When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don’t stand still and look around
On all the hills I haven’t hoed,
And shout from where I am, What is it?
No, not as there is a time to talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and five feet tall,
And plod: I go up to the stone wall
For a friendly visit.
-Robert Frost
Our part of the world is slowing down. The days grow shorter, the leaves dance their farewell, the birds are headed south. What a great time for holidays, for celebrating among family and friends. The work of the year is done, it is time to rest and remember now. Resting and remembering. Being grateful for the work of the year. A few scenes come to mind:
We didn’t get much rain over the summer, we enjoyed many, many sunny afternoons. But, when it rained, it poured. One Tuesday afternoon late in our summer market day, we watched the dark clouds roll in. The rains came quickly, quicker than everyone could get packed up, lightning struck within a visible distance. Some people managed to get their things away before the worst of the rains, but they didn’t leave. They stayed, and together, we helped everyone get packed up, rain pouring over our heads, smiling, laughing.
In the garden, on a Thursday, early in the morning, down on our knees, pulling weeds in the rows of plants which people donated for us to cultivate and share with the community, we talked, shared stories and moments from our own lives. An older community member walked up, they were curious about the garden. We joined them at the gate, showed them around, sent them on their way with some turnips that were ready to be eaten. All the goodness of that moment, sharing with our neighbors.
A sunny Wednesday morning, we gathered with our friends from OLC to share a meal. They’ve come out to spend time in the garden every Wednesday since the start of September; they’ve planted, weeded and learned about the earth. But this Wednesday morning, this day in early November, we’ve made time to share a meal together. The lettuce they grew, they harvested. The ingredients they volunteered to bring, they prepared. Witnessing how they made the garden space their own in a few short months, over a collection of mornings, we helped only where we were needed. Then we sat down, at a table, sharing our gratitudes.
On a Saturday, children came to run around the garden. With the help of community members like the Stories, and Jacob Bailey with the Extension office, we were able to create a loose parts space for the kiddos to make, break, explore and play. That they did, making forts, picking flowers, creating beauty and asking questions, because that’s what children seem to do when they’re given the freedom and aid to shape the world into what their minds imagine it to be.
We’re grateful for the year, for the heartaches and for the joys. We’re grateful for the people who opened their hearts to us and their community, we’re thankful for those who continue to support us, we’re grateful to the earth for growing the plants we are able to donate. We’re grateful for each other and for Opelika. There’s nowhere else we’d rather be.
Wishing you warmth and love,
Sean, Jonny, Leah and Antonio
