You may recall that several days ago I mentioned that we would be having a reception at the farmette. It's for local big shots in the world of environmental, social, and agricultural activism. We expect about two dozen. Ed had laughed at my efforts to "tidy the place up." It can be overgrown. It can be a tad disheveled. "This is who we are!" -- he'd argued.
I smile and I continue to tend to the flower beds, not solely because of today's reception, but because I always tend to the flower beds. True, I make an extra effort to keep the farmhouse clean, but I do that periodically. Besides, we are to have house guests Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. I'm thinking ahead!
But as the time of the reception draws nearer, it cannot be said that I am the only one who tidies, straightens and neatens the space around us. Indeed, might I offer this: Ed is adding tidying jobs that I would have never even thought to touch. Sand the benches. Move the wine where I dump it in the mud room to its appropriate space in the wine refrigerator. Artfully hang up my Sorede shopping basket. Remove, eliminate, dispose of. Arrange chairs and benches outside, make ice cubes inside. (I tell him -- people just buy ice cubes at the gas station. He retorts -- I can make them, and puts a note up to remind himself to fill and dump our two little ice trays every three hours, for two days running.)
You'll have figured out that Ed rarely (never?) entertains. Oh, work buddies or old friends come over every now and then, but you don't clean stuff for that! I'm the one who routinely brings people to the farmhouse and he lets me do as much or as little as I want in preparation for it, helping if I ask for help, hanging back otherwise.
And yet, the man has talent for it!
"You have to move those flower pots on the picnic table. They'll impede the flow of conversation."
"Wine and fizzy water? Why not beer?" "Should we move Snowdrop's snow shovel away from the porch?" And my favorite -- "Let's leave the wheelbarrow with the recent compostables to the side! It looks good there. We can empty it later!"
Who knew that Ed is a whiz at design and entertaining?!
In the meantime, what's blooming at the farmette?
The splendid foxglove, which will always remind me of Scotland...
Wild indigo, yarrow, peony!
Yes, the peony. It's unquestionably the star right now.
(Dance: aren't I the star??)
Breakfast, on the porch. It's getting to be really warm outside!
In the afternoon, Snowdrop is here, but she has her mom to look after her. (The girl did not want to miss seeing the party!)
The reception is an outdoor event (we have the weather for it!) and so I tell Snowdrop she can create any mess, so long as it's confined to her play room. An intriguing thought!
But as the people arrive, she is lured out there, where trays of cheeses, salamis and dried fruits reside. And baguette! Mustn't forget about the baguette!
(Though perhaps the sweetest little girl moment happened when she ran to me excitedly to let me know that she had found one more asparagus spear! Within seconds, she'd chomped it down.)
Also quite social and beguiling were the cheepers, who mingled and mixed seamlessly with our guests.
And now it's evening once again. All is quiet.
Do you want some supper?
I'm stuffed!
I fry up some onions and potatoes, throw in asparagus and scramble an egg. Where there are cheepers, you will always find an egg.
I smile and I continue to tend to the flower beds, not solely because of today's reception, but because I always tend to the flower beds. True, I make an extra effort to keep the farmhouse clean, but I do that periodically. Besides, we are to have house guests Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. I'm thinking ahead!
But as the time of the reception draws nearer, it cannot be said that I am the only one who tidies, straightens and neatens the space around us. Indeed, might I offer this: Ed is adding tidying jobs that I would have never even thought to touch. Sand the benches. Move the wine where I dump it in the mud room to its appropriate space in the wine refrigerator. Artfully hang up my Sorede shopping basket. Remove, eliminate, dispose of. Arrange chairs and benches outside, make ice cubes inside. (I tell him -- people just buy ice cubes at the gas station. He retorts -- I can make them, and puts a note up to remind himself to fill and dump our two little ice trays every three hours, for two days running.)
You'll have figured out that Ed rarely (never?) entertains. Oh, work buddies or old friends come over every now and then, but you don't clean stuff for that! I'm the one who routinely brings people to the farmhouse and he lets me do as much or as little as I want in preparation for it, helping if I ask for help, hanging back otherwise.
And yet, the man has talent for it!
"You have to move those flower pots on the picnic table. They'll impede the flow of conversation."
"Wine and fizzy water? Why not beer?" "Should we move Snowdrop's snow shovel away from the porch?" And my favorite -- "Let's leave the wheelbarrow with the recent compostables to the side! It looks good there. We can empty it later!"
Who knew that Ed is a whiz at design and entertaining?!
In the meantime, what's blooming at the farmette?
The splendid foxglove, which will always remind me of Scotland...
Wild indigo, yarrow, peony!
Yes, the peony. It's unquestionably the star right now.
(Dance: aren't I the star??)
Breakfast, on the porch. It's getting to be really warm outside!
In the afternoon, Snowdrop is here, but she has her mom to look after her. (The girl did not want to miss seeing the party!)
The reception is an outdoor event (we have the weather for it!) and so I tell Snowdrop she can create any mess, so long as it's confined to her play room. An intriguing thought!
But as the people arrive, she is lured out there, where trays of cheeses, salamis and dried fruits reside. And baguette! Mustn't forget about the baguette!
(Though perhaps the sweetest little girl moment happened when she ran to me excitedly to let me know that she had found one more asparagus spear! Within seconds, she'd chomped it down.)
Also quite social and beguiling were the cheepers, who mingled and mixed seamlessly with our guests.
And now it's evening once again. All is quiet.
Do you want some supper?
I'm stuffed!
I fry up some onions and potatoes, throw in asparagus and scramble an egg. Where there are cheepers, you will always find an egg.
