From the Desk of the Crone...

    When I was a little girl growing up there were 5 generations of women on my Mother's side of my family. We really didn't get to see my Great-great Grandmother, Old Mama very much, except at family reunions. It was a huge family. There were so many cousins. My Great-great Grandparents had an enormous fig tree out back. I would escape the escapades of my rowdy cousins hiding under that fig tree. Those figs were delicious! Old Mama caught me out there once, but she just smiled at me and said "eat all you want Renee, they are sure good for you," and she slipped away without revealing my location. She was a small old lady and always wore a long cotton dresses with long sleeves and a leather belt around her waist, and boots. She had everyone in the family's total respect. If you were foolish enough to cross her, well let's just say that my cousin Jackie's legs might
still have a couple of switch scares on them. She was very quiet as well, but at bedtime in front of her beautiful wooden vanity table she would brush her long long gray hair singing the number of each stroke. Her hair had never been cut her whole entire life. After the brushing she would braid it  tie it up at the end with the hair from her brush while telling me that no rubber band had ever and would never touch her hair. Then she would roll it into a tight bun that was held in place by a hair comb. I wish I had that comb now. Well her daughter was who I called Mama-in-the country.

    She had been taught by her Mother how to grow food and how to "put it up" that was their phrase for canning foods. Mama-in-the country had a huge garden. My poor great grandfather worked in it from dawn to dark, everyday. He would come in at 10:00 in the morning to eat. She was always in the kitchen working on the food. I was well adept to the washing as you go system she had with the dishes. I used to tease her saying she was cooking for an army. Then one time she turned to me while wiping her hands on her apron and said, "You know Renee, I am greatly concerned about the next generations coming up. They don't know how to grow their own food and put it up. I am afraid that if this doesn't change, they won't make it." Then she went right back to her work. She was right! 

    We don't know how to grow and put up our food. This has to change. It is imperative for our survival. While you still have the internet, learn how. Better yet, find a mentor and learn from them. However you do it, learn these skills pass it down. This must be corrected. The future of our children and the future generations after them are depending on you. Get It Done!

As always, Be Still and Listen for the Whispers...until next time, 

From the desk of the Crone.