Birds, No Big Deal...........ya right!

Today I was raking hay. No big deal, it's what I have been doing for the last 2 weeks.  The tractor that I drive when I rake hay is an open tractor, meaning it does not have a cab.  No big deal, at least it has power steering.  As I was raking along, there were a bunch of sea gulls flying around. No big deal, there are always birds flying around. (Are they still called sea gulls if they are not by the sea?) Anyways, I was watching one bird as it was flying over me and it seemed to be getting kind of close.  No big deal, as long as he didn't decide to poop as he was directly over me.  Then I turn and look behind me and there he was, flying right behind me, at eye level!  I could literally see his eyes moving as he was looking for lunch.  THIS became a BIG DEAL.  He just kept following me, right smack behind me, at eye level.  I was totally starting to freak out.  I was having flash backs to a scary movie I watched when I was little. Something about tons and tons of birds attacking people!  Does anyone remember this movie?  I'm sure it was sea gulls that were doing the attacking in the movie.  And I'm sure these gulls were going to attack me if they didn't see any mice soon.   Lucky for me, he found a mouse to attack instead of me.  No big deal, life is good now.  But it was Totally Freaky.  Hopefully tomorrow, they follow my Farmer and not me, otherwise, I'm going to have to request a tractor with a cab.     

What does a Tan Line tell YOU?

It's amazing the things that go through your head while you are going back and forth in the field on a tractor.  Today I was thinking about tans.  I figure there are basically 2 kinds of tans, the working tans and the not working tans.  The not working tans include the full body, bikini, you get the picture. I haven't had this kind of  tan since high school, so I am no longer in tune with them.  However, the working tans I am.  They include the following......

Farmers Tan.......Tan neck and both arms are tan from the hands up to about  4 inches below the shoulder, where the shirt sleeve starts.

Truck Drivers Tan.......The left arm is tan, within 4 inches of the shoulder also, and a little darker around the elbow area.

Cowboy Tan........Tan neck and "V" area below the neck and tan face except for the forehead where the hat sits.

Farmer's Wife's Tan........Both arms are tan and a tan "V" area below the neck.

This tan I know well.  I actually start the summer out with a farmers tan.  As it gets warmer I switch to my sleeveless blouses and soon develop the farmers wife's tan.  I try to select different neckline shirts to wear so I don't have the "V" tan, but it just doesn't seem to work.  A few days ago, we went out on the town with some friends.  Exciting for me, I got to wear a new shirt!  So, I was all dressed, thinking I looked pretty good,(at least I didn't have any mud or grease on me, that I could see anyways) I turn to my Farmer to ask how I looked.  Now I know I shouldn't do this, cuz he has told me a million times that it is a loaded question and no matter what he says, it will be wrong.  (This is true, but I still have to ask.)  Anyways, his comment was, "It looks like you have 2 farmer's wife's tans.  (yep, he knows he shouldn't, but he still answers)  And he was right. So much for wearing different neck lines.  But oh well, I earned those stripes (or "v's" I should say).  After all I am living the farm life.................and loving it.   So, what kind of a tan do you have?

Agriculture is an important part of our everyday lives.

One of the reasons I started this blog was for agricultural education.  So far, I have mostly just been sharing my personal stories.  Today I would like to launch the first of a new label, AG ED 101.   Years ago I attended an Ag in the Classroom workshop.  After attending the workshop I started going to the local schools and talking about agriculture and how it affects our everyday lives.  This is one of the stories from the "ag book"  that I shared with the kids.......

We depend on agriculture for much more than just our food and clothing.  Let's take a look at an average day and see some of the agricultural products and byproducts that you might use.

You wake up on sheets of cotton that have been woven with cornstarch for sizing.  You step out of bed onto a carpeted floor.  The rug pad underneath the carpet is made from hair from the hide of cattle.  As you reach for your robe, you might notice how warm it is in the house.  The insulation used in the walls is produced with a byproduct from cattle and hogs.  The plaster on the walls is made with a binder produced of hide of hogs and cattle.  The wallboard also contains cornstarch and soy flour from the soybean.  The soap you use to wash your face is make from byproducts of corn, soybeans and cattle.  At the breakfast table, you notice that everything came from agriculture in some form or another.  The food might have been made sweet by a corn sugar called fructose.  As you eat, you remember your homework assignment that you finished last night; the paper you wrote it on contains a corn and soybean byproduct that helped hold the ink.  The tires on the school bus are made with a byproduct of beef, stearic acid, that is very important to make the tires run cooler, therefore, they last longer.  The bus might by fueled by gasohol which is a grain alcohol made from corn and gasoline.  You arrive at school ready for a great day made possible by agricultural byproducts. 

Did you learn anything new from this story?  I would love to have you leave a comment and let me know.  Until next time, I'm still livin' the life, the farm life that is.............

A Day Off Equals a Shopping Spree............

Yesterday my Farmer gave me the day off.  Yep, that's right, he needed parts and supplies from the valley. (read You know you're married to a farmer when)   I was more than eager to take on this task.  I really did need a day off.  To get the supplies we needed, I had to go to the valley which is about a 2 hour drive.  I went alone and it really was a relaxing day.  First off, I got to listen to my music, had it as loud as I wanted it, and sang as loud as I wanted to for 2 hours down and 2 hours back.  Then the shopping.  I made sure I picked up his supplies first, so I would know how much money it was going to cost.  Then I went shopping for myself; and spent 10% of what the supplies cost.  I think that's fair, don't you?  Some trips I have spent more than 10%, it just depends on what I feel I'm worth that day.  HA!(and maybe what sales I find)  And lastly I got to go out to lunch.  Huge treat for me.  But the funny thing is, while I was sitting in the restaurant waiting for my food, a local couple came in, sat down, the waitress said "what's the special occasion?", and the husband (this is when I knew he was a farmer) said "I needed parts".  HA!  You SO gotta love the farmers and this life..............

Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

I do.  I have always believed that everything happens for a reason.  But when death happens, it is very difficult to see a reason.  A friend and classmate of mine passed away this past weekend.  Her death brings all kinds of feelings to the surface, and many questions keep running through my head.  I know in my heart she is in a better place, but the question of why still arises.  Maybe down the road the reason of why may surface; and it might not.  But yet a reason still does not make the pain of losing someone any easier to bear.  So for now, we will continue to wonder the reason,  and mourn the loss of a wonderful person. 

The world is a sadder place without our friend,

yet we are better people for having had her a part of our lives.

You will be missed, Mary Jo.

God bless.