Introducing Farming Equipment to Youth

It's harvest time here again. Steve is working day job and nightly finds him running combine. Last night, I took Kiley up to see what her Papa is doing, and she got her first combine ride. She watched every move he made, every lever he used, and watched him drive thru the field shelling corn.

After the first round, she thought she knew enough to help him. She wanted to drive, and when we told her No, she then got over to the pedals and wanted to push on them, again telling her No. She didn't just stare out the windows like our girls did, she wanted to do it. Only being 1, she sure things she's older.

You can see her reflection in the window as she watches what is going on during the start thru the field.

When it was time for us to head home, Steve had to hold her back til he could lift her down to me. She wasn't afraid of the height at all.

I think she had a good time for her first ride in the combine. I am sure she will have many rides in the future, and I know she will learn how to drive one too. She is after all the heir to our farm and equipment. We hope she carries on the tradition of farming in the family.

Feel the Fall

I complained last week of the heat and humidity. Temps were in the 90's, days were swelteringly hot. I hope that is a word, swelteringly, sounds just like the days felt here in my area. The whole summer has been record setting hot here. So I haven't really enjoyed it all that much. Usually our summer consists of very warm, but not so miserable that it's life threatening for weeks at a time. This year was like 7 weeks straight of heat warnings, day and night. Then we had some relief, only for it to come at us again for weeks. Then again last week. Friday morning early, we saw some rain, was damp out, but the temps were tolerable.

Then Saturday, we really felt the relief, as highs only climbed to the mid 70's. The sun was shining bright, so it felt warm, but with the breeze blowing, we enjoyed working outside in it, putting up summer tools and equipment, mowing at pulling track, and then heading to farm to mow there also. I got some grass seed sowed while there, and gazed sadly at my garden, what used to be my garden. It's almost gone. I only have some carrots to dig, and tear down the fencing we put up for tomatoes to grow on, then pull out the last of the tomatoes and green beans. Zucchini has died out. Green peppers are still producing too. But nothing else is left to enjoy.

My hollyhocks are bloomed, some of them. Some won't bloom before frost gets them, for they were planted too late. But they are growing proudly all alone in the space I planted them.

While driving home, I took an interest in watching the tree lines along other farms and creeks, there is definiately fall in the air now, as the trees are starting to turn, grasses are dying, farmers crops are being harvested, and the fields are bare where the early crop is already out.

We slept with the windows open last night, and awoke to a cool house this morning. Steve said it is time for the warm sheets now, (flannel) and I told him not right yet. He suggested I cut the sheets in half and sew them together, and I would have cool sheets while he had the warm sheets. You know, he just might have an idea there, as going thru the change had made my body temperature higher than it used to be. I am thinking of looking into doing just that for the both of us. Doesn't matter if they don't match, the sheets are covered with the comforter when bed is made and that is the first thing I do everyday upon rising. I personally think people lazy who can't make a bed. How hard is it really.

So the windows are closed for now. I turned on 2 burners on the stove to take chill of the house. And I lit my candles in all the rooms. The house smells so nice and spicy, flowery and rain scented. Candles are different in every room, so it's all mingling together. It really is smelling of fall.

Well, off here, heading outside to enjoy some of the crisp cool air and watch some of the leaves turn as I piddle around out there.

Sunday Adventures in Shopping

The kiddo is growing, and it's getting cold outside, for her anyway. Since we spend so much time outdoors, weather permitting, instead of the Air Show yesterday, Steve and I went shopping.

First off we had lunch at Golden Corral.

Then we stopped at Home Depot, they don't carry fireplace glass fronts. One of our missions for the trip. Off then to Target, as it was just neighboring Home Depot, shopped for winter coats and a snow suit for Kiley. Found all we needed in Target, then off across the street to Lowe's. They don't carry the fireplace front I wanted, but they order them. So we ordered it, and shopped for a globe for ceiling fan/light, which broke a while back. I remembered it at this shopping trip.

Then had to stop at Sears and find some tools for Steve, saw ad for 10% off 6-9, but didn't want to hang around another 3 hours for that, but we were interested in a shed they had on sale. Headed home, saw Melanie and Dave were home from in-laws, so stopped and brought Kiley home with us, while they stayed and bathed the dogs, then they come over to our house.

Everyone was hungry, so fixed up sweet potato fries, mozz. cheese bites and regular french fries all in oven, and fried up some hamburgers. Then headed to living room to watch the movie Killers. Cute movie, and funny.

So our day wasn't watching air planes, but it was nice to get so much of the shopping done we were needing to do. Now we have pick-up dates for the shed this Thursday and the fireplace front on Oct. 4. Big truck oil change also on Thursday, coupon for discount, and having tires rotated. Usually we do all this, but for the price of synthetic oil, figured this saves us about $15, tire rotation is included in package.

Have a nice day.

It's Sunday morning. I am going to tie my cat to a chair. She is running thru the house like a wild animal, jumping on everything in her path. She leaps onto the kitchen table, runs across it, leaps onto the back of a chair and hangs upside down on it, looking thru the slats at me to come with flyswatter to chase her off chair. Her claws are making marks on the wood. I am about to catch her and tie her feet together so she can't climb, run or leap.

Now she's headed into living room at the speed of light to run across the furniture in there. Steve is in there, so she will head back into family room with me. Silly cat. I sure hope she calms down as she ages. Being still a kitten, growing yet, she has energy like a child on an inside cloudy day who tends to get into everything. I think we have all had those type days with our children, today is mine with my cat.

She has added to my list of things to do this fall/winter, as now I will have to re-do my table and chairs in kitchen. Good thing I love working with wood and refinishing furniture.

Time to get showered and hoping to head out the Air show at Scott Air Force Base today. Something to see those air shows. I am a big fan of planes. Looking forward to a beautiful day.

Putting away the summer

I have started putting away gardening items, as I am removing plants and harvesting the last of my produce from my garden.

I am sad, yet happy for the summer ending. I have so enjoyed planting, tending, and picking the veggies from my garden this summer. Yet I embrace fall for the cooler temperatures and change of duties. Fall means clearing, cleaning up, and fresh ideas for the next years spring/summer duties.

Getting out saws and trimmers for cutting wood, trimming brush, and oh my, shoveling snow, as I put away my summer gardening tools. Will look for limbs and stumps for some wood crafting for the winter months.

Plan on taking some fall walks in the woods around farm, just to watch the animals prepare for winter, and enjoy the last of this seasons beautiful scenery.

Sun, Wind and Tractors

Sunday September 5th, our club hosted it's 3rd antique tractor pull of the season.

Weather was beautiful, sunny, windy, but cool. Luckily the wind was from the south, sending the dust away from my announcer's stand. No eating dirt for me for once.

We had a very good turnout of participants as well as spectators. Visiting with friends and fellow pullers made the day.

Our last hosted pull of the season is October 3rd. We will have our annual cook out. Complete with bonfire with hot dogs, brats, and of course marshmallows, soda and chips for all to enjoy. After the pull, many of the pullers sit around the fire and talk, discuss next years pull, changing of rules, classes, passing around ideas to make our next pulling season a success.

Now, I will prepare list of things needed, schedule shopping date, and purchase everything needed for our last pull.

A Weekend Getaway

If you ever travel thru KY, and get a chance to take in Paducah, do so. You won't be disappointed.

Don't forget to stop in and see the hand painted wall along the Ohio river.

And stand and enjoy the view of the river, you can see in both directions for miles.

As Autumn approaches

Fall clean-up in my garden is started. It is really looking bare. And of all things, my green beans should be gone by now, a couple storms moved thru area and the wind and hard pounding rains stripped the stems, but after the warm spell after storms, they are now greening up and have blooms all over on them. Instead of pulling up the vines, I have left them in hopes they will produce thru frost.

Green peppers are still popping out, picking them young and tender, using them as they ripen.

Zucchini shows signs of producing longer too. My cucumber plant, only one which made it, needs stopped. I have more jars of relish than we will eat in a couple years. I know what friends and family will get in there Christmas basket this year. And we will be eating lots of chicken, tuna, and potato salads too.

Tomatoes are winding down, plants which survived the winds are producing smaller tomatoes and smaller quantities. I got a lot from my garden this year, saving money on winter grocery bill. It really wasn't a lot of hard work, once I got a handle on the weed roots, it was simple to keep it clean and weed free allowing my vegetables to grow hardy and plentiful.

Making plans for next years garden already, and looking for more ways to use produce, ways of preserving, and new ways to cook vegetables over the months to come before planting time again. I just hope next year the summer isn't quite so hot here in our area. Sweltering heat might be good for the garden, but it sure wasn't easy on me.