Raking at the Moore Farm

I titled this post "Raking at the Moore Farm", which is strange, because just 4 hours ago, I was standing (and sobbing) where Poppop's garden used to be... and (as Jason put it) is now a great football field - so big and open and... empty.  I can only imagine how empty his heart is without that garden.  He used to spend countless hours out there - tilling, seeding, picking, cleaning, and doing it all over again.  When I was little, I let a turtle go free in that garden once and spent hours trying to find it. We could never enter the garden without asking... the big gate roped shut reminded us that it was HIS place, not for us.  I can hear Mommom yelling to him, "Budddddd-Y!!!" letting him know it was time to come in. Oh, how heavy my heart is tonight.

 

We all headed down to help rake up the thousands of leaves on the 2 acre homestead, even though only half the leaves have fallen.  Things went sooooo smoothly, one of the best days ever.  1 hour into raking - and luckily before Mandy got there- Jenni found a garter snake, and that didn't even hamper our day. Until Poppop fell.  And fell he did.   The little ones gathered around him while Mandy, Meg and I cleaned and bandaged his wounds.  Wiping down his paper-thin skin brought back memories of my days in the ER.  He is very fortunate that he did not need any glue or stitches, though I'm pretty sure he bruised or broke a rib or two.  You could tell he was hurting... the 2 advil weren't hiding his pain.  Seeing him so fragile, so hurt, so non-independent took a toll on lots of us today.  Poor Jennibelle is traumatized because she thought he died - she didn't see him actually fall, but came running to get me, screaming and crying - it sent me sprinting.  I'm not sure how to explain what Poppop looked like today...

 

 

 

We got a lot of work done today - it was really nice and laid back and everyone (kids included) worked hard.  I wish I had taken a pic of our leaf pile down by the road when we were done. Mom and dad treated us to Pizza Party when we were done - yum yum.  Everyone had worked up a nice appetite.  Poppop even ate a slice (I haven't seen him eat in months!!)

 

Mommom Moore really seems to enjoy having the little kids there.  They had a blast... scooters, trucks, chalk, and dirt. I even had time to give the girls' a photoshoot!!!

 

 

 

  

 

Jennibelle and her Great Grandma - "Mommom Moore"

 

Here's some video amd pics of the raking...

 

 

Jackson raking...

 

Cole blowing... 

 

Believe it or not, that is Jaylee in blue - doesn't she look so old???

 

 

And the pizza party...

 

 Told you everyone had fun...