

We felt like pioneers.

Corny, I know, but, it was a good reminder that we need to slow down our pace of life a bit and enjoy the simple socialization that occurs during work. We were in a circle working, talking and laughing.

It was therapeutic.

It energized me for the rest of the day. (Even while I was boiling and cutting corn to freeze.)

Aw. Corny. That's me. And I am totally OK with that.

Oh, and if you have 3 minutes to watch this, it will help you understand how the small things can really add up. It's great inspiration (smile).