Hay Day. At the time my aunt was watching her only grandchild, so after lunch we would take her with us providing her with time to get some of her chores done. The cooking, cleaning and laundry for the dozen children residing in her house for the summer must have been quit a chore. Since it was the hottest part of the day, less strenuous activities filled our afternoons. Some days we would help with the laundry, other days the cream would be churned for butter or we head off for the blueberry patch to fill our bellies as we picked. Other days we'd saddle the horses and head over to drag another cousin "home", or just spend the afternoon riding.
About the time my uncle came home from work, it was off to the barn to milk and feeding the cows again. The one cow who had to be milked by hand, had a young calf who had to be bottle feed. We took very good care of him and he grew quite well over the summer. In for dinner and off to the hay fields again. We would work until dark, or if rain was forecast, until it was all in the barn safe from the weather. Now it sounds like nothing but work, yet we returned every summer willingly. I'm not sure you could get me in a hay field today (maybe if I was promised the driving), but we were all working together, talking, laughing and having fun.
Thank you SO much - these elements are exactly what I have been looking for for what seems like the longest time!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your freebies. Link on your post was added to PickleMouse freebie list
ReplyDeleteReminds me of some of my summers at home! Horseback riding, swimming, and going to a field where we bought baled hay. We loaded & stacked the bales & when we got home we had to unload & stack in the barn. Then we'd jump in the pool to cool off!
ReplyDeleteI think I told you once before I love your work! I can't wait to unzip the elements and see what I got. :)
thanks so much!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your story and these fun elements! :)
ReplyDeletei didn't grow up on a farm, but my g-pa and several uncles were ranchers. We also had very close friends who farmed, so i spent a lot of time on the farm. i was riding horseback alone by the time i was 3 y/o, and as a kid, loved milking my g-pa's two milkers, a sweet faced jersey and a gentle gurnsey. We sat on T-stools to milk, and i can still remember the comfort of the cow's side against my forehead. i didn't mind the hayfields back then, or "kickin' bales" to let the undersides dry; plucking chickens, riding in the wheat wagon while g-pa harvested the wheat, and eating the nutty wheat as it showered down on us. CPS would have a fit to know we rode under that shower of wheat coming down, but we loved it! Your story of summers on your Aunt's farm brought back such wonderful memories for me! i have my g-ma's old butterchurn - it's a prized possession! Thanks for all your wonderful kits!
ReplyDeleteTHank you! I downloaded the papers. :-)
ReplyDeleteI didn't grow up on a farm. I've been a 'city girl' all my life. So definitely missed out on the 'fun'!