The Coming of Winter

Well corn harvest is over, most of the cattle are home, there are calves to feed and my pumpkins are rotting on the lawn,  winter must be here.

Corn harvest was delayed continually by blizzards, regular snow and rain, but all in all went smoother than the nearly nonexistent wheat harvest. A lot of the corn was laying down, I understand, but the cattle will enjoy eating it and my Father-in-law has been out baling corn stalks. We got to enjoy riding in the combine. It is a much sought after treat for all the children, and the Goblin Child is just starting to appreciate it. Plus during harvest it’s the only way we get to see my farmer husband who gets to take a small vacation from working in town to play farmer full time.

All of last weekend was spent gathering and hauling cattle. Some were there, where they were supposed to be, others were off visiting the neighbors. One way or another they all had to come home. The closest got to walk, the farther away bunch got a ride in the trailer. That leaves one bunch to go, the time and method remains to be seen, by us at least. The Goblin Child and I didn’t get to bring a horse but we got to ride a little on a four wheeler and drive the pick up and trailer. She got to skip the car seat when going across country and really enjoyed chasing the cattle. Her father even let her ride on the four wheeler and chase them for real. She got very good at “haw”ing them.

With calves here to feed it’s back to work for the child and me. Last year she was too little to come along. This year my mother-in-law is spared the dreaded job of watching the child and The Goblin Child gets to help feed. I am glad that I got to learn how to drive the feed truck last year with out quite so much help, that makes it easier this year to feed with her hanging on my arms and onto the wheel and pulling every knob and control. Her favorite part seems to be when I floor it. The engine revs, and revs, and finally switches gears and we are thrown back in our seats as we reach top speeds of ten maybe fifteen mile an hour.

On the bright side I think the child will know how to drive long before she can reach the peddles.