Part of the Team

Over the past few months, we have been slowly knitting ourselves into the farming community without even knowing it. Being city kids, there are certain things we don't really know about the culture. I will explain the most recent "odd look" we received from a neighbor.

Right after winter ended and the ground was dry enough to start small fires, we burned off about three of our acres that had been tall, pushed over grass. I mentioned it in a previous post- about how excited we were to clean up the property so easily. Well, it was pretty, flat, and nice. Then the rain came. Along with sun. And then the grass started to grow. Now, I don't know if any of you have ever tried to mow 4 acres of grass....but it happened once before Phil was talking about getting a goat. Or a sheep. Or a cow. Or anything that would eat up that grass so he wouldn't have to mow each week.

Then the mower broke down. It's something that happens to 1961 Farmalls. While they are fixable, they do need a bit of massaging and maintaining. Well, even though the tractor was out of commission, the grass was not. We managed to keep the grass right around our house mowed down. That was still time consuming, but not nearly as cumbersome as the west half of the property.

When it got to be about waist high, we pretty much gave up. Well, I did. Phil, however, started looking for "sickle mowers". "Oh, Tracy, we could get one for only $400...but we have to drive to Wisconsin..." And when that wore off he started talking to farmers about animals.

Then we come to this week. We happened to be visiting one of the neighbors down the road and Phil mentioned he was looking for a Scythe (which is basically a hand tool about the size of a hoe that will cut down long grass by hand). The farmer happened to have one on hand...but asked Phil what in the world he wanted with it. When we explained our long grass predicament, he got a big grin on his face and chuckled a bit. "You ever used one of those things?" Phil had, maybe once. Another chuckle. "Well, I'll let you have a shot at it - you bring it back when you realize how much work that would be." Then he kind of smirked a bit and asked if we planned on keeping that grass mowed to the ground. We informed him that we thought it looked better, and though it was work, well, we couldn't just be letting our property go like that.

Two days later, the same farmer drove up. He and Phil walked through the fields a bit, talking. Afterward, he asked to cut a "business deal" out of this. Being a cattle farmer, his cows would eat that hay- he cuts, rakes, and bales the hay, and takes half of it as payment. The other half would go to mulch our garden next year. Ha, people actually GROW hay out here...and they have guys like this mow and bale it for them. It's something that inadvertently we had found ourselves doing. And instead of sitting around mowing each week, we were able to feed some cows and mulch a garden! And, it didn't cost us $400...which made me happy!

I should update you all on Ryan, too. We went to a 15 month checkup today, and he was healthy and happy (well, as happy as a boy can be after 4 shots and a blood draw!) He weighed in right at the 50th percentile for everything.

He is very much an explorer now- once he is set down anywhere he just motors off to see what he can get into. No concern to where mom is until we have reached the destination, of course. While we were at Grandma and Grandpa's in Des Moines, he asked for a "manana" and realized that he actually was given a "banana". Well, now every time he is hungry, he says "menumenum" and points to the kitchen. We give him things other than just bananas, though. The cutest thing he does now is whenever he sees something new or exciting he says "OH WOW!" I have no idea where he picked it up, but it still makes me laugh to hear it. He says "uh oh" quite a bit, but mixes it up, too. Sometimes it's "uh, uh uh UH Ohhhhh" and various renditions.

He has quite a personality when it comes to pushing the limits too. If he wants to do something that we say "no" to, he will usually point to it (very closely) and say "oooooo". He looks back, inquisitive, and then points closer.

He picks up the phone and says "ello?" and makes high pitched talking noises. I think to myself "is that what he thinks I sound like on the phone?" Flashbacks of Charlie Brown's teacher run through my head...

Curious and not about to be told he can't get into something, he has become creative in his approach. He will purposely drop something wherever it is he is "not allowed" point, saying "Uh oh!" and make a fresh attempt at it "Just getting that cup, mom!" What a character!