An afternoon on the farm

Recently, two of our grandchildren spent the afternoon helping us irrigate.
As we set out on our task, we saw a large semi-truck heading our direction. Always young at heart, I encouraged the littles to raise their arms and pump their fist in the air. At first, they were a bit unsure of what we were doing, but after quickly explaining that often a trucker will reciprocate the gesture with a toot of their horn, they followed my lead and raised their skinny little arms. By the time the truck approached, we were all three smiling and furiously pumping the air.
Just before the semi whizzed past us, we were not disappointed. With a smile on his face, the trucker raised his own hand and gave two pulls to the semi’s air horn. We were then treated to the resounding “honk, hoooonnnnk” only a truck that size can provide. Our own smiles stretching across our faces, we cheered as if we had just won a prize. The littles chattered excitedly about what had just occurred and now privy to the “fist pump trucker code” they began looking for the next truck.
A while later, after we were back on task and had a ditch full of water, we looked for and found small pieces of wood that with slight modification became boats. The littles spent the rest of the afternoon helping change the water and floating their boats.
Each time we drove the side-by-side through the pasture to check our dams, the littles pretended they were on a safari and the horses were a variety of exotic wild animals. This time a stick would become a long rifle used to ward off lions or tigers that might get too close to our expedition.
An afternoon at the farm provided a good dose of fresh air and exercise, but most importantly it allowed us to spend time with the little people that are important to us. In doing so, it also provided an opportunity for imagination and pretend play to replace the entertainment provided by the beloved tablets.
My husband and I love experiencing these types of moments with our grandchildren. We hope someday they too will cherish these memories and perhaps even share stories with their own littles of what it was like spending time at Grandma and Grandpa’s little farm.