Yesterday we celebrated the anniversary of our Nation’s independence. I hope you did something fun and traditional.
I sent this picture to A Kansas Farm Mom after she challenged those of us in agriculture, “If you or your family is spending the holiday producing food for others, share a picture on this page. Happy Fourth of JULY!”
I began my day with sweat pants and a sweatshirt. (and sprinkles) It was July 2nd, for crying out loud!
I think it was well after noon when I finally decided the Cottage was warm enough I could put my shorts on. Who would have ever guessed? Just one more for the crazy weather of summer wheat harvest 2014!
Due to the early morning moisture and cool, cloudy conditions, there wasn’t any wheat cut. Jim did try it but it was over 15%. And that was later in the day.
So, how did we spend our day? Well, first off, Jenna showed up!! Woo hoo!! It’ll be so good to have her around for a few days. The time will go fast – it always does. I find myself thinking about different events that have happened within the past couple of years and I just can’t believe how crazy fast the times go. I hope there is something that comes from all these events and happenings because when I reflect, I think about the reasons and the purpose of being here at this exact time. I pray that what I’m doing is the reason I was placed right here, right now. Will I have done all that I was supposed to? Did I teach my kids all they should know to survive this crazy world? Will I be allowed to be a large part of my grandkids’ life? So many crazy things I find myself thinking about that I never even would have considered several years ago. Guess this comes with age, right?
I denied it as long as I could.
I knew I would have to step out of the “real” world and enter the “harvest” world eventually. That day seemed like maybe it just wasn’t going to happen. With the drought and late season freezes, the Z Crew wasn’t in any hurry to get anywhere. The farmers that we had lined acres up with in TX and OK had zeroed them out. And why would we load up and take off hoping to find something this year? I’m usually the one to encourage doing something new and different but even I didn’t feel like it was something we should do. So, I didn’t put up a fight when Jim said we’d just wait for SW Kansas and hope for acres there.
The combine left last week. Jim and Taylor got it to its destination, unloaded it and turned right around and came back. They were home the day after they left. Taylor said the wheat was green but Jim said, “we’ll be leaving with the rest of the stuff on Tuesday morning”. There it was. The date of departure. Departure from the “real” world. If you’re not a “wheatie”, I don’t think you can truly understand what it’s like to go through your house and start gathering EVERYTHING you might need for the 100+ days of being away from home. It’s overwhelming (to say the least)! So, I kept denying until Sunday afternoon rolled around. After the B-17 plane ride, I had to just tell myself I MUST get busy. Jim was being pretty insistent that Tuesday morning was the day. So, I began. I began with the basement and worked my way upstairs – to the kitchen, bathroom and finally my personal belongings. Continue reading
Traditional Easter picture – 2014
Head on over to Housewives of Rural America to read my latest post, “take time for tradition“. These days, I’m doing good to get something on this site let alone on some that were promised a while ago. So, in order to see what’s up with the Z Crew, for now, check it out.
I woke up this morning with the realization that things would never be the same again around this household…Taylor has officially moved out. For the longest time, I denied the fact. I knew that when Jenna bought a house, Taylor’s intentions were to move in with her. The house was bought and updates have been in the process ever since. I just kept denying the fact that eventually Taylor would be leaving the nest. It happened – yesterday. Maybe it was a good thing it happened yesterday. I was gone ALL DAY with a bus activity for the high school. I left home at 6:00 a.m. and returned at 8:30 p.m. The first clue that things would be different when I got home was the text I received from Taylor:
“All moved in! I just need somewhere to sleep now ha ha” and this picture
A wonderful thing happened today. Well, actually, two wonderful things happened today.
First wonderful thing – our entire family (including Curt’s family) sat together in church this morning. The reason? Well, that’s the other wonderful thing – Eli was baptized.
I reached for my address book this afternoon and thought, “You know, I should share this with my friends”. I wish I knew what year I started filling this with family and friend’s addresses. If I were to guess, I would say 25 years ago. This little book is full of history!
Last year, while at the NAFB convention, John Deere was handing out green duct tape. I thought it added some nice color to a book that was needing a little TLC.
A weird sort of feeling just swept through me.
I’m sitting here listening to the rain hit the window next to my “desk” in the living room. If this were six weeks ago, we’d be enjoying a day off. And, believe me, there’s nothing better than waking up during the middle of the night hearing that sweet sound of rain pinging on the cottage roof. No lunches would need to be packed and I would be able to sleep just as long as my body would let me. Unless, it meant ANOTHER day of sitting.
Tonight, it’s just rain. Our lives aren’t controlled with weather as much anymore. Well, it still is for Jim. He’s still harvesting but the rest of us are involved in the “real” world again. Speaking of Jim, he finished with the soybeans last night and was going to start with corn today. Not so much now. I talked to harvesters today from North Dakota to Kansas and everyone is sitting now due to rain. It’s a harvester’s holiday!
Today was Eli’s 6 month birthday. And how did he celebrate? He went to the soybean field with his mama to ride in the Yellow Beast with his grandpa.
Callie turned 16 yesterday. Hmmm…she was just a baby yesterday – my last baby. Someone told me a long time ago how fast the years go. I had no clue til they were gone.
The night before, Taylor and I decorated the kitchen (a birthday tradition) and her car.
