Who doesn't love sweet corn, right? But it is more than that for me. It is an excuse (and I do seem to need one) to abandon the housework, the never ending stream of dishes, laundry and what is THAT smell emanating from the bathroom (? - shudder...); trade work boots for water shoes, gather the kids and spend an hour in the creek and the corn patch!
Traded is the noise of the television and the XBox in favor of the gurgle of the creek and the giggles of my children. Hot, tired feet are refreshed as they are bathed in cool, flowing water. Though we are only a hundred yards or so from the house, it is somehow even more quiet at the creek than in our backyard!
Walking through the rows of corn, looking for ears ripened to perfection, is a chance to get lost. The kids call from the creek to make sure I have not vanished literally! And I affirm that I am, in fact, physically present among the swaths of green leaves and golden silk. My mind, however, is excluded from the roll call. I don't know where it goes nor do I care! Because it is quiet. A rare, beautiful, and very much appreciated thing. The worries of the housework left undone, bills to pay, needs of my children, are temporarily abandoned in favor of savoring the delight my senses are currently immersed in.
The walk home with a cloth shopping bag or two, filled to the brim with sweet corn, is equally satisfying. The kids are happy little birds, chirping excitedly at my side about tadpoles, forget-me-nots, slugs and a host of other fantastic discoveries. The fun continues when we get home, as I now have approximately 24 un-husked reasons to sit outside and be the exclusive audience for the exciting trampoline performance my children have created just for me. I must say, some of their stunts are truly breathtaking... (and heart-stopping!)
Once the corn is husked and it is time to return to the kitchen, I am truly refreshed. A day at a spa could not be more restorative for me than an hour in the corn patch! We enjoy a delicious dinner and the extra is frozen in anticipation of cooking it this winter. When the air is cold and the snows deep, we will have a reminder of the joy and serenity found by the creek the previous summer, and look forward to doing all again, next summer!
