Tuesday Mutterings

 

  ----A little AI enhancement in this photo

It was a first. 

I'd never seen a drone fertilize a field until yesterday. 

I was on my way to Wood's Meats, traveling down Center Valley Road when I saw a man walking in front of a big truck, carrying some stuff in his hand, maybe even a laptop. 

As I got closer, I could also see two young boys on the trailer behind the truck. One was sitting up high on a frame, while the other was walking along the bed. 

The trailer also held a large tank. 

I stopped and rolled down the window to talk with the boys, but there was noise, and it was much too loud for anyone to hear anything but the noise. 

So, I moved on, and, next, I saw a man with two dogs on leash a little ways up the road. 

My mind has not been programmed quite yet to expect to see Willie out with the grandpuppies enjoying a summer day's walk. 

Well, now it is, because that's who the man was, and the dogs were Bailey and Joe. 

Once again I stopped and rolled down the window.  We could hear each other but something drew our attention back to the truck. 

Then, Willie said, "Looks like they're fertilizing with a drone.  

Sure enough, the drone was going over the field dropping a fluid mix. 

That was definitely an "aha" moment, thinking of how much more efficiently, especially timewise, the technology could do the job normally done with a tractor and spray container, which has to go round and round and round.  The drone moved quickly.  I'd love to know the comparison in time between drones and tractors.

We were guessing that the man walking down the road with tools in his hands probably had a contract and more than likely many many more.  

It was neat to see, and it demonstrated clearly that technology can do some amazing things to make our days easier. 

There's an investment involved (Amazon offers these drones for a little over $14,000), but, with numbers of contracts to do this job, it's probably worth it. 

This is also an AI enhanced photo.  

The rose was looking a little rough from too much watering, so I asked AI to clean up the photo for me.  It's not exactly natural but it's fun. 

Animals and farms:  one never can predict what can and will happen, and we're never surprised when it does. 

This morning, it was an escape, something horses love to do whenever the opportunity presents itself. 

These horses live on Selle Road at a place bordering our woods. 

This morning they decided to check out the neighborhood. 

I was first aware of their presence when Bridie barked at something out on the road. 

I could hear people talking and through the cedar trees could see horse hooves moving forward. 

My first thought was, "Who's riding by this early in the morning?" 

So, I waited to see.  

Turns out there were no saddles and no people, just horses going down South Center Valley Road. 

I immediately recognized them and upon arriving at the road, I could see that Jason, one of  their owners, had caught one of the three, while the others pranced around. 

I invited him to bring them to our barnyard, which was empty because I had just led our horses to pasture. 

Except for a little socializing with Lily, Lefty and CB over the electric fence, the threesome didn't waste too much time finding their way to the barnyard. 

Soon, more halters came as Jason's wife Leslie came through the woods and the hay field. 

In a short time, the halters were on horses and they were led through the hay field and the woods and back home.

Happens often in our rural settings, and, as I told Leslie, it's always a good way to meet the neighbors. 

Today I'll go to the Ponderay Medical complex and get fitted for orthotics, designed to help the tendonitis in my left ankle heal. 

I'm told there's a wait of two-weeks to a month, so Voltaren and Tylenol, etc. will continue to be my friends for a while longer.  

It's nice to have some pain relievers, especially when so much walking is required around this place. 

It's also a lawn-mowing day.  Seems those breezes (sometimes gusts) which are so common anymore are really good at scattering debris around the lawn.  

So, it will be nice to clean it up.  I understand we have a major weather change coming in the next few days, from blistering heat to sweater weather.  

Nice to have the variety, and we do need some rain.  Mother Nature has allowed farmers to harvest and store big amounts of hay, so that's a good thing. 

Off to get stuff done.  

Happy Tuesday. 

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