 Hannah
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North_Dakota_Wheat
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Jacob
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Monday, December 29, 2003
Farming the Old Way
At Makoti they have a thrashing show every year. To get ready for the show they also bind 60 acres of land using an old pull type binder. Even though it is not horse drawn (Like the hay stacker we have behind the trees), it is a marvel to watch. The kids and I watched the binder (and stacked a few shocks) for about an hour and then went through the building to look at the old steam engines and early tractors. I remember my uncle Win talking about a trivia set of questions that he was writing for a radio show. He had found some interesting data on a strange early gas engine tractor that was sided (quite literally) like a steel corrugated building. Sure enough we found one in Makoti! and Elizabeth and Hannah took turns taking the helm.
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At Makoti they have a thrashing show every year. To get ready for the show they also bind 60 acres of land using an old pull type binder. Even though it is not horse drawn (Like the hay stacker we have behind the trees), it is a marvel to watch. The kids and I watched the binder (and stacked a few shocks) for about an hour and then went through the building to look at the old steam engines and early tractors. I remember my uncle Win talking about a trivia set of questions that he was writing for a radio show. He had found some interesting data on a strange early gas engine tractor that was sided (quite literally) like a steel corrugated building. Sure enough we found one in Makoti! and Elizabeth and Hannah took turns taking the helm.
Farming the New Way
The Longhurst's have been our custom combiners since I left to college. My job use to be to run our Massy 750 combine. I was the guy who could get into all the hard to reach places and greasy the bearing and clean out the sieves. Now the Massy is too small to keep up with the newer machines. The Longhurst's could have a quarter finished in less then two days. It has become critical to get the crop in and fast! Most of the crop was cut and picked-up with out much rain this year with the three big combines.
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The Longhurst's have been our custom combiners since I left to college. My job use to be to run our Massy 750 combine. I was the guy who could get into all the hard to reach places and greasy the bearing and clean out the sieves. Now the Massy is too small to keep up with the newer machines. The Longhurst's could have a quarter finished in less then two days. It has become critical to get the crop in and fast! Most of the crop was cut and picked-up with out much rain this year with the three big combines.
Grandpa John
Elizabeth and Hannah both enjoyed riding around and around the field in the swather . This year we were fortunate to be able to get to the farm twice. Once just before harvest. The kids and I stayed a number of days before even my dad got back to the homestead from California. Then again after we had made the pass back through Bemidji and spent the week at Potato Lake. Now harvest was in full swing and the kids could get a taste of the excitement of good fruit ready to bear.
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Elizabeth and Hannah both enjoyed riding around and around the field in the swather . This year we were fortunate to be able to get to the farm twice. Once just before harvest. The kids and I stayed a number of days before even my dad got back to the homestead from California. Then again after we had made the pass back through Bemidji and spent the week at Potato Lake. Now harvest was in full swing and the kids could get a taste of the excitement of good fruit ready to bear.
Farming in North Dakota
This year was the best year in the history of the farm. Considering that the average wheat yield is 28 bushels per acre and this year it averaged 48, I hope this is the beginning of a trend! I remember as a kid we often only got seven to ten inches of rain for the WHOLE year. Then it went to the other extreme and flooded the country. Meadow Lake was in the barn and many roads were under water. My dad has a hat commemorating the event with a saying "I have survived the flood of 93". For many years the low ground remained flooded, effectively reducing the productive acreage of the farm. It was great seeing the tall wind rows of grain this year, dwarfing the kids as they sat next to them waiting for their turn on the swather.
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This year was the best year in the history of the farm. Considering that the average wheat yield is 28 bushels per acre and this year it averaged 48, I hope this is the beginning of a trend! I remember as a kid we often only got seven to ten inches of rain for the WHOLE year. Then it went to the other extreme and flooded the country. Meadow Lake was in the barn and many roads were under water. My dad has a hat commemorating the event with a saying "I have survived the flood of 93". For many years the low ground remained flooded, effectively reducing the productive acreage of the farm. It was great seeing the tall wind rows of grain this year, dwarfing the kids as they sat next to them waiting for their turn on the swather.
Monday, December 22, 2003
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The Hartland Trail
The Hartland Trail goes from Park Rapids, Minnesota to Walker, Minnesota. The trail follows the old railroad line and still has the old and beautiful trussel bridges from the railroad. The kids and I biked from Potato Lake to the trail and down to Nevis and back. On the way back we stopped for lunch at Dorset. The trip was fantastic, and to none of our surprise, Elizabeth set the pace for the ride. Her wheels were roll'in! The trail went along the farmland and lakes and was a far away from the road, so it was quiet and scenic. The community made a great decision when they converted the abandoned railroad into the bike trail. After the thirty mile trip we were exhausted!
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The Hartland Trail goes from Park Rapids, Minnesota to Walker, Minnesota. The trail follows the old railroad line and still has the old and beautiful trussel bridges from the railroad. The kids and I biked from Potato Lake to the trail and down to Nevis and back. On the way back we stopped for lunch at Dorset. The trip was fantastic, and to none of our surprise, Elizabeth set the pace for the ride. Her wheels were roll'in! The trail went along the farmland and lakes and was a far away from the road, so it was quiet and scenic. The community made a great decision when they converted the abandoned railroad into the bike trail. After the thirty mile trip we were exhausted!
Sailing Every Day
One of the main goals I personally had while I was at Potato Lake was to go sailing every day! I am proud to say that I accomplished that goal. All the kids also enjoyed the treks around the lake. I would like to get a boat here in Texas. I also know that John would like to get a boat as well. He wants a motor boat and I want a 24 foot - four person cabin - sail boat.
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One of the main goals I personally had while I was at Potato Lake was to go sailing every day! I am proud to say that I accomplished that goal. All the kids also enjoyed the treks around the lake. I would like to get a boat here in Texas. I also know that John would like to get a boat as well. He wants a motor boat and I want a 24 foot - four person cabin - sail boat.
Proud Captain
John was beaming when he was given the responsibility of "Captain of the Ship". He was now in charge of both running the engine and setting our course. We trawled across the lake. As we turned around at the end of our bay on the lake a pair of jet skis came flying bye. They had come from "Sun Set Hotel" and were heading to the resort across the lake. The shocking thing was that they purposely ran over a flock of loons! We had been watching a group of about 20 birds bobbing and fishing at the opening of our bay to the big central expanse of the rest of the lake. Not only did these kids think is was funny zooming over the flock, they also thought that it was funning zooming right next to our boat. Please have some etiquette and some concern for the wildlife. Giving John the helm at ten was a great experience for him. Next summer maybe he will move up to sailing on his own.
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John was beaming when he was given the responsibility of "Captain of the Ship". He was now in charge of both running the engine and setting our course. We trawled across the lake. As we turned around at the end of our bay on the lake a pair of jet skis came flying bye. They had come from "Sun Set Hotel" and were heading to the resort across the lake. The shocking thing was that they purposely ran over a flock of loons! We had been watching a group of about 20 birds bobbing and fishing at the opening of our bay to the big central expanse of the rest of the lake. Not only did these kids think is was funny zooming over the flock, they also thought that it was funning zooming right next to our boat. Please have some etiquette and some concern for the wildlife. Giving John the helm at ten was a great experience for him. Next summer maybe he will move up to sailing on his own.
My Mom's Friends
My mom asked my to stay an extra day at the lake so that she could "show off" her grand kids to her friends. I think that she got a little more than she bargained for. I accepted and gave her the kids for the whole last day, and Andy, his friend, and I heading into town. Thanks, mom, for being a good sport! I did need the break from the every watching of the kids during the summer. Michelle had been on the first half of the trip, but she needed to get back to work, so I had primary responsibility for the rest of the summer. My mom's friends, Louise, Kelly, Donna, and Fredricka all took a spin around the lake and got the grand tour from Paul. The cabin is a great place to get together. During the early week it was a sanctuary of quiet for me, and at the end, it was a hustle and bustle of people.
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My mom asked my to stay an extra day at the lake so that she could "show off" her grand kids to her friends. I think that she got a little more than she bargained for. I accepted and gave her the kids for the whole last day, and Andy, his friend, and I heading into town. Thanks, mom, for being a good sport! I did need the break from the every watching of the kids during the summer. Michelle had been on the first half of the trip, but she needed to get back to work, so I had primary responsibility for the rest of the summer. My mom's friends, Louise, Kelly, Donna, and Fredricka all took a spin around the lake and got the grand tour from Paul. The cabin is a great place to get together. During the early week it was a sanctuary of quiet for me, and at the end, it was a hustle and bustle of people.
Friday, December 19, 2003
Hot Shots on the Water
The pressure was on me not to fall down when Andy and I skied double. Andy wanted to impress some girls over at Vagabond Village. I just need to get up and stay out of the way of his stunts. Both Andy and Michael are great skiers. They both do the slalom and are able to take their one foot out of the bindings and do different stunts. They also have the "slick hair" move, reaching down and pulling up a swirl of water in complete balance. I was able to pull off a Hi Five and make a few swings out to the high speed arc on the turn. But while I was at the lake I never could make the transition to the slalom. Not for the lack of trying. Next year I will be able to make the drop.
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The pressure was on me not to fall down when Andy and I skied double. Andy wanted to impress some girls over at Vagabond Village. I just need to get up and stay out of the way of his stunts. Both Andy and Michael are great skiers. They both do the slalom and are able to take their one foot out of the bindings and do different stunts. They also have the "slick hair" move, reaching down and pulling up a swirl of water in complete balance. I was able to pull off a Hi Five and make a few swings out to the high speed arc on the turn. But while I was at the lake I never could make the transition to the slalom. Not for the lack of trying. Next year I will be able to make the drop.
Summer Water Colors
One of the things that I love to do is to keep a set of paper, easel, and paints in the back of my truck so that when we are about at the local park and down at the beach the kids can spontaneously paint water colors. This summer, Emily and I had the kids spend one afternoon making that beautiful impressionistic art that two and three year olds are so natural at. They really SEE the things that they paint. "Yes, daddy, that is a tree", Hannah would proclaim without even a hit of "Hay, dad, can't you see it?" The natural expression and confidence of a child is remarkable and a great reminder of how we, as adults, need to be more often.
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One of the things that I love to do is to keep a set of paper, easel, and paints in the back of my truck so that when we are about at the local park and down at the beach the kids can spontaneously paint water colors. This summer, Emily and I had the kids spend one afternoon making that beautiful impressionistic art that two and three year olds are so natural at. They really SEE the things that they paint. "Yes, daddy, that is a tree", Hannah would proclaim without even a hit of "Hay, dad, can't you see it?" The natural expression and confidence of a child is remarkable and a great reminder of how we, as adults, need to be more often.
Three's Company
A wonderful coincidence came when we discovered that the people that were next door were from Colorado and one of them, Emily, had a little girl named Violet and her friend had a little boy named Jake. The kids were just the same age as Hannah, and they hit it off right away. I called them "three's company". They loved to play "frog" at the edge of the lake. This consisted of them jump up and splashing down in a sitting position in the water, over and over. They also built a network of castles (With some help from me!) around on the beach. Hannah had a great time with a set of friends her own age. I think it also was fun for both Violet and Jake. Jake was a little shy of the water at the beginning of the week, but loved the water by the end of their stay! For me, as a parent, it was also very relaxing to have more latitude with my kids. I did not have to have them on a short leash like I usually do at the store. The space and setting makes is conducive for the kids finding creative play that doesn't tear apart the clean room I just finished!
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A wonderful coincidence came when we discovered that the people that were next door were from Colorado and one of them, Emily, had a little girl named Violet and her friend had a little boy named Jake. The kids were just the same age as Hannah, and they hit it off right away. I called them "three's company". They loved to play "frog" at the edge of the lake. This consisted of them jump up and splashing down in a sitting position in the water, over and over. They also built a network of castles (With some help from me!) around on the beach. Hannah had a great time with a set of friends her own age. I think it also was fun for both Violet and Jake. Jake was a little shy of the water at the beginning of the week, but loved the water by the end of their stay! For me, as a parent, it was also very relaxing to have more latitude with my kids. I did not have to have them on a short leash like I usually do at the store. The space and setting makes is conducive for the kids finding creative play that doesn't tear apart the clean room I just finished!
