What we've been up to...

Thursday evening found Michael D. joining us around the dining room table once more. He stayed through Sunday and we all had a very pleasant time with him, PLUS, he helped us with several things that needed doing.

 

Friday morning, some of us went to pick the last couple boxes of apples off of Andrew's tree and to see if it was dry enough to put the ridge-cap on Andrew's roof (it was too frosty for that though). Andrew was going to use the telehandler to lift us up to pick the apples, but it absolutely refused to start, so we did it the old fashioned way, having a brave person go up on the ladder and toss the apples down to those below.

 That afternoon, my dad was able to combine some of the corn here at home. Michael helped Jacob and I clean out a bin for the corn. Jacob had the job of pulling this box back and forth from the field to the bin with the corn inside and then auguring it into the bin.

 ...this bin...

 The view from inside the combine...

 

On Saturday, we all (except Jacob, who wasn't feeling well) went to church in Alfred and, afterwards, we shared a meal with the Pastor's family and some other friends there at the church.

 

 

That evening, I drove my parents and Michael to the S. family's farm for their annual hayride/bonfire. The wind had died down and it was a beautiful evening to sit around the fire and visit. The hayride was fun too, especially since the wagon was pulled by a beautiful team of black horses. Sadly, it was too dark to get pictures with my phone camera.

 

 

Sunday was a busy day! After getting Sally and the cull cows/steers locked up in the small pasture, then opening up a spot in the fence, the guys got on their noisy machines and headed up for the pasture to round up the cows, my dad and Michael on 4-wheelers and Andrew and Jacob on their dirt-bikes. My mom and I drove pickups.

 

It ended up being a GORGEOUS day weather-wise!

 

 Everybody seemed eager to go home!

 The move went very well this time! I think it really helped having an extra person. There was one very tiny calf up in the pasture that walked a good portion of the way home, but then got exhausted and had to ride the rest of the way in the pickup cab with Mom. :)

 My dad is going to combine some corn for a farmer friend, so needed to go get a moisture sample on the fields to see if it was ready to be harvested or not. Michael and I rode with him. After seeing that those fields of corn were not dry enough yet, we went over to our field "up north" to check it.

 

We picked several cobs from random places in the field, then shelled them into a pail, from which my dad then took the sample. It was a little too wet too yet, although this afternoon, he was able to start combining there.

 

Andrew had gone over to Stan's to combine for him, but ended up coming back, as the combine was down still (somebody sent the wrong part for the combine and, as it was Sunday, there was nothing to be done about it that day).

 

Since it was so beautiful out, Andrew asked for our help with finishing up the main part of his roof. It took a while to finish up around the chimney, to make sure it would be waterproof and all. The caulk was very dark and smelled like chocolate. :) Nobody checked to see if it tasted like chocolate though.

 

 Don't slide off!

 Michael helped with that project too, and it took us the rest of the afternoon to finish.

Andrew gave us a ride up as high as the telehandler can go. That's our farm in the distance there... 

 "Hello little brother!"

 Dad, finishing up the caulking way down there on the roof....

After supper, Michael left us for his home in MN.

(Thanks again for coming to visit us, Michael and for all of your help!)

 

We had a short visit today from the hunters who sold Andrew his place. They had pulled in there and said they liked how the house and shed roofs look now. :)

 

Andrew is gone on a 2-day grain cleaning job for farmer Dave near Linton.

 

Busy days! 

 

"Thank you, Lord, for safety as we work and for refreshing rest when we sleep."