Watching Wheat

This time of year, we watch the wheat grow. When it starts changing from green to gold, then harvest is approaching. Lots of change coming. One traveler returns this weekend, soon five return to schoolwork, two are left home alone, and one dog will be seriously confused.

I haven't quilted all summer and had one day at the quilt shop in the last two weeks. So far, I have kept ahead of the charts that need to be loaded. I "go live" next week, giving up the paper chart and using the electronic record. The stress of change, even good change, is real. Hope it goes smoothly.

July on the farm

Part of the ritual of farm living is the "crop tour". We get in the pickup and drive around to the different fields to see how the crops are doing. The farmer checks for disease and insects, studies the head of the wheat to see how the kernals are filling, and checks the amount of moisture in the soil. I go along, take pictures and shout words of encouragement to the wheat. I love crop tours.

I also love the clouds during a storm. This is from Monday . It built up southwest of us and gradually filled the whole sky. The different layers have different shapes, and move in different directions. Tucker doesn't like the lightening and thunder, but I do. This storm brought 1/2 inch of rain, and no hail. I am amazed at how many colors of gray there are.

Summer storm

Last night I hurried home from work because a storm was brewing. It split in two and went past us to the north and the south. It poured in town, but we didn't get enough to register on the rain guage. To the south in Bison, there was baseball-sized hail.

It was impressive enough to grab the camera and capture the moment. The weather this year has been so unusual. High humidity, high heat, and a late start for planting. Who knows how things will turn out. Sometimes it seems like getting hailed out and collecting the crop insurance would pay the best. If the crop is harvested and other places do poorly, the demand goes up and the price we sell at is higher.

Now there is a sprayer from Cenex stuck in the mud at the bottom of the cornfield in front of the house. Farm-fresh quicksand.

Picking Peas

Today was 101 degrees outside. The farmer went out early to pick the peas. After we got them out of the pods, we had 1.25 gallons. They are safely in the freezer for vegitable-loving company.

The flowers are the lilies that Mom gave me for Christmas one year. The first year, the deer ate the blooms. Now they are safe behind the deer fence.

We are going to a Twins game next weekend. Hope it cools off first. When I get back, it will be my turn to "go live" with the electronic health record. I hope I get efficient before all the athletic physicals hit the door. Help!!!

Honey in the Making

I have noticed this year that the sweet clover (yellow) and alfalfa (purple) are especially lush. When I stop at the mailbox on our county road, the air literally smells like honey. On the farmer's land in South Dakota, the beekeeper to the south of us has his hives sitting on the hill surrounded by yellow clover. It is an invisible harvest. Since we get a portion of the honey, there will be more than enough to share. Let me know.

A. has 2 1/2 weeks left of his adventures in India. An unexpected benefit is that I am learning as well. I google the community he is in and search for pictures so I can better visualize what he is experiencing. It reminds me of a computer game "Where in the World is Carmon Sandiego?" that the kids and I enjoyed when they were younger. Did I unknowingly encourage this lust for adventure that runs so strongly in each of them?

Grapes 2011

Things are moving along. You can tell the clusters, but they look more like itty-bitty peas than grapes. The garden doesn't wait. The weeds grow, the birds hover looking for treats, whether or not I feel like being a farmer today. My heart longs for my sewing machine. I have fabric calling me. The laundry and dishes are calling too, but I am ignoring them. Sundays should be sewing days.

I heard from my traveler this morning, and he is having the time of his life in the shadow of the Hymalayas. There are monkeys swinging from trees in the rainforest, and his fellow student is from Wheaton. So many stories, which I didn't get to hear yet because the phone died. Sigh. At least we know he is live and well, and happy. I am amused by the facebook friends he is accumulating on his travels.

Lindsey is working on her application to Physical Therapy school. It must be that time of year. Remember her in your prayers tonight. I continue to load charts, and pick berries, and sneak in sewing now and then :)

Garden Tour

It's the fourth of July, and time to show the progress in the garden. Our landscaping has filled in and the flower boxes look great.

These are the blooms on the raspberrys. It means lots of berries in two to three weeks.

The blueberries aren't tall but they are making berries. We usually don't have many, but the ones that we get are great.

Romaine, lettuce, spinach, peas in the foreground.Raspberries, then grapes in the distance.

The strawberries just won't quit. We are up to 64 gallons and I know there are more that could be picked today. I will probably go out in a little while and pick. I may even make a pie in honor of the fourth. Happy Holiday!