It’s still hot, hot, but there’s a fall feel to the breeze
that moves through the windows at sunrise. It’s quiet since Anna left for North
Idaho for her first real full-time job. I’m not comfortable with life’s
passages and late August is ripe with passages.
Callie made the move from New York City and is now safely
ensconced in a perfect apartment in Boise. She’s getting her feet under her and
finding lots of support in her new community. This Mom is very happy to have
her back within shouting distance.
The girls were in full nesting mode as they prepared to
leave for their new apartments. Anna did some DIY projects, using lumber she
found around the ranch, leftover paint and canning jars from the store room. Callie
rounded up some warped boards from the burn pile that she hoped to turn into swooping,
hanging shelves. They needed Mark’s help and he took an afternoon off from
ranch work to do just that. He and Callie had to make a few trips to Home Depot
to get the shelves hung. He laughed, saying what she really wanted was for them
to levitate in her living room!
Mark and I served as grand marshals of the Little Buckaroo
Rodeo Parade. Seth said, “that’s for 70 year olds!” Mark has announced the
rodeo for 25 years so comes by it honestly. We rode in the parade in Gary’s
horse drawn surrey pulled by two white steeds named April and May. Anna and
great grandma Bonnie sat in the back seat. What fun! The surrey even had fringe
around the top, so of course I had to sing the song from Oklahoma!
Anna and I froze corn and canned peaches before she left. To
that we added red potatoes, beets, kale and basil from the garden as a starter kit
for her kitchen. She takes her roots - figuratively and literally - with her.
It’s a bittersweet time of year. Always has been. Mothers
put their youngsters on the school bus for the first time with an aching heart. Little kids move
into the fourth grade hallway or across town to the middle school with high
hopes. Big kids go off to college. It’s transition time.
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| photo by Katie Wallace |
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| Now we hope they seal |
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| Tada! |
