I looked at my clock, it was
only seven in the morning and it was already hot. Of course if you were inside
and working on batches and batches of canned veggies, then you'd understand
why.
This time of year is always
busy. I knew that we would have to take the other cart, now. The one that had
the doors on it, with a lot more room, the other was way too little. Already I
had taken all the crates out of the first and started to put them into the
second, while I had three pots full of jars sealing. I ran inside at the sound
of Bliss. I took the wrap I had come up with and strapped her to my back so
that she was with me, and I could keep working.
"Hi,
Mamma!" Sky rubbed the sleep
out of her eyes; I greeted her and noticed that Shanda was behind her.
"I'm not making Jam this
morning; I'm just canning vegetables instead." I wiped my hands off, and
got them something to eat.
"After you girls eat,
you go look after the rest of the animals for me? Then you two can take the
rest of the day and play." Not even after five minutes of being outside I
was almost knocked over by a very upset little girl.
"What’s the matter,
Little One?"
"My snake, it’s gone! It
leaved me!" She cried; I took hold of her trying to comfort her. At the same
time I was thankful that the thing was gone.
"Well, maybe it wanted
to go home, to its family."
"But this is its
home."
"No, the bush's is its
home, not an old jar." Hearing the
timer go off I got up.
"Go ahead and go help
Shanda then go play. You'll be alright." I showed her off then went back
to my work.
About of an hour I heard a
scream coming from outside, I ran to see what was going on, Shanda was sitting on
top of Skyla. I looked to the four year old she had Shanda's little bear in her
hands. But before I had a chance to stop her, Shanda landed a
punch on Skyla.
"Shanda!" I scolded. "You’re not to be hitting. I know she
has your bear, but that’s no excuse." I continued on. She turned to try to
run off.
"No you don't Young
Lady, your not going to run. You’re to go sit in the corner, now go!" I
told her sharply. I picked Skyla up scolding her just as harshly.
"She's not the only one
that’s going to be punished for this. I want you in this one." I put her
in the one in the kitchen.
Once I set them loose I had
sent them out again, I kept a hold of the bear for the time being. After they
had been out for a while I looked out my window. I love taking in the sight of
them playing, and having a good time. I was glad I looked up this time, they
had taken one of the horses out and were trying to get up on her back, at least it was the really
gentle one, I relaxed realizing that part, that old mare wouldn't do anything
to hurt anyone. She just stood there as those two kept trying to climb on her.
Now if it was one of the younger ones with more spunk I would have ran out. I
then looked to the young colts than still needed to be trained, not many but
enough to keep you busy. That would be for next spring. I grabbed my milk
bucket as I headed out.
"You two be careful I
don't want you getting hurt. And I don't want my best mare hurt either." I
told them as I walked passed and headed towards the cows, the Mamma Cat
followed waiting for her share of milk, her reward for keeping the mice and
rats out of everything. I reached down and stroked her chin,
"It's coming, old girl.
Hold on." I took some of the milk and put it into this holding container
that would keep the stuff cold for awhile, and would keep it from spoiling. The
other went into the house for the children. One container was for the older
children, and the other, was for Bliss. I went in and put it on the stove to
boil, so that it took anything bad out. There was a little left for the cat and
her babes. Went I went passed were the girls had been before they had taken off,
but didn't put the mare back in the barn or put her out to graze, I sighed and
called for them.
Only Shanda came running, a
worried look was on her face, forgetting the horse, I took off after her, I
looked where Shanda had pointed, Skyla was had her foot stuck in a hole.
"How'd you get stuck
like this?"
"I was just walking, and
it slipped in."
"Well, it's in good,
Shanda go back and get a small shovel." That little girl ran fast, and
came back. That’s all it took to get her loose. I looked Sky over, seeing she
was fine,
"Now, go put the horse
where she's supposed to be." I ordered,
"And your not to get her
out without me knowing the next time," The two had taken off. I had
entered the house just as Bliss had started her fussing. So I put her down. She
had really been crawling pretty well lately. And now she looked as she if she
was judging a chair at the table. Bliss had also been sitting alone pretty well
for the last couple of days. I went head and fixed her bottle for her and
handed it to her.
"You knew that the milk
was the new stuff, didn't you?" She gave her milk grin. I looked back at
the clock
Only nine, I was starting to
wonder where, Darlita was. I hadn't seen her at all yet. I looked to where the
baby was seeing she was fine, I headed up and sure enough she was still
sleeping. I left her be, she earned it. I went down and scooped the infant back
up and started to play with her again. Then took her outside.
I looked around to see where the girls were. That’s when I felt the tug on my
shirt, I looked over Shanda was standing there holding a bunch of flowers. As I
took hers, Skyla had come up; she too had a bunch.
"Thanks girl, But where
did you get these?" They had look like the ones on the other side of the
house. And that’s where Shanda had pointed.
"As much as I'm glad to
have these, next time please get them somewhere else. NOT my flower beds."
I told them hugging each. Then taking flowers inside.
Not to long after I had
stepped in, I was being drug out to the barn where Shanda pointed to the
rafters, and sure enough, Skyla had climbed up there again.
"Skyla you know better,
now you get down right now!" I turned to Shanda who was starting to climb
the latter. I walked over to her.
"If you go onto those
rafters, you’ll find yourself in big trouble." I told her. Then looked up.
"Your already in big
trouble, Skyla, now get down!" As soon as those feet hit the ground, I
picked her up and took her inside, and sat her on the stool.
"Now you stay there, if
you get up, you will be one Very sorry little girl!" I told her sternly as
I scolded. I went back outside. Thinking would I, could I do it if I had to?
Deciding the next time she did it I would. That was far too dangerous. I need
that latter there for getting the hay down. Besides there was no way to move
it, I nailed it to the boards when I built it. I went out to see where Shanda
had take off to. She was just sitting on the porch.
"If your waiting on your
sister, then you'll be waiting a long time, it would be better, if you just
went and played by yourself." Shanda shook her head.
"Alright, but you'll be
waiting along time." She really could have played by herself, they both
have tons they can play with balls, kites, dolls, and bears, planes, and she
could have even gone to the lake to play if she wanted.
"I have work to do." I told her deciding to go ahead and
getting my daughter up out of bed, that she had slept long enough. As I headed
in I heard a crashing sound. I ran into the room that the sound had come from.
"Skyla I thought I told
you to say there in that corner." Without really thinking, I gave her a swat to her backside, "Now get over there and
stay there!" The shocked and startled child ran over and sat. I went into
my room angry at myself. *How could I do that?* I scolded myself. *That’s my
child! She probably hates me now, or thinks I hate her, and that’s not true. Oh
man, I truly hated that I don't want that.* I was so angry at myself for
loosing control; I never intended to do that. Knowing what I had to do I walked
back into the room, Skyla had stayed in her seat that time. I walked over to
her and picked her up.
"Baby, I want to talk to
you." I told her, as I headed over to my chair. I explained how I was
sorry about how I had done that, and asked her what she was doing out, when I
had told her to stay there. And about how she knew that I didn't like it when
she was up in the rafters like that.
"I'm sorry about doing
that to you. I love you more than anything. You still have to stay in that
corner, but I wanted to make things right about what I did. Now go on back over
and I'll check on you in a bit." Skyla to my surprise hugged me before
walking back to her seat. I went up to wake Darlita, and then started on lunch.
At lunch we started talking
about the trip that we were going to be taking in just a few days.
"I have my cart almost
full of things, there’s even apple sauce and soon there will be milk as
well." I explained. Everyone was starting to get excited, including
myself, this would be the first time that I took someone other than myself to
town, and the first time I really got to show off my daughters. I ran to the
bedroom where I had hidden something I had been working on for awhile. I took
the package out to the girls, for each was a new outfit of some sort. Each girl
looked at the clothes, then at each other.
"I want all of you to
look your best when we get there. Cause we'll also be stopping at the
Orphanage. While we are there, Ulisa wants to see how everyone's doing."
Later that night, I laid in
bed thinking about what I did earlier. Even though I still resented myself for
what I did. I was starting to be at ease with it. I wouldn't do that unless it
was the last resort. And nothing else would do.