Julie Helen: 'I love seeing Ricky so comfortable where I grew up'

Ricky was really excited to go to my home and visit his grandparents in Woodside because the first calves had been born.

He had new weatherproof gear and he was ready for work.

Granny had bought him new buckets for feeding milk. Grandad Tim had bought a new wagon on wheels that Ricky could pull up and down the shed. He was so excited.

Truth be told I think the grandparents were just as excited and looking forward to the season of new life on the farm.

I was in the utility room of the house and saw a selection of tiny, black buckets that could only hold a couple of cupfuls of milk. I asked Mum what they were for and she gleefully piped up- “Peter of course”.

Peter is my nephew, who just turned one in November, and Granny had purchased small buckets so that he could learn how to feed the calves with Ricky.

It wasn’t long before the photos of the two lads started streaming in and there was great joy about the place.

Ricky came back explaining how Granny was going to pay him a fiver for helping and he was going to save up for a trip to the toyshop. He was beaming.

I was thrilled that he is learning about work in his most familiar place with people he adores. There is great value in knowing that there are jobs to be done and that everyone must muck in and do them, no matter their age or stage.

Later the same afternoon, my Dad told Ricky they needed to walk to the daffodil plot to pick some flowers for the different houses.

The field in question has grown daffodils for over 100 years and has many different varieties. It is a treat to visit when everything is in bloom. I loved watching Ricky’s energy both in relation to work and in the quest to pick flowers for people. He picked a special bunch of one of the more rare varieties that has double trumpets for his teacher in school and he was as proud as punch!

Plans were being made in earnest for the week of midterm when more fivers could be gathered and fun could be had.

I could hear bargaining happening with Granny that they needed to gather all the pillows and cushions in sight to make a pillow fort. I was struck by the simple requests.

Another lovely development was that Ricky gobbled all the food on offer and slept soundly. The fresh air and adventures do him the world of good. I love seeing him so comfortable where I grew up.

Going home takes on a whole new level of magic and reminds me what a lovely childhood I had myself. I read somewhere recently that the true impact of childhood can only be understood in hindsight, that we don’t really understand it as we are going through it.

Home feels more of a safe haven than ever for me, it’s like all the history, good, bad and indifferent comes back to greet me. I know I belong.

Mum and Dad recently did up the living room with new curtains and furniture. I thought the lack of the faded blue curtains with crayon on the inside of the lining of the one in the corner, would make me sad. It has had the opposite impact, there’s a new cosiness after descending and Ricky can still bounce on both the couch and my Dad, and Mum potters around happily.

The room is full of double-trumpet daffodils and all the toys grandchildren could want.

Home is more than a place - it’s a feeling.