It’s 2 degrees short of being HOT today in Eastern NE. The past three days the temp has reached at or near 90 degrees. Although I am loving this heat, the flowers that I have waited for a year to return are not. When it’s spring, the flowers like the cool weather so much better. With the past three days of heat and wind, the flowers are suffering. The crabapple trees, cherry tree, apple tree and the redbuds are nearly done gracing us with their beauty. There’s been previous years where the flowers last quite some time before drying up and blowing away.
A few of my most favorite flowers are beginning to “pop” – the iris. The miniature guys are first to show their beauty and the intermediate are beginning to sprout their bloom stocks.
This early spring is also working on the wheat crop. Unless something happens and it slows the growth pattern down substantially, we’ll be heading for Texas as early as the first week of May. It will take us two trips to get the equipment down to its final destination. So, by the time we make all our trips, it will be closer to cutting that first bushel of 2012 winter wheat. I just saw on twitter today that the Kansas wheat crop is currently three weeks ahead of average. Wheat in Harper County, KS is beginning to “head” out. My grandpa always said, “Six weeks til harvest” after hearing when the crop had “headed”. Let’s see, that puts the southern part of KS ready to cut about the second week of May. Hmmm…..anyone seeing a problem here?
Last year, we were up against the worst drought since the depression and none of us had a lot to do – let alone leave home for. I know we didn’t leave home until the first week of June and headed for Arnett, OK. This year, we’re looking at TX, OK and KS being ready all at the same time. As I said, maybe the cooler weather will set in and slow things down. If not, it will be an interesting start to the 2012 wheat run! And, then there will be a point somewhere in the summer where we’ll play catchup. It’s at that time, I’m always game for taking the tent to the mountains and “vacation”!
One year ago, we were sitting on the white sanded Florida beach enjoying the day with our recently married daughter and son-in-law. They celebrated their first anniversary yesterday…YES…April Fools Day. 🙂 Although this nice weather is ok, I’d still much rather be sitting on that same beach enjoying the waves and tasting the salty ocean air. Maybe one day we’ll get to go back.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, Curt & Jamie!
Taylor attended the Nebraska FBLA State Leadership Conference last Thursday through Saturday. I attended the awards ceremony on Saturday morning and was able to witness the “fruit” of her labors. She walked away winning first place with both of the team events she participated in. Of course, I was proud of her! I participated in FBLA in high school and was able to attend two National conferences so know how much fun they are. The problem…harvest. How to get her from where we will be the end of June, back home and then back to where we’ll be after it’s over. When I went, I had to take a bus from the wheat fields of Oklahoma back home. I don’t remember how I got back to the harvest crew – probably a bus. Not so sure I’m ready to let my daughter leave on a bus all by herself. And, we’ll figure it out – just one of the quirks of being away for the summer.
Taylor and her “Business Ethics” team.
The American Enterprise team.
Taylor and her FBLA Advisor. Funny thing…he and I probably attended the same Nebraska State Leadership conferences while in high school. Was it really that long ago? It doesn’t seem possible.
P.S. The scolding chatter of the wren is warming my heart – she’s back!