Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Not Lazy, maybe a little Hazy, but definitely super Crazy Days of Summer at the Bit-o-Earth!

I don't know where I ever got the idea that
summer should be
Lazy or Hazy...
but mine certainly is Crazy
so far

This past week my sister-in-law, niece
and their best friends have been at our house.

What did we do?

EAT
TALK
EAT
TALK
CAN APRICOTS


EAT
TALK
And
a little SLEEP

They have never learned to can fruit,
and asked me to teach them.


I have done it most of my life,
so it was an easy "yes"



We have a blast

It was a ton of work



but mostly it was girl time,
and I loved that~

My sister-in-law (Stefany) is going through her first
"empty nest" experience,
as my niece just graduated from high school
and is headed off to college this fall.

Stef's best friend (Carol),
just married off her eldest son,
and
is sending her youngest (Haley) off to college
this fall
and will have a truly empty nest
for the first time in her life.

Both are suffering the beginning effects of "that time of life"

ME?

I've been there with all of the above,
so my job was to assure them
that all turns out well.

The heart breaks
and is sad

but then life moves along
grandbabies join the nest
and life is good again!

(:

I like my job



So this week,
we head up to "the ranch."

A lovely place with tall pine trees,
warm summer days,
mountain weather,
and best of all,
my parents~

Its our annual Family Reunion

Each year my parents,
siblings
all the grandchildren,
and now the great-grandchildren

join together to celebrate being "FAMILY"

My mother is the hub of the wheel of family
We are the spokes,
and we all revolve around her capable hands and heart.

She has American Indian blood that runs deep in her veins,
and has raised us kids learning their ways.

She's deeply spiritual

She has given each of us an Indian name
and a symbol that goes with that name


My father bought her a huge tepee,
which we have painted with all those symbols,
and our hand prints beside each.
Last summer
Aiden and Ashton were added
OH HOW they LOVED that!



At the top of the front of the tepee
fly two beautiful American Bald Eagles
that represent my parents

but they've never been given Indian Names
so this year my siblings and I have chosen names for them
and will present them in a special ceremony.
I don't want to share them here,
in case she peeks at my blog (:

(We always document it with video, photos and writings,
so maybe I can post about it later)

Shawnee is her tribe
Their names will be given in English
as well as the native Algonquain language



I hope you're all having a wonderful summer
dear Blog Friends!
I'll be gone for a little while,
but back soon to catch up with all of you~







15 comments:

  1. Wonderful! It is indeed great to have a family gathering! Our next one will probably be Christmas here at our house.

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  2. What a gorgeous post..and very touching..what a wonderful story..lovely!
    Kiki~

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  3. I agree, what a beautiful post. So very different from my life. I have very little family left, but am Blessed with wonderful friends to help take up the slack. Wonderful pictures, looking forward to more. Enjoy.

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  4. Ohhhh, I never canned anything. But I remember my Mother doing so.

    Hope you are having a simply wonderful time!!!!

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  5. The apricots look so yummy. Ours here are about another two weeks off.
    I've frozen some rhubarb to make Rhubicot jam as soon as the apricots are in season.
    There's nothing like bonding with the family traditions that are so much a part of our lives...
    Have a great time at the ranch.
    Susan x

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  6. Oh my, you really are a busy girl! I loved to can when I was canning for a family of eight. I can't believe how good it made me feel to see the jars all lined up on the shelf. Pure bliss!
    I loved reading about the important traditions of your family. I love the fact that you all created something on the wall of the teepee. Even the little ones will have wonderful memories of this.
    hugs to you from here.

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  7. What a great post Vicki ~ and your photos are fantastic! Your jarred apricots look so yummy. Wow ~ you are ambitious! What a wonderful week you had ~ good for you.

    Have a Happy Weekend Vicki!
    xo Catherine

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  8. Oh what a post dear Vicki...absolutely loving it (must admit though it brings tears)...the canning...the eating...frienships...perfect!!! And the traditions...I just love it all...How very very special for your Parents to be given their names this weekend...The traditions are so powerful...How true about the empty nest...I was a bit of a mess when my Son left and then my Daughter...and how everything does turn around just as you say!!! Love the TeePee...trying to imagine what is going on up there right now...Have a wonderful wonderful time with your Family...and the best Naming Ceremony...Hope to see a post about it all...Much Love from Down Under...Dzintra♥x

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  9. Wow! I envy you! The apricots are lovely as is the teepee. What a lucky soul you are to have such riches of family and friends..........

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  10. Those canned apricots are lookin' good!

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  11. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods and you're enjoying a wonderful Summer...
    Susan x

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  12. Hello Vickie! I've been missing you and I hope you're doing okay! I sure hope we see you back in the bloggy neighborhood soon!
    XOXO
    Joni

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  13. Vickie,
    I keep checking and hoping for a new post from you! Miss you a lot and hope all is okay in your world. We'll wait for you if you just let us know you are okay.
    Hugs!
    Joy

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  14. Dear Vicki, it's been a long while since your last post. I miss you. Hope you and your family are doing okay. Happy holidays! XO

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  15. Dear Vicki,
    Just checking in..it's been too long since we last heard from you. Please let us know you are doing well.
    Warm thoughts and hugs,
    Sandra

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