Missouri Vacation | The Farm

Every summer of my childhood we drove 12 hours from Texas to my Papa's farmhouse in Jefferson City, Missouri. We'd spend several weeks on the farm, visiting family and relaxing. After a dry spell of seven years, it felt so right to be back...this time with three children in tow! It's hard to capture how special it was to be there with my parents and watch my kids experience all the magic of the farm for the first time -- epecially their first jump in the pond :) We had so many highlights, but I'll let my mom's poem capture the extent of our stay:

First Farm Visit - 2023

This was the grandkids first time to the farm

To discover all of its rural charm.

Living in Seattle, it’s city scapes they seek

Here in mid-MO they were country kids for the week.

With the barn as their backdrop, they ran wild and free.

Such a wonderful sight for their Mirma to see.

Jumping with abandon off the farm pond dock,

Climbing and playing on the old sand rocks.

Spotting turtles, snakes and fireflies,

Watching the wide wonder in their eyes.

We collected rocks, feathers, and sticks,

And pulled off a number of pesky ticks.

A Whippoorwill’s call and woodpecker’s knock,

We listened to birdsongs as in the hammock we rocked.

From the field we heard a wild turkey call,

From down in the pasture came a young calf’s bawl.

Hiking a trail through the woods,

Eating corn on the cob and summertime foods.

On the 4 wheeler with Poppa for ride alongs,

Pounding the old piano with their made-up songs.

Water balloons, bubbles, and sprinkler play,

Were all in the course of a summer day.

In my hometown we visited favorite sites—

The Capitol, nature center, and Central Dairy for ice cream bites.

Visits with uncles, cousins and aunts,

Checking the growing garden plants.

The kids loved just digging in dirt.

Mirma was happy they didn’t get hurt!

Roasting hotdogs over the fire,

Yelling”Be careful of the electric wire!”

We hold this special place in veneration,

Passing our traditions to a new generation.

I’m sure my parents were smiling from above

To see these kids at the farm they so loved.

So very thankful for this place to gather,

Though it’s rustic and simple, there’s no place I’d rather.

One of my favorite places in the world,

-SJW