Grandpa's Garden

Thank goodness for my dad. If it weren't for him, my kids may think that strawberries are harvested at Costco, and that corn grows in a bag in mommy's freezer. But luckily for them, they got some hands on experience, helping Grandpa pick strawberries, onions, zucchini, and lemons in his well tended garden. The kids followed him like the pied piper every morning, constantly saying "Is this ready Grandpa". Grandpa stood by patiently (if not a little nervously) as Ryan's clumsy feet veered dangerously close to the watermelon vines, and Jordan and Kylie's fingers wove through the strawberry plants. Kylie could have stayed out there all day - both she and Jordan loved to see all of the hidden peppers, persimmons, corn, and squash that were not quite ready yet. At the end of each outing, they would proudly bring Mary their finds, and even made fresh lemonade one day. This hands on education has paid off. The other day at Costco, Kylie spotted strawberries that were under-ripe, and she asked me why they picked them. I guess they didn't have Grandpa there to tell them otherwise.