Everything but the kitchen sink

It is my philosophy that every kitchen sink should have a window view. Washing dishes is so much a daily event it needs a view to enjoy . Every home that I have lived in but one had a window view. The view there was a wall, a blank wall that I decorated with a few homey items to improve it but I spent a few years there missing the events outside. I know the reason it was built that way was to save money on plumbing because it shared a wall with the bathroom but it really missed its purpose.Some of my favorite views were from my childhood home, Craig and my first apartment together in Provo, Utah, Anthony and Aimee's 2nd childhood home in Taylorsville, Utah and our current home. That really only leaves 3 or 4 homes off the list.

I grew up without a dishwasher, or at least I should say an appliance that washes dishes. I don't remember how old I was when enlisted to be a family dishwasher, but I do remember using a stool to step up to the sink. Our window looked right out into our backyard where I envisioned the next adventure I was going to have outside. In the winter time it was ice skating on the homemade pond created by my parents. They shoveled the snow to make a thin covering and a berm around the rink. Nightly they would fill the rink with water to freeze a new layer for the ice skate rink. I don't know how many nights it took to prepare or how long they were outside freezing but it was a lot of fun ice skating in your own private rink. During the summer, I would climb our weeping willow as high as possible with my favorite book hoping I would not be discovered so I could solve that mystery or visit a new country. Spring would bring flowers budding, robins and their nest building. Fall would bring leaves changing and falling and geese flying south for the winter.

Most often my sister, Katherine was my washing, rinsing or drying partner. Usually we would share thoughts but occasionally dish washing turned into an all out war. Once we even fought over a knife which I left a permanent scar on her finger from slicing it open. I not sure why Mom and Dad continued to have us do the dishes together when we fought but I know when Katherine went away to college I missed her. Sundays was our day off from the dishes because my Dad cleaned them. His thoughts were Sunday was a day to rest from our daily labors and since the dishes were our daily chore, he allowed us this day of rest. Eventually we helped him with drying and putting away and getting to know our Dad. Dad always wanted the dishes dried and put away right after washing. Today, I firmly believe in air drying, it saves on dish towels and my time; and I will admit there is some laziness in there too.

Craig and I lived on 9th Avenue in Provo when we were first married. Our apartment was on the 3rd floor facing north. We could see right up the street and the Wasatch Mountains of Utah County. It was beautiful to see the mountainsides turn to red, yellow and orange in the fall and green again in the spring. In the summer, we watched many a lightning storm fill the sky and count the seconds between it and the thunder to see how close. It was amazing and peaceful at the same time to see this wonder. I think my favorite part was sharing the daily chore of dish washing with my future. Craig and I would do it together and talk about the life we had planned ahead with all our hopes, dreams and desires.

Our home on Sweet Basil South in Taylorsville had a kitchen sink that faced north again and my neighbor's backyard. There their two dogs lived and with our two border collies, Jewel and Natasha would run back and forth along the fence line barking at each other and carving a path in the grass. But it also overlooked our side yard with numerous trees. Trees that were used for a bird's home or a tree swing. Craig climbed with the help of a ladder as high as he could on the strongest tree and attached a rope with a small log that became a children's favorite pastime. The yard was sloped toward the street so when pushed east you were really flying. Anthony and Aimee's friends and cousins loved to visit so Uncle Craig could give them a swing. Craig loved to see how high he could help them fly, but he was always sensitive to those who were a little more timid and just wanted a gentle push.

The Sweet Basil home had no automatic dish washer, so again it fell to the children to complete this daily chore. Occasionally they worked together but usually it fell to my helping them with washing and they rinsed. We discussed school, church, books, friends, aspirations and dreams. Here I discovered Anthony wanted to be a Navy Seal or a Pro Football player when he grew up and Aimee wanted to be a Mommy or a nurse or a teacher. One April Fool's morning, I turned the water on and receiving a soaking after Anthony had set the faucet to spray everywhere, the silly thing is he caught me twice with his prank.

Our Fallbrook home has an automatic dish washer, it broke down shortly after moving in and we have never fixed it. Always meant to but for several reason the money was never prioritized for this. Today we have so few dishes with only Craig and I at home, they only need to be washed once a day. The kitchen sink window overlooks our backyard and usually the first thing I see is Natasha greeting me from the patio hoping I will come out and scratch or play with her. When we moved in the backyard was mostly dirt and bare of plants. We have since planted the hillside with lavender, rosemary, ice plants, gazanias and Mexican sage and they are filling in. There is also a magnolia tree and flowering plum to add color and interest. Last summer for my birthday, Craig and Aimee bought me grass seed and dirt, it was exactly what I wanted. This winter, Craig planted the grass and cared for it daily and I now have green grass to look at, with a couple of dog worn paths. We have put out several bird feeders and a bird bath. I enjoy watching finches, sparrows, blue jays and others I don't know the name of, feed and splash in the water. It amazes me that the feeders can remain bare for several days, even weeks, but once they are refilled the birds appear, gathering more and more each day. The feeders invite squirrels and rabbits too, hopping in under the fence for a free meal. A couple of times I have spotted a coyote eyeing Natasha, but they run off when they see a human.


Now I wash and Craig rinses as we enjoy the view together. We talk again about our aspirations, dreams and future. The kitchen sink and window together give a view of hope.
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