Thankful for the Little Things

Did I ever mention how much I love the tractor? I give Phil a hard time about running out and hopping on it as soon as he gets home (which he does...really). However, I can't help but be thankful after this past week for all of the things that tractor has done for us.

You know, I really think I am learning a lesson in patience, perseverence, and thankfulness. It starts with not having an oven...did I mention I love mine? Then no hot water for a week...gotta love those showers! And on and on. Each step, I become more and more thankful for simple things that I had always taken for granted before.

About two weeks ago, Phil noticed the lawnmower blades were leaving a "less than desired" cutting effect behind - tattered blade tops and all. Being the wonderful perfectionist he can be, he took the mower deck off the tractor, and then the blades off the mower. He went into town and ordered blades from a local dealer. "A couple of days" he was told. Well...a couple of days came and went. He visited the dealer...a few more days. When the blades finally came in, they were the wrong size. "A few more days."

Now, you have to understand something about Iowa grass. We did not mow all winter. The grass stayed the perfect length, snow or not. Each spring, however, there is a certain point where the warmth and the humidity kick off the reaction, and you had best keep up on that grass or you will be in sorry shape. We know people who mow part of their yard each day to keep up with it all. Once a week is about right, but don't go pushing it farther than that, we are told.

So here we sit, day 9, looking at the lengthening grass. Phli is getting nervous.

The right blades finally come in. Phil sets out to install them. Well, in all of the jumbling around, a bolt/nut/ some important piece either came loose, got lost, something. (I am still unsure of the actual circumstances, seems a bit shady looking back). The mower won't work. There are three blades on the mower, two work, one is acting up. Phil needed some real time to tackle it before he could use it on the yard. With it being Sunday night, and a looming workweek ahead, he hauled out the push lawnmower, and set before his loving wife a daunting task.

He explained that if we didn't start to tackle the lawn now, it might be unmanageable to the point of having to weedwack the entire 4 acres of grass. Hmm...spending a day lawnmowing didn't sound so bad.

Four hours into my first day, I had finished one third of the FRONT yard. Hmm...spending a month lawnmowing didn't sound so great after all. In the picture below, Ryan is sitting in front of my grass pile. This came from half of the front yard - one of the biggest time consumers was carting bags of grass back and forth.

After two days of doing nothing except for mowing the lawn, Phil went out to see if he could fix the tractor Tuesday night. Within 15 minutes, he had taken off the "bad blade" and set out to see if it still worked if only two were attached.

Within 20 minutes, he had doubled my two days worth of progress. I could have been frustrated with this, but I just fell in love with that rickety old tractor all over again. It was as I felt when the plow worked and I was freed from the prospect of hand turning the entire garden. Oh, wonderful tractor...without you what long grass we would have!

I am sure everyone is concerned about our asparagus. I have cleared out the patch, and planted tomato plants around it (not only to hide it from curious Asparagus hunters, but they are "companion plants" and are supposed to help each other grow). I go out every two days or so, and each time get a basketful of spears. We counted thirty three this past time. I cannot believe how fast it grows! Phil just told me he bartered with a neighbor he just met - asparagus spears for rhubarb. Wonderful!

We had a great rainbow show up as Phil was mowing- there was a storm closing in and I stood out and watched the clouds while he mowed. In the picture below, you can see the closest "hog sheds" if you look closely. I don't know how many pigs they have in there, but I am sure quite a few. These are all over Iowa, and it is most likely where your pork comes from. Most of the commercial buildings you see out there are the same size, with two buildings next to each other like this. (Phil says it's probably state regulations or they would be even bigger). There are pig farmers who own a few thousand hogs, but split them up between multiple locations. Our owner lives in New Providence (15 miles away) and is a second cousin to another neighbor. He also owns 4 other locations. He comes down and plants trees around the sheds, sprays weed killer, etc. I think they have to be "extra good" neighbors when they run an operation in such a small community like this. We can actually hear (faintly) the pigs from that far away on a clear night.



I got these shoes for my birthday...they are about the size of the tip of your thumb. It's good, because I was wondering what would happen in a tornado. So, I can keep these in my pocket, and when that storm hits, you know, I will be safe. The question is, would they bring me back to Iowa or Washington? Phil says he is going to start inspecting my mail before it's opened. Ha, Contraban!