My daughter who lives in Melbourne, Australia and her boyfriend Jack have been here for a very fast visit on their way to Mexico to climb some cliff faces.
So what better work to do than help your Mum by replacing a couple of windows in a barn, that came down in a storm not long ago, and the barn face looks blind without them. An excellent job for strong climbers. 
The windows are way up high in the North side of the West barn – only a tiny challenge for these young people. These two climb together often and are totally equal on a wall – instructing and guiding each others feet with verbal commands in gentle voices. Even for a short climb like up a barn wall they prepare, plan and use their hands and feet efficiently. I love watching them work together. 
And they were happy that they could start and finish a job that I desperately needed help with.
They are leaving in the early hours of the morning tomorrow so we are going up to the Big City this afternoon to get a head start on that journey. 
The sweetest thing for them was that yesterday my new layers came. Twenty-five white Leghorns. Three days old. The suppliers sent me a batch quick quick so we could slide them in before it got cold again. So they took the job of dipping each little beak into the water and placing them in the box under their heating tables. 
And this morning is blowing and cold and wintry.
Here is the weather:
So today will be cold. Never mind. The chicks are all safely in their box and sleeping under their heated table and I have family sleeping in a warm room in my house. I must take the joy and run with it and try not to think of tomorrow when they will be gone again and travelling far away.
Being an immigrant to a country means that we miss our families unless we are lucky enough to be able to bring our families out to live with us. I think sometimes people forget that immigrants are often just sad, and always feeling around at the hole in their bellies left by absent loved ones. (I actually hate that term “loved ones” but I cannot think of a better word this morning).
And today we have a full day and one more all night together. Which will be wonderful! So off I go!
Have a lovely day.
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
53 responses to “From A Far”
It looks like you had the right people for the job. We had a storm here on Thursday that blew my terracotta window boxes onto my balcony and smashed them. The herbs seem OK, especially the flowering rosemary – I must go out and get some new containers today 🙂
Enjoy every second with them.
Yes ❤
Enjoy your precious family time 🙂 Amazing that you had climbing practice organised right at home too. Laura
So cool to see the pics of the two of them climbing and working together! And a bit sad that they are off so soon. It is hard to be away from loved ones, and you are right, there is always an empty place. xoxoxo
Cold and clear here in Easter IA at 16˚F. On Wednesday it was 77˚F.
Our barn on the farm when I was a kid was air conditioned. It had so many holes and cracks, the winds just blew through. Good thing it had a metal roof to keep most of the hay dry.
Oh, what a lovely break for you! Yes, I’m not fond of the term ‘loved ones’ either; it seems to suggest someone has passed on to the next world… lol How about ‘missing family’? What a great project for them to accomplish, something so specialized to their particular skills that otherwise wouldn’t have gotten done.
Well, much cooler for you than here. We will get up to 6c (about 44f) today and continuing really mild till Thursday when it dips back down to a high of freezing again…. in Toronto Canada. We had a record breaking warm day for February this past week, not surprisingly given the temps we’ve had. Hope you have a great day with your missing family, who are temporarily not missing… lol ~ Mame 🙂
Loved hearing your wee chirpers “tweeting” yesterday! Excellent work in the barn 🙂
The barns new windows look good, a job well done. I hope you have a lovely day today with your daughter and her partner.
Nice job ..well done…and chicks all safely away… The weather here today has been very cold wind. It started to rain so I postponed my walk just in case the heavens opened when I was out in the wilds….However tomorrow is supposed to be fine so I shall take today as being a bonus rest.
Oh how true it is that we miss our families when we are living in another country…how I wish I could see my daughters as often as I used to …and if we went back I could…but I do not want the uk way of life..so we stay here….lots of love
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 3:02 PM
I love that everyone says where they’re living so we have a sense of their weather.
I’m amazed your daughter and boy friend were so aptly skilled to help you with such a specific problem. How did you get the glass in time for their visit and who put the glass into the frames? Another special talent! Lots of preparation .
I’m so glad you are having some time with your daughter. I am sure sons are just as wonderful, but my only child is a daughter, and I so treasure our relationship.
I often think of people who came here – in the Old Days, before air flight, and left nothing they’d never see their parents or their families again. I honestly don’t know how they bore it. On another note – what a fabulous old barn!! And how great is it that you had actual ‘climber’s to put those two windows back in for you. I’m sure you miss your daughter and her husband/boyfriend sooo much. I think I’ve told you how I used to cry when my son and his family drove away from my house… and that would make my granddaughter cry, so I had to stop doing that. And they only live outside of Philly! AND – I can NOT wait to see photos of those little chicks!! Leghorns are such gorgeous chickens. Have a great day – in spite of your daughter leaving – and the cold returning. ; o )
Ooo- Cecile, your comment pulls at my heart. I think I need to call my own sweet momma in the far off wilds of Texas. Right now.
Hi Elizabeth – I’m so pleased you liked my comment! And I hope you DID take a second to call your momma!! ; o )
Yes I did. She was so happy!
How great is that? It warmed MY heart to read that your daughter was there. Enjoy!
How wonderful to have even a short visit, and have the window replacement bonus. Such a beautiful barn! Great pictures today. Can’t wait to see the chicks!
I’m so glad your children are able to spend time with you. Visits with family is always the best. We would stay up for hours at night talking and telling stories on one another and laughing. And, oh the food!!! Then I remember seeing my parents standing in the neighborhood street waving their last goodbyes as we pulled away from the curb back to our lives. I’m sure we will do the same when it’s our turn to wave. “loved ones”- cherished, endearing, beloved, dear to the heart, greatly loved.
7 degrees on my front porch this morning in Montana. But clear! I can see blue skies! Yippee!