June is winding down and vacation season is gearing up. Most kids and teachers have been counting down for a while now. I guess I did, too, but - unlike many of my friends who lived in town - I was not going to a cottage or setting out on a road trip: I would be spending my summer in the field with my brother and sister and mom and dad.
There were times when I felt cheated because I didn’t go to summer camps or hang out at the beach, but those times were few and far between. I loved the farm. As I got older and a little more experienced, the responsibilities grew and I loved that, too.
Riding in the tractor with my dad as we made the first cut of hay – and that day when he said I was ready to drive the tractor.
Washing the cows’ udders until one day Mom handed me the milking machine and told me I could milk the cows.
Picking the cucumbers in the garden with Mom and then making the pickles we would store in the basement and eat all winter
I will never forget the things I learned by Mom and Dad’s side. Nature is one giant classroom and my parents were the best teachers of all. This kind of learning is good for the soul and apparently the heart, too. Next week, Mom and Dad will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.
I am blessed to have such wonderful parents and incredible role models.
Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad. See you soon!
- Read more Weather University columns.
- Have a weather question, photo or drawing to share with Cindy Day? Email [email protected]
Cindy Day is the chief meteorologist for SaltWire Network.
