More Costumes, Less Screen

The furnace guy came to service the furnace the other day.

Which would normally be no big deal – unless you’re me and have a dozen Rubbermaid totes full of dress -up clothes stacked in front of it that needed to be moved for access.

Yep. A dozen. That’s not including hats.

I will admit that as I pushed and pulled them all out of the way – I wondered if maybe my dress-up clothes were getting a bit out of hand.

I felt guilty for a few minutes when I saw how nice the basement looked without my massive collection.

But then I saw a post on Instagram of two adorable kids running around the room in costumes with the caption “What kids need today is more costumes and less screen”.

I felt instantly and immensely better.

Kids do need costumes. Not necessarily store bought fancy ones – but just an odd assortment of cast-off clothing that we call “dress-up clothes”.

A pair of bib overalls. A shiny silver shirt. A vintage prom dress. Hot pink platform heels. A leather vest. A plastic sword. Fake fur.

That’s the raw material the imagination needs to create and explore!

Oh the wonders that are hidden in a box of dress-up clothes!

Some of my earliest memories are of playing dress-up with my siblings both at home and in Grandma Griner’s upstairs bedroom. We would each find our favorites and set up our imaginary worlds under the sloped eaves.

The rule at grandma’s house was always that the dress-up clothes stayed upstairs. But when my mom became a grandma, that rule went out the window!

At her house, the dress-up clothes could go upstairs, downstairs, and even outside.

The grandchildren have spent hundreds of hours playing with the dress-up clothes, putting on shows, acting out stories and creating their imaginary worlds all over! There were wagon trains through the trees, princess tea parties on the lawn, and pirate ships on the trailer.

It was not unusual for one of the kids to dig through the piles as soon as they arrived until they found their favorite article and then wear it the rest of the weekend.

As a young college student I worked in a Daycare with the school age children after school and summers. One of the first things I put into my class room was a foot locker full of dress-up clothes that we would pull out every Friday morning and make a show or a play to perform for the other classrooms.

That same foot locker came home with me when I become a mom and it slowly expanded.

My kids spent hours pretending and dressing up and making stories.

Those dress-up clothes really got used as soon as Matt discovered that our digital camera could record movies. Some of the things they created at that time are priceless!

They introduced many friends to the power of a box of dress-up clothes.

I vividly remember one of their friends riding down the driveway on a skateboard wearing a bridesmaid dress from my college days. I don’t remember who she was pretending to be, but the grin on her face and sparkle in her eyes told me she was having a wonderful time!

Those same totes of dress-up clothes have been used for countless skits in Valentine Banquets and VBS.

And now that a grand baby is on the way, I have another generation to teach about the wonders of dress-up clothes.

I want pirates and princesses and firemen and cowboys.

I want to find a sunbonnet in the swing and a wooden sword in the sand pile.

I want to hear “Grandma, we made a show! Come and see!” And I will sit in wonder watching yet another generation explore create and imagine.

And someday I want my grand kids are going to say, “Do you you remember playing dress-up at grandma’s? Boy that was fun!”

No, I don’t think I have a costume problem.

I have a costume heritage to uphold.

The buckets stay.

A Different Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving with my husband’s family was a little different this year.

There were fewer faces around the table and that table was sitting in a house that was slowly being emptied.

It has been a year of change and transitions which included a cancer diagnosis for Jan’s dad and several rounds of chemo.

And in just a few weeks, Jan’s parents will be moving out of their large four bedroom family home into a senior living apartment.

There has been a lot of cleaning and sorting and giving away.

Several rooms sit almost empty. Others have furniture noticeably missing.

But the dining room table was still there. And the fine china wasn’t packed. So Jan’s mom borrowed my roaster and did the turkey while the kids and I made sides and desserts.

We enjoyed one last Thanksgiving in the family home, just them and us and a couple of close friends.

It was one short day. No overnight. No extended family.

But we missed them.

There was no coffee run and Black Friday shopping. No late night Clue Game and pumpkin pie. No grand kids sprawled all over the family room.

And I missed spending time with my sisters-in-law; gals who are related only by marriage but have become some of my dearest friends. Bonded together by years of late night talks in one of the bedrooms upstairs.

It was a different Thanksgiving. Quieter. Shorter.

There were a few tears. But there was also laughter.

We’ll get his parents settled in the new apartment in the new few weeks and then we’ll find some new traditions.

It will be different.

But in the end, it’s not the place, but the people that matter.

And for them, I am very thankful.

Exciting News!

Exciting things are coming this spring!

Our daughter Laura and her husband Steven had some pretty amazing news to share with the world…

That’s right! A baby!

That means I’m going to be a Grandma!

Or Nana.

Or maybe Mimi.

But definitely not a MeeMaw!

This sweet little bit of excitement will arrive late April, and we are beyond excited!

Minnesota Memories

We did it again!

Somehow in the midst of crazy fall schedules, all of our kids were able to join us for several days in the North woods of Minnesota.

Why does it seem almost miraculous to have everyone together?

It was a gift to be treasured.

We shared picnics with laughter.

Rainy days snuggled in the cabin playing games, eating like lumber jacks.

Long hikes that lead to incredible views.

Really incredible views!

Views so beautiful they took your breath away.

And made you praise the awesome God that created it.

Views made even more special because of the dear ones that shared it with us.

And the laughter we shared along the way.

Waterfalls.

Lake Superior.

Palisades.

Baptism River.

Tettegouche.

Mount Baldy.

The vibrant colors of fall becoming more pronounced with each new day.

Days so warm we could ride the waves on Lake Superior.

And mornings so cold we snuggled in our hoodies, sipping hot coffee.

Precious times.

And even more precious people.

We made some truly beautiful Minnesota memories.

Chuckwagon and a Movie

When most people invite their friends over for a barbecue, they heat up the grill and throw on some burgers.

But not Dave and Lillian.

Oh no. They go all out!

When they invite you to a barbecue what they really mean is a cowboy feast!

Complete with a chuck wagon.

And an incredible pit master who used a smoker and a campfire to cook up some mighty tasty meats.

Well done, Dave!

Ribs, brisket, pork loin, chicken. Even a few hot dogs for the kiddos.

All served up on a hay rack, cowboy style.

i heard one old-timer tell a newby to “wear his loosest pants, no belt and don’t tuck your shirt in”.

Yep, it was one of those kind of meals.

You ate till it hurt, then you ate some more because it was just so good!

Then, as the sun went down, we all gathered in the barn with our lawn chairs.

All ready to watch a movie on the big screen.

And I do mean a big screen!

Four king sized sheets sewed together and attached to the front of the barn.

Now that’s creativity!

With the sun setting behind us, the heat of the day gave way to cool evening breezes as we settled down with popcorn and twizzlers to enjoy the show.

What a fun way to spend a Saturday night!

Soggy Christmas Moments

Once again my extended family gathered at my parents to celebrate a very early, but now our traditional, Christmas over Labor day weekend.

But our annual “fun in the sun/last hurrah of summer/Christmas celebration” took a very wet turn this year.

The rains we’ve been needing for weeks finally came. And came, and came, and came!

Those that would normally tent were chased inside every night by heavy rain and strong winds. They found whatever floor space they could to throw down their sleeping bags.

The favorite topic of conversation at the breakfast table was “where did you sleep?”

The brave few who found that they could hang their hammocks up in Papa’s Jim outbuildings answered with “above the table saw and just left of the riding mower!”

It was dry long enough for our annual cookout in the grove of trees and for our traditional sock hop that followed. This year’s dance included glow sticks which added a bit of color to the lightning display far to the south.

But we carefully picked everything up and put lawn chairs under cover before the next round hit in the middle of the night.

The crazy amount of rain did little to dampen our enthusiasm! Instead it provided extra entertainment and excitement! Watching the lightning in the distance, gator rides to the river to see how much it was flooding, and eating lunch in the funeral tent in a downpour all made unique and priceless memories!

Amazingly enough, it was the unpredictability of the weekend that provided the most adventure. When the rains stopped for a short while we all ran outside to enjoy the sunshine and when they started again, we’d gather on the porch to chat or find an empty table to play games.

Honestly, if I could have picked the perfect weather for the weekend – rain would not be included. But I’m thankful that Someone much wiser than I knew it would be the perfect addition to a one-of-a-kind family get-together!

And now we all know that soggy moments can sometimes make the very best memories!

A Pause in the Blur of Activity

July rushed by in a blur of activity.

Just like always.

It seems there is a lot of living to be done between June 30th and August 1st!

But in the middle of the busy there were moments to capture, to cherish, to remember.

Like our annual family camping trip to Dolliver.

It was a time anticipated for weeks; circled on the calendar like a oasis in the busyness of summer.

Four generations gathered together. Remembering old memories. Making new ones.

Easily falling into traditions that were years in the making.

Slipping into the Dolliver schedule like a long lost friend.

Long hikes.

Naps under shade trees.

Water fights.

Creek wading.

Sparkler silliness.

A sock hop.

Playing games till all hours of the night.

Bonfires.

Talking, sharing, laughing.

Being with the precious people we call family.

It’s a tradition that defines our summers.

A weekend to pause and refresh and remember.

A blessing.

Wall to Wall Family

The last few weeks have been filled with back-to-back, wall-to-wall family time.

I’m talking far-away family. This was drop everything and savor the moment family time.

First there were cousin adventures here on the farm with kitties and hammocks and games. Eating mulberries from the trees, throwing rocks in the pond, and chasing chickens fun.

And then, we had one last family reunion at Poppa and Nana’s house before they moved into a senior living apartment. All of my husband’s siblings and almost all of our children gathered to remember times past and make new memories.

Cousins, friends from birth, had one last time to hang out in the basement family room they claimed as their own, to play games on the hill in the front yard, to look through toys and books and take home treasures from Poppa -Nana’s house.

Three generations for one last time at the “big house”.

We filled those walls with laughter!

So many memories.

Locations may change.

But love remains.

And all is well.

Self Control

This was going to be the year that I had self control when it came to plants.

I was only going to buy what I had space for and could immediately put in the ground.

I have this amazing grid garden with only so many places to put plants.

I would not overbuy.

At least that was the plan.

We honestly just went to the greenhouse to replace two plants that died. Two plants. One sweet pepper and one cantaloupe. That was all. Honest.

Our good intentions lasted until we saw the sign – all plants on sale.

My eyes lit up, my heart started beating faster. Oh baby, do I love a sale!!

My single sweet pepper became a four pack plus a different jalapeno we had never tried, two plants just in case.

I was losing control fast. At this point I needed my husband to be a voice of reason and common sense. Instead, he informed me that raspberry plants were also on sale.

Things went downhill from there.

We ended with a total of three flats of plants – including vegetables, raspberries, and perennials.

Of course they wouldn’t all fit in my garden, which is why I currently have four cantaloupe plants, 2 cucumbers, and an random watermelon that we felt sorry for, all growing in my flower garden.

Yes, my flower garden.

Because if you don’t have self control, I guess you should at least be creative!

My Garden!!

You should see my garden right now!

Seriously! I almost look like a real gardener! Which is kind of funny because my husband actually did most of it!

My husband is an engineer. His mind continually thinks of ways to do things faster and better. It’s just who he is. He has been researching and scheming for years to find ways to make gardening easier and more productive.

If you’ve hung out here for awhile – you might remember some of the other garden ideas we’ve tried over the years. None of which worked out. So when he told me that he had found a new idea for the garden, I might have rolled my eyes just a little. But because I love him and because he was willing to help out, I gave in.

And I’m very glad I did!

Just look at my garden today!

He started by tilling under our cover crop. (Okay – just kidding! It was actually a bunch of weeds!)

Then we covered it with heavy black plastic. Thankfully it was a still evening! This would have been a nightmare with any kind of wind!

Then we carefully placed 55 – 30 inch wooden square frames that he made out of some of the 2 x 4’s from the old house. And I do mean carefully; remember – he is an engineer! We used kite string and fence posts to make a grid across the garden so that each bed was an equal distance from the ones surrounding it.

Then he cut away the plastic inside each wooden square and we were ready to plant! And by we, I really mean he, because he did most of it! My garden hero!

Since we were so late in getting things in, and I had not started a single plant this year, or even made a seed order, we went to the local greenhouses and bought everything last minute.

But wait – there’s more!

My amazing husband then made cute little cloches from PVC, nylon netting, and more wood from the old house. These slip right over the 30 inch frame and will hopefully keep the cabbage moths away!

We did put up our electric mesh fence to keep the bunnies and chickens out – even though the black plastic seemed to freak them out a little. Better safe then sorry.

And there you have it! My amazing new garden thanks to my amazing husband!

So will this system actually work?

Will we be able to keep the weeds in control?

Will we actually get a harvest this year?

But what about the squash bugs?

Stay tuned.

I’m sure the continuing saga of Melinda’s Garden is far from over!