At the farmer's market this morning I picked up a couple dozen ears of sweet corn thinking that I would freeze some of summer for the winter. This afternoon as I'm blanching the ears and slicing the kernels from the ears, I got a little nostalgic and started missing my mom. My mom died of complications of leukemia in 2000. Remarkably, people are right about never getting over the loss, but instead just getting used to it. So, occasionally these little waves of grief come over me. Now, as opposed to the first year or so after she died when things were really painful, I have come to sort of enjoy the little grief moments as it gives me some time to reflect and be grateful for her.
The reason I got sentimental in the first place was that my mom used to freeze about 40 quarts of corn at the end of every summer as far back as I can remember. I froze about 8 pints today from the 24 or so ears I picked up today. My mom did a lot of corn by comparison. I used to help her take the husks off and stood by when she cut the kernels off after blanching the ears. Now, as back then, the coolest part is when you're cutting the kernels and get 3 or 4 intact rows of corn in a slice, then pop it in your mouth. It doesn't taste any better or different than the rest of the corn. Its just fun. So that's me, missing my mom today. Tomorrow, I'll miss her for something else. She was pretty great.
2 comments:
I hear you.
Yup. I'd probably hug you if I were there.
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