Fridays on the farm....

I'd like to introduce you to a place that is near and dear to my heart. It wasn't always so however. It's only about a mile or two from our farm. Just across a few fields.

There really isn't much in the way of "beauty" to recommend it to the average person, just dry land, no water, full of stickers, lizards, and the hardy glob mallow that grows despite the lack of water. There isn't any shade, and the deer come and eat any plants you bring. But despite all that, I love to come here and walk around and think ......and remember.

No perpetual care going on here.....

There are many here whom I knew.

The Mr's ancestors on both sides of his family are here.

We have a niece here

The Mr's sister

The Mr's Grandparents, uncles and aunts and some cousins.

My own dear father

And the Mr's sweet parents.

My family never went to the cemetery and decorated graves. Never. They were buried in two different states and we lived in another one, which made it too far away.
But the Mr.'s family did.
Used to be, on Memorial day, everybody would mow their lawns, and rake the lawn clippings up in trash bags, and bring them over and sprinkle them on the graves and then put down flowers. Then they would all get together at my in-laws home, which is where I live now, and eat potluck and play baseball. I really used to think it was a little different, I mean really, who would even want to be buried in that weed patch of a cemetery? And grass clippings? Who were these country people and why did they do what they did?
But all of that was before.
Before I lived here and knew people here. Before, when our family loved ones were still living. Before my own parents moved here to be near us, Before I had grown up and learned about what is really important. Before pieces of my heart were laid to rest here,
Now.......now I feel peace here.
Not many folks cover their graves with grass clippings any more, and the fad of placing green indoor outdoor carpet has also passed. (thank heavens) Now we mostly just till the ground and pull the weeds and place flowers on the graves. The little kids still climb the rocks trying to catch lizards, and the Mr. is still saying he wants to be buried upon the rocks in a glass box so he can look out over the valley that he loves. ( this would really give the little kids something to see when they were catching lizard huh)
The family doesn't get together to eat pot luck and play baseball anymore, So many of the Mr.s uncles and aunts have passed on, and families are scatted around. But I'm glad to know, this is the place where my mortal remains will be. Close to home, in that dry old weedy place.

I'll be in the very best of company though, wont I!

Carpe diem.......Seize The Day