I see a Bee!

Grandkids say the funniest things. They are always making me laugh. 

My youngest grandchildren came up and picked cherries to earn money for summer fun activities and savings.

Ali was in the up in a tree picking cherries... or rather eating cherries, when a bee came a buzzing. Everything that comes out of her mouth is funny. They often sound like jingles.

"There's a bee next to me. I hope it doesn't sting me!"

As the kids picked, they noticed varying sizes of cherries. Soon, they were picking "grand-daddy's, mom's, and babies". They said, "we picked a whole family!" Good observation.

I love to listen in on the kids' conversations, silly sayings, jokes, jingles, and words of wisdom. Especially when they don't know I'm listening. They make me smile. They make me laugh. They bring sunshine and joy into my daily life.

Last of the Rainer's. It was a good cherry year.

These kiddos worked hard for 2 days, giving up a day at the Slash Pad. They put up a table in front of their house, bagged the cherries, and made $200. Way to go!

Next up... A whole family of Apricots!

Inspired by Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop  

First of Fall

I'm a farmer, so undoubtedly, I spend a lot of time on the farm. With the hubs gone, it has been all up to me to manage. For health reasons, I hadn't been too involved in the farming for a couple of years, but it didn't take long for me to get into the groove of it again. I actually like it. That is... I like it when I am in charge! The first of Fall is always a signal for the end of harvest. It is the best time of the year for a farmer. Much needed rest and relaxation is finally in sight!

The last order of peaches were picked up and I took advantage of having the orchard all to myself. I armed myself with a camera, put a basket on the 4 wheeler, and headed off to the orchard first thing in the morning... 8:30 a.m.  I live underneath the looming peaks of the Wasatch Mountains, which is located just east of our home and orchard, and the sun doesn't make its way over the top until then. The air was crisp, cool. You could smell the change in the air. Just like Fall weather should be like. I was loving it! It was the first time I wore a jacket. Given how hot it was this year, I was pleasantly surprised that the change in season, the first of Fall, signaled an immediate change in temperature and weather conditions. It was like welcoming an old friend.

As I drove up and down the rows, I took my time... because... I love the stillness and quiet of the mornings. Especially in the orchard. Most of the birds are well on their way to warmer places. No sound of chatter. The honey bees are bedded down in their hives. No buzzing sounds. I saw a squirrel now and again, scurry across the ground, snatch a nut or piece of fruit off the ground, and scourer up a tree. The leaves are changing colors. Brown, red, orange, yellow. So awe inspiring! It was like I was enveloped in a Nature Sermon, soaking up every detail the farm had to show and tell me. I can't even imagine who would ever NOT believe that the world, is indeed, a classroom! 

A farm girl's best friend... 4 wheeler

An empty bird nest

First of leaves changing colors

I didn't have to pick for someone else today. I picked for myself. Peaches, plums, pears, apples, Asian pears. I took them in the house and conveniently arranged the fresh picked fruit, in some wooden bowls, and placed them on the kitchen table. It will be easy to snatch a piece every time I feel a fruit attack coming on. And, the kiddos will love it when they come to visit grandma.

What was your first of Fall like?

Writing prompt #1: The first day of Fall was Sept. 22nd, share something fall related you did!

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Waking up to...

I never set my alarm clock. An empty nester has its benefits! I am also a farmer, or rather, a farmer's wife.  I wake up with the sun. Even though I don't get up to do the work in the orchard (I leave that to the expert.. farmer D), I enjoy lying in bed listening to the sounds of early morning life on the farm. I get up when I feel like it!

I love this time of year. The weather is perfect. Late Spring, before the heat of Summer, allows us to open up the windows in the house. The sounds, sights, feel, and smells of quiet country mornings conger up several emotions... peace, freedom, joy, contentment, security, gratitude. They also trigger pleasant and happy memories of days gone by. Days of my youth.

There's nothing better or exhilarating than to feel the cool gentle breeze of the morning air, smell the fresh turned dirt in the orchard and garden, hear the first sounds of country life, and see the sun rise from behind the Wasatch Mountains and watch as it slowly filters in through the East windows of my sitting room. 

The first thing I heard this morning... the start of the the diesel engine and hum of the tractor. Farmer D got up early to cultivate in between the rows of trees. He loves a well groomed, weed free orchard. I love the sound of the tractor at work. There's just something comforting in the sound.. maybe it's like the humming, vibrating sound of a vacuum cleaner to the baby sleeping in her crib.

This morning as the sun made its way over the peak of the large and looming Wasatch Mountains, birds began their early morning chatter. Every now and again, I got a glimpse of one flying by the open window, with an image in my mind, of a worm in its beak. Babies in the nest anxiously awaiting a morning meal. 

Fresh dirt... soil, is one of the best smells I have ever smelled. As the tings of the tractor tilled up the earth, the smell filtered though the air. It easily reached the second story window in my bedroom... bringing a fresh, slightly musty scent from watering. Its odd to describe a clean dirt smell, but it awakened my sense of smell it the most delightful way. Weird, I know! But those who love the feel and smell of soil and enjoy combing their fingers through it with bare hands, while planting flowers or vegetables, will totally understand my love of dirt! 

My master bedroom is an oasis... anyway, to me. The sitting room is an extension of the bedroom. An early 1900's sofa, recovered and that I absolutely love, sits at the far end of the room. The sitting room is the very first thing I see in the morning after I look at the time. I love the long room, the space, the cozy beautiful feel. It makes me happy to see that spot first thing in the morning. The soft purple colors on the walls and in the pillows, the textured white sofa, the vintage paining on the wall, and plants on either side, make the space look and feel elegant, yet earthy. It's an inviting and enjoyable part of my master suite. The sofa sits in between two East facing windows. The sun takes awhile making its way over the peak of the mountain, but when it does, it makes a spectacular entrance in through the windows. This morning the sun's rays shone through the blinds and on the bright green leaves of the plant sitting on the end table, making them appear more vibrant than ever. With my senses aroused and my spirit renewed, I was ready to greet the morning with sunshine in my soul! 

Mornings.. Time to listen, see, smell

Sitting room

sun shine through the East window

Farmer D cultivating the orchard

Writing prompt #5: Write down the first sight, sound, smell, and sensation you experienced on waking up today. Pick the one you're most drawn to.

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Monsoon

When I read the word "flooded", I thought of a thousand different things I could write about... like a flood of memories, ideas, incidences. I couldn't narrow my thoughts down, so I went to my pictures to get some inspiration. 

Last year, August 1, 2011, we were lucky enough to receive the effects of a Monsoon. That means we get a lot of rain in a short period of time due to changing patterns in the atmosphere, land and sea. It usually does not make it as far north as where we live, so it was exciting to see the FLOOD the Monsoon brought with it. We live in a very dry state, and when we do get a monsoon, the flooding can be devastating to homes and property depending on where you live. However, it's usually a welcome sight for us living in the north end of the state.

storm clouds gather in the mountains above our house

the torrential rain cuts a new path for the water to run through the orchard

the new trenches, a half to two feet in depth, slice into the soil allowing the water to run its course of least resistance

the road base eroded and broke off around the irrigation pipe from the force of the rain

a view of the house and yard, in landscaping phase, shortly after the rain burst

writing prompt #3: write a post inspired by the word: Flooded

What makes me smile... besides family

1.  GREEN RIVER WATERMELON and fresh sliced PEACHES from the orchard

2.  VINTAGE CHAIRS and BENCHES.... front porch

3. TEA POTS and TEA CUPS ... Mother's Day Tea

                                                 and 

4. PRETTY DISHES... mother's, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and vintage finds

5. BRIGHT COLORS

6. NATURE

TULIPS are my favorite flower; Willard Bay SUNSETS;  hiking in Southern Utah CANYONS (Spring Canyon, Iron County); watching ANIMALS  is so therapeutic and always makes me smile! We don't have pets so I frequently visit and enjoy the oldest daughter's farm of animals... I could watch them all day!

7. PAINTED FURNITURE... my latest project

SEASONS

8. SPRING... apricot blossoms in the orchard

9. AUTUMN... looking over the grape vines and barn; Willard Bay in the background

10. BLUE... it's my favorite color.  

And there is another reason to smile besides loving the color BLUE, as in the sky above... the beautiful LDS Brigham City Temple is a wonderful addition to our community and is so beautiful, both on the inside as well as the outside.  I can't help but smile all over! 

Link up HERE to see more of the new B.C. Temple.  When you get to the main page, after reading the information there, click on the site tool bar that says Construction Status .Then click on Brigham City Temple. Finally, click on latest photos submitted.  You will be able to see over a hundred spectacular construction pictures of the temple.  I hope it will make you smile, too!

There are so many things to smile about; the things listed above are just a few of the things that bring me joy and a smile to my face.  Life is good!  

What makes you smile?

Prompt # 2:  Share the Fruits of your Labor

Farmer d and I are fruit farmers.  It's not a big farm, but it's a lot for us.  Growing fruit trees is a little different than growing a garden.  Our main crop is peaches.  We planted semi-dwarfs; just right for picking.  No ladders needed in our orchard!  We planted about 20 varieties so we could have peaches for 2 months or so.  Our farming season starts in February, when the snow is still on the ground.  We have about 800 fruit trees to fertilize. We have a special mix made up from the local Co-op. Fertilizing takes most of a day because we do it by hand.  In March, we prune the branches.  We hire it out because it is such a big job.  It can take up to a month or so to do.  In May, we see the beautiful pink peach blossoms appear.  The bees are out in abundance carrying the pollen from one blossom to another.  It is one of my favorite times to be out in the orchard.  After the fruit is on and is still quite small, usually the 1st part of June, we thin the peaches about 10 inches apart.  We hire that out, as well.  Although farmer d will go back through the orchard and thin out more. Thinning is needed so the the energy will go to a few fruit, rather than a lot of them.  The peaches will be large and healthier. Thinning also prevents the branches from breaking from the weight. In June, we spray the trunks for peach bore and then we spray a couple more times in the summer for pest control.  We have a holding pond and fill it with canal water every week for irrigation.  After the pond is filled, we flip a switch and the drip irrigation begins and will go for a few days.  About the 1st of August, our early varieties of peaches mature. They are cling stone and last about a month.  Then, usually toward the end of August, our later varieties come on. They are free stone and are very popular. A traditional peach, Early Elberta, is a popular peach for canning.  On average, the peaches will produce until the end of September.  The nights are too cold after that to allow for any ripening.  We sell most of our peaches to a local Food Market.  On Saturday's, we sell both fruit and produce at a Farmers Market in SLC.  The farm is cleaned up and put to rest by the end of October or first of November.  Three months rest, and it starts all over again!

Fruit farming is a lot of hard work and takes a lot of time.  The summer months are dedicated to picking, marketing, and selling fruit. But... I love the smell, sights, and sounds in the orchard. It is beautiful, peaceful, and welcoming any time of the day or season.  The orchard, as much work as it is makes it worth it when the daughters and I get together and bottle fresh peaches.  It's nice to pull a bottle off the pantry shelf in the middle of winter and enjoy the fruits of my labor! 

I love fresh peaches on french toast for breakfast (absolute favorite!), peach cobbler for dessert, peach shakes in the afternoon, and a bowl of fresh sliced peaches any time of the day.  

FRUIT ORCHARD

peach blossoms 

rows of peach trees

picking peaches

a full basket... picked in less than 10 minutes!

I can drive the tractor, too!  

baskets of peaches... ready for Market

fruits of my labor

Dog days of Summer

It may not be the picture perfect summer I imagine, but I think it's perfect enough.  It includes everyone and everything I love.  And that's what matters most!  

It's the dog days of summer.  It's hot and there's no time for wasting.  It starts out early... very early in the morning. Just when I see the first hint of dawn peeking in through the east window of my bedroom, I know it's time to get up.  Or, rather, farmer d (that's my hubby), gets up to work the farm. We don't need a rooster to awaken us.... farmer d has a built in clock!  He lets me sleep a little longer.  Nice.  The hired help is already arriving to pick the blackberries. There are peaches, nectarines, pears, and plums bursting with perfect fullness and flavor... begging to be picked.  Farmer d starts up the tractor and soon I can hear the purr of the engine as he heads out into the orchard.  I drift back off to sleep and farmer d works for a couple of hours picking fruit before heading off to his real job.   

My work on the farm starts when farmer d goes to work.  There are phone calls to be made to customers and orders to be filled.  On days I need to make a delivery to a local Food Market, the fruit wagon (van) is loaded with twenty to thirty half bushel baskets of peaches. Farmer d makes it easy for me.  Nice.  

Fridays and Saturdays are our busiest days of the week.  We prepare for the Farmers Market on Friday.  Farmer d picks eggplant and fruit.  I top the berry baskets with lids and stack them in boxes.  It can take two hours or more just to do that.  Fruit that has been picked during the week is put in a large walk-in cooler to keep it fresh for stores and the market.  Late Friday evening, we load the wagon up with fruits and veggies, in half bushel boxes, to take to the Farmers Market.  Saturday starts very early in the morning.  It takes us an hour to get to the Farmers Market in SLC.  We arrive at 7:00 a.m. and start our sales shortly after we set up.  We are busy greeting customers and making sales from start to end.  The hard work usually pays off.  What started out as a hobby has overtaken much of our summer.

One might wonder if I ever have time for fun.  I do!  Sometimes it takes some creative planning on my part.  But with 19 grandchildren, I'm not about to miss out on making memories.  So, when I'm not farming, I'm playing. 

Summertime when I'm not farming -----

1. Traveling suitcase.  One day in the summer.  It's a day adventure with grandma.  I pack a suitcase with an atlas, stories, activities, and other items of interest.  Grandma, kids, and grandkids are then ready to go!  It may be a Museum, the Zoo,  flower gardens, State Parks, the city, the mountains, the lake, a train ride, a theme park, and even a cemetery. It has to be something that creates a memory and is fun.  Added bonus -- they'll be learning and may not even know it!

2.  Swimming lessons and ball games are a tradition for as long as I can remember.  I enjoyed them as a child, I enjoyed watching my children when they were small, and I love watching my grandchildren now. 

3.  Shaved ice.  Summer's are so hot and dry where we live.  There's nothing better than sharing a shaved ice treat together. 

4.  County Fair.  I have been a County Extension Agent so I'm quite partial to Fairs.  4-H or participating in the county Fair was always a part of my life, my kids life, and now the grandkids life.  A county Fair is so much fun!  Not only do you get to enter an exhibit or animal and have it judged, but you get to see a rodeo, feel the thrill of a carnival ride, watch a parade and collect a bag full of candy and eat popsicles, see animals of all kinds, and see exhibits of food, fresh garden produce, art, clothing, quilts, and lots of other ingenious things made from citizens of the county.  There are dutch oven cook-offs, pie eating contests, animal shows and so much more.

5.  Celebrations.  Every 24th of July we celebrate Pioneer Day (days of '47), but most importantly, dad's birthday.  Every year we put a sparkler in his cake before singing happy birthday to him. He's not with us any more and keeping that tradition alive is more meaningful than ever.  
                                                                   and....

Birthday Party.  For everyone!  Heard the saying... "one size fits all."  I decided to have one HUGE birthday party instead of sending un-meaningful and useless gifts through the mail 35 days of the year.  A day at the pool, lunch and birthday cake in the park, dollar gifts, togetherness, and tons of fun makes up our family birthday party.

                                                                    and....

Family Reunions.  Staying in touch with brothers and sisters, their children and their children is both fun and necessary.  I grew up with cousins that were like siblings to me. The same for my children and their cousins.  Extended family reunions also keeps us tied and grateful to our ancestors and pioneer heritage.  And that leads into genealogy research (a whole other topic). 

BUT THE BEST PART OF SUMMER ---- Sitting in the backyard with the family.  Watching the kids play, the dogs play, the chickens run, sitting under the huge cottonwood trees, having a bbq, sitting around an evening fire, relaxing and visiting.  It may or may not be planned, and it doesn't have to be perfect, because it will be perfect enough. Oh yeah... that's summer at it's finest!