I realize we are a good month away from the official change of seasons. This spring-like February has been amazing! Our family has been busy sorting things this month. It started with sorting calves. We sorted heifers and steers, and opted to send the steers to the sale barn. My husband also included one of our red heifers for the sale. When I asked him why, he said she didn’t go with his black Angus herd. If that’s not discrimination, folks, I don’t know what is. I thought she was pretty but she was sorted into the “sell herd” anyway.
I’ve sorted through seeds and tools in the greenhouse and shed in preparation for garden planting. I found most of the good spades and hand rakes buried in the dirt pile where our boys do their “work.” No matter how severe the punishments I threaten, our kids still latch on to the good tools like thieves in the night. When I ask who drug them out, the gang goes silent. No amount of interrogation can break the wall. I’m thinking of getting some security cameras to see who really leads this mischievous gang…just kidding.
Of course, with the approach of warmer weather we discovered our four children have all gone through growth spurts. We know this due to a scientific system our family has for measuring growth progress. It’s an attic door hidden from the public eye. A few times a year, we have each child stand against it and mark their height and date of progression with a Sharpie. They giggle when they look at the old “entries.” In eleven years of child-rearing we’ve seen extraordinary progress among four tiny people.
With growth spurts, comes clothes closet sorting. In our house, this is more closely known as the passing of the hand-me-downs. Jeans, boots, shorts, shirts, jackets and hats. You name it, if it’s not stained, torn or holey, we pass it along to the next in line. We are blessed to have cousins and neighbors who share things along the way. Nobody goes around in high water jeans and nobody goes naked.
Finally, we’ve been sorting out junk and cleaning up the shop. By “we,” I mean Nathan (my husband) and one of his friends. I really cannot even go out to the shop most days. When I do, I try not break into a cold sweat from the sight of chaos among his tools and equipment. A few times a year it’s reorganized and all is right in the world. I bark about how it could always look like this if tools and equipment were put back where they belong after a project is finished. My words go unheard and the accumulation starts its ugly cycle over again.
Our next sorting project involves the spring cleansing of the farm truck and the family suburban. A small family of squirrels could live for at least a year on the crumbs hidden beneath the crevices in both vehicles. Wish us well, we haven’t even started yet.
Sorting stuff helps busy families like ours prepare for the busy spring and summer season up ahead. Growing up, we lived by the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin, “A place for everything, everything in its place.” It’s evolved into put it away, throw it away or give it away in our household. Spring cleaning does a body and soul good neighbor. Happy Spring!
