A new operator...

starts on the mower. It is how I started and many others. Rule 1. Be safe, don't run over your foot or break something! Rule 2. Get all the grass, don't leave strips or bunches around trees. Rule 3. Try and make it look good, you have to look at, until it grows back, in 3 days with the amount of rain we have had.

This 8 year old has a high motivation to get the job done. It is fun to watch kids make decisions on how to turn around or go around objects, quick thinking is needed when the engine is running and you are moving.

A warning to heavy equipment operators...

This is what children at play look like. Watch for this when driving into our yard.

Lost a good hand....

Poochy the farm dog passed away yesterday, just days before her 14th birthday. She will be missed. She did things right; didn't run away, barked when stock got out at night, barked at coyotes, ate anything you presented to her, barked at anybody who drove in the yard to let us know. She would sleep between the house and the road most nights under the boys bedroom window, she knew any two legged danger would come from the road. The neighbors 1 mile away never loaded hogs in the evening without us knowing by her barks. She could sleep in a snow drift at 5° with a stiff 20mph wind and have sweet dreams. She would snatch a milk bone from your hand every morning but if you tossed her a tbone scrap after supper she wouldn't even look at you until you turned and walked away, too proud to show you that she enjoyed your leftover scraps.

Perhaps Simons prayer last night said it best. "Dear Word.... I woved poochy... she wived a wong time... I weally woved her... Amen."

Well said Simon, her is a pic of you loving on her a week or so ago.

170 chickens....

Declucked, plucked, shucked, and tucked in freezers across NE Iowa. Your grandma probably did more in a day but that is good for us to do that many and get them wrapped and in folks freezers.

The boyz worked hard, and it is tough dirty work. I wouldn't be more proud if they were star ball players or just showed a champion steer. That cute girl was there too........... would have got her number if she had slowed down to clean some gizzards....

The Corner Market

The Corner Market strikes again. This guy had melon while dad fixed the busted planter. Everybody won and the beans got planted. But just so you know the melon was exceptional so go get one!

Dirty teeth....

Went to get the cows up and it was a bit muddy. It was flying every where! It was fun! They way they were smiling and yelling can't believe they didn't have mud on their teeth.

Delay...

This is called a planting delay. But all fixed and planted now!