By the end of the week I am usually longing for a break, to do something fun and relaxing. So often that is what we do on Friday nights...go out to dinner, watch a movie while eating a yummy snack etc. This week we decided to do something different. My good friend Whitney is a wonderful gardener and she brought over a bucket full of tomatoes on Wednesday fresh from her garden. Can we say heaven?!? So for Friday night date night we made 5 batches of Lion House Tomato Bisque, aka "The Nectar of the Gods" to freeze for the winter. All 4 of us put our aprons on and went to work. It was a blast. Ironically, after 5 hours of good hard work I feel more rejuvenated than I usually do after spending a bunch of money for a "break." It feels so good to work together for something worthwhile. It is so rewarding to see the fruits of your labors and to feel self-sufficient (Well, at least kind-of. Whitney did the hard part. Thanks Whitney!). 
Brielle and I are reading "Little House in the Big Woods" together and I love learning about how they were able to live in those conditions. They provided nearly everything themselves through good, hard work. In our day we are surrounded by conveniences that make our life "easy." Sometimes I wonder, "are the people of our day missing out?"
- Are we missing out on the family bonding that occurs when everyone works together for the good of all?
- Are we missing out on the physical and mental health benefits that come from good, hard, physical labor?
- Are we missing out on the satisfaction and education that comes from physically providing for oneself and one's family?
I know there are other ways to get those benefits and I am surrounded by many wonderful examples of people who do those things and provide very well for their families (temporally and educationally). But sometimes I wish I could step back in time and just dig in and work hard to survive.
We look forward to having room for a good garden again next year and to several date nights filled with canning. :)
6 comments:
Man, your kitchen DOES look like mine! Good thoughts. That's what those "Little House" books do to you. They make you long for the day that you just described. I need to read them again.
We did a different date night tonight, too. I went to Costco, Daddy went to the grocery store case lot sale, and over the phone, we compared prices and did food storage shopping. Then we brought it all home and sort of put it away. Whew! I think I like going out to dinner better!
I've never thought of that. I've just been grateful I live in today's world, specifically w/ medicine. We wouldn't have Caleb today w/o it.
I am very impressed w/ all your Nectar of the Gods dinners for winter. That stuff is delicious!
That is a LOT of tomato soup! That will be SO nice this winter - to be able to whip that out anytime you don't feel like or have time for cooking! I've wondered the same thing about our modern day conveniences. Still, I wouldn't trade my dishwasher for a stream and a scrubbing board; I'm happy with my conveniences. :)
I shouldn't be reading this on a Fast Day. . .:) That sounds so luscious! I love your thoughts that you shared about the things we're missing. The glory of work comes through in a very inspirational way!
Do you have that recipe handy that you could maybe email to me? :o) Looks delicious!
Kristen- will you email me this recipe? It looks so good! And what a fun idea for a date night!
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