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I am Sandra - faithful steward. listener. shepherd. dream believer. hard worker. collects brass bells, boots. Jesus follower. contented. star gazer. homemaker. farmer. prayer warrior. country woman. reader. traveler. writer. homebody. living life large.

Saturday, August 01, 2015

August 1 and Summer Plays On


Just before dawn the last blue moon until January 2, 2018, as it disappeared behind the mountain. 


Daddy John and Daniel found a few days window of no rain and managed to get my hay field mowed, tethered, put into wind rows and then baled into 5x5 bales. My upper meadow will be done same this coming week and perhaps another ten or dozen bales to be given half to the cutter and then my half sold. 

One of the prettiest sights, to my way of thinking, and at this stage of life, is a hay field with freshly cut, newly baled, dry hay.

Depending on my count, which changes each time, the round bales totaled either 28.5 or 29.5 or 30.5. I'll know for sure once I move them from field center to field edge in preparation of moving them to the hay lot near the barns.


Each year, after the men finish haying, the dogs and I take the Ranger so I can glean hay from the field. It's silly enough but it pleases me and the horses like having a change in their diet.

During the mornings, while listening to Youssef and Begg, I'm working on a bowl or nest, ala Vicki at 2 Bags Full. This yarn is more like roving, made in Peru (if memory serves) and knits up beautifully. The bottom is crochet and is being attached to the knitted bowl with knit stitches; once finished, it'll be felted and, in similar manner, turned into a nest with my own little touches. I don't have a pattern but am relying on old fashioned brain power (can you imagine the burning of my little gray cells?) to figure it out. As Agatha Christie had Poirot say, "It is the brain, the little gray cells on which one must rely. One must seek the truth within--not without." As an aside, JOY JOY JOY, this summer filming began of Tommy and Tuppence, another of Christie's books. On BBC ONE, a few nights ago, you could view And Then There Were None which was called, I believe, Ten Little Indians when Christie first wrote it and worth seeing if only for the scenery. Although, we all know the acting will be stellar and the clothes fabulous. (I suppose the PC police got their shorts in a twist and had the name changed from Indians to None. Seriously, "those people", those PC people, haven't any sense of humor and are as rigid as a flag pole!) Partners in Crime, is another title for the Tommy and Tuppence series filed in the 1980's. If the new films are as good as the old ones, they're to be highly recommended!

Recently, the first three parts of Parade's End have entertained me although it's also brought a keen sense of ennui into my life. The main character, Christopher Tietjens, reminds me so much of Dave; both honorable, respectful men, always doing the right thing as they provide for and protect their women, their home and their country. The actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, has been in a lot of roles...Sherlock (fabulous!), The Imitation Game (bittersweet), The Hobbit (didn't see but I've heard his voice as Smaug) and a theatre production of Hamlet and Star Trek Into Darkness released this summer (I think).

Anyway, if you like Downton Abbey, you will probably like Parade's End and the first three parts are on Netflex, whereas the sixth and final season of Downton Abbey doesn't come 'round until January 1.

Summer is full of work, work, work keeping me busy, busy, busy and out of trouble. By the time I finish either on the farm or in the house, it's time for supper, shower and sleep. Speaking of, I'm only one third of the way so shall close.

Be safe, keep busy and no whining...okay? 
It's terribly unattractive. 

Blessings ~ dry round rolls of HAY! ~ movies as evening entertainment ~ Agatha Christie ~ 

16 comments:

  1. those are beautiful photos of the fields, smile!
    enjoy your rest as you can, even a few minutes here & there help.

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  2. It looks so peaceful at Thistle Cove. Love your little basket. You should post a tutorial. Hugs, LJ

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  3. Fields for miles all around my new home are gathering hay. Hot, dry days.

    One field, hay still drying on the ground, I saw late afternoon, backlit by the sun. The hay was gleaming gold, about 50 acres of gleaming gold. Drove by at about 5mph, no cars on the 2 lane road. Much of the land around me is dairy.

    Next door neighbor is 3rd generation dairy farmer. He had to get a day job recently off the farm. Milk prices have dropped below production prices. It is a crisis. And national.

    How I wish I knew all you knew about farm life.

    Went to local extension office last week and picked up info about livestock fencing, old pecan trees, ponds, fruit trees, restoring a prairie meadow...... Quite hilarious for someone who has written 5 books about ornamental historic gardens.

    I need to come to camp at your farm. Shadow you, help you, absorb.

    Garden & Be Well, XO T

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  4. There's a special feeling of contentment in having enough good dry hay for the winter ahead...I'm hoping I can make that happen this year, but it means building at least a basic storage area. And then enough good hay to fill it! This has been another very tough year for haying in my neck of the woods.
    I love your project, and look forward to seeing where you go with it. Vicki's nests are something unique in my experience! I am also interested in the table/tray you are working on. Is it cedar?
    Funny tidbit: the first time I saw B Cumberbatch was on an episode of Miss Marple!
    Have a wonderful Sunday, Sandra :)

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  5. I have always loved the moon...and I didn't realize the next blue moon would be so long from now. Just yesterday I pulled the car over and took some photos of hay bales...they are one of my favorite sights...so peaceful. We are moving ahead on our relocation...I keep you in my prayers when I stop by here.

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  6. Love the hay field photos . . . .
    And the "Sandra created" bowl is a delight . . .
    You amaze me!

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  7. Wow! I love that wool bowl!

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  8. Oh my goodness, you always sound so busy...bless you! Your header photo is gorgeous!! I love the bales in the field too. Funny how time changes things. The round bales are picked up and stored, I assume by machines, where back in my day (many...many years ago), they were the square ones and were picked up and loaded on a flatbed trailer by hand. The men had muscles like you only see from those who work out in a gym today...lol As I finished reading your post and it said don't whine...all I thought of was (don't let her read my last post...lol)

    Blessings to your day,
    Gert

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  9. Oh it is nice to see those round bales in the field. You can relax a bit now. Your bowl looks like one of my hats:) Hug B

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  10. It seems to me that Tommy and Tuppence was also BBC show a couple of decades ago. DH has some DVDs, I'm pretty sure.

    May your farm sell as fast as you would like it to!

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  11. love the field photos, your corner of the world is gorgeous. I can imagine seeing your hay baled is a marvelous feeling...

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  12. I love seeing hay bales in fields. They speak of lots of hard work, now tidied and completed. There's a sense of satisfaction and abundance about them. How do you find time to knit?! I'm anxious to see your "nest;" I've seen Vicki's and they're incredible.
    And yes, whining is very unattractive. I used to tell my kids that :)

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  13. Thank you so much for commenting on my blog, and I am glad to see yours! what a beautiful peaceful place you live in! A friend did a nest type bag for our daughter's boat. She hangs it up and keeps bits and pieces in it, so nice to have extra storage in a boat but more than anything, it's so pretty.

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  14. One of my sisters is a A.C. super fan while I was more of a Dorothy Sayers lover. But the Tommy and Tuppence books were my favorite so I will look forward to someday when they show. So would you not recommend the Imitation Game? My husband just bought me home a magazine called Britain and there is a great article in it on the real story and the estate where it all took place. And I loved the Bletchley Circle so had thought about ordering Imitation Game. Was it well done but just not a personal favorite, Sandra?

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  15. I have always loved haying time...hot dusty work when we had horses of our own and were putting up our own hay...and when the field beside us in ND was hayed...and now here back in NC...there are a lot of hay fields and they are just starting to bale the hay...I love the smell and the freshly mown fields are so pretty...with their fat round bales...

    ~Have a lovely day!

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  16. Annie, thanks for visiting; it's been a hot, humid summer but the hay is finally cut and baled...yay!

    Lady Jane, I will post how I've crochet and knitted the basket...it started as a hat.

    Tara, your new home sounds wonderful and am enjoying seeing it come together. What I know, I'm willing to share so come on.

    Quinn, I remember that episode...after looking it up. Cumberbatch is such a great actor...have enjoyed him in everything I've seen.

    Anita, those round hay bales remind me of Shredded Wheat cereal.

    Lynne, will show the finish of the bowl soon and thank you.

    Karen, thank you, it's been fun figuring it out.

    Gert, I'd rather have square bales but it's so labor intensive and I can't find the necessary help.

    Grace, 65 bales total...30 5x5 and 35 4x4...woohoo! Thank you God!

    Judy, you're right, Tommy and Tuppence were on BBC a while back...great show!

    Lynne, having hay for the winter is as good as money in the bank!

    Deborah, I knit in bits and pieces, dribs and drabs...easy things because I don't have the time to suss out difficult things.

    Jenny, thanks for visiting back and would enjoy seeing your friend's bag.

    Dewena, I do enjoy Dorothy Sayers as well...Lord Peter Wimsey...YES! I've got all of her Wimsey DVD's and watch them again and again.

    Teresa, like you, I love the smell of new hay.

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