Watching men folk... a family tradition.

While working at the budding farm last weekend, my mother took me back to my childhood with one sentence.  She said, "Sit with me and let's watch them."

My grandmother was the first to introduce me to this family tradition.  Growing up on my grandparents grape farm my grandmother would say to me, "Go watch your grandfather".  She would always send me out of the house to watch my grandfather work on some job around the farm.  One day I asked, "Why?"  I didn't understand why my grandfather needed to be watched.  I was too small to be of any help.  She said, "Why?!  He likes it!  He is working hard and you need to encourage him and tell him what a good job he is doing.  It makes him happy."

Looking back on those times makes me smile wide with gratitude.  As a little girl I watched my grandfather mow the lawn, repair the masonry on the house, chop wood, paint farm equipment, fabricate things on his work bench in the basement, drive the tractor, trim grapes, pick grapes, paint the house, pound posts and tighten wire.  He did all of these things after he got home from his full time job at Westinghouse.  While I was watching we would talk.  I could talk to him about anything, and he always had great advice.  I remember how strong he was and how happy he was to be outside.

All those times I watched him work for his sake, or so I thought.  Now I realize how much I learned about life during those moments.  I never realized that was quality time together and I would look back on that time with love and gratitude.

So while my husband and step father were working on brushing the fallen leaves and branches off of the roof of the house and garage, my mother said, "Sit with me and let's watch them".  I laughed and said, "Who?  The men folk?"  She laughed and said "Yes, lets sit in the garden."  The family tradition continues.  Under the shade of a trellis of wild grape vines my mother and I watched the men show off for one another and us.  The tradition continues.

Who needs a ladder when you can just climb up the antenna?  If Hank looks winded it is because he had to climb up there first to show John how it's done ;-)

The view from overhead in my mother's garden.

In the garden looking toward the house.