Barley Harvest

The winter wheat harvest is done. There was only 1 field this year so it went quick.

Now they are working on barley. 1st DS's is done and so is ours and this is 3rd DS's field. He is wishing he had planted a lot more. It is running like crazy. But he has always said he hates barley (it makes you itch like mad*) and so it was a hard decision for him to even put one field in...

The tracks in the field are from when they sprayed the field this spring and the straightness of the tracks are courtesy of GPS. Amazing thing that GPS.

And it is a fairly big field. It isn't an optical illusion that it looks so long.
This is what it looks like before and after the header and sickle bar cuts off the grain. Tall and lush ahead of the header and short stubble after.

This is the barley in the hopper that is located right behind the cab of the combine with a window in between. It's fun to watch the grain fill it up.

We have a grain cart that the combine unloads into and then the cart goes to the edge of the field to unload into the trucks. That way the trucks don't have to drive in the soft fields with a big load on and it makes for less wear and tear on the trucks.

If you can click on this to make it bigger there is someone's cows off in the distance. I could see them clear as day when I took the picture but I guess they are just tiny dark spots on here... Someday I'll learn what will show up on here and what won't!

It was a nice afternoon spent riding along on the combine and out of the itchy chaff!

*I'm going to tell you all about how I learned the hard way about the itchiness of barley but that is a story for another day. I just need one of you to remind me to tell it!

Class Reunion

On Saturday evening, just over 1/2 of our remaining classmates had our 40 year reunion. We ate supper together and visited for hours. Silly pictures were taken, old times remembered and those who have passed on were toasted. Some of us see each other frequently but there was still a lot of catching up to do.

When I was younger I thought someone who was having a 40 year reunion must be ancient. But you know, we are still young at heart and not too bad a looking crew.

I think a good time was had by all. I'm looking forward to the next reunion!

And since it says "Knits" in the name of this blog...

I finished this shawl awhile ago. But since I've been busy, and that being compounded by summer laziness, it has taken me a long time to get this posted.

I got the yarn as a Christmas gift from 2nd DS & DDIL. Isn't it pretty? I think it would have made stripy socks but I just wasn't in the mood for socks.

The ribbing on the bottom is supposed to look like a ruffle but somehow it just didn't turn out that way. I even went down a needle size like was suggested in the pattern. Anyway...

It's still a pretty shawl and goes around my shoulders just perfectly.

It was a super simple shawl to do and I intended to knit until I ran out of yarn but I quit early....I just couldn't do any more ribbing!

All the info is here on Ravelry.

And I just have to throw in a bit of parental pride...

2nd DS was invited and played yesterday in the John Deere Pro Am Classic. He was nervous as a cat in a room full of rockers but in the end I think he had a good time.

He's not a golfer but is a grounds superintendent at a golf course in Wisconsin. He was previously at a course in South Dakota where John Deere had a corporate membership. A person from JD that he met over 3 years ago in SD remembered him and invited him to play in this tournament. Being the dedicated employee that he is, he almost didn't go because of the heat and fear that his course in WI would not be cared for properly while he was gone but DDIL and I encouraged him to go on this once in a lifetime opportunity.

He golfed with a pro named Maggert who 2nd DS said was "Awesome". I'm so happy he is getting a summertime vacation (unheard of in the golf world) and that he is having so much fun. And DDIL also got to travel with him! Bonus!

It's gonna be a sauna out there!

It is about 8:30 a.m. and it is already 80 degrees.
For us, that is hot all by itself.

But if you look off into the distance you'll see the haze caused by unusually excessive humidity. When I stepped outside to take these pictures I was instantly damp. Yup. It's gonna be a sauna out there today.

On the other hand...if we get the thunderstorms that are in the forecast it wouldn't be a totally bad thing. The grass is brown and the crops are really hurting for moisture.

But please, we don't want hail or tornadoes!

And now for my public service announcement.

I received an email from ebay over the weekend that looked like the real thing. They even had my shopper ID correct. (I changed my password.) But after checking things out, I could tell it wasn't from them at all. I didn't click any links and I forwarded it to ebay but please, everyone, be very careful and thoroughly look over any emails before you open anything in them.

Something is in the backyard!

Butterflies!

These were taken in our backyard...

a little while ago when the lilac bush was blooming.

They were swarming around like last year but I just wasn't quick enough to get a good pic.

They sure are pretty.

And at the farm, while I was babysitting the grandbabies, I spotted this out the kitchen window.

A swingset you say? Well, yes, that too. But if you look really closely...

You see it now?

Yes! A deer!

It saw us too!

Sunshine Award!?!

Thank you Karen! I'm not always so sunny but I'm honored that you think so! :)

The award rules:
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Answer the 10 questions on your favourite things.
3. Nominate 10 blogs to receive the Sunshine Award and let them know they’ve been nominated.

So I'm supposed to answer these 10 questions and nominate 10 people...well...I've only got a couple to nominate but here goes...

Favourite animal: Cats. No, dogs. Umm, maybe sheep or more accurately lambs. Oh I don't know! OK. Cats.
Favourite number: 13. Yeah I know it sounds weird but it's a pretty good number!
Favourite non-alcoholic drink: Diet Coke
Facebook or Twitter: FB
My passion: Knitting lace shawls
Getting or giving: Ummm...both?
Favourite Pattern: Iceling. It's a cardigan for baby boys.
Favourite day of the week: Saturday
Favourite flower: Lilies
Favourite country: USA

I'd nominate Karen but she's the one that gave me the award in the first place! Karen IS sunshine so it's understandable that she received the award. And witty. Karen you crack me up!

Kym. Her blog posts are amazing with music and beautiful pictures. And Kym is a wonderful person with a positive outlook. Perfect Sunshine Award nominee.

And my second nominee is Cookie. Yes, Cookie you do deserve the Sunshine Award. You portray yourself as a grouch but we all know that you are really a sweetheart and I love to see what you have to say every time you post. Another perfect Sunshine Award nominee.

Decisions. Decisions.

There have been a few decisions made and quite a few more yet to be done.

This is Moldova Burgundy from Peace Fleece. I love Peace Fleece yarn for cardigans and that is just what this is going to be. I decided at the end of the winter that I needed another cardigan and got this ordered. Now to decide what pattern!

The yarn is firm and has good shape and body when knit and the touch of mohair gives it a little fuzzy halo when washed. It does itch just a bit though so a turtleneck is in order for me.

These adorable little balls are also from Peace Fleece and if I can bear to use them and not just keep them to look at, some might be used as a bit of decoration on the cardigan.

This will be the most fun decision of all! I won this yarn from our sweetheart, Karen. I was the 2,500th comment on her blog. Karen....that is a lot of comments! And Karen, you must know me pretty well because you got the colors exactly right. I will so enjoy deciding what to knit with this yarn. And yes, I think it did spark my mojo! :D

I really really want to design a lace shawl and so when I found out about this book I just had to have it. It has good basics and combined with other things I've found online I just might be able to do a design for myself. Only time will tell.

And so when I decided to buy the book above there was yarn for sale on the same website! How convenient is that? ;) I found this pretty plum laceweight and decided to order it also. It is one honking big ball....1500 yds worth!

This is Wollmeise yarn. I'm a fan of The Loopy Ewe online yarn shop. On occasion there is a bit of this yarn for sale. But only if you are aware of when it is available and then you have to be as quick as a bunny to get any of it. It sells like hotcakes. And so when I saw on Facebook that there was some for sale I decided then and there that I "needed" to see what all the fuss was about!

Since there are days and days of rain in the forecast...(Trust me it's a good thing! We need rain like crazy. The soybeans don't want to pop through because there is a crust on top of the soil from the last rain and it needs to get softened up asap!)...I decided to snap a few pictures of the peonies.

There's lots of buds...

on both bushes. But they'll be flat on the ground and turning brown if it rains as much as forecast so I'll have them in picture if not in real life!

Can you almost smell them?