This day seems like it began an eternity ago.

It was agreed last night that we would give the field a little time to dry before we began “whacking” away at it today. I was able to finish my laundry before we left the trailer house. We met at the field about noonish. After the guys finished servicing the combines, we got started and never quit until about 8:30 this evening.

It was another warm day in the northern country! I believe it got close to 95 or so. There was basically no wind. So, another day of sweat + wheat dirt = itch because Terri and I hauled to bin all afternoon. Tomorrow is supposed to be as warm again and then a day of cooler weather on Tuesday and then right back up with the heat on Wednesday. That’s ok, though, because this spring crop definitely needs the heat! Someone asked me if they spray roundup here to kill the wheat. I don’t think they do, at least not our farmer. Only a couple of incidents that broke up the day – I couldn’t start the tractor at one point (which Terri came and saved the day by knowing how to make it start) and the truck Terri was driving had an air leak (at the very end of the day). Other than that, we had a pretty productive day.

After finishing the last field by the “bin on the creek”, we loaded the heads on the trailers and started travelling somewhere in the middle of Montana (any Merle Haggard fans out there?). We got closer to the mountains and up on a “bench” – flat wheat fields. The town we’re cutting near is actually called Benchland. Terri grew up around Benchland and filled us in on some of the history of the area and remembrances of being a kid on our way back down to

the pickup (near the “bin on the creek”). She got to grow up on a creek – something I always thought would be THE BEST as a kid! I always dreamed of having a home one day near a creek. As a kid, I thought it would really be neat to have an actual creek run through my house. Of course, I was too young to think about the possibility of flooding and what that would do to my home. If I could have a newer home (that looked like an old house) near a creek, that would be the ultimate dream home! And for those of you who know me – a new double oven would be a must!!

I enjoyed our trip back to the pickup because we all rode down the hill together. I enjoy hearing people’s stories and getting to know them. I feel like we’ve got more new friends to add to our book. It’s interesting to me how God puts people into our lives for reasons only He knows. Last year at this time, we were in this area. I never thought we’d be back again. He had a different plan. When we look back at our lives and the different events that have happened, we see only pieces of the complete puzzle. Someday, I expect I’ll see the completed puzzle and know why things happened the way they did! We got back to trailer house just before 10:00. First on my list was a shower! Jim threw a frozen pizza in the oven for supper. Hey, Callie, I finally baked the rest of that cookie dough you made before you headed home, too! They’ll be a good treat in our lunch tomorrow. I didn’t ask any questions, but I think Jim may be going on a plane ride with Ed  in the morning. I overheard Ed asking Jim if he’d want to ride along – to where I haven’t a clue. I know for a fact he was secretly wishing he could go for a ride when we first got here (Ed’s a pilot). So, maybe tomorrow I’ll have pictures from the air to share with you. 

              Taken from the seat of the “Frank”

This is what your bread and pasta is made from. We like to wonder if the shredded wheat we eat for breakfast has any of the wheat we cut in it.

Cole was right behind the combines working up the ground.

 An old schoolhouse. This was on our way to Benchland.

The grain elevator in Benchland. No longer in working order.

The Benchland school. Terri’s mom went to school here through the 8th grade.

The town of Benchland is in the background.

 A cut field is just as beautiful as an uncut one! I love the patterns of the straw.