Jesus said, “This is My commandment,
That you love one another, as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:12-13
Just a Note: If you have a Veteran that you would like to add, please send their picture and their name to my email: cindra e @ ymail . com (no spaces) I will continue to add to this wall, so please share this post with others.
Last year about this time, Daughter #2 saw a recipe on Food Wishes, that she wanted to make for her French class (I think there was some extra credit involved). So she needed an iron skillet and I just happened to have one.
It is so very easy, and super delicious! There are only 4 ingredients:[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:6]
She spread the butter onto the bottom and sides of the iron skillet. Then she sprinkled the sugar over the butter. After peeling and quartering the apples, she placed them on top of the sugar.
She cooked this on the stove top (med. hi) for about 10 minutes. The sugar began dissolving into the melting butter, making an ooey, gooey delicious syrup.
After the apples began to soften, she placed a single pie shell on top. Then cooked it in the oven at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Allowing it to cool for about 5 minutes, she turned the skillet upside down onto a plate. The Farmer and I got to be the guinea pigs (yay!)
I can’t express to you how delicious this apple pie is! It is gooey, and sweet, and the sugar and butter creates a chewy caramel texture and flavor. Then to make it more complete, she served it with a scoop of ice cream! So good!
If you would like to see this recipe in action, Chef John has a video of him preparing Apple Tarte Tatin
There was a certain peacefulness in the air, the rustle of the autumn leaves, the damp smell of a recent shower, and the gentle breeze wafting through her graying hair. Although it had not always been this way, at
this very moment, she was content. Life’s vanishing moments played in the recesses of her memories. She found herself smiling at the remembrances of her beautiful children, and a small tear escaped down her cheek. Quiet laughter exhaled through her lips thinking of all the impractical moments they also had shared. There had been wearisome times, of course, but they didn’t matter anymore, and were always quickly forgotten.
She always felt safe when he was near. As they battled the giants, the dragons, and fought through the dangers that surrounded them, he led the way. The Knight always had his sword drawn. Even at times of peace when she would ask him to put it into his sheath, he would never give in to her insistent pleas, knowing that danger always lurked nearby.
Day after day, the Knight’s calloused hand would close around the dainty hand of the Lady, as they battled up the hill. Together they faced giants, dragons, and evil authorities. There were times of celebration, tragedy, and even abandonment, but they always faced these times together and their hearts became as one. He, leading the way, wielded his sword at all danger, and she was safely protected in his shadow. And now, nearing the end of the battle, she knew the Knight had done his job well. She was confident that one day when he stood before his Lord, he would hear him say, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.”
Although I am not foolish enough to think that my life is perfect and that my husband is my knight in shining armor, I am wise enough to know that I have a great family and a great husband. He’s not perfect, but neither am I, but we have become perfect for each other.
But since today is our 38th anniversary, I wanted to let The Farmer know that I do appreciate his leadership in our family. And no, we haven’t fought any literal giants, dragons, or evil authorities (well maybe evil authorities), but we have fought against the Giants of Debt, Doubt, and Despair. And continually slay the dragons named Sickness, Indecision, and Busyness.
But together, and with God’s guidance, and the sword of Wisdom, we have survived. We have throttled the statistical dragon of divorce and infidelity, we have killed the giant of non-communication, and we have nourished the meadows of Love, Contentment, and Family.
The Farmer has been busy for the last several months designing and building his little home away from home–his office/workshop. When he made the decision to retire, we both knew that neither one of us wanted each other to be underfoot too much. So it was decided that he had to have a place to escape to (or be sent to). J
Daughter #5 got to take it for a test drive.
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I tossed and turned instead of sleeping, and although I could tell that it was morning, I couldn’t begin to guess the time. Grabbing my phone, I checked the time–5:45. There was no use in lying there any longer, so I decided to get up and try to catch some quiet time before the rest of the house came to life.
After the rain had passed this spring, The Farmer was able to get out into the hay field, and we ended with a very successful hay season!
Due to a cool, wet spell late this summer, we were able to get a second cutting this fall!
Fortunately, a science project always makes the day a little more enjoyable. 🙂
If you have ever thought about home schooling, here are a few resources you may find helpful:
Well, this year is quickly passing by, harvesting cattle is an annual event that happens right smack dab in the middle of the year, and we just had it. Last week our customers visited the farm to pick up their beef. Each year as the time approaches, I envision meeting our new customers and embracing our old friends (not “old” but, well-acquainted friends). Unfortunately, it never works out like I imagine.
In my mind… I see The Farmer and I greeting our customers and leading them over to their nicely packaged frozen beef. Telling them the history of their calf, showing them the grazing fields, and letting them enjoy the serenity of the farm.
But in reality, The Farmer and I get up early to make a mad dash to the processor’s. Finding all of our orders, the workers bring the frozen meat outside (in 75 degree weather), and The Farmer and I frantically throw the beef (over 2,000 pounds this year) into all different sizes of boxes. As The Farmer quickly loads the boxes, I’m busy checking off all of the orders and making sure everyone has everything expected.
We jump into the truck, and rush back to the farm, taking all the shortcuts we can, over crooked, curvy back roads. Approaching the farm, we see everyone eagerly awaiting our (their beef’s) arrival.
I get out to greet everyone (and collect money), The Farmer begins to unload boxes, and in a whirlwind of activity, smiling faces, and joyous farewells, I find myself standing on the porch waving goodbye to a late-coming customer, and watching The Farmer take off to do another chore.
Not quite the “Rockwell” moment I had envisioned.
But maybe we’ll have more time next year.
Thanks to everyone who purchased our beef. We do appreciate your business!
Much of the nation has been experiencing drought conditions the last couple of years. In fact, two years ago, because things were so dry, hay production was very low. Due to the shortage of hay, it became a very “hot” commodity. We had to buy a lot of hay during the winter, and it was very expensive! (Supply and demand—capitalism at work!) The large, round bales of hay that historically cost $25-$35 a bale, were selling for $55-$65. We even heard of someone paying (well, charging) $90 a bale!
Last year was a little bit better, or we were a lot more prepared. We had enough hay to feed the cattle through the winter, and we still have a few bales leftover to feed cattle that are put in the lot for various reasons.
We are not out of the drought conditions, yet. In fact, our farm sits in an area that the old-timers used to call Dry Branch–possibly because the rains seem to keep going around us. At times, we see a storm moving in, and then it begins to clear up and looks like a completely different weather pattern.
During the last couple of months, we have been praying for rain…the situation was getting serious. The fields were thin, the grasses were not growing, and we were wondering what we would do for hay for the coming winter. But thankfully, this month we have been blessed and over-blessed with rains, here on the farm. Now The Farmer has another problem…the rain is keeping him from cutting the hay!
He only needs three straight days of good sunshine to cut a field, rake it, and bale it. Unfortunately, the weatherman keeps predicting “chances” for afternoon, morning, or evening showers. His latest prediction looked like this:
So understandably, The Farmer is a little hesitant about laying any grass on the ground. But like all ventures here on the farm, he’s going to eventually just take a chance and hope for the best.
Traditionally, The Farmer begins cutting hay in May, when plants have the fewest seed heads and leaves contain the most nutrients. After the hay begins to seed, the nutrients leave the leaves and go up into the seed. The early cuttings in May produce quality hay.
Unfortunately, hay season is off to a slow start this year. The combination of late snowstorms into April, the cool (downright cold) days of spring, and then the drought conditions that are still lingering through this month have stalled the growth of spring grasses.
The Farmer was able to put up a few bales, but we are in need of a lot more before hay season ends.
“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. Thy hay appereth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.”
Proverbs 27:23 & 25
When I look at people who have been working for a long time, it seems to me that they all fall into at least three different groups when it comes to the subject of retirement:
1) Those who fear retirement, 2) Those who can’t seem to acquire enough for retirement, and 3) Those who use work as a means to retirement.
The Farmer belongs to the last group. He’s a hard worker, and he has used a lot of his hard-working years to save up for retirement. He has never been able to sit and enjoy taking time off. I think it’s because he’s had his eye on a greater goal
retirement.
He typically left the house very early, and had at least a 45-minute drive to work. He was very diligent; working in the rain, snow, sleet and hail (the postman had nothing on him). He would often work late, go to bed early, and get up “Grumpy” (me), so I could fix his lunch for the day.
However, that has all changed. He has retired from his “real” job, and he’s learning to live an entirely different way. He’s sleeping in a bit later (I’m afraid that may change when the weather gets warmer), he refuses to go out and work in the rain or snow, and he’s spending way too much time contemplating.
As a son of a farmer, he learned early to work hard. He began following his father around and helping him with whatever he was doing. In fact, some of his most precious memories are chasing his dad out the door as he went out to do some work on the farm. They were always fixing vehicles and machinery or repairing fences. Lots of time was spent clearing the land, picking up rocks, and creating brush piles. And of course there was always wood to be cut, animals to be tended to, and an occasional building project.
Although he has retired from his real job, he has not retired from farming. These next few years are the years we have both been working towards; the years we can spend enjoying the farm. We are raising cattle, instead of building the herd. We get to look out off our porch at fields of grasses, instead of clearing land. And we get to enjoy the things around us, instead of always wanting more.
Oh, that doesn’t mean there won’t be building projects, and machinery to work on, or fences that will need mending, but for the most part he has plans of putting up hay, watching the cattle grow, and enjoying all that God has allowed us to acquire.
This brings to mind a story in which Christ told concerning covetousness. He said that a farmer spent his whole life building for himself. He had land, built barns, and gained riches. One day he stopped and looked at all he had acquired and decided to tear his barns down and build bigger barns to hold more of the things that he wanted. But before he could do that, God ended his life here on earth.
The Bible records that he was a fool, not because he achieved so much, but because as he gained everything he could to benefit himself, and never gave thought to prepare for eternity. Jesus said, “…beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.” But we are to seek God’s redemption first, and then live according to His blessings.
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36
No matter what riches you have this side of Heaven (or lack thereof), if you do not prepare for eternity, in the end you will lose everything.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:34