Fall arrival… and its ‘just surface mud’

Unloading at sunset

Wow. It appears in this crazy, busy season of harvest I dropped the ball on this blog. As they say, something’s got to give. I do apologize for my unintended absence and the shortage of farm tales.

In Canuckland fall arrived quickly. Shortly after my last post in August I scented fall in the air; that special blend of crisp, cold, hint of fall leaf and chilled earth. Then the first days of October it snowed! Heavy, wet snow with quarter-sized snow flakes that merrily tumbled and rolled down from the heavens. (See photo on Facebook or Instagram)

Finally! A photo of myself, proof I was there, ha. Thanks Mom

Meanwhile, back home in SD, it wouldn’t stop raining. A little rain here and a couple of inches there. Enough rain that I didn’t head south (snowbird style and it really was warmer in SD) until the middle of October. Insert shock and awe. A killing frost (early) knocked out my tomatoes in mid-September; there went the salsa, bummer. I even got my garden cleared of all the remnants of plant life before I left. Hubs lucked out, he wasn’t stuck doing it. Although he did help. Scooter ‘helped’ by dragging the sweet corn stalks out in the far reaches of the lawn; at least he was helping me get steps in.

Friendly visitor for the day

 And the combining! I got my fill of combining and then some. However, a dry season in Canuckland does not prepare you for a wet season in SD. Or wolves, okay wolf, that pop out of the corn field adjacent like a jack in the box. I had been thinking of stopping for a wee minute to walk around the combine for quick look over and stretch my legs. And then again, I think I’ll stay in the cab. I was stalked until I finished the field as the wolf popped out every couple of rounds to check the cutting job, supervise, that kind of thing you know and maybe snag a spare ground squirrel for snack. (See Facebook or Instagram for a video as well.)

Keeping pace

 We’ve gotten a great jag of acres done in the week and a half we’ve had of good weather. Although I’ll admit I am tired of the mud or as Dad likes to say ‘it’s just surface mud, you’ll be fine.’ Meanwhile I can feel the heavy weight of the combine as it slowly sinks or how the back wheels get that weird, uncontrolled feeling of sliding around as I slide sideways down a tiny hill. Sorry, I forgot to take a photo as I floated my way across ‘surface mud’ and water. We’re good though, no worries. I haven’t buried it yet and my chances of low ground to do so are rapidly decreasing as we move into high ground. My tires may be completely covered in mud and leave a trail telling of my whereabouts (or where I had been), very Hansel and Gretel style, if you ignore that I don’t need to go back. 

Evening office view

If you find me in the field a la where’s waldo give me a wave, I usually feel the force shift and look up and wave back. 😊 Perhaps this week, you’ll see a buddy riding with. Farm dog Scooter has filled out his application for a ride-along and is ready to go to work!

May your harvest be going well, no rain in sight and have coffee in hand (I’ll be indulging in a pumpkin latte when/if I get to town).

60-80lb pumpkins. What to do with them?