Morning Thanks

Garrison Keillor once said we'd all be better off if we all started the day by giving thanks for just one thing. I'll try.

Wednesday, July 03, 2019

Morning Thanks--Strawberry Fields Forever


I didn't see the cat or I would have shooed him. Don't let him bother you. He doesn't us. He just likes to be in on things. 

And yesterday's "things" is a solidly established tradition, at least among the boy-grandchildren. Geddings Gardens are open for business, so we went in the a.m. Temps were a soupy 80 degrees or so. Two and a half inches of rain fell east of Sheldon on Monday night, four and a half here, so sweat was the order of the day.

If global warming creates more rain--warmer air holds more moisture--then northwest Iowans can simply assume this much at least: there will be bumper crops in strawberries. They were thick as thieves yesterday, so many we didn't move far up the road to get our limit. I don't remember ever finding so many soggy ones either; nearly sent me to tears not to take some of the whoppers I picked and tossed. Huge, huge crop.

Act Two begins here with the plucking. By afternoon the three of them had brewed up a strawberry souffle (for lunch), bread, muffins, jam, and soup--yes, soup, one of Sgt. Strawberry's faves (she' the one with the big grin). 


I picked, but didn't do much plucking and was the only one who celebrated the yearly ritual with a truck load of berries on ice cream. 

We wondered about our oldest. He's sixteen, drives, life guards. We thought he just might consider himself a graduate of such childish pastimes, but he was a diligent participant from field to table. Loves to cook. Took instruction yesterday from the souffle queen.

The whole works has become a ritual, but never before has filling the coffers gone so quickly--a host of hosts, bundles of beauties, a bumper crop. 

Great as they were yesterday and are yet today and will be come January, in the long--established ritual of Strawberry-Fields-Forever Day at our house, those gorgeous berries  are only a glorious dessert. 

Yes, it was a good day. Even th e cat thought it a blessing.

This morning I have much for which to be thankful.

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