Rainy Week

We’ve had plenty of rain all summer.  Not a week has gone by that the lawn hasn’t needed mowed and it never was brown.  Usually there isn’t much growing grass in July & August to mow.
From Tuesday night, 8/28, through Monday night, 9/3, I recorded 7.59″ of rain!  We don’t really have fields that flood or stay flooded but now even the ones north of the house have standing water.  The farmer was able to mow the lawn quickly last evening but drove through standing water in lower parts of the yard.

Sunday afternoon:

Clearly some water rushed through here to flatten the tall grasses!

The creek crossing that is usually dry by now.

Monday afternoon – 3 hours after it quit raining that day.  Neither the dog nor I wanted to go through this!

Today is more rain!  It was .6″ a bit ago.

The soybeans are looking nearly ready for harvest and at this point it will take a long time to dry out the fields for equipment.

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Wet Weekend

June 10 – boy this is outdated now!

Just what our crops needed!!  We had loud storms both Friday and Saturday nights while we slept or tried to sleep.

Total rainfall for us was 5.66″.  Which really is a bit much in just 2 days!!  With the ground fully saturated on Saturday, when the next storm came hard and fast, we had a lot of run-off and many areas saw flooding.  We don’t flood but did take a walk Sunday afternoon to see how high the water was during the night.  It quickly drains from here.

Pleased to see no hail damage!

This is normally a dry waterway but you can see how much water rushed through at the peak by the flattened grasses.

 

Only a small amount of our soybeans were under water for a bit.

Last summer, the state tried to strengthen the bridge by adding huge boulders to the other side to help the washing.  Several boulders floated through with this to our side!!  Shocking as they are like 18″ rocks!

 

June 10 and the corn is up to his waist.  (On June 12, it was up to his chest!)

 

Our usual creek area.  In a normal summer, it is a bit of a trickle at this point.  All this flattened grass is from the force of the water rushing through.

 

Ok, it was HIGH at some point!!  Over 6′ higher than normal.

This was early afternoon after the nighttime storm.  The creek is still higher and faster than normal.  Thankful for our safety and no water damage.

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Art Gallery

I was honored to be asked to enter and then super-excited and shocked to be accepted to show one of my quilts in a local art gallery.  The fall special exhibit was entitled, “Farms & Barns 11”.  (I assume eleventh year with this special theme in the fall.)

 

A beautiful town ~~ this was on my way home after I set-up my quilt.

The acceptance letter also let me know there would be an opening reception of the special exhibit in just a few weeks.  I kindly told P that he would “get” to be my arm candy that night!  (His comment while driving away was along the lines of there went 2 hours of his life that he’d never get back.)

My guild friend that suggested I enter the show was at the opening reception and we were able to chat and I met her friend and her husband.  She is so sweet & kind to support me so much like this!

My in-laws came and were thrilled to have their quilt on display.  This is the first time I’ve had the chance to have a photo with my FIL and his quilt.  (the least blurry photo)

All the other exhibitors showed various forms of paintings or digital photographs.  My piece was the only one not for sale and I assume most of the other exhibitors had not made such a personal piece but have their pieces offered for sale on a regular basis.   I felt my work was out of place and it was displayed away from the other works but I was still happy to have my work there.  It was the best lighting the quilt has ever been shown in which thrilled me to see the quilting textures enhanced.

P & me….

This was heading back to the main floor after we looked at children’s art work displayed in the basement.

I sent the gallery director jpegs to print out of 2 of the labels on the back.  Hopefully no one was touching to read the back of the quilt so these 2 frames had information about the quilt.

FIL was curious about my selfie so I showed him an example…. and we got the 2 of us!  😉

Waiting for time to pass and letting MIL rest instead of standing.

I hope I can get more advance notice for future special exhibits and be able to create for another gallery show.  It is a beautiful gallery!

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Plot Tour

This year the company that hosted our corn, soybean, and cover crops plots hosted a tour with dinner as well.  Phil had a lot of work getting the fields ready (and just having a plot is more work than one’s normal field) but he enjoys this so much.  The company brought in the canopy tents, did the advertising, and brought the food!

Brand and variety signs along the corn.

Proud parents enjoy the party.

Huge cooker for boneless pork chop sandwiches.

Corn anyone?  Bright & golden down the straight rows.

Soybeans and corn.

Soybean plot.

Cover crop plot.   (we really had hoped for rain before the plot to help these fledglings along.  In the end, they did well.)

Our cover crops are planted into the ground where we had harvested wheat in July and we let the straw stubble (after baling) remain.  It all provides nutrients to the soil.

The chief.

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Wheat Harvest

The end of June brought the harvest of our wheat.  The yields for the wheat were fantastic… too bad we didn’t have the glass ball to foresee planting more wheat last fall.  The harvest was about 4 weeks early.

Every year it is still so amazing to see the “amber waves of grain” against the corn & soybeans that neighbor the field.

Bob was in the combine and Phil was there to haul the loads.  Not often do I get them both together for a photo.

Phil just had filled another semi load of wheat which is heading out here.

Of course, the spot-price for the remaining bushels was much higher than the price he locked in earlier.

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It’s Fall!

I’m not a fan of this season or the next but here are some photos I’ve snapped lately of life around here.

The dirt in the air from the farmers working the fields makes for stunning sunsets!  I’m loving the fountain grass – thanks to K & JP for ‘getting’ me some a few years ago.  🙂

I actually got Nina to sit here and stay while I came behind for this photo.  I wish I had the knowledge to take better sunset photos.  It was really pretty!  She cracked me up on this one. Stayed looking away from me until I called her.  🙂

Phil is knee-deep in harvest.  Soybeans are done, wheat is drilled and coming up, corn is in process.  The new drying system is going fine and he only runs it during the day. 🙂   I’ve gotten used to the drying system starting up… JP & I think it sounds like an ambulance is HERE!

We got rained out on Wednesday morning but they were able to get going again on Friday.   Sometimes these little breaks are good so that Phil can get some pig work done and catch his breath a bit.

Nina LOVES truck rides!  And this time of year, I don’t mind the company.  She is a good listener.

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In Other News…

Last Saturday, we got hit with a flurry of short but powerful storms!  JP was gone at motorcycle classes and they had to go in a few times for lightning.  Thankfully they missed the hail.  We didn’t.  😦

These are from the front yard, I’m hiding under the protection of the porch!

The hail came down so hard some of them were shattering when they hit the cement driveway.

They were as big as golf balls if not bigger.

Here at the house fields, the damage is minimal.   Our fields to the south east have moderate to heavy damage.  We are waiting on the insurance adjuster to come.   The tops of the corn are broken off and the soybeans are heavily damaged.  At least we have hail insurance.  We don’t have wind insurance for our previous storm so we are thankful the corn recovered from that.

The little village 3 miles south of us had very heavy damage and a tornado was spotted there.  No wonder Phil thought the clouds at our place were rotating.  

JP had his motorcycle classes on Friday night and all day Saturday & Sunday.   Nine were in his class and 6 passed the final tests.  He was one that passed!!  🙂  He had a lot of fun in spite of the very early alarm settings.  He was the youngest by far as he thinks the next youngest student was 35 or so.    He had the most experience before the class with being able to ride the fields and lane for the last few years.  After learning on gravel, waterways, and crossing the creek, he thought dry asphalt was a piece of cake!   🙂   His certificate will arrive in about 2 weeks and then he can go to the DMV for a new license.  All the testing is done.   Congrats!!

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Knee-High

I’m sure you’ve heard the old-timer’s phrase that the corn will be “knee-high by the 4th of July”.   That doesn’t hold true in these modern times with better seed and better farming practices.

With the early planting and warm temps in May, JP & I joked it would by knee-high by the 4th of June!   It doesn’t rhyme but I did get photo evidence for you!

This is June 6th since I was in Chicago on June 4th and then it rained (again) on June 5th.

Phil questioned why I chose a thin patch of field for the photo-op however he was on the other side of the camera.  ????   BigBrother also asked if this was a thin area.

Yes.  Sorry I am giving you a poor shot!  🙂

How’s this???

Same field (east of the house) but this is near the shed because Phil was working there.  Today – June 24.   More than my 5′ 2 1/2″ tall!

It is never as tall at the edge of the field but at least you can see a bit of me here.

I think we are over 8″ of rain for this month.  Plus lots of heat!

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Plot Report

Sorry I didn’t report back sooner.  Projects & life….

Phil’s corn plot planting went great on Wednesday.   Done in record time with 2 plots.  So much faster than they expected that I had to take lunch over by 11 or they would have left!!  There was no way they were missing my lunch.   😉

After each pass, they have to vacuum out the seed that is still left in the boxes.  That is the job for all the helpers that come.

Phil is in & out of the tractor at every pass and helping to reload.

So… since she didn’t help with cooking, she INSISTED on going for the ride to the field.  Oh my goodness!! And there was no way I was arguing with a 100# dog this day.  Even when I left the other back door open to get the coolers out, she stayed in the truck.  Of course, it helped that Gpa came and rubbed her head and that the other men stayed far away.   😉

At the other end of the plot are 2 others who do the switching on that end.   Each variety of seed is only in 6 rows – 2 varieties per pass.   (I pack another set of food & drinks that Phil delivers down to them.)

At this point, I found out they were way ahead of schedule so hurried home to get the sandwiches made!

The buns turned out huge!!  Each was bigger than my fist.

She could hardly wait for the second trip!

Finishing up the second plot, corn on beans.

They were done by 11:20 and they were kind enough to stay for some food.  😉   They loved it!   That good ol’ home cookin’ (even cold sandwiches) is a dying art.

By the time Phil quit planting about 8:30 that night, he only had 15 acres of corn to plant.

He started early on Thursday morning.  We had gray clouds even though the storm wasn’t due until Friday.    It rained.    😦   Enough he had to stop.  But then the sun came back out, we are in this high wind front for a few days and he headed back out by noon.

All the corn acres were finished and 3 sweet corn plots planted by Thursday, April 29!!!  It isn’t even May yet and he has corn done!!  Yahoo!!!    🙂

Today he is catching up on pig work, cleaned the hot nursery, and is working on switching the planter over to beans for after this storm.  The wind remains, the tornado watch is issued, and the thunder is rumbling.

Maybe tomorrow I can show you yesterday & today’s sewing mixed media projects.   😉   Surprise until after Saturday anyway!

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Plot Prep

Really, if you ever get tired of my alliterations, talk to my mom.    I think it is a genetic thing…. so it would be her fault.   🙂

In honor of “one of those days”, I’m having my second cup of hot cocoa.   🙂   But with YOU so that is a good thing, right?   😉

(No, I don’t swirl it… I’m the mom, NOT the daughter!  😉 )

It is time.

The 2 corn plots are slated to go in tomorrow.

Yes, 2.  It is a new thing this year.  Our usual County Extension  corn on beans as well as a new plot, corn on corn.  Planting corn… into either last year’s bean field or last year’s corn field.   Many like seeing results from both.

So with 2 plots going in, it isn’t just an afternoon event.   (which in the past netted them cinnamon rolls….)   Eight a.m. is the start time so…

I’ll have 2 batches of Applesauce-Oatmeal muffins for 9:30.

Lunch will come about 11:30 —

• ham & cheese sandwiches
• carrot sticks
• chips
• cookies
• drinks from the cooler

So today I’ve made the dough for the homemade buns.  It is in the frig until late afternoon. Then I’ll shape them, let them rise, & bake them tonight.  I’ll assemble the sandwiches in the morning.

I have sugar cookie dough in the frig cooling as well.  I plan to bake them as soon as the oven is available.  I’m not doing frosting which wouldn’t travel as well, just colored sugar on top.  I’m sure they won’t mind too much.  I like to think that Phil thinks that’s how round sugar cookies are just made.  Without frosting!!    🙂

In the oven now are Outrageous Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Peanut Butter cookies.  YUM!!  All before 10:30 a.m.!!    🙂

I have Sunny D, diet Pepsi, Root Beer, & water bottles getting cool in the garage frig.  As the ice tray gets full in the kitchen frig, I bag it up for the freezer to have for the coolers tomorrow.

And honestly, I’m really hoping I see time with my dear Bernina and my 09 BOM that I have going.   I started the 3rd to last month the other day!! Yahoo!!  It wants me…

Here’s my helper…

ha!

But once again with her head smashed along something!   She tried to then lay along the counter in front of the mixer area, the oven, and the sink.  I said, “No way!!” and she is now sleeping in the office.  A great place to keep an eye on the back door.   😉

JP isn’t helping as he is in the final stretch of this semester.

A LOT of math problems needing a LOT of scrap paper!

K is in her 3rd week of no-day-off.  In fact, yesterday she RAN the place!! On a MONDAY no less, when everyone and his brother like to call in.  Her receptionist took the day off.  Her assistant quit a month ago and hasn’t been replaced.  The owner’s son was out signing papers for their new house.  The owner was at the son’s house babysitting the recovering from surgery dog that can’t be left alone.  The owner’s husband was AWOL.   Oh… and it was payday so all the natives kept coming in the office looking for money.  K had 4 brides with appointments, all showed, and another one was a walk-in.

Whew!

I’m so thankful that my husband has a job that he loves,  my son is working hard with his college classes, and my daughter has a great job.

Because so many in our Sonlight forum family are hurting. I’m praying for Jannette and baby Rosi, Eliz & Megan, Denise, and Jonelle.  None of them are ever far from my mind….

An don’t EVER think you aren’t smart enough to home school your kids!!  JP’s math this semester is on the computer with a video teacher.  Then he goes 2x a week to a classroom and has a professor there as well.   The video prof was working a huge algebra problem in yesterday’s lesson …. “using this 1 here, 2 times 1 is 4…” and proceeded to then mess up the whole problem!  Ack!!  I pay good money for these classes…..

I know they introduced “new math” to us in the 70’s but this is NUTS!!

That’s my day….  but not nearly everything on my mind.   😉

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