The Farmer and I are a match made in heaven. He’s a little dollars and cents. I’m a little “things will work themselves out.” He got a D one time on a test in college and thought the world was over. I got a D on several tests and thought “you win some you lose some”. Somehow, being that different we still have a lot in common.
One of our favorite ways to kill time is driving around looking and commenting on other farms. On one of these adventures the other day, we were noticing the traditional farmhouse landscape. Maybe I should say the midwestern traditional farmhouse landscape. Evidently, 50 years ago, in order to be in the “farmhouse club” there were 4 elements that needed to be in your landscape.
- Apple tree
- Lilac bush
- Asparagus patch
- Rhubarb
Of those 4 elements, many farms still have the apple tree and the lilac bush. As we were driving, we were looking for the apple and the lilac at every farm. Most all farms had one or the other, but a good majority had both.
The farm that we live on had all 4 elements at one time, but we had to rip out the Lilac when we built the new farmhouse. Now I wish we would have held onto it. It was one of the big old Lilacs. Most all farms have the old Lilac. It is a huge shrub and next to impossible to get rid of. A popular new Lilac is called ‘Miss Kim’ lilac. They are much much smaller thus easier to keep pruned nicely. I enjoy the look and nostalgia of old things so I wish I had my old lilac back. At the time, the decision was made quickly and I wasn’t thinking about how I would feel about it in the future. I still want to be in the “club” so I am going to be getting a ‘Miss Kim’ soon.
We were getting so carried away with finding apple trees and lilacs that when we did get home, I realized I forgot my coat at my aunt’s house that day and the keys to the house were in my coat. Like I said, we are a match made in heaven he is a little “lock all doors and windows”. I’m a little “oops, I forgot the keys.”
The Farm Wife
