All Day Rain

If you listen to Greg Brown, a folksinger from Iowa, he sings a song called, “All Day Rain.” (If you don’t know him, you should try him out!) Well, we’ve had all week rain, every day, on and off, and the mosquitoes love it! He sings about all of the great comforts we submit ourselves to on rainy days, and that’s exactly what we have done. Well…Matt had bank work 4 days this week, so he didn’t really get to enjoy the laze of this rainy week, but just my extra cooking energy perhaps. The mosquitoes were more the reason that Jess and I didn’t spend much time playing in the rain and in the mud, these insects are vicious! Just feeding the chickens there would be at least 20 mosquitoes at al times swarming around each human body, although we were wearing coats, pants, hats and bug lotion. Thanks to the mosquitoes we had more time for breadmaking, nutcracking, drumming, drawing, dancing, puzzles, and just playing.

Jess’ friend Rory came over a few times this week and livened things up. One morning Michelle and I spread out all of our seed packets on the bedroom floor and began draw up a plan of which seeds we’d plant and where. Meanwhile Jess and Rory are spreading all of their toys across the floor, papers, crayons, animals, and musical instruments, but mostly trying to draw on our plan. After a while we actually went out (and the rain had stopped!!!) and planted a huge amount of winter veggies. The kids were helpful for a while: “weeding” and pulling out all of the sticks which served as indicators for where seeds had been planted.  Then we took turns entertaining on walks down to the overflowing dam to search for creatures and make “soup.” Eventually I left Michelle to finish up and I took the kids up to make lunch. I had made a spinach pie and they each had a bit on their plate for lunch. It worked out perfect for the two because Jacinta wanted only the crust, and Rory the filling. Jacinta saw Rory picking off the bread and right away swiped it right off of his plate. All the while, Rory is smiling while I frown because I can’t get her to eat green stuff! After lunch and some contemplative play with seashells (Jess working very hard to fill Rory’s sandals with seashells), Jess pulled a new stunt. With Rory and Michelle still there, she brought me two books and said, “Mommy…nap.” What wonders words can work.

“Binchet” was another great word for the week. Matt learned this word after a great night with Jess while I was singing my heart out at choir. They had ridden to town on the bike and gotten ice cream and played a bunch at home afterwards and then it was time for bed. No crying or missing me at all: teeth brushed, potty sitting done, pyjamas on, books read, lullabies sung and in bed, but I need a “binchet!!!!!” She’s trying to tell Matt insistently, “binchet!” over and over. Finally Matt said, “show me what it is Jess,” and she pulled down a blanket. She needed a blanket, not because she was cold, but because that’s the last step before sleep. A certain blanket??? No, she has about 15 handmade blankets lovingly knitted, quilted, and crocheted by many of our friends and family members. Any beautiful love-filled blanket does the trick.  

Whenever Matt sits at the computer and Jacinta is nearby, she reaches up and call out, “pikshas???” Often Matt will pick her up and show her movies of past pictures that he has made, accompanied by fun songs. Now she thinks the computer is really just “pikshas,” and always asks to see, even on Keith and Mary’s computer when they are working or playing cards. So we try to deter her and say “later.” She has started to answer her own questions when she makes a request. We either say “not now” or “no,” and she nods her head confidently saying, “lata,” or “soon.” She also saw her first movie this week, the documentary on bird migration called “Winged Migration.” I know some of you are chuckling that it was not “Chicken Run” or some cartoon, and others are sighing saddened that she saw television too early, but there is a TV here and most people in the house watch it at some point in the evenings. We ignore it most times but she enjoys catching a glance now and then of animals. So anyway, she watched this film for 45 minutes while we narrated a little for her. She spun around, flapped her wings and danced with the birdies, calling out when a new bird, goose, duck or horse came on the screen.  For the next two days she pointed to the TV and asked for “pikshas? Birdies?” and as I said “not now,” she continued to reassure herself, “lata.” Often later never comes, but it makes her feel better at the time.

So…what has been done on the “farm” this week? Well, the mosquitoes took over and had a good feed. Besides that… I planted potatoes in the potato patch, finally! I did it in the pouring rain while Jess was napping and it was so much fun, I honestly love planting in wet dirt. We planted greens, broccoli, leeks, carrots, shallots, cauliflower, celery, and perhaps something else I’ve forgotten. Matt did a little bit of work in the garden shed, hanging shelves and tool racks and installed a towel rack in the bathroom. He is finalizing plans to divide our huge bedroom into two which will give us our own room and Jacinta one of her own. Matt and Keith installed the new water pump down at the dam, while Jess and I sat and gave moral support. Jedda the dog had a growth removed and Keith was also sick this week. But Jedda is running around again and Keith is feeling better too.  No swimming, no sun, but the rain water tank is full so we had many guiltless baths and did lots of laundry.

Perhaps the most exciting day of the week was today. After taking turns driving down to the neighbor’s house to feed the calf in the rain twice a day we decided to bring the calf up to our house and turn a section of our shed into a cow pen. We feared the rains would actually flood the road allowing us passage and the cow was getting too thin. So we all spent an hour or so down at the shed preparing the calf’s pen. Matt and Keith fastened wire around posts while I jumped in and out of helping them and Jess and Jacinta climbed in and out of the pen also drawing on her chalkboard and playing football. Mary came down for a while to join in on the fun and also to bring Jedda down to play. When all was ready and cozy for the calf, Matt took Jess up to nap and Keith and I went down in the truck to “catch” the calf. This was amazing, I’ve never thought of myself as a cowgirl but today I was one. We had to corner her, get a rope around her neck, blindfold her with my extra shirt, push her to the truck and lift her into the trunk. Doors shut and I was in the back and soothe her while she lied down leaning so hard against me and eventually allowing her heart to slow down. Getting her out of the truck was much easier and then into her new pen, after which we removed her blindfold. It’s quite funny, it’s like she is in a little house. She could look at the artwork on the walls if she chose to, or watch us relax on the bench while Jacinta draws on her chalkboard. We will tether her out in the yard during the day, but for now, she has a nice dry cozy bed of straw and is no longer in a soggy pen with dwindling grass to graze upon.

It was a rainy, cozy week. We’re all wearing sweaters again, I’ve already excitedly sorted Jess’ clothes and gotten out her sweaters. Jess was given so many wonderful handmade clothes, and I rejoice when she finally fits a new one. She now fits Sheila, Kristen and Mrs. Goralevski’s sweaters. I spent time reading, knitting, cooking, drumming, playing guitar, planting, singing, playing, dancing with my baby and feeding animals. Jess said her first full sentence, “I did a poo,” how proud we are, if only it was on the toilet! Although we didn’t spend much time outside, Jacinta still found time to run down muddy slopes, yelling, “running!” while I yelled, “Slow down!!!” She only fell a few times and landing on her bum and face didn’t make her cry, although she whines incessantly when I won’t carry her some days. We have 4 huge pumpkins growing now, a few tomato plants have started producing, and more beans have surfaced.

As much as life here is lovely and new, life in the States is something we miss and long for daily, probably Matt more than I, missing meaningful work.  April comes closer and I prepare to visit my family and meet my sister’s new baby (coming this week…..), I ache to be with them. Jess can now associate certain things with different people whom she has not seen for almost five months. While she plays with stickers or a Valentine’s card stamped with love from my mom, I tell her that Grandma sent those, specifying that it’s “my mummy,” and she asks, “Zja Zja?” as if to say, “Yes mom, they’re from Grandma and Zja Zja (George).” This brings tears to my eyes to know that I haven’t destroyed her relationships with my awesome family and friends. I used to deny the benefits of some technology, just focusing on all of the negative effects certain things have had on society. I am now eternally grateful to this technology, email and digital photography. Yes, there are negative impacts, but right now, I’m loving the positive aspects!

So thank you all for humoring us in our attempts to reduce the distance between you and the Henrys. You could just say, “you would have stayed if you really wanted to keep in touch,” but you know we had to go. So sincerely, thank you. Have a peaceful passionate and loving week. Try and send some good thoughts or prayers to my sister in Milwaukee who will most likely be having her baby this week. Goodnight. I’m off to peek at what a baby calf looks like sleeping.