Zimbabwe

I leave for the airport in 10 minutes. Keep me in your prayers.

Was out combining until 11pm last night. Did not get to bed until after midnight. Glad that I did, though. It rained all day today and will probably rain tomorrow. Only 45 acres left.

Harvest

I am posting some pics of what we have been up to for the last few days. Most are compliments of Sandra (I stole them from her blog... Thanks Sandra!). A few are self portraits. We have been doing a bit of round baling and have officially started wheat harvest. Will hopefully have one more day of good weather before the rain comes back. I hope nothing else breaks down tomorrow...

Andrew testing out our "new" combine.

Brothers in the field

Self portrait of me and my favorite tractor. Well... we have a love/hate relationship. She has plenty of horspower but is somewhat moody and tempermental.

View from the cab

Baling Straw, a self portrait.

going back

Bought my ticket this morning. Depart on September 1.

Wind

The Lord has sent a wind to dry the face of the Earth. It rained on Sunday, so we are not quite as dry as the 1935 dustbowl photo above. If 95 degree temps and continuous 40mph wind don't let up, it doesn't feel like it should take too long. It wears on the body to work in continuous gale force wind and dust, but no worry, I should toughen up.

We started mowing hay yesterday. Should have no problem curing ;)

Rain

We had a good midwestern thunderstorm this morning. It was nice to feel the wind and rain again. I have been either back east or out west for the last several years and had not seen a good one for while. I am sure there are storms in other parts of the country, but there is something special about about how the dark blue, almost green clouds roll in over the wheat fields, how the blast of cold air hits you; the sky goes black, and then the air goes white with horizontal rain. I was out in the garden getting ready to plant some zipper peas and purple hulls. I got the rows roto-tilled, but only about 20 feet planted before I had to run for cover.

Fortunately, we didn't get any real hail this time. Our wheat is only a few weeks from harvest, and is at high risk for meteoroligical threshing. We did get a cloudburst that washed out a terrace in our corn field, directing a river through our beloved tomatoe patch. We went out with straw bales and shovels mend the gap and got it filled as the rain was stopping. Ground was quite sloppy. So much for field work, but we got the shop clean, brush-hogged the orchard, and diagnosed the lawn-mower's engine ailment. All-in-all a good day.

The terrace repair crew.

Well, I am putting away the scrubs for the summer and getting out the overalls. My cowboy hat is already riding shot-gun. I am finished with my nursing contract in Oregon, as of approximately right now. I'll head back to the house and sleep for a while, change the oil, tarp my few positions into the back of the truck and start driving east. Google thinks that it should take me 29 hours (of driving). Current personal soundtrack: "Where the black-top ends."