I'm looking forward to a little break from the old farm. Time to pack the colonial garb into the cedar chest 'til autumn when the school children return. I'll be spending my summer in the 21st century. Whooopie! That means I get to wear nail polish any time I want. Believe me, when you have a job that makes your hands look pretty grubby, girly-girl stuff is a big deal. So it's adieu living history. See you in September.
Good-bye early morning drives on winding roads in dappled light
Good-bye little bridge that takes me back 300 years
Good-bye wood smoke pierced with sunbeams
Good-bye gathering
Good-bye old, deep window sills
Good-bye hauling
Good-bye still rooms
Good-bye students
Good-bye hearth and kitchen
Good-bye Mr. Blacksmith
Good-bye moths clinging to stone walls
Good-bye springhouse
Good-bye baby ox
Good-bye farm
See you in the fall
Good-bye early morning drives on winding roads in dappled light
Good-bye little bridge that takes me back 300 years
Good-bye wood smoke pierced with sunbeams
Good-bye gathering
Good-bye old, deep window sills 
Good-bye hauling
Good-bye still rooms
Good-bye students
Good-bye hearth and kitchen
Good-bye Mr. Blacksmith
Good-bye moths clinging to stone walls
Good-bye springhouse
Good-bye baby ox
Good-bye farm
See you in the fall
Hello fun, colorful summer. Enjoy your cute nails! Easier to say goodbye when you know a return is around the seasonal corner.
ReplyDeleteah. big sigh.
ReplyDeletewhat is the spring house ?
in jane austen's books she talks about the bath house or the bath room or something, which sounds like the local gathering place.
have a great break jodi. xx
Angelina, the best way to describe it would be a colonial refrigerator, a stone structure that is built over a running stream. Stoneware crocks are placed in the stream to keep cool. Because of the water, the temperature in the house stays fairly constant, so foods that are perishable last much longer.
ReplyDeleteThis week I talked to an octogenarian widow who needed her late husband's estate transferred to her own. She pulled out a lot of legal papers for me to look at and when I asked if she had kept them in a safe, she exclaimed, "Oh no! why, I kept them in the cedar chest."
ReplyDeleteBecause how much more secure can things be than when they are in a cedar chest? To be sure, some of her documents were over half a century old and in quite good condition.
Angelina, Jane Austen was talking about the bath houses in Bath, England.
ReplyDeleteThe ancient Romans built public bathing centers in Bath, England, which are similar in idea and design to our modern day resort spa.
In Jane Austen's time, the English had built their own bath houses in and around the ancient Roman baths left in Bath, England. This is how Bath, England got its name. Jane Austen was somewhat well-to-do and would visit with her family each year as was stylish. It was just like our modern resort spa vacations. The English and the ancient Roman bath houses had pools filled with cool or hot water, steam filled sauna rooms, rooms for playing in the water, rooms for receiving physical therapy, rooms for only women, rooms for only men.
There is nothing new under the sun.
This is beautiful and poetic. I loved every bit.
ReplyDeleteLovely! It reminds me of good-morning, good-night........(I think that's the right title....
ReplyDeleteHauling does not look like fun!
In September I think you will be happy to say, "Hello," to your farm in the 1700s again.
No, the title was "Good night, Moon."
ReplyDeleteSenior moment.
I love everything about this, especially the Still Room photo. (Do you have a nail polish color picked out?)
ReplyDeleteKristi, that's exactly what I was thinking of when I wrote this. I almost had the blacksmith whispering "hush". ha ha
ReplyDeleteEmily, indeed I do. It is called "a l'orange".
ReplyDeleteCan I just say what Leslie said? "This is beautiful and poetic. I loved every bit.". Because, truly, it is, and, like Leslie, I so did. And, might I also add {which I'm certain Leslie would highly approve and agree with} *you sure are cute*, Goody Lenz!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's a drastic sweep from the one side to the other--to be sure, but I know you'll see the shift through with real style and grace, girlie.
Can't wait to see those colored nails in your next blog post! L'orange~~ ooh la la ;o)
Speaking of which....you know, if you get goin' straightaway you could do up a *nails* board on Pinterest and really get down~~wild and creative.....I mean, seein' as how you've got until September and all ;o)
Hey wait! {movin' into my "genius"/sleep deprived thinkeries/giddieries, now}, we could co-do the board, and while you're busy {doing everything that can be done with painted nails i.e. next blog post?? ;o) and I'm not feelin' so well { ;o) } I could hunt down all kinds of hip and groovy good stuff *for you* ;o)
Smiling at you big and waving from the "front porch" {shhhhh.....not really. I'm actually in the "great green room" in my napping nest} Love to you, you dear, cuteiful, beautiful person, you. Good night {beloved} "old lady" whispering "hush".... xo
Very "Goodnight Moon." I like it. Pretty pictures; I am sure you will miss the pretty sunlight on the bridge as little bit. I love the way you described the bridge that takes you back 300 years.
ReplyDeleteHi Jodi,
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how authentic you look in that delicious setting(not in an uptight re enacting way- you know what I mean), but in a labor of love way. Like a work of art. Even your expression, while hauling water, looks right. Very pretty!
Three hundred years later, you look just as on target in your modern wear in your art attack chairs.
Somehow you can pull it off, naturally! It flows from you, it overflows from a full soul.
Love you,
Joan
So beautiful, Jodi, how can you bear to leave?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely got the Goodnight Moon vibe! What fun.
ReplyDeleteHave fun painting your nails. Sometimes it makes all the difference.
And what color will you paint your nails? Purple, I hope. I always like purple when I feel a little funky.
ReplyDeleteI love looking round your place of work, but I can well imagine that it's nice to take a holiday in the 21st century, from time to time.
ReplyDelete