Harvest Time

 

 We're surrounded by harvest. 

You can see far from our front porch (as I hear often, we're on the highest spot in Ralls County). 

It's really not fair to all the city people that we get to live here. 

Our front yard marigolds.

Harrison reading next to me in bed.

Friends generously set up their apple press, and we made delicious apple cider. Patty Agee at the library at CCCB used to make hot spiced cider for Halloween or one of those Fall days and would have it available in the library. The library was quiet ~ a great place to study. Mr. Reese would have some conversation with whoever walked in. Patty was very kind and helpful. And she made cider.

Anyway, hot spiced cider: Put apple cider in the crockpot with brown sugar, orange and lemon slices, and whole cinnamon sticks and cloves; simmer for as long as you'd like.

The burning of the boxes and branches. 

The sunset was beautiful, and I wanted Phoebe to show us the smocking she had just completed. It took her hours, but she did the whole tedious hand-stitched process that makes that pretty diamond pattern on linen. She'll be making some kind of garment with it. 

I know phone photos of the moon are pitiful, but I took one anyway. The moon has been especially beautiful the last few nights. This was the Harvest Moon of 2021.

And I never knew the sound of the dry corn rustling in the wind. 

It would probably be a little creepy at night. But it is beautiful in the daylight.

The soybean field near us. I imagine it's ready for harvest any day now.

Misty morning fields.

They're shelling corn down the way. 

Harrison was watching through his binoculars in his bedroom this morning. It's a little like Tetris. The combine is going down the rows. The grain hopper (?) truck goes up to it and drives alongside receiving the grain from the combine. It then goes to dump its grain into the semi tractor-trailer. Then he goes back to the combine. The grain trucks would eventually go to the grain bin to empty. There were probably 4 or 5 pieces of equipment moving all around at the same time. Quite the operation.

It's Fall Ya'll

The weather is deliciously cool in the mornings and evenings. Autumn decor is showing up in front of homes. The store has apple cider for sale. Phoebe is drawing creepy creatures. All signs that Fall has arrived! 

Kitty cats at the feeding trough.

I can't believe we get to see this right outside our door.

Our alma mater had a Heritage day celebrating 65 years of teaching for both Mr. Pelfrey and Mr. Reese. They've been with the college from its very beginning.

I remember as a new freshman on campus, I was sitting in the main building, and a man came up and asked my name and was engaging in conversation. I didn't know who it was, so I asked, "And what do you do around here?" He chuckled and said, "Oh, a few things here and there." I don't think he even told me right then who he was, but it was Mr. Pelfrey. He was a professor and the President of the college.

I appreciated Mr. Reese's classes so much. I loved staying after class to listen in on discussion and questions people were asking him. It was in his class that it hit me: "We are saved by faith!" Weird that it took that long to dawn on me, but it did. 

Shirley and I hung out together for Heritage Day. 

It's so nice that we're not so far away and can see each other occasionally now!

Our old dorm got a face-lift inside. 

Shirley and I found our old rooms. She lived in 3 or 4 throughout her years. I was in the same one the whole time (#211, by the way, Julie! [we couldn't remember the number]). They have cool air throughout the building now (goodbye, hot, humid hallways and rooms!). The rooms look very nice - all new furnishings. The bathrooms would be a breeze to clean now (that was my freshman job). 

They're about to do a ribbon cutting here in front of the dorm. 

My parents are on their way to Washington to get the truck. It was very good to see them as they passed through! I'm glad they got to see where we live too. I love it so much, I like sharing it with others. They are in the process of buying their own house out in the country in Louisiana. We'll have to go down once they're settled and see their place.

And I found out where the name Nadine came from! This lady at the library had a book from which we could look it up.

The Nadine school and store and our road was named after Nadine W. Colvert who owned land across from the general store. So I really still don't know who that is, but now I have a name and can continue to search.

And I'm finding that here, one must always be prepared to freeze, can, or otherwise prepare fresh produce at a moment's notice. We were given lots of tomatoes and apples (a friend and I actually picked the apples ourselves). So I made some salsa and sliced up apples to freeze for pies. And we have bruised apples to make into cider at some point. I also have sweet corn in the freezer, so we can have some of that deliciousness this winter.

I have a fun little philosophy poem to share with you this week. I've been reading "Does the Center Hold?" by Donald Palmer.

There was a young man who said, "God

Must think it exceedingly odd,

If he finds that this tree

Continues to be

When there's no one about

                    in the Quad."

Dear Sir:

Your Astonishment's odd.

I am always about in the

                            Quad.

And that's why the tree

Will continue to be

Since observed by me,

            Yours faithfully,

                     God

(It has something to do with whether things exist only when they are being sensed/observed or not.)