A Sink Full of Dirty Dishes

After listing my old farm-house, country kitchen sink for sale it got me to thinking about doing dishes.  In my Grandmother's small kitchen, above her old enameled, white, sink, with a drainboard, hung a poem about dirty dishes.  I read it often as I munched on freshly baked bread right out of the oven.  Grandma would call us and say she had just finished baking and to come over for a piece of, still warm from the oven, bread.  Now mind you she didn't cut the loaf the traditional way, instead she would slice the loaf in thick pieces lengthwise.  Slather butter all over it and pour a good helping of molasses over top.  I can still smell and taste her bread almost 40 years later.  I always asked for the hill (side) because I like the crust the best.  I was the only one who liked the crunchy outside so there was never an argument over who got it.  She also made the most delicious doughnuts!

In my crazy farm life, up and down the road life, not enough hours in the day life, even though I only sleep 3 hours a night life, I still insist on using the best, un-matching, thrift store fine china I own.  I decided long ago that my family was "THE BEST COMPANY I COULD EVER HAVE", so every meal is eaten off real plates, with fancy footed glasses, silverware, and a table cloth on the table.  Yes, sometimes late at night-----11:00 p.m.------- when we are dragging in from a day spent, weeding, milking, watering, and chores, I think to myself," You must be out of your mind (which all of you know I am by now) to dirty a bunch of dishes when I could just use paper plates, cups and plastic utensils.  Well, I am either awful stubborn or a glutton for punishment, because there will not be paper plates on my table no-siree!

The kids sometimes groan when it is their turn to wash (by hand of course) and I just smile and quote a little poem I learned in my grandma's cozy kitchen oh so many years ago.

THANK GOD FOR DIRTY DISHES;

THEY HAVE A TALE TO TELL.

WHILE OTHER FOLKS GO HUNGRY,

WE'RE EATING VERY WELL.

WITH HOME, AND HEALTH, AND HAPPINESS,

WE SHOULDN'T WANT TO FUSS;

FOR BY THIS STACK OF EVIDENCE,

GOD'S VERY GOOD TO US.

(wish I had that old plack a hanging on my wall)

a dish drainer filled with beautiful, colored, vintage, stemware

after a wonderful, unexpected, dinner with family and friend's who happened to drop by

 I did wish, for just a moment,

 that I had some paper plates stashed away in a cupboard somewhere........ 

or a dishwasher------

but, a sink full of dirty dishes is a blessing,

a reminder of meals shared together and

evidence that family is cherished

besides,

 doing dishes is the only way I can get the farm dirt out from under my fingernails

and the green stain from weeding and trimming tomatoes off my hands.

SO,

LET'S EAT REAL, HOME-GROWN FOOD......

 ON REAL PLATES!