Behind the Garden Walls
Sep. 25, 2006
There and Back Again
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We have had many adventures while I have missed blogging...My own little adventure was going to the ladies' retreat for church. It was held at The Grapevine House in Winesburg, OH, in Amish country. The house was charming.... the grounds and surrounding countryside captivated me. It was a lovely time of fellowship, with much laughter. But the part I enjoyed the most was getting out of bed while it was still half dark, going out to the porch to have my devotions, and walking while the sun rose. Starting from the gardens, walking toward the deeply blue-misted farm across the road, and turning to explore. Passing the cemetery still dim, turning onto another country road, walking past cornfields tall and brown-tasselled, seeing animals walking across the road to pasture far in front of me....when I reach this farm, a grizzled Amishman and his grandson sit in front and greet me. I walk on, pick a wooly lamb's-ear leaf, all jewelled with dew, and carry it with me, looking from the rolling fields to the leaf and back again, and crying for the beauty and the memories of growing up near fields not so different from these. Finally I turn to go back, greet an Amish woman feeding a calf, am greeted by an Amishman riding a bike. I walk backward so I can see the sun large, pink, and round, lighting mists and chasing them away. Our next adventure was for the whole family, and that was going to Virginia for great-granny Snyder's 90th birthday celebration. We arrived on Thursday night. On Friday we went to Colonial Williamsburg. This was not planned until the week before, but the timing was perfect. We had just studied Colonial Virginia in school! It was also home educator's week at Williamsburg, so we got in at a healthy discount. There is far more there than we could see in a day, but a few of the highlights were : the maze of hedges; the old man on a bench who entranced Benjamin by playing a fife for him; Verity as Lady Dunmore in the Governor's Palace, and curtseying to all her guests in the ballroom; Mercy getting to try out the pillory while Bruce tried out the stocks; our visit to watch the silversmith at work making a cup (we are in the midst of reading Johnny Tremain) ; watching the horses and fine carriages roll by; a woman showing us how to card wool and spin; music and dancing in the street at Revolutionary City. We went home and the kids had supper, and then Uncle Kenley took Verity and Mercy for a ride on the rowboat, down Wormley Creek, the tidal creek beside Granny's house. Aunt Sarah helped Peace follow their progress from the shore with a pair of binoculars. After the children were put to bed, Bruce and I sneaked out and went to Bill's seafood, where we had gone on our honeymoon, and had a pleasant evening of reminiscences. The next day, the day of Granny's party, was warm and windy. Many relatives showed up for the open house. The cake was enormous, delicious, and beautiful. Granny cut the first piece after we sang the doxology and happy birthday. Bruce's family can sing. Granny read a book to the great-grandchildren about "The day of the pig" taken from one of Granddad's letters, and put together by Aunt Sarah and her daughter. After the party was over, I tried to pack up as much as possible and visited with Granny and Aunt Sarah. Then it was church in the morning, lunch at Aunt Judy's, and home again. After our first day at home we have unpacked and had school and life is back to normal. Benjamin walks around the house smiling at all the familiar things. The air is cool here and at dusk it is golden. The clouds are veined with blue sky behind. It is good to be away, and it is good to be home. |
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