I Get By With a LIttle Help From My Friends.

Well, it's not really true that I've been neglected (see previous post). But it is true that we've been working really hard with no days off - grateful, truly, for the work in this economy. I'm also grateful for the work in how it strengthens the team-building aspect of our marriage and how I learn something new everyday. Work is a gift and as I get older, I'm learning it is a gift we can easily take for granted.

This was a large mixed-media piece I did before the heavy work began. It is on watercolor paper, with another watercolor torn up and collaged on top. It still looks like background to me and I feel I must add something over the top - maybe some large black silhouetted calligraphy- spiritual words.... Or not. I would be very grateful for your comments and ideas because I'm a little dry on creative stuff right now. Someone just needs to light my flame again.

Sweet Farmer doesn't love me....

I'm not sure Sweet Farmer loves me anymore.
No kiddin. I haven't seen him in days. Last night I came in from cutting a large triticale (it's a grain crop) circle at 3:30 a.m. and he only opened one eye and said, "glad you made it in". That's it.....nada. nothin. zippo. I saw him briefly when he came in the night before at 4:00 a.m. from baling hay when I got up to pee, but before I laid back down, he was sound asleep!!
The other day I made him kiss me for 10 seconds. After a bemused grin, he went after the task with gusto, but couldn't finish because he burst out laughing when he realized I was actually counting down with my fingers. Yeah, he couldn't even make out 10 seconds.
He personally showed up to fill my swather machine with diesel the other day (i knew it - he was missing me, he usually sends the "pit crew")but when he finished, he just jumped in his pick-up and drove off with a wave. I called him, and said I .... WAS .... going to give him a big, juicy kiss and offered him other lewd things over the phone- but he just laughed and said it was hot and he was too sweaty and then mocked me with my own line that's he's heard many times before, "i don't feel very pretty right now".
He did bring me a fake bouquet for Mother's Day that he found when driving through our itsy-bitsy town that a sweet Mexican woman had put together and needed the money AND A HOSTESS chocolate cupcake that I instantly tried to eat the whole thing in one bite and ended up with all the cream on the end of my nose. He knows I'm a sucker for stories of how a busy farmer tries to find the perfect gift for his wife when he lives in a town with an only a convenient store and a bar -and he waited until Sunday.
We talk of date nights and down time. He promises me sweet, beautiful, long romantic dinners. I know it must be true. And when he does take me out, us both "feeling pretty" again , he'll look across the table like only he can at me and say so sweetly, "you know what? you're the prettiest girl in the room".
And I'll have his undivided attention once again.

Tea Party Tuesday

I'm so glad that Kimmie at Art in Red Wagons invited me to her tea party. I know she would love for you to come on Tuesdays also. Today, I had Chamomile and Citrus Tea from Mighty Leaf and dreamed my whole house was clean. I'm glad to have the afternoon off.

I love blogland for this very reason - friends that remind you to slow down and share your day with someone.

This is what I would share if I sat down with you for a cuppa-

Yesterday, I got a call from an older friend of mine who is a real hooooot. In fact, she's the best birder woman I know. She has 421 birds on her life list!! She called to give me a tip about Orioles. She says add a drop of orange flavoring to your regular hummingbird recipe and you'll have the colorful sweet things come home to your house. She, in that instant, reminded me of a passion I had let fall to sleep, and immediately I was awake and alive and ready to begin again my journey to really seeing and knowing the birds of the air. So I'm heading to our wildlife refuge (Bitterlake Wildlife Refuge) to get a closer look at my long-lost passion. I'll pick some other friends up a long the way - would you like to go??

Birds for Church Members

Today I was cutting a hayfield- first one this season. I know God wants us to take a day of rest, but it won't be this day. But I did have a small church family join me, a red-tailed hawk, a bald buzzard and some large crows (not pictured). They were there for the church picnic I provided after my chopper uncovered small rodents that ran out from under the canopy of green hay, or minced those unseen and less fortunate. They would play and pluck and carry their new prey off like some scary animated movie above my head. They remind me of the seagulls that follow a fisherman's wharf, these large birds always show up to strut around and defend their small piece of raggedy game on the fresh shorn turf. I was glad for the company and entertainment. I was listening to Family Life Radio with its modern inspirational hymns and heard songs like: "Life is Good, Life is Sweet like the earth beneath my feet" and I had to agree. And I would change it to my public radio station and listen to classical music. It can feel very surreal to float over a Windsor green hayfield to Bach's "What Joy is Mine, O Friend of Mortals". I ate my carrots and my unroasted nuts because I'm determined to watch my nutrition - it helps so much for stable blood sugar and not feeling sleepy and groggy when I work in a machine 10 or more hours a day. It's a good tired at the end of the day, and even though I missed going to church, I had many sacred moments just alone with my thoughts and silent prayers for sick friends and my son who is at loose ends these days. I miss my drawing and painting but I had hours to dream of new compositions. So, it wasn't a day of rest but yet I feel regenerated. This must be what the Psalmist meant when he prayed that God would bless the work of his hands. I hope you had a blessed day also.

A Day In the Life of a Farming Couple

I'm back in the fields again which I am very happy about. Today saw me cutting triticale in my windrower with a chopper and trucks waiting right behind me. I listened to an audiobook on my ipod about Frank Lloyd Wright and the women in his life -fascinating stuff while I went round and round. Later, I went to see what Sweet Farmer was up to.

Many people think farming is just large scale gardening - that any unskilled person with a strong back and a green thumb can make a farm grow. But profitable farming practices are not for the unskilled, and you don't necessarily need a strong back- just a smart head on your shoulders. Sweet Farmer has worked very hard this year preparing his planter to be more accurate and successful in its drops to increase his yield.

This year we have added GPS systems to his tractors. Now his John Deere is full of monitors and beeping and manuals on the subject.


To get the most yield on a modern farm, tractors have to plant exactly parallel to the previous row that was seeded. And while modern farmers may be experienced at driving a straight line, technology does it significantly better. This guidance system actually steers his tractor once he get it turned toward the field and corrects any error within an inch or two. So he reads his manual and his monitors with his hands in his lap.


He watches another monitor that reads sensors on each planter box to inform him as to exactly how much seed he's dropping per box per acre so that if one fowls up for whatever reason, he won't have blank spots in the field.


He also added seed disc that actually improved his flow of seed to the field and doesn't double up seed in some spots and no seed in others. And we didn't stop there, we have even upgraded the machine that flows seed into the planter boxes that doesn't split or damage the seed. With the costs of fuel, fertilizer, and seed -every seed matters and the accuracy of planting has become extremely important.


Farming, just like other industries, has moved toward technology to improve its profitability. It is a challenge to stay up and maintain the balance of profit while you upgrade. I thought you might be interested in the day of the life of a couple of happy farmers.

Old MacDonald had a farm.....

We're already having some 90 degree days around here and our beautiful little miniature Australian Shepherd had grown a fur coat on her that was making her miserable. Every year my Sweet Farmer shears her like a little sheep and she absolutely loves the attention and waits patiently and expectantly through the process. Sweet Farmer is very gentle and kind during the whole ordeal and has never had to use force to hold any of his dogs down as they trust him so much. But what was funny this year, was our little stray cat, that I picked up as a starving, sticker-encrusted kitten about 6 months ago, wanted part of the attention and she wouldn't leave Greg alone. He kept having to be careful he didn't get a kitty tail or ears in the procedure. Sadly, the little cat is pregnant and too young, but sometimes when you care for strays and live on a wide open farm... things happen. One of the things I admire most about my Sweet Farmer is how he cares for animals and gives value to their lives, feelings and needs. He would stop and pet the cat while he was managing all the other things. I get a kick out of watching all the love - I can totally understand why they are crazy about him.

If you have any hints on how to care for a too-young momma cat (she's about 1-2 weeks away from due)- we could use them. Our strays would usually be wild cats, but this one has been loving from day one.

I love it when others have shown pictures of their home and favorite things so I thought that I would also share some of my favorite spots and cherished items.
This is a quilt I made several years ago because I love dragonflies.

Did you know dragonflies live as a larvae on the sides of ponds and waterholes for most of their lives and only birth into a dragonfly for the last part of their lives? I love the idea that they are the most beautiful and active for the last part of their lives. Actually, they just fly around eating and having sex, never harming anyone but a few mosquitoes. Of course, their colors amaze me and they never give you long glances- you must catch their beauty quickly. It is for all those reasons I have made this guilt and placed it above my favorite little Amish bench.

(is anyone else having trouble with blogger? all my pictures posted in code and my headings are all gone on my preview which makes it difficult to create a new post?)

Finding Beauty Where I Can

The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But
cosmetics are easier to buy. Yves Saint Laurent
Another mixed-media piece in my journal just letting myself play and not being too hard on myself. If I only showed you my very best stuff, I wouldn't show up to this page very often. I wish I could tell you everyday I create something absolutely pleasing to my eye, but the reality in my journal is that most pages are chalked up to just more practice.

With the economy slowed and drought in this area, and lots of people going through serious problems such as struggling marriages and health issues, either related to the first circumstances or not - it makes for real challenge to stay optimistic, vibrant, and passionate about the day and about life in general.

I find that I'm digging deeper in the things of which I spend time and money. That includes my faith, the people I have relationship, the poor and disenchanted, with the things I read, with my work, and with the meager, but entertaining talents that God has given me. All these things matter to this day and this moment, even when the news tells me the future looks shaky. These things ground me. And you?

Pushing Up Daisies

I will miss my daisy watercolor as next week it is being donated to an auction for C.A.S.A (Court Appointed Special Advocates). I worked as a supervisor of volunteers for this program for about 3 years and feel very strongly about supporting it and all the good they have done all over our nation for abused and neglected children.

A young cousin of mine recently quoted this on her Facebook, "Some things fall apart so better things fall together".

This watercolor was my first attempt at negative painting and using frisket. I enjoyed the practice so much. I like to get this painting out in the spring and hang it above my favorite chair.

But I will memorialize it here and hope it's good enough to do CASA some good - then, I would feel really good about my daisies.

My Unusual Truth

This was the small little mixed media piece I did in my journal of the red pears (just in case you're a non-fruit person like non-Sweet Farmer :) who had never seen a red pear) that preceded this strange piece I showed you in the earlier post. Only those with great imaginations could see how I got from these pears to those Egon faces. I regretted that I did this piece in my journal after I spent way too much time on it to be tucked away in my journal library in days to come but I never would have attempted the Egon piece without it- and I really like that little canvas. I really like this too but I've seen a million of this type of thing and I like the unusual I must admit. I want my art to reflect my unusual truth and my passion and energy - and to do that I have to step out of even my not-so-comfort zones and let my imagination play. I tell you it's spooking Sweet Farmer a little bit because he's more comfortable with the familiar. You should have seen him when I talked him into staying at some bed and breakfasts' instead of nice motels when we took our last trip. He got very nervous. But then after I got him there and into the experience, he loved it. Things must grow on him. Like a fungus. I know the fact that he loves me means he enjoys a little unpredictability now and then - or .........I'm his favorite fungus.