Rocking Chairs that Don’t Rock

If you were asked to paint a picture of a farmhouse, you would likely include a big porch with rocking chairs.  In the backyard, you’d likely paint an inviting hammock between two massive trees. If you took a drive out to the country on a quiet Sunday afternoon, you’d expect that to be part of the scenery.  One day I was thinking how our home has a big front porch and huge live oak trees in the backyard, but it was still missing the rocking chairs on the porch and the hammock hung between the trees.  Here I am writing about living on a ranch with farm animals and we didn’t have what you think of when you think of someone living the country life.  So, I asked my husband for a hammock for Mother’s Day.  He responded, “Really? You see a lot of hammocks but you never see anyone lying in ’em.”  Hmmm, true.  The children overheard our conversation and made daddy get me what I wanted because I’m their mommy not his.  I relaxed in that hammock only a handful of times those first few weeks.  But, I admit, I haven’t since.  Yet, that didn’t stop me from later the same year requesting rocking chairs for our front porch as a birthday gift.  I remember waiting for him to say something about how that hammock he got me only moves on windy days.  He instead lovingly responded with a “Yes, dear, whatever will make you happy.”  So, I began a routine of rocking on my front porch with my cup of coffee every morning.  But, this was short-lived, ending the day after the day after my birthday.  It’s likely your painting of a farmhouse wouldn’t have a farmer relaxing on the porch anyway.  It’s because one thinks of the farmer as always being in the pasture, or in the garden, or at the barn doing something that farmers do.  That’s where they are and that’s where I am.  The rocking chairs and hammocks would have to be empty for your painting to be an accurate portrayal of life on a franch.

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