In the Country

A positive of visiting parents for an extended period of time (after getting over the shock of being home for an extended period of time) is the appreciation of passing time in what I would have deemed to be uneventful moments at a younger age.

I've planted tomatoes with my father and noticed the baker's precision in his methodology.  The hole is to be of a certain size, followed by the addition of soil, natural fertilizer, water, the plant, and finally more soil.  A cage is prepared and secured with one final dusting, like powdered sugar through a sieve.  Each step is measured not only in quantity but with intention.

I've made an (all-natural) strawberry pie for my parents, however this time, I listened to my Mom's input and added an ingredient to the crust, putting trust in 60 years of experience over AllRecipes.com.  And she in turn, took time to watch and coach me, mixing the ingredients that she used to use and whipping cream "the old way" before speed and minimizing the effort to cook for two became the priority.

I've accepted that breakfast will be an hour without checking my phone, even if I'm just eating oatmeal.

We will have a daily conversation about rain and about the four groundhogs under the two sheds.

I will not walk to the gym but will instead spend a half-hour each way driving "to town".

I will sit with my Uncle just before sunset and watch birds move through the trees, trying to identify each one.

And they won't wash my coffee mug but will allow this one dish to sit on various counters (against 50 years of tradition) until I return to finish the second cup or to make a new one.