Harvest Time

Yesterday Mother's kitchen was overflowing with red, ripe, juicy, organic tomatoes. Too many to eat in salads! We planted eight tomato bushes last June, and all were productive. Marcie found one tomato which weighed two pounds.

Marcie took on the challenge of turning this bounty into food. She spent the morning chopping onions, garlic, tomatoes and our own basil. By the end of the day she made four freezer containers of tomato sauce, and one delicious lasagna dinner.

Dennis and I were gone for much of the day. I left with the counters covered with fruit and came back in time to see thick sauce, simmering on the stove. From what I could see, a sunny day filled with cooking is Mother's idea of a good time. She was positively purring with contentment. When Marcie works in the kitchen, Mother putters around beside her or sits at the dining room room, watching what is going on. Cooking always makes the house seem the opposite of empty. Maybe this is why Margaret grated up a bunch of carrots and made a cake on Sunday. Cooking grounds Mother. It smells good, feels good, and results in food which tastes good -- everything about it is familiar to her. You don't do it unless you're planning a dinner, and Mother completely understands dinner.

I was struck by how completely Mother has switched roles. She is like a child, happy to have her mother nearby. When Marcie or Margaret is busy in the kitchen, her world is complete. Jenna used to be the same way.