Down on the farm

I was reminded when re-reading yesterday's post of a meal on my cousin's farm.  It was Easter Day about three years ago when, as has become traditional, we spent the weekend with Lisa and Julian.  As has also become traditional, we had taken a turkey as our contribution to the celebrations, along with a mixed half case of wine.  That year I had taken a sauvignon blanc I had discovered and which I liked particularly.  I was also aware that Julian's favourite white wine is sauvignon.  This St Bris comes from Burgundy, an area I associate more with expensive red wines, but was remarkably cheap for the quality.  L & J's younger son and family were at table with us and after Patrick had tasted the wine, he remarked that it must have been expensive.  Now, back in Edwardian days, that would have been considered an offensive comment, but these days - especially round the Somerset dinner table - it comes as no surprise.

There are so many memories of times spent on the farm coming crowding into my mind but today I will mention just the dinner table.  This is huge and seats ten very comfortably - which is fortuitous.  Like my wife and I, Liza and Julian have three children.  In both families the children are boy, boy, girl and the matching children are really very close in age as well.  All of them have always got on extremely well.  (I remember the two girls, when they were about 8, sitting on the stall dividers in the calf shed giving each animal a name.  Julian accepted Chainsaw for one but did draw the line at Beefburger!)

As I said, the dining table seats ten, so the combined families, once the children were old enough, could easily eat together.  And talk.  And, boy, did we talk.  And argue in a friendly way.  Any subject under the sun would be discussed round that table and everybody's views had equal weight.  If there was disagreement - no, when there was disagreement - which was quite normal - everybody would politely listen to a different point of view before somebody demolished it.  And, not surprisingly, with ten people from two generations there would usually be more than two points of view.

But any argument, or discussion, whilst it might get heated, was always amicable and it was all hands turning to when the time came for the washing up.  Great times.

~~~~~

Another arch today, although this arch is a gateway.  But it is appropriate as this is on my cousin's farm.