Sunday, August 22, 2010

Lazy Sunday

I woke up this morning determined not to spend the day working.
I don't get it.
It seems that it's all I do.

And no matter how much I do - there's more to do.
Whateva!

I packed a picnic lunch, loaded up the bikes and we drove to
Willow Slough FIsh and Wildlife Area in Morocco, Indiana.

We had a picnic lunch by the lake.
Took a nature walk.

Rode our bikes around and explored.
My bike doesn't have a kickstand.
Long story.

I don't know what these berries are called. Pokeberries come to mind, and I have no idea why.

Equisetum fluviatale
This I remember - and the botanical name to boot.
I used to want to be a botanist - and a park ranger - and an actress - and an underwater biologist - need I go on?

We started exploring the backroads.
And landsakes all mighty - they were some backroads.
Hopkins Park, Illinois
Never heard of it, let alone been up in it.

Out of no where, and I do mean no where - pops this place.
I was being shy with the camera.

He really didn't have anything laid out for sale, but would go PICK you anything you wanted.
It kinda broke my heart, I'm not sure why.
Here he is picking baby greens for me.

I bought a nice large watermelon, and he gave me two small ones - the yellow flesh kind. I bought three of the sweetest, tiniest little yellow squash you'd ever seen. They almost melted up in my hand they were so tender. Even though I'm sick to death of cucumbers right now, I bought three. I also got a gallon sized Ziploc bag chock full of baby kale, turnip and mustard greens. The price for all of this? $5. Seriously. Break my heart some more. I thought it might offend him if I gave him more.

I have a feeling I'm going to see Roy Thurman again in the great by and by.
He was a special, kind, spiritual kind of man.
I'll tell him how great his greens were, how sweet his melons, and how tender his squash.
This is what life is made of people.

I had the windows rolled all the way down, my feet stuck out the window.
I've decided to relish the last bit of summer, instead of wishing it away.

Then - I was surrounded by the scent of basil
I've never before seen a field of basil.
Intoxicating!

But mainly - it was all corn.
Everywhere.
Corn.

I came home and savored a delicious chocolate cupcake.
I took a nap.
I finished tweaking my office re-do - my no cost - rearrange some stuff redo.
I'll blog about it next.

I need more days like this!

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments and support from my last post.
I swear, you all are the best cheerleaders anyone could ask for!
I let go of a few more things today - and it wasn't easy.
The way Glenco drives - can I get an amen for that one!?
The the blinds in the livingroom.
Seriously - a whole post will be done about those!

Hope your Sunday was wonderful too.

35 comments:

  1. They are poke berrys, and wiki something online, I think, I read? that that is what the Declaration of Independence is written with the ink from the berries, and many civil war letters were also....
    Jaimieb in IL

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  2. The indians used them for dye. The greens are eaten when the leaves are smaller (before the berries come) and are used for wilted greens.

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  3. What a great day, thanks for sharing! I bet you do visit Mr Thurman's farm again, you're that kind of special your own self, Jayme.

    Wish I was as quick and handy with a camera as you. My three red hens just wandered by my office window, doing their busy hunt and peck dance in the grass. A single red cardinal was in the midst of them, foraging for himself. I know they're all birds, but they did seem an odd group all together like that. Not sure if the cardinal just felt he could catch what they missed or if he just liked the comaraderie of the hens' company. I see wild birds all over the property every day, but have never seen them pecking with my hens before. I thought of you and wished I had the camera handy!

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  4. Last summer weekend before I return to work full time. No stress..just trying to relax and enjoy the day. What a sweet, sweet man picking fresh garden goodies for you.
    (~~)

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  5. What a wonderful man you met. He must just really enjoy growing things. What a treasure.

    I started reading "The Help" this weekend. It is fab-O!!

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  6. poke weed. yeppers! birds love them… you can eat the leaves early in the season (think poke salad), i believe, but only during a certain time are they safe… or so i've read.

    and scouring rush (aka horsetail, etc.)! i've read where those early settlers used to use that to scour their pans down at the creekside.

    did you see any yellow-headed blackbirds at WS? back a few years ago, that's one place you could go to see them, in indiana. :)

    glad you enjoyed your day… sounds peaceful.

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  7. Sounds like a wonderful day. So glad you got away from the callings of all that needs to be done and had a day off. Great. Fabulous. Fresh veggies sound yummy.

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  8. So happy for you! Seems you ARE a botanist and actress to us bloggy followers. (Note your garden tour/bus stop!) Underwater biologist has Caribbean vacation written all over it...?!
    My shorties were gone w/Gramma and I'd envisioned a relaxing day... Alas, I too am in the "get it out" mode and so went thru their rooms to purge, then got down to the inbox that never goes out... Want to feel ready for school now so that we too can enjoy the last of summer. Your escape w/pretty pics refreshed me - THANKS!

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  9. I've never seen a field of basil either! Amazing! I love the back roads. Lots of photo ops there.
    Brenda

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  10. That sounds like the best kinda day! Just a day of rest like the Good Lord intended. That sweet man doesn't even know how his kindness was a blessing to us all. Thank you for sharing your time with him.
    Also, thanks for all the blog redo support. I think I got it figured out. Or I should say, I'm just can't fuss with it anymore because I'm afraid I'll get it all warmpeejawed outa place...again. That would be a technical term!
    Gotta ask cause someone mentioned it...do ya think the banner is too big?

    God Bless Ya!
    Heather

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  11. What a beautiful day - wow!

    I'm glad I came here to get a break and enjoy some happiness and blue skies... it's been raining nonstop here all day. Not one minute of break. In the midst of it all our rescue horse broke out in terrible colic. What a horrible, stressful and frantic Sunday this was. :-/

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  12. Amen on that driving thing....I hear ya Sista!!!

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  13. thanks for taking us with you...i feel refreshed! :)

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  14. awwww, sweet brother Ray...that brought tears to my eyes :)

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  15. Hi Jayme,

    Wow - sounds like a perfect day and I LUV your blog - the layout, pictures, everything! Just found it for the first time and I'm looking forward to following your adventures. I hope you'll check out mine as well when you get the chance.
    Kathy

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  16. Thanks goodness I read the whole post and learned that Glenco was driving. I had pictured you at the wheel with your feet out the window and I thought law she's done gone crazy!!

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  17. yup, pokeberries. you got it.
    A field of basil....oh, heart be still!!!
    I would think I died and went to heaven.

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  18. I sounds like you REALLY rested! Good for you. Letting go and new beginnings... which means you need to do it again sometime soon, right?

    I was amazed at that field of basil!!

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  19. Sounds like a great lazy day! We spend the day canning tomatoes and beans and pretty much everything else! Sounds like you had fun though and $5 for all that stuff! All I have to say is WOW.

    Blessings,
    The Chicken Keepers

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  20. Hallelujah. I be loving this post. A field of basil? Roy Thurman? He broke my heart up into a trillion pieces, and I wasn't even there. He reminds me of Sarah (Ozzy's)late dad. He had his Field of Dreams where he grew day lilies and sold them. He had super long hair, looked a little grizzly, drove a motorcycle, collected junk to beat the band. He was every kind of wonderful, just like your Roy.

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  21. What a beautiful way to spend a beautiful Sunday. I can't even imagine what that field of basil must have been like. Glad to hear you're enjoying the last few weeks of summer...
    **Chris**

    PS - Feet out the window? I used to LOVE to do that too!

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  22. Jayme, every time I come and read your words you inspire me. Love your words, thoughts, and your verve!
    I am so happy that you are letting go and I need to follow your lead! And yes, my Sunday was wonderful! P.S. One of my girls laid a double yolker today. Those days are always special. ":<>

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  23. Something about a man out in the garden....my papa was a gardener and it does just kind of melt your heart, doesn't it?
    I cannot imagine a field of basil, but I have no problem envisioning you with your toes out the window enjoying the summer day breeze by!
    A good day, Jaymes.
    Good day.

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  24. Buying some veggies from Roy, now that's church! (Shannan's blog)

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  25. Jayme-I am so glad that you took a day for yourself...for fun...we need to do that more some of us. I could almost feel the sun on my face and smell the warm air. You take great photos...and I love the farm where Roy picked for you...that is God at work right there- Diana

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  26. What a great day! jan

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  27. I dare say, we should all be so lucky to meet up with Roy Thurman. Definitely what life is made of, that and fields of basil, both a delight of all the senses.

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  28. Sounds like the perfect way to end the weekend...a trip down an "adventure road" as we call it. Never knowing what we'll stumble across, or who well meet, but always memorable. Good for you!

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  29. Looks like a lazy end-of-summer day. Love it!

    I'm so excited for fall!!

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  30. Oh, for a lazy day. I love those.. but like you, I don't take enough of them. I may just follow your lead, Jayme!! What a great day it turned out to be :) -Tammy

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  31. Um... I walked in this morning and you told me nothing and I mean nothing about your Sunday.

    LOVE YA!!!!!!!!!

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  32. Landsakes child, you were a sittin' right on the couch when I was tellin' you all about Willow Slough, and drivin' backroads. Mmmmhmmm.

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  33. You two crack me up! Jayme, Aaron was thinking more about his "limbers" than your Sunday drive! You know a 14 yr. olds brain is much like ours...moving a million MPH and not hearing much along the way! ;)

    Back to the blog...WHAT AN AWESOME DAY!

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  34. My husband and I once got lost driving back to NWI on the way from Champaign, IL and ended up driving through Hopkins Park. It was bizarre, because we were on gravel roads literally in the middle of nowhere, then all of a sudden, a town pops up.

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  35. You knew that it was poke berries because of your Tennessee roots.:) Black birds have to digest and pooh those seeds for another poke berry plant to grow. It has to have that process for some reason. In Tennessee many folks drive along the road looking for fence rows with poke berry plants because they like to eat Poke Salad.:) Now, go find that old Tony Joe White song "Poke Salad Annie."

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