Peas

If there is one memory I will always recall fondly, it would be sitting amongst all of the women at my grandmother's house as they shell peas or shuck corn. I felt like a big girl when I was allowed to shell some or pull the golden silks from the corn that had already been shucked. I want my kids to have a little bit of that life. So, I bought a bushel of purple hull peas still in the pods, from the farmers market, then set these little ones to work...old school style. I want them to understand what it was like to use their hands. Newer generations many times overlook what past generations did to pave the way for modern day conveniences. People used to plow with their hands, hoe with their hands, plant with their hands, pick crops with their hands and shell peas with their hands. We want our kids to know that life is not always easy, and that is okay. We want them to know the value of hard work and how to use their hands instead of stare at screens all day. They enjoyed themselves and their hard work. At the end of the bushel, we all had purple thumbs, the common trademark of hard work on the farm. They helped put away 10 bags of peas. We are proud of them.