Yes! We’re cutting wheat again!

“What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him makes it. Is there any god like God?” Psalm 18:30-31

What a crazy day! First of all, we woke up to 40 degrees and a trailer house that felt like a walk in cooler. Once the coffee was brewing and the rugs were once again moved away so the furnace could blow the welcomed heated air, the day could start. All I really wanted to do was stay toasty warm under the covers in bed – which I did until the trailer house warmed up.

We thought we might be able to get started cutting right away this a.m. We headed out to the field with lunch buckets and water jugs in hand. Jim crawled into the combine only to be told by the farmer it was too wet. The moisture tester still showed 14.5%. Farmer says, “let’s try it again about noon”. So we headed back to the trailer house to eat our lunch – which consisted of sandwich (lunchmeat & cheese), chips, cookies, grapes, granola bar, pudding, iced tea (with lemon), and pop (Jim likes 2 cans of pop). I don’t usually eat all my lunch in one sitting. I try to spread it out throughout the day. I’m not sure what Jim does 🙂 The iced tea in a jar idea came from my Grandma. She used to do that for the hired guys. It’s best to recycle an instant tea jar for your icy cold iced tea. Sit that jar in the lunch box, surrounded by lots of ice and you have a cold drink with your sandwich or cookies.

Ok, so we ate the lunch and tried mailing a certified letter but the post office was closed. So, back out to the field we went. Tried it again – still too wet. Back to town to mail the letter, check out the hardware store and back to the trailer house. About 3:30, we headed out there again. This time it looked like we’d be able to get started and keep going – which we did.

Jim’s captain of the combine and cutting with the farmer. The farmer’s wife and I are hauling the grain to the bin. Not a far drive, just outside the field about a mile. I tried getting a picture of the grain going from the truck to the auger to the grain bin but my camera started dealing me fits. I hope it doesn’t completely die on me! If it does, I’ll be without a good camera until I can either get to a large enough city to buy another one or order one online and wait for it to show up at the post office. Not easy when you’re like 1,000 miles from a city. Just teasin – Lewistown is only 40 miles away. Not sure how far Great Falls is. It’s not like being in Jordan and actually being 85 miles from the nearest Walmart.

We cut til it got cool and the air felt damp. When it gets cool and damp, the combine quits feeding the wheat in nicely and it sometimes wants to growl a little as it goes through the machine. It’s a whole lot easier to cut wheat during the heat of the day and 100 degree day work the best. When the weather is good for people, it’s usually not good for cutting wheat. The temperatures lately certainly feels good to us humans but not so nice to get the acres of wheat cut.

Tomorrow is Taylor and Callie’s first day back to school. I talked to them earlier this evening and they were excited to get back and see their friends. Not so sure how the idea of school work fits into the picture, though. I tried to reassure them that once they were back, everything would fall into place for them. They were telling me how it didn’t even feel like they’d actually left Manley and had been gone for 10 weeks. I understand that feeling. It’s hard to say goodbye to the summer schedule – or lack of – and the wheat fields for another year. I’m sort of denying that it’s going to happen but I’m only kidding myself. Anyways, the two of them are having a grand time hanging out with their older siblings and doing some fun things. I’m glad they’re able to be together for the next several weeks. Jamie will be going back to her job, too. She’s a para for her local school and LOVES it. She’s probably the one most excited about school starting.