Wise Advice from a Farmer's Wife

I have received a few emails that start out, "Wise advice from a Farmer's wife". The post are full of home-spun nuggets of wisdom. So I took a few of these sayings and turned them into a short story. Enjoy

On the edge of a small village nestled in the rolling hills, lived a wise farmer’s wife named Clara. Known for her resilience and warmth, she often shared nuggets of wisdom with anyone who stopped by. She had a way of making people feel like family, always inviting neighbors over for supper or offering advice that lingered long after the conversation ended.

One chilly autumn evening, a young woman named Emily, weary from life’s struggles, knocked on Clara’s door. Emily was on the verge of giving up. She had tried her hand at farming, but the crops had failed, the animals had gotten sick, and every plan she made seemed to crumble. She hoped Clara might have some secret to success.

"Come in, dear," Clara said with a warm smile. She led Emily to the kitchen, where a small light glowed softly in the window. "It’s late, but I always keep a light on. It reminds me that no matter how dark it gets, there’s always a way forward."

As Emily sipped on some soup, Clara shared stories of her own hardships—storms that destroyed crops, droughts that left her fields barren, and long, exhausting days of endless work. But she never spoke of giving up. Instead, she spoke of perseverance, with a lightness in her voice.

"When you borrow a pie pan, return it with a warm pie in it," Clara said, handing Emily a slice of homemade apple pie. "It’s a simple thing, but it’s about more than pie. It’s about putting good back into the world, even when you don’t feel you have much left to give."

Emily nodded, taking in the warm scent of cinnamon and apples, but Clara wasn’t done yet.

"And always invite lots of folks to supper, you can add more water to the soup if you need to. There’s always a way to make things stretch, just like your efforts. Sometimes, it feels like nothing’s enough, but when you keep going, you'll find what you have is more than enough."

Emily’s eyes filled with tears. She had been so focused on her failures, she hadn’t realized the importance of pressing on, of sharing, of adding water to the soup when times were tough.

Clara gave a knowing smile and said, "And never think of work as just ‘women’s work’ or ‘men’s work.’ On a farm—and in life—it’s all just work. You roll up your sleeves and do what needs doing."

The next morning, Emily left with a full heart, ready to tackle her challenges again. She wasn’t expecting miracles, but Clara’s final piece of advice echoed in her mind: "Make your home a happy place for yourself and others. People will always return to their happy place. And in time, you’ll find your hard work pays off."

As Emily walked down the dirt road, she looked back to see Clara waving from the porch, the light still glowing in the kitchen window.

And Emily knew, no matter how dark it got, there was always a way forward.

Grammar and humour

 There are some jokes that play on various grammatical and literary concepts, that have been circulating on social media, here is my take on some more.

·   An Interjection bursts into a bar, exclaiming, "What a night!"

·   A Split Infinitive walks into a bar, boldly going where no one has gone before.

·   A Split Infinitive boldly walks into a bar.

·   An Ellipsis walks into a bar... and then just trails off.

·   An Ellipsis walks into a bar… and just keeps going.

·   A Double Negative walks into a bar and orders a drink, saying, "I don't not want a beer."

·   An Onomatopoeia walks into a bar with a bang, a crash, and a boom.

·   An Onomatopoeia crashes into a bar, BOOM!

·   A Personification strolls into a bar, and the door greets it with a smile.

·   An Alliteration walks into a bar, asking for a pint of perfect pilsner.

·   A Hypercorrection walks into a bar and corrects the bartender's grammar.

·   A Tautology walks into a bar and orders a free free drink.

·   A Tautology walks into a bar and orders a drink because a drink is what it wants.

·   An Euphemism walks into a bar and asks for a "gentleman's drink."

·   A Red Herring walks into a bar, but it's just there to distract you from the real joke.

·   An Anachronism walks into a bar, wearing a top hat and ordering a martini.

·   A Pleonasm walks into a bar and orders a completely and utterly full glass of beer.

·   A Neologism walks into a bar and invents a new word for "fun."

·   An Idiom walks into a bar, saying it's "raining cats and dogs" outside.

·   A Jargon walks into a bar, speaking in technical terms that confuse everyone.

·   A Homophone walks into a bar, asking for a "bare" instead of a "bear."

·   A homophone walks into a bar, whether it likes it or knot.

·   A Homograph walks into a bar, wondering if it's a "bank" or a "bank."

·   A Metonymy walks into a bar, asking for "the White House" instead of the bartender.

·   A Metonymy strolls into a bar and says, "Give me a pint of the strong stuff."

·   An Enjambment walks into a bar, continuing the sentence from the previous room.

·   A semicolon walks into a bar; it connects with everyone.

·   A misplaced apostrophe walks into a bar, orders it's usual.

·   A contraction walks into a bar. "I'll have what she's having."

·   A palindrome walks into a bar, saying, "Madam, in Eden, I'm Adam."

·   An appositive walks into a bar, its friend, a bartender, nods knowingly.

·   A rhetorical question walks into a bar, who needs drinks anyway?

·   A parenthesis walks into a bar (it's not really sure why).

·   An understatement walks into a bar, says, "This isn't the worst place I've been."

·   A litotes walks into a bar, not displeased to be there.

·   An antonym walks into a bar, walks out sober.

·   A capitalization walks into a Bar, making a Big Deal of It.

·   An anagram strolls into a bra... I mean, bar.

·   A spoonerism walks into a bar and orders a well-boiled icicle.

·   A paradox walks into a bar and says, "I’m nobody."

Frustration

 Caring for an aging loved one can sometimes lead to moments of frustration, especially when they struggle with tasks that once came easily to them. Whether it’s handling new technology, experiencing memory lapses, or facing physical limitations, these challenges can test our patience.

However, it’s important to pause and recognize that while we may feel frustrated, they are likely feeling even more so. Imagine how difficult it must be for them to confront the loss of abilities they once took for granted.

In the shifting roles of life, there will be times when we provide care and, later, moments when we need it ourselves. By approaching these situations with empathy, we not only help our loved ones navigate their current struggles but also nurture a legacy of kindness and understanding that can be passed down through generations.

Consider the following

"Life" is a gift to you. How you live your life is your gift to those who come after you. Make it a fantastic one.

Live it well! Enjoy today! Do something fun! Be happy! Have a great day!

Remember:

· Health is real wealth, not pieces of gold and silver.

· Live happy this year and every year!

Lastly, consider the following:

·  Today is the oldest you've ever been, yet the youngest you'll ever be so enjoy this day while it lasts.

·  Your kids are becoming you...

·  Going out is good. Coming home is better!

·   You forget names... But it's ok because other people forgot they even knew you!!!

·   You realize you're never going to be really good at anything

·   The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore.

·   You sleep better on a lounge chair with the tv blaring than in bed. It's called "pre-sleep".

·    You miss the days when everything worked with just an "on" and "off" switch.

·   You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..." when?"... "what?" . ???

·   Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere.

·   You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!!

·   What used to be freckles are now liver spots.

·   Everybody whispers.

·   You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will never wear.

·   But old is good in some things: old songs, old movies, and best of all, old friends!!

·   Stay well, "old friend!" send this on to other "old friends!" and let them laugh in agreement!!!

                           ·  It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind                                 of life you have lived