Country Assorteds

Jim Taylor, our neighbor across the road, started cutting hay last night.  He's getting a late start, considering the stunning fact that he began harvesting the same field in May of last year.  That was a first!

Even this time is generally early for hay harvest around our county, but with the crazy weather we've had the past couple of years, I think the farmers have put aside the norms and are resorting to the tried and true rule:  make hay while the sun shines. 

And, it's supposed to shine pretty much every day this week. 

So, the sound that greeted us when we moved here nearly 11 years ago on July 1 will soon return for 2017.  At that time, Jim was baling the field across the road, and I loved hearing the familiar and distinct noise of mowing, raking and baling in farm country once more.

Where we had lived before, the sound of farming equipment had been pretty much muted by several trains a day and loud lear jets taking off or landing.  

We had given up haying our small field in exchange for the simple process of ordering a few tons of hay, hay, opening the gate for its delivery and handing over a check to the driver as the rig went out the driveway.

When we moved here to the Lovestead and saw that the place had a newly planted hay field, we decided to harvest our own once more.  Each year, we are at the end of a long list of Harvey Lippert's customers, so I'm sure it will be well into July before we see haying equipment rolling down our lane. 

In the meantime, best wishes to Jim as he continues his first of many harvests around the neighborhood. 

After spending a few minutes over at my sisters and having fallen short of my daily goal of 20,000 Fitbit steps yesterday, I went on an early evening walk in our neighborhood while Jim was going round and round his field. 

After turning onto Selle Road and figuring there might be potential for some evening horse shots at the pasture where Paula Sandelin keeps her horses, I met up with her dad Jerry who was just leaving on his 4-wheeler.  Jerry and I talked horses and traveling for a while, and then he went on his way. 

It was a lovely evening to be outside last night, except for those darned mosquitoes who are relentless in their attacks. Their ammunition is both powerful and instantly itchy. For some reason they refuse to go away and this year. Maybe they're following new routines, just like the farmers. 

Anywho, we have the longest day of the year today.  Hope to make good use of it here in our beautiful Selle countryside and to enjoy the extra and abundant sunshine. 

Happy Wednesday.