“…Eyeballs…” Book III: 42. Visiting the Farm

Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?

By Kate Chamberlin

As Grace grows up, some of her stories are happy, some trying, some enlightening, and a few themes are sad, but, they’re all the warp and woof of what goes into the tapestry of life we call Family. The daily living skills and techniques demonstrated by the fictional characters in these stories are valid, tried and true.

Book III:  Wife and Mother

#33. The Wedding

#34. The Honeymoon: Lake Pocotopaug

#35. The Honeymoon: Freedom Trail

#36. The Baby Can’t Go Home

#37. The Home Visit

#38. And Then There Were Two

#39.  Fire Prevention

#40. And Then There Were Three

#41. Cooking With Marion

#42. Visiting The Farm

As a child, Grace always looked forward to visiting Grandma Kate and Granddad Carl on their farm. It wasn’t a working farm with cows, horses, chickens, and sheep, but, the fields were lush with wild flowers, ducks on the pond, a hard wood forest to explore, a big barn to jump from the loft into the haymow, and, of course, an old attic chock full of interesting stuff  collected throughout the generations. Grace and Ken’s children loved visiting the farm, too. It was a long drive to get there, but, the time flew by as they read a book, played cards, and slept.

On this particular hot and windy afternoon, Grace and her Grandmother sat in the roomy kitchen at the large, well-worn oak table sorting and snapping string beans  when the screen door sprang open, slammed against the wall and two squabbling boys came storming in.

“Whoa,” Grace said, putting a hand on her guide dog’s head to let her know there was no need to guide her out of harm’s way. “What’s going on? Why the tornado?”

“I want to go swimming,” William complained. “But, he won’t be my buddy so I can go in the pond.”

“I want to fly a kite,” Paul defended his decision. “It isn’t every day that the wind is really good for flying a kite.”

“Grace,” Grandma Kate said. “Do you remember how you and your brother used to settle differences?”

“Hmmmmm,” Grace thought a moment. “Yes, I do!  Boys go up and put on your swim suits. Ken would you look for something in the barn for me, please?”

“Swimming?” Paul growled and stomped up the stairs. “I never get to do what I want to.”

Soon, the four adults, two guide dogs, and little Marion sat on the grassy bank of the pond watching the boys.

“Yup,” Ken said. “Ole Ben Franklin had a good idea when he flew his kite.”

“Dad,” Paul yelled. “Watch this.”

The boys floated on their backs and held the kite string as the wind lifted it up and over the pond. It pulled the boys with it, scattering the startled ducks.

“Isn’t that awesome,” William said. “Mom, did you and Uncle Sandy used to do this, too?”

“We sure did,” Grace said. “It was great fun even way back when.”

Later, in the moonlit evening, when the wind had died down, they all sat out near the old rock wall around a camp fire.

“Look into the camp fire,” Ken said to the boys. “What do you see?”

“I See a big castle with lots of towers,” William replied.

“I think there’s a dragon in there burning down your castle,” Paul challenged.

“By the smell of it,” Grace said, “Someone’s marshmallow is burning!”

“Oh, Dear Gussie,” Grandma Kate chuckled. “Some family traditions are easy to pass on to the next generation.”

Grace and Ken cherished their children; relished their accomplishments in school, sports, and faith in themselves and others as The days passed into years and the years into decades.

“Are we having fun yet?” Ken, whose rich brown curls were flecked with grey,  asked one evening relaxing in the home they’d bought as newly-weds, waiting for their son William to arrive with his wife and children. “Isn’t having our children and their families come for  visits  the best ever?”

Grace’s springy silver curls framed her face as she nodded and saluted him with her wine glass, took a sip, and said, ”Yes, definitely.”