Chasing Time: A Story Of Appreciation

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Welcome to the inaugural episode of Pan to Pen, when a private chef leaves the kitchen to write a story. Each episode serves up a fresh literary treat, inspired by the sizzle of the kitchen and crafted by Tate Basildon, a private chef and memoir author. I'm your host. 

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And narrator Curtis legs. 

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In each episode, Tate Basildon pours his heart into crafting stories that range from real life adventures to wild and imaginative fiction that will whisk you away to places you've never dreamed of. This podcast is his playground for his love of words and storytelling. Tate hopes to inspire, entertain, and connect with all of you through these stories. 

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Whether you need a little inspiration, some good old fashioned entertainment or just a moment to ponder lifes mysteries, pan to pen has something special in store for you. 

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So let's dive into this weekly adventure together as I narrate the stories, be sure to hit that subscribe button now and let pan to pan work its storytelling magic on you. Together, we'll uncover the beauty of storytelling and find the extraordinary in the everyday. Today we embark on a poignant journey through the seasons of Life. 

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Promises made and the enduring beauty of the present moment. 

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Join us today as we explore the bittersweet tapestry of the farmer Jonathan's life. It is a story of dedication, unfulfilled promises, and the timeless wisdom that teaches us to savor. The beauty of the present moment. 

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As we listen to this episode, let us reflect on its lessons, urging us to live fully appreciate the now and embrace each moment as a precious gift. So my friends let us journey together through the changing seasons of Jonathan's life, and may this tale inspire us all to cherish the simple joys that surround us. 

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Every day. 

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From the beginning of spring to the end of fall, Jonathan woke before the Sun rose and worked his farm, rain or shine, six days a week. 

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He stopped only when it was time to eat his lunch under an ancient oak tree. 

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The tree at the tallest point of his farm provided an unobstructed view for miles. He loved looking down at the slow moving river as it snaked into his land, ran alongside the barn and down into the valley below. 

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When I have my time off on Sunday, I'll bring a hammock up here, relax with a good book and do nothing all. 

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Day Jonathan said to himself one day, as he finished his lunch and returned to his tractor to continue his work until sunset. 

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That Sunday, he woke up with a sparkle in his eye as he thought about stringing his hammock under the tree at the top of the hill. The light in his eye quickly vanished when he looked out of his bedroom window and saw only the dark Gray clouds obscuring the sun and lashing rain to the ground, lowering his head, he sighed and felt his shoulders slumped from the weight of his disappoint. 

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Well, there is always next Sunday, I guess. 

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He muttered as he tried to console himself that the crops needed the rain. 

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The next day at lunchtime he made his way up the hill to. 

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The old oak tree. 

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He sat on the ground with his back pressed against the enormous trunk, looked at all he could see, and swore he would return on Sunday and relax and enjoy the peace. 

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That Sunday it rained again the following Sunday, he went to a wedding. The Sunday after that he had to go to a christening, and so it continued until fall and harvest time came. He told himself that the rain events and life prevented him from keeping that promise to himself. The icy grip of winter cast its shadow over the land. 

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And it would not allow him his wish to go to the top of that hill and enjoy the view and relax. 

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He looked out of his kitchen window up at the old oak, tears in his eyes as he sipped on his coffee and ran his fingers over the pages of the unopened novel he purchased to read under the Oak. 

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He promised to do it next year as he put the book beside his bed. 

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Spring emerged the trees leaved, flowers blossomed and it was time to plant this year's crop. 

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Every day he journeyed to the old oak, ate his lunch, promised himself that he would return on Sunday and left. 

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And again, every Sunday the weather, illness and life would prevent him from taking his book and hammock to the top of the hill to enjoy the silence, the beauty and the peace that laying under that tree would give him. Jonathan worked the land for 30 years and for 30 years he promised to get up to the old oak on a Sunday, but it never happened. 

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One day, Jonathan did not wake up. He would no longer tend to his farm. 

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No longer would he make his daily lunch trip or make his silent promise to himself to make it back on a Sunday to enjoy the view and beauty from the old oak. 

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His wife, who watched his daily trek to the top of. 

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The hill knew nothing of his silent promise to return on a Sunday. She buried Jonathan, the dedicated farmer under the tree at the top of the hill, and had a marble headstone made and placed at his grave. 

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The stone, reflecting the sunny day, held the same view that Jonathan had, and it read. Here lies a man who knew the value of a hard day's work but still took the time every day to sit under this tree, relax and enjoy the beauty of life around him. May we all learn as he showed. 

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To live in and appreciate the now. 

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And not live with regret for the future. 

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And so, dear listeners, we come to the end of yet another heartfelt chapter in pan to pen. 

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Jonathan's story reminds us that life is a delicate dance between our dreams and the demands of the present. Between the promises we make and the moments we seize. 

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As we bid farewell to the story, let it linger in our hearts as a reminder to live fully, cherish the beauty surrounding us, and hold close to the promise of today. 

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I hope you've enjoyed this journey with us and I invite you to join us again for more enchanting tales that captivate the soul and ignite the imagination until next time. Remember to find your ancient oak tree, your place of solace and savour, the beauty of life in the now appreciating it while it is with you and not putting it off for another day. 

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Thank you for tuning in to PAN to Pen. Please take a moment to subscribe rate and follow if you have not already and please share this podcast with your friends and family. Also go to Tates website listed in the show note for more great stories until next time. This is Curtis Legno, your narrator signing off. 

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Pen to pen where a chef explores storytelling beyond the kitchen, is written, produced and edited by Tate Basildon, who holds the copyright herein.