October Adventures Continued

Following Saturday's activities, Sunday was a day of rest.

Monday noon we had the RV loaded; we were soon on the road.

This field of sunflowers about four miles north of Mier on State Road 13.

 Joined with our friends again at Salamonie Park for the last camp out of the season.  Wonderful Fall weather, even better: fellowship with like-minded and good hearted people.(This does not mean we all agree on everything, but we like each other anyway.)

 In the park is the Huntington County Master Gardeners plot.  We strolled through as the insects flitted around, then we hit the road.

 Arrived home in time to pick up the mail (mostly junk) and to note the facelift on the old interurban station.

All adventures end, and yet being home is an adventure in itself.

Doxology

 

I have raked and carted leaves from the yard twice this fall.  I still have this to deal with.  There are six of these austrees on the property.  You may look through this one and see two more of them behind it in the lower left corner of the picture.

I am tired.  These remaining leaves will probably be lying in the yard come April.  The gutters, though will have to be done again.  And probably again.  Ice dams are no good.  You would not believe how long it takes me to climb up and back down four steps on a ladder.  Nor how many times the ladder has to be moved to get the job done.

Whine.

No, I am not whining.  I am blessed to have a property and trees to shade it; blessed to be able, albeit slowly, to do the accompanying chores.  There are many younger than I who can not do this stuff.

I am blessed to have sustenance for the body; blessed to have shelter and a warm bed at night.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

Word of the day:  ice dam which every Midwesterner knows and fears.

The Old Dame Revisited

A year ago I posted a little verse "The Old Guy and the Old Dame" accompanied by this picture.





I was wondering at the time which would go first, guy or dame.

I stopped by to check on her condition today and this is what I found.

 

 Frankly, I hope I am faring better than the old house, but who is to say?  We are both still standing.  Somewhat.

Looking South from the backyard.

Psalm 24 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

² For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
³ Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
⁴ He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
⁵ He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Today is Robert Montgomery "Bobby" Knight's 75th birthday.  If you don't know him, check Wikipedia.  In Indiana everyone pretty much falls into three groups:  those who idolize him, those who can't stand him, and me and three others who figure he's just another guy.

Flameout

I walked out the front door on a very gray day.  Pulling my eye full into the lower center of the pear tree was a lone leaf among the dark greens and mauves and burgundies, a lone leaf that seemed to light up the world.  I stepped closer and observed that this leaf and all its companions are accompanied by hundreds of little pears. The tree at its most beautiful.  The tree just before its bare branches present themselves to winter's onslaught.

I thought how like this lovely tree are the lives of some people I have known.  Like the tree, they flourished in the springtime of their youth, put forth leaves, and flowers, and ultimately produced the fruit, the seeds within a promise of future life.  Then as they aged, their work finished, an inner glow emanated from them, radiating sunlight and cheer in the environs where they had thrived.  And they know, and we all know, that they will soon fall even as the leaves fall.

Imagine, if you will, a world in which everyone developed such beauty, a world in which our demise would indeed be our finest hour!

Brighten the corner where you are!

While the glory of young men is their strength,

    the splendor of older people is their silver hair.

 --Proverbs 20:29 (Names of God Bible)

Plentiful Harvest

The perfect fall afternoon, blue skies, eighty degrees, scooter ride.

The wagons of shelled corn on the way to the elevators told us that harvest was underway.  The fields gave testimony to that fact.

This beanfield is not quite ready to cut, but we saw several that were.

These tractors are resting from their hay-making chores.  The product is mowed, fuffled, and raked.  Soon it will be baled.

Hay that is baled for market is usually baled in rectangular bales, but most people who plan to use the product locally bale in round bales.  Depending on size and density of product, a round bale will weigh anywhere from 700 pounds to 1800 pounds.  They are handled with tine attachments on the tractor.

The last of the Uncle Jeptha Tales

appeared here on September 25.    

Should you wish to read or reread 

any of them, They can be accessed 

via the “Short Stories” and “More 

Stories” tabs at the top of the   

page.