August 25, 2003

Well, I have a neat little row of eggs in my refrigerator.  I'm not sure if it is Mae or Stella who is working so hard every morning, but we think she was probably pretty surprised the first time!  They are about half the size of the eggs in the grocery store, and perfectly white, perfectly shaped, every time.  Quite tasty as well.  I'm sure JW and Jim can hardly wait for that fresh Chocolate Pie.  I'll have to see what I can do...

Claudette, the dog, has decided to stay a while.  I know that if I brought her to the pound, she would just be put to sleep.  So, I told her that she could stay with us until we find her a new home - if she minds her manners.  She is very sweet, and tries very hard to please - I call her my little spotted monkey.  She has even learned a couple of new manners since she got here!  Dillon and I go riding in the beautiful breezy evenings, with all three dogs in tow, and have a wonderful time.  The three girls run and run across the freshly cut milo fields and scare up the kildeer, doves, and quail.  Onward to the stretch of woods to sniff the obvious tracks of deer, and maybe a hog or two.  Then, of course there is time for crashing down through the brush on the creekbank to investigate and to splosh around.  I try to prepare myself for the day that they might find an alligator.  But then I ask myself, how DOES one prepare for such a meeting?  Dillon watches all of this very intently.  When something surprises him, his eyes get reeeeeeal wiiiiiide and he takes a deep breath.  Then... he lets it out and seems to say, "Ohhhhhhh!  Is that all?"  Our new favorite "casual stretch exercise" is to go out in the English saddle and Western bosal hackamore for a jog.

I also got back a couple of shots of Claudette, NOT the dog.  JW's big horse trailer was parked square in the driveway before the wind pushed it around.  It would have swung back the other direction had the hitch not been grasped by the mud.

I've got a new nickname for Michael Steffek.  He and Milton leased a BIG BAD JOHN DEERE COMBINE this season, and Michael got in one good day of cutting the eve before Claudette.  This machine was almost as big as our whole house.  At a screaming 7 miles an hour across the field, he was "Milo Andretti" for only a day.  They were able to cut the rest of the crop even though it had been pretty well soaked and lain down for several days.  Some folks had quite a bit sprouted and ruined before the fields dried.  We have our fingers crossed for the cotton, which looks good.  Jim and JW started picking yesterday afternoon out in Clemville, which is right down the road from my new plant.  They will start picking for Steffek's this week.

I am full time at the co-op now, as they said that Thursdays and Fridays were "just too hard" without me.  Hollie said that he understood, and that he thought those boys might just need me more out there.  So, they're getting a full dose of Ol' Oberbeck.  Between you, me, and the barn - Thursdays and Fridays aren't any crazier than the rest of the week!  I'm sending along an interesting article about the Co-op.  And, what sort of Catfish Queen would I be if I didn't have my own personal recipe?

We baled hay in the little half-acre in front of the house.  Lee Edward's dad, Lee Hall, came and cut the Bermuda grass - no hands!  Jim pulled the baler around and we came out with 47 squares.  I had guessed that number when the first one fell!  I got to show off my "farm girl arms" and help stack it inside the barn.  I think I did a pretty good job at getting them four-bales high.  I don't want to get too good though, I might have to do it all of the time!

Jim's Last Auger

Jim put up his last grain auger for Billy Kubecka.  He and JW had to spend several days re-fitting and re-building, even after JW had to drive to Arkansas to get it, so Jim said he won't put up another one unless he builds it himself.  He built these grain bins originally years ago, and replaced the tall leg once when a tornado took it down.  Claudette tore it up, and out he went to fix it once more.

Portraits of My Lovebirds.  I can't resist taking pictures of these two horses.  Photographs, drawings. I'm in love with them.