This week has been an extraordinarily “full of blessing” week.
For one thing, the Thursday Morning Women’s Study Group has begun to meet again. And after a year off, I am remembering why it is something that I really don’t want to let fall by the wayside.
And the children!!! May I just say that these gals have the nicest children? We have a whole passel of lap babies — there’s Alex, and Amani, and Katie and Danika. Alex is the oldest and he is not yet six months old. Danika is the youngest. She is less than three weeks. These little ones are so precious.
And then we have Victoria, Hannah, Derrick, Charis and Delaney. Nine little ones all together. Thank God for Ivy, our incredibly capable baby sitter! She snapped some pictures for me on Thursday:
Mr. Daniel’s toy box is always more fun when you can get inside it!
Here ‘Laney, Victoria, Derrick and Hannah were enjoying their own “Bible Study”.
(This was after we decided that the piano had to be closed down so the Moms in the other room could concentrate.)
You can always imagine that you are playing the piano —
Or leading a Bible Study —
Or directing the choir —
There is no limit to a good imagination!
When Study Group was over, I went out to my pole bean patch.
Oldest Daughter and I had picked just one row Wednesday night and it got cold and dark, so we decided that we would wait until Thursday afternoon to finish our little chore. We were astounded that we got almost two bushels off of one row! Certain Man, Beloved Son in Law, Eldest Daughter, and Our Girl Nettie and Certain Man’s Wife had gotten them all shelled and into a large stainless steel bowl in the fridge over night, awaiting the rest of the picking.
I got a pretty good start on things, and then Eldest Daughter came with our scrumptiously wonderful grandbaby, and we went over the rest of the patch.
Whew! a little over two more bushels, making over four in all from this picking.
Friend Lynn had stopped earlier in the afternoon and had helped me shell the one five gallon bucket, but it did seem like the shelling of the lima beans was never going to stop!!!
Certain Man, Beloved Son in Law, Oldest Daughter, Middle Daughter, Our Girl Nettie
certainly didn’t get off easy these two evenings.
They shelled and shelled and shelled.
Steadily and determinedly.
With minimal complaining.
(I think I can say that without telling an untruth . . .)
When there was only about a bushel left to shell,
I got busy with the washing of the shelled beans.
I had some really good help.
“Gimmie a chair pushed up to the sink,
a plastic apron from Grammy’s stash,
and we are ready to go!”
“Push up my sleeves and let me at’em!
Grammy gave me a bucket for a reason, I’m sure.
I think I’m supposed to move these beans one little handful at a time
from the sink over to my little bucket!”
“Uh-oh! A wormie!
Grammy, why is he putting his head up like that?
I don’t think I like him much!”
“Oh, Well, back to work.
Grammy put the worm someplace else!”
“This is really hard work!
These beans are getting the stirring of their lives!”
“Grammy, am I doing this right?
I’m a good helper, am-n’t I?”
“Mommy!
Come see me helping Grandma!
And look!
I like these raw lima beans!
One bite out of each one!”
“See, I can wash whole handfuls at a time!
Swish, swish, swish!”
I’m quite sure they couldn’t do this without me.
My busy little fingers certainly are making a difference!”
“Lookee, Lookee! —
Beans!
And did you know that the water is really, really cold!?!?!”
“Grammy and me!
We’ll work, and work and work and work.
And soon, we’ll be all done!!
Whew!
This is hard work!
I’m glad that I can be a helper!
Grammy is getting tired, and she really needs an extra pair of hands . . .
Swishy, Swishy, Swishy!
What fun!”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
On a note of praise, I’ve kept a general record of how many beans we’ve gotten this year off our patch, and with what we’ve given away and last night’s tally included, we have gotten around 70 quarts off Certain Man’s 24 pole lima bean plants. The plants are still hanging full. If we don’t get frost before full moon, I can probably get at least one more picking.
What a wonderful gift from God! I truly give grateful praise.
And my Daddy would be so proud!
Delaware Grammy 