A Perfect Unplanned Family Get-together

My sister is an Arborist … a really interesting career choice. I am a lover of trees and therefore admire greatly her vocation. By definition, an Arborist generally focuses on the health and safety of individual plants and trees. A child of the earth in the truest sense! Aaron’s days are very early … this morning she was well into her day by the time I had awoken :). Oh the life of a nomadic wanderer, having the luxury of waking at will, very much dependant on my choice of bedtime. For me, to not have to wake by alarm clock is such a huge blessing. And I hold on to that current truth as if my life depends on it. In fact, my sanity does depend on my quality of sleep … I am very grateful that sleep comes easily to me each night, where 8 hours is my optimal and typical timestamp.

Today was a gorgeous day in Alliston Ontario. Aaron suggested that we visit the local organic farmer who lived just down the road from her. Excited at the prospect of fresh organic produce, we happily hopped on to our bicycles and rode the mile uphill to an amazing selection of fresh seasonal vegetables, lovingly raised without chemicals or pesticides. Beets, cucumbers, carrots, garlic, herbs of many varieties, giant kale leaves, lettuce, zucchini and spanish onions adorned the old barn tables with a sign seated on the ground stating “Will be back shortly. Help yourself if you can. (Prices on board outside)” An honour system was in place for any produce tat was purchased. Nowadays, how often do you see this? I can count 2 other times in the past 3 years … once in buying flowers at a Mennonite’s driveway hut and once in California along Hwy 1 at a strawberry farm selling scones and jam. Such a system is incredibly heartwarming to see in our society where surveillance video cameras and signs threatening prosecution for shoplifters rule our retail purchasing paradigm.

Sometimes the best laid plans can’t even come close to touching the perfection of spontaneous get-togethers. It so happened that my Father and Sister were vacationing for a few days with my nephew in the Muskoka area. After dropping off Forrester with friends, they were making their way through Alliston for a visit with Aaron. What a coincidence that we happened to be there!  Trying to plan a gathering with my sisters is tough to do even with advance planning. Add my Dad in to the mix … it’s usually a once-a-year opportunity (think Christmas or Thanksgiving). So much to my surprise, here we were, blessed with an evening to catch up with my family (Mom & Pat are missed of course). Impromptu perfection at its finest. I’m a happy girl today!