Thinking of Granny

As I was chopping my green peppers from the garden today, I thought of my Granny.  I remember the little bags of frozen chopped green peppers she kept.  Whenever I would stop by, she would fix a bag of things to send with me and she always tucked in a few of those little bags.  I knew they came from Grandaddy's garden and it made me feel good to be using something he grew.  Grandaddy's garden was a big deal to him and we appreciated the fresh food as well.  All of the vegetables were yummy, but the Lima beans were saved for special occasions.  Now, after growing them, I understand that there is so little yield from so many plants and it makes sense that they were treasured!  

My friend Jan gave us some tomatoes today, since ours are not doing well.  They are lined up on the window sill to ripen just like they were at Granny and Grandaddy's.  I love to grow yellow squash just so I can make squash, potatoes, and onions, just like Granny's.  The smells, the tastes, even the sight of the veggies bring back a flood of memories of being in her kitchen.  

It wasn't just my maternal grandparents that gardened.  My dad's parents had a huge garden as well - maybe even bigger!  I can remember the sight of the garden, up on a little hill in the backyard.  I can remember my step-grandfather, Tom, bringing fresh veggies into the kitchen and placing them on the table.  Once, when I stayed with Granny and Tom for a week in the summer, we had salad with fresh tomatoes and crumbled bleu cheese for lunch each day.  I remember feeling so grown up!  

Having my own garden and putting up the harvest makes me feel closer to my roots.  Many things about the way Jerry and I do life remind me of the way my grandparents did things.  It is a way of living that helps me feel wholesome, healthy, peaceful, and right.  Maybe it's because I feel more a part of God's creation.  Maybe it's because it reminds me of a slower pace.  Maybe it's just because it helps me remember.

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest for your souls.
Jeremiah 6:16