Sure enough, things did go alright today. I got there in the morning and started to pull weeds while James plowed up some land so that we could use the planter to plant the rest. I was a little unhappy about that idea, but I just picked away. About 3 hours later, James drove down and didn't appear too happy. Apparently his grandpa saw what he was doing and wasn't to happy himself, told James he was making a mess and had to stop. I found out later that James' grandpa was only wishing that he would help out on the farm and not be persuing strawberries so much. Makes sense, some old folks have a tough time moving on themselves, why should it be easy for anyone else? So... we went back to planting by hand, in the rain. : ) We planted and we are completely done with the Sparkle Strawberries!! We ate lunch after accomplishing that, after 5 hours. I had a yummy chicken ranch salad! James started to cook up some chili while I looked at my Kids Program material. After he was done preping we went back out to plant Ovation Strawberries. We completed 3 hundred or so and the sun made us call it quits. I was very thankful! After eating James' YUMMY chili, I prepared my outline to present what I plan to do with the kids ministry to the board tomorrow. I'm getting a little nervous, but after making up the outline, I'm doing much better. James also helped me design the flyer we are going to deliver a few weeks before the kick-off/sign-up night. Anyways, I AM VERY tired and my body is achey. I am getting up a little earlier to wash some dishes and clean up the house a bit, before grandma comes back from Aunt Lisa's house. YUP! I had a house to myself! Mom, you're right, it is nice every once in a while!
*MUST SLEEP!*
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Tough Stuff
Did the plan work? nope...we got interrupted big time. About 12:30 his dad came down and asked (well told) James to run down to the farm store to get supplies. We did just that after planting all morning it was nice for a break, but we still need to get those strawbs in the ground. Finally after getting back we were dropping the stuff off at the farm, least that's what I thought. Sure enough James was "anonymously elected" to plant the corn. : ( I was sad, because that meant that whatever I would be doing for the next X amount of hours would be by myself. I'm not so much of a fan being alone for so long and we all know planting a field of corn has got to take a while. James joked with me, "have fun weeding". I thought to myself that I would surely try. 4.5 hours later, I just couldn't pull another weed and I hadn't eaten anything but Reeses Puffs that morning. To say the least, I was hungry and my stomach wasn't about to let me forget. I called James a few times to see how much longer he would be, but he didn't have his phone on him. I am still not comfortable enough to just traught into his dad's house to find something to eat, so I went home. On the way, I picked up a pizza for supper and boy does it ever taste good! I'm not sure what James will do...fire me or not? ha..just kidding, he knows I don't like to be alone and I'm sure he will just be sad that I couldn't have waited till he was finished; I just didn't know how long he would be. What will we do next? I just don't know...I guess we will see tomorrow, huh?
Just to end on a good note, during the morning planting James and I laughed a ton while he humored me with some jokes he was pulling right from the top of his head. I would laugh at my own, of course, but they were never good enough for him. HA, mostly because I would partially think of something and just say it without developing it, that's what he said anyways. My morning was great though!!
Just to end on a good note, during the morning planting James and I laughed a ton while he humored me with some jokes he was pulling right from the top of his head. I would laugh at my own, of course, but they were never good enough for him. HA, mostly because I would partially think of something and just say it without developing it, that's what he said anyways. My morning was great though!!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Busy Busy Busy!
We have planted 12,000 strawberries this far, 8,000 more to go! We ran out of room so tonight we made some big decisions. Since the plants can't be without dirt for so long we have to get them into the ground ASAP! Our options were to plow up some more land so that we could use the planter. We would have to spray something that would kill the grass, but then of course we would have to wait 2 days to let it work. Option part two of that since we don't have time to wait 2 days is to just plow it up and get them planted and fight the grass when it shows up. To me, I didn't like those options.. so I suggested this: We plant by hand tomorrow starting 6 AM and plant till noon take an hour lunch break and then plant for another 6 hours straight. By the end of the day we will have a good idea how well we did and whether we could do it for the next three days or whenever the plants are all planted. Between the two of us we can plant about 200 plants an hour, so we can get done this way in 3ish days and the strawberries will be in the same area, which is much easier to maintain. So prayerfully tomorrow won't be so bad and we won't have to plow anymore land. I'm doing my first load of laundry right now...just wait for it to be done so that I can get some sleep! I'm also starting to work on my kids program material. I'm a little torn as to what to do, but I'm thinking I might just do a series I've done at Riverside before. I've got a few things to line up before that's official though. Also, I've decided against getting the Internet, so I may not get on here as often as I first anticipated...BUT then again, I thought I would have a little more down time. I pray all is well for you at home and I still think of you often, comment and let me know how you are doing, because I wanna be connected!
Monday, May 12, 2008
SNEAK UPDATE!
Well, I don't have the internet officially but I'm picking up some signals in my bedroom from someone. : ) It has been about 12 days now and I have done more labor work then I've done in quite a long time! We've got 11,000 strawberry plants in the ground and 9,000 to go! I'm happy to say we are getting along very well and we're getting a rhythm down with the transplanter. Today I officially felt that I missed home, but most specifically T-roy. All the junk food around James' dad's place makes me wish he was here so he could indulge in the snacks that he is always begging for. My hands are no longer the same...beat up and rough they have now become and dirty most of the time. Definitely not latte making hands anymore. Which by the way, I am so missing my Caribou, because I'm not one to spend $4.00 on a drink. I am grateful, though, because James' grandma, Lois, always wants to make me coffee in the morning, so that's still a booster for me. OH and the gnats around here bite like crazy...I am covered head to toe and this morning I woke up to myself itching, bite after bite. geez...
I'm at a loss for words, because I am a little tired...11 hours days going on here. Wooosh! I better get some sleep.... I love you ALL!
oh.. and here are a few blogs I typed up:
It's Monday night (May 5th) and I'm using Word to write an update for you all – to be posted when I get the Internet. Today was yet again another hard working, but beautiful day! As there was a chance of frost last night we covered the lil strawberries (with straw) and uncovered them today. While James got a tractor ready to federalize the field we are going to be planting in, I did a TON of wedding myself and picking up some old tarps. The thing about weeding is when you look down the row all you see is mostly green and some straw, then at the end of the day after so much work...you look again. It looked exactly the same. Even just working one area for 10 minutes and then stepping back to look at what a great job you did, it still looked like there are many weeds to be pulled. LUCKLY that mostly because there is straw down, but still...one weed is just too many. I'm used to the kinda garden that is all black dirt and anything green better be something that's suppose to be there..or else you pick it! Thanks to my dad, I've had some weeding experience, now I just have to get used to the way James does it. Mid-afternoon, I was getting sick of being by myself, so I walked over to James to see what exactly he was doing. I helped him bring the tractor back, by that I mean stood behind him! : ) Then we went back to the already planted strawberries and I laid down some more straw just to protect them from us stepping on them and to keep the weeds...less active. I was pretty tired at this point and the sun was setting so it was getting a little cold, but I continued on with my IPOD blasting and singing my little heart out, that's what helps me forget that I'm actually working. After so long I was just done, so I told James I was tired and he picked a few more weeds and then we went in. We took a trip around the block in his Lincoln and heading for the house. He's been such a great cook lately, tonight be grilled us up a steak and potatoes ! OH was it SOOO good! Last night it was a cheeseburger and potatoes, pizza was for lunch and cereal for breakfast...Food seems to takes soo much better after a work filled day, can you relate? Well, its time for me to finish the day with a shower, another one of those ooh aah feelings! I love you all and thanks for caring enough to know what's going on in my life right now!
Tis the end of Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 and I am TIRED and COLD! Today was quite a quiet day, I sat in the field all day weeding and laying down straw in the isle. It was beautiful outside, so it wasn't bad at all, until the end of the day. The sun went down and brrRRrr my fingers were starting to get numb from the cold air and ground, but they are clean and warming up now. : ) This morning James' grandma called and insisted that he fix the fence so the cows can go outside, so he had to do that while I began in the field – I slept in a little bit first. We met up again at 1:30 and had some lunch, granola and black berries for me! Then we both took a cat nap and then we head back out to the strawberry field, he was pleased at the work I accomplished. He laid down some more straw while I weeded some more. (It kind of gets addicting when you work in one area and clean it of the weeds...also I have a favorite weed, is that strange?) After a while he remember more strawberries will be coming tomorrow so he should do some plowing.. I took over laying the straw down as he did so. After I finished that (which felt good to finish something because you never finish weeding around here) I continued to weed, shocked? Now I'm waiting for Mr. James M. Smith to finish up making supper, PASTA! oh..I can't wait! I thought of a few things today that I should type up.. today James and I were laughing so hard while we were eating lunch and I thought of mom and Troy. I remember Troy once asking mom, “how do you laugh like that?” we weren't sure what exactly he was asking about and he explained more...your shoulders go up and down. : ) I was laughing just like that today, as I do whenever I laugh really hard..so just thought I would let you two know I was thinking about you. Oh and I ate some Reeses and Starburst today from my Best Friend Rachel Dehmer! Thank you girl, it's was mm..mmmm..good! Well, I guess that's it for tonight! I pray the weather is just a great there as it is here for you! God Bless!
I'm at a loss for words, because I am a little tired...11 hours days going on here. Wooosh! I better get some sleep.... I love you ALL!
oh.. and here are a few blogs I typed up:
It's Monday night (May 5th) and I'm using Word to write an update for you all – to be posted when I get the Internet. Today was yet again another hard working, but beautiful day! As there was a chance of frost last night we covered the lil strawberries (with straw) and uncovered them today. While James got a tractor ready to federalize the field we are going to be planting in, I did a TON of wedding myself and picking up some old tarps. The thing about weeding is when you look down the row all you see is mostly green and some straw, then at the end of the day after so much work...you look again. It looked exactly the same. Even just working one area for 10 minutes and then stepping back to look at what a great job you did, it still looked like there are many weeds to be pulled. LUCKLY that mostly because there is straw down, but still...one weed is just too many. I'm used to the kinda garden that is all black dirt and anything green better be something that's suppose to be there..or else you pick it! Thanks to my dad, I've had some weeding experience, now I just have to get used to the way James does it. Mid-afternoon, I was getting sick of being by myself, so I walked over to James to see what exactly he was doing. I helped him bring the tractor back, by that I mean stood behind him! : ) Then we went back to the already planted strawberries and I laid down some more straw just to protect them from us stepping on them and to keep the weeds...less active. I was pretty tired at this point and the sun was setting so it was getting a little cold, but I continued on with my IPOD blasting and singing my little heart out, that's what helps me forget that I'm actually working. After so long I was just done, so I told James I was tired and he picked a few more weeds and then we went in. We took a trip around the block in his Lincoln and heading for the house. He's been such a great cook lately, tonight be grilled us up a steak and potatoes ! OH was it SOOO good! Last night it was a cheeseburger and potatoes, pizza was for lunch and cereal for breakfast...Food seems to takes soo much better after a work filled day, can you relate? Well, its time for me to finish the day with a shower, another one of those ooh aah feelings! I love you all and thanks for caring enough to know what's going on in my life right now!
Tis the end of Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 and I am TIRED and COLD! Today was quite a quiet day, I sat in the field all day weeding and laying down straw in the isle. It was beautiful outside, so it wasn't bad at all, until the end of the day. The sun went down and brrRRrr my fingers were starting to get numb from the cold air and ground, but they are clean and warming up now. : ) This morning James' grandma called and insisted that he fix the fence so the cows can go outside, so he had to do that while I began in the field – I slept in a little bit first. We met up again at 1:30 and had some lunch, granola and black berries for me! Then we both took a cat nap and then we head back out to the strawberry field, he was pleased at the work I accomplished. He laid down some more straw while I weeded some more. (It kind of gets addicting when you work in one area and clean it of the weeds...also I have a favorite weed, is that strange?) After a while he remember more strawberries will be coming tomorrow so he should do some plowing.. I took over laying the straw down as he did so. After I finished that (which felt good to finish something because you never finish weeding around here) I continued to weed, shocked? Now I'm waiting for Mr. James M. Smith to finish up making supper, PASTA! oh..I can't wait! I thought of a few things today that I should type up.. today James and I were laughing so hard while we were eating lunch and I thought of mom and Troy. I remember Troy once asking mom, “how do you laugh like that?” we weren't sure what exactly he was asking about and he explained more...your shoulders go up and down. : ) I was laughing just like that today, as I do whenever I laugh really hard..so just thought I would let you two know I was thinking about you. Oh and I ate some Reeses and Starburst today from my Best Friend Rachel Dehmer! Thank you girl, it's was mm..mmmm..good! Well, I guess that's it for tonight! I pray the weather is just a great there as it is here for you! God Bless!
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