Dressed For Success and Purple Hull Peas

The homemade costume you see here was totally designed by a beautiful little 8yr old. Who chose this day to wear her mock middle eastern "play outfit" to pick purple hull peas. (Well she thinks it looks middle eastern, so we'll go with that.) The purple hull pea is a southern favorite, which by the way needs a dose of either manure if it's Organic or 13-13-13 to grow well. We did both. Old timer secret and it works! Most people don't give them any nitrogen, but when I did what old timer said they blew up. Thanks old timer! This are not something you can get in a grocery store. You have to grow'em or know someone who did. They are a Mississippi favorite. I remember being a little girl, shellin' peas on the back porch of my Great Aunt's house and hearin' those crickets singing , It's Hottttttttttt. It sure sounded like that's what they were sayin'.
I love the wonder and imagination that little ones carry around with them. All the hard-work in the world seems so easy when your dressed for it! I plant for them, but with them, and we work together and it is sooo good. These times we share will never leave the gardens of their hearts or mine. As we pull weeds here, I teach them what it means to pull out the weeds in their hearts. As the rain helps the plant grow, I tell them of how they are being watered to grow into fruitful adults. As the heat and bugs come out, I work right beside them and we sweat together. I love them and they know it. Who ever said life was fair or easy? If you never show them they are worth the effort, like a hot sweaty garden then don't expect much of them in the area of character. If you never challenge them to do something that makes you and them uncomfortable then you are giving and getting "nothing". You get back what you expect and more so what you invest! When you expect/invest nothing, you get it everytime. So when you say to them here's what I expect, and I'm giving my time, energy and sweat too. This is loving you! They will know you love them and will give of themselves also. Even in a dress up costume, their willing to share in the work and sweat. They will also get to share the reward. I told them today, that if we never reaped a harvest I would still plant a garden. That sounded so backward to them, "Why?" I was asked. To work, teach, tend and learn together. For the profit of the soul, not the belly. When we get up we have a routine, everybody is needed. And everybody needs to be needed, so I divide up the day so that we're working like a Swiss Clock, (well kinda). And come lunch time we're all so tired and happy we drag up to house and actually are "Thankful" for A/C. We share so much of ourselves that we really are learning to need and love one another. Even when were hot, sweaty and tired. A team, with trials and triumphs. Also if we get something out of the garden, we get to share in the loot. Today it's peas. Yippee! And I've already been asked, "Can we have peas for dinner, please?" You betcha. And will you be dressing up for pea shelling, I hope so in your handmade costume. They are only little for so long, I am so blessed to have the gardens of there hearts to tend and the peas to share with them!