We went to a wedding over the weekend at our friend’s farm. We love their family. We love their farm. We love what they do. The wedding was truly beautiful. For many days prior it had been steadily raining. The morning of the wedding it was raining. (You saw the soggy garden pictures from yesterday’s post, taken that morning.) We were expecting rain for the wedding as well and it rained on our drive there. When we arrived, it was overcast, but no rain. And then it seemed, to us anyway, that a miracle happened and the sky opened up and the sun came out and shined down upon their wedding.
We sat on straw bales and with the sun warming us up, suddenly didn’t need the wool sweaters I packed for us. Jeff fit in just fine with his overalls. We would have fit in more if we were wearing cowboy boots. Nestled right next to the vegetable garden, it was our kind of wedding. Last week Bracken was really into picking flowers in the garden and then spreading the petals on the floor around the house. He loved watching the flower girls walk up the aisle, spreading flower petals and it was very timely. I was so excited to have my new camera with me and I took lots of pictures (it was a task to choose just a few to post here) to share with our friends. Everyone sang ’tis a gift to be simple’ together and I couldn’t think of a more perfect song to sing at that moment. I cried, of course. I always cry at weddings. Everything about their wedding was so sweet.
I did miss one picture opportunity that would have been wonderful, when the newly married couple got on a horse that said “Just Married” on the back. But I know many other people there captured that on camera. Besides the flower petals, Bracken also loved the lights strung all over the trees. He watched some older boys climb up into a tree house in a giant black walnut tree and decided to climb a bit himself.
The food was amazing. For appetizers they had bacon wrapped figs (we all went nuts over them, but especially Bracken who kept sneaking back to the table) and pickled cauliflower, beets, carrots and other vegetables. There was water kefir to drink. The meat was raised on their farm. The caterer specialized in local foods. We dined on grilled asparagus and smoked chicken. It was really good.
Bracken started rolling across the grass over and over. He entertained quite a few people. We chatted with friends and neighbors we don’t get to see that often. After the toasts, we headed for home. We would have loved to stay later, but by the time we got home and to bed it was well past our bedtime as it was and we needed to get up early the next morning. On each table they gave out flowers for people to plant and to remember the wedding by. Jeff and Bracken planted ours the next morning.
In other news, Bracken and I are leaving tomorrow morning to visit family in Iowa. It’s been a long time since I’ve been back there and we’re going to stay at my grandma’s house for a few days. I’m looking forward to spending time with family and introducing Bracken to some family that hasn’t met him yet. I’ll be away from this space for a bit, but intend that the next time I write to you it will be from Iowa. Keep your fingers crossed that Bracken will get to see fireflies for the first time. With many childhood memories filled with fireflies, I feel no childhood is complete without experiencing the awe and the magic of fireflies. I always love a good midwestern thunderstorm too, but if I’m going to cross my fingers for something I’ll save it for the fireflies.
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