Re-Engineering

Doesn't seem to matter what we get into, the major amount of time we spend on whatever we touch at our farmstead is spent on RE-ENGINEERING, due to the age of everything here and the lack of contracting knowledge, I guess. Since Saturday, we have worked many, many hours, and finally are starting to see ourselves about 1/3rd of the way or better on this re-siding project. Lots of measuring, rebuilding, with a little frustration to go along, and then G. is helping with planting and crust busting. Today, I found an inchworm...I have never seen one before, I put him on my arm and let him do his "inching" so I could look closely at him. They are interesting critters, with grabbing feet in front and grabbing feet in back and they really do 'inch' along. Reminds me of the song we used to sing and what a help it was for learning about "doubles" in math:

Inch worm, inch worm
Measuring the marigolds
Could it be, stop and see
How beautiful they are

(Chorus:)
Two and two are four
Four and four are eight
Eight and eight are sixteen
Sixteen and sixteen are thirty-two

Inchworm, inchworm
Measuring the marigolds
You and your arithmetic
You'll probably go far

(Repeat Chorus)

Inchworm, inchworm
Measuring the marigolds
Seems to me you'd stop and see
How beautiful they are

We used to try to sing it in 'rounds'. What fun! More fun in the studio this week, while G. is in the fields, I am 'craft' painting for practice and working on steadying my hand with small projects. My fine brush strokes are out of practice, but improving with each project.

and Then Some....

Busy yesterday, ZZZZ's happened too early last night to get this posted. G. was hired (although we consider it an honor)to "plant" the wheat, so he jumped at that opportunity. I joined him and we both rode in the cab of the 555 Versatile, pulling the "drill" planting the wheat seed and fertilizer. What a fun operation! I think probably "farmers" DO IT for one of three reasons: (1) to make a living (paltry as it may be)(2) to be a part of the big picture, "feeding the world" OR (3) to just enjoy prepping the ground, putting seeds in it, caring for it, and watching it grow, then to reap the harvest of your labor. We decided that our neighbor enjoys the third - and so would we! It's 'life fulfilling'. Here are some photos of the newly "drilled" field, milo plants that will soon be harvested, my new "Studio 165" hat, the 555 Versatile tractor with the drill behind it, and G. standing on the drill. Yep, WE would like to "farm" too! (I think it is in my blood, as my dad's family were farmers). When we were done, we had to get back to the 'siding project'. The front window had to be removed and the framing around it corrected and "beefed" up. Now, it is back in, the tar paper has been repaired on the entire house front and the siding will be going up today. Started...anyway. I think my insomnia problem has been solved, do physical labor all day, took a "salts" bath and "Nighty Night!" Life is good! Stay tuned for before and after photos of the house project, hopefully to be completed soon, weather permitting.