We Don't See Any Daffodils Yet.

There has been great discussion in the house about where our daffodils are.  In the fall the little farmer's daughters and the Wife went and bought two bags of yellow daffodil bulbs.  Then we opened the bags and threw the bulbs in the front yard near the ditch...hang on, I know that sounds strange...wherever the bulbs fell, we planted them.  It has a natural effect when they start popping up-like there was never a time there wasn't a daffodil there.
When we lived in Wisconsin we constantly drove past a neighbor who had been doing this for ten or so years-in the spring his front yard was "a bloom!".  The Wife was thinking ahead!!!  If we start now, in ten years...it will look amazing! All winter we have been looking forward to the spring, because of the promise of the daffodils.
Here in lies the problem: the Spring has been hot, cold, hot, cold, hot, cold...everyday is a little different from the day before.  So, on the hot days we are out searching for the daffodils to peek their heads above the ground...and on the cold days we PRAY they will peek their heads above ground quickly!
The Wife has read that daffodils planted in protected areas will rise and bloom earlier than daffodils planted in a field.  I guess here on the plains of Illinois, we would be considered unprotected.
Yellow and happy faces of flowers welcoming everyone who passes by, welcoming all of us home on busy days, welcoming warmer weather for a season, these are reasons we are desperate for daffodils.
Where are they?
Are your daffodils blooming?

Dear Farmer's New Day Job

So, we kinda left you hanging.  We were hanging too...
but now we know what's going on!

Dear Farmer has left the fields full time to tackle another aspect of farming, while the family farms during the day.  Dear Farmer's new day job is at an organic soybean processing plant.  What's he doing?  He's running the plant.  Actually, he's firing up the machines and running the soybeans to them in order for the machines to process the soybeans.  BY HIMSELF!  {sigh, he's so amazing!}
While Dear Farmer is gone during the day the Wife and the children are farming the garden, preparing for the goats and the chickens, and cutting a lot of grass.  The "Sock" and the "Shoe" suit us very perfectly, we find.  We are people that like to be out-doors rather than in-doors.  We like to spend time together, rather than cleaning.  And we are minimalists...well, some of us more than others.

The largest challenge of Dear Farmer's new position...we are in a location that doesn't have internet.
The Wife didn't know how much email was  part of life.  And grabbing information off the world wide web. And GPS. Messaging.  Blogging. 
It's a bit of a pain, but everything has challenges.

Like Dear Farmer's new day job, a job he's never done before. Never even thought it existed.  But he's doing it to spend more time doing what he loves most...spending time with his family, and farming.

I love this Dear Farmer!

Multi-tasking...

There are a lot of things Dear Farmer can do.
Multi-tasking, however, should not be one of them.
Dear Farmer has a habit of working in his head on a project, "listening" to the Wife talk, all while actually working on another project.
Surely I exaggerate, you say? No.  I am totally serious.
The fact that he does this, and does it on a very (all too) frequent basis, can fool most people into thinking that he can do it well.
The Wife concedes...usually he does do it well.
EXCEPT!  Except if it is late at night.  Late at night and driving.  Not a good combination.

Example: Dear Farmer and the Wife were out on a date.  Another "hot date" to the local farm-implement store and lumber yard.  While in these locations the Wife had opportunity to think on the present "tiny house" project we have going.  Think and think...and then release on Dear Farmer.  The conversation on the ride home was lively and funny and insightful.  And un-knowingly to the Wife...Dear Farmer was building the ideas into the plans of the "tiny house" in his head.  He was measuring lengths and angles while the Wife continued on the conversation about wash-tubs and clothes lines...
Then it happened.
As we were driving down the highway, approaching our turn-off to home...Dear Farmer didn't slow.  At all.
Not even a little. And the turn was coming up really fast!
The Wife did a little yelp ("turn.").  He didn't respond.
The Wife did a little more forceful yelp ("Turn!").  He blinked and looked around bewildered.
The Wife got all out bossy ("TURN, NOW!").
 Dear Farmer finally responded, "WHY? WHERE ARE WE?!"
"At the ROAD we LIVE DOWN!", the Wife elaborated in a rather forceful voice.
Dear Farmer yanked the steering wheel, stomped on the brake and turned (not a delicate movement by any means).
"What were you DOING?!", the Wife laid into Dear Farmer.
Sheepishly, Dear Farmer responded..."I was working on the tiny house, and driving home from Illinois on a Sunday night."
So we could either say that Dear Farmer was multi-tasking...or displaying signs of early-onslaught dimensia.  We'll go with the multi-tasking.
Dear Farmer, being his wonderful multi-tasking self, was figuring out the gutter system for the tiny houses, thinking about his upcoming commute to see us at the family garden on the Illinois farm and then returning to the Northern Farm on a Sunday evening, all while talking with the Wife on our drive home from our "hot date".
But late night, the worlds in his head, and in reality clashed...and he almost missed the turn to home.

Lots of laughter, lots of elbowing, and some good chuckles from the Farmer's Daughters, the Nordic Ninja, and the Wife.
We love our Dear Farmer...even while he's multi-tasking.

Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and a Birthday, oh my!

We have been absent for a little while, but for good reason...we were off celebrating the Amazing FarmWife's Birthday!!!
We had pre-arranged to meet cousins in Dixon and bring a celebration with us!  The choice for dinner was Ice-Cream Sundaes (make-your-own!).  And we thought that some birthday balloons would hit the spot!
Wouldn't Grandma have an amazing time?!
So, we packed people up, packed up food for (actual) meals, packed up children, drove to Illinois, stopped at the store to get toppings and miscellaneous needs(really, who doesn't NEED headphones?Which child left shoes back at home?), pick up the balloons, and deposit everyone and everything at Fabulous Aunt and Uncle's home.
A quick call to Uncle Photographer to arrange for a drop off for the Amazing FarmWife to attend her party, and we had the weekend in full swing!

Night one: play outside with the Reese's Pieces Cousins, welcome the Amazing FarmWife and Uncle Photographer, eat ice-cream sundaes, stay up late talking

Day two: play outside, eat an actual three meals, go to park, play outside, Welcome MorMor and the Amazing FarmWife, stay up late talking

Day three: good-bye to the three Reese's Pieces Cousins, play outside, welcome Uncle Yoga-Ranger, eat three actual meals, go to park, stay up late talking

Day four: go to church, have dinner with Dear Farmer's whole family, plus Uncle and Aunt Bike Doctor and Mac-Amazing, Uncle Yoga-Ranger, Uncle Photographer, Fabulous Aunt and Uncle, Twin-Cousin#1 and her cousinettes and the Amazing FarmWife.  Eventually Dear Farmer's entire family has to go home this afternoon...{sigh}

if you are reading and get the feeling that Fabulous Aunt and Uncle have a revolving door...you are correct. That is what happens when the family comes home, but ooooooooh, how much fun we all have!
After this weekend, it may take the Amazing FarmWife a little while to recuperate. She deserves a little rest.
Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Dear Farmer's Favorite Holiday-Thanksgiving!

Why? Because there's no gift giving involved.  Because there's a focus on gratitude to God.  Because there's a meal involved, with turkey!  Because we have one super-amazing family that gathers together and doesn't pretend to have a good time, they actually are having a good time! Because it marks the end of the busy season, and the beginning of rest.
Our tradition is to go to gather with family where-ever the Wife's Grandma (the Amazing Farm-Wife) is.  As the matriarch of the family, where-ever she goes is designated "the Family Thanksgiving" house.  Some years ago she traveled to our cottage for Thanksgiving, and then to our farm...so we hosted.  Nowadays she stays closer to home and the family gathers at Fabulous Aunt and Uncle's home.  That is where we will be this year.  It will be a small crowd...Dear Farmer and the Wife.  Honorable Son #1, The Farmer's Daughter, the Hausfrau, the WhizBang! Farmer's Daughter, the Keeper of the Flame, the Pied Piper, the Farmer's Shadow, the Little Farmer's Daughter Trio, The Millibilly Cousins and their 9 Millibilly Children, the Bike Doctor and the Doctor's Wife and Grandson, Donald Duck-Uncle and his boys, Huey and Duey, Un-Cool Photographer, The Overcomer Uncle, Great Uncle, Great Aunt, Great Cousin, Fabulous Aunt, Fabulous Uncle, Awesome Grammy and The Amazing Farm-Wife-Grandma. Just a small contingent of the broader mob we call FAMILY.
Happy Thanksgiving from Dear Farmer's Family to you! We hope you enjoy your day as well!

A vacation to watch a parade

Dear Farmer took a vacation for Depot Days in Amboy, IL.  In years past Dear Farmer has gone to the fund-raising event and enjoyed the tractors and the cars...this year it rained.  The rain makes it a little harder to REALLY enjoy walking around and looking at parked tractors or cars.  But we did make it to the parade!  A parade to beat all other parades!!!  Mostly because we had family in the parade, but then there's also the candy.  We waved to our Great-Oldies driving the models named after the alphabet, and each child snatched (easily) a pound of candy each (which stayed at Fabulous Aunt and Uncle's house).  It was actually just a vacation away from the reality of life.  The one where Dear Farmer could watch someone else drive the tractor, see someone else's hard work, and sit back and eat all the cereal he wanted to...
Every so often we need those...a vacation to watch a parade...it refreshes us as we face reality once again.

Off to the Races!

Farm children do play.  They play really really hard!  Favorite past-times of the Hausfrau Farmer's Daughter and the Whiz-Bang! Farmer's Daughter is bicycling.  The joy of cycling away from the farm and down the road, the wind blowing in their hair, and the sun on their backs is great relaxation from the daily chores.  The Hausfrau was given a new bike this year.  She had been without for a couple years, so the new bike was quite a delight!  Within the first week the bike wheezed and whimpered to her that it hadn't been ridden in quite some time.  The second week the bike gave out...off to the Bike Doctor it went!  Thankfully we have an amazing Uncle in our family -the Bike Doctor!  If you're ever in his neighborhood in Dixon, IL you can check out Green River Cyclery , he is absolutely the best(especially if you're a serious cyclist).
While the bike was at the doctor's the Wife questioned the Hausfrau(who was moaning that there was no bike to ride), "Couldn't you run the distance?"  The Hausfrau replied, "Run four miles?????!"  Apparently, that was not in her option list.  During all this, the Whiz-Bang! Farmer's Daughter had been riding an aged bike(previously owned by the Wife)...the Hausfrau confiscated the bike-claiming imminent domain. But that bike was not ready for the four mile ride either, and it ka-pooped.  Now both Farmer's Daughters are without bikes.  Not Daughters to be held down-they turned their disappointment around and into a game for all the siblings to enjoy.  Everyone strapped on roller blades and skates and began racing up and down the driveway.  The Hausfrau procured a silver cup from her treasure trove(also known as "messy room") and it became the "WINNER'S CUP".  The garden hose is the official finish line, the lawn chairs are set up along the drive for the spectators.  Any chance the children can-they are watching or racing!  The Hausfrau and Whiz-Bang! Farmer's Daughters are missing their cycling route to area farms and friends, but they have made another special memory with their siblings right at home-driveway races!

Three Cheers for "Splash Canyon"!!!

Dear Farmer and Wife took the family on a mini-vacation this weekend to Fabulous Aunt and Uncle's house. It was wonderful!  Fabulous Aunt took the Wife and children (and oodles of Cousins that joined us on vacation) to "Splash Canyon" Park in Oregon, Illinois.  It was AMAZING!
First of all, Oregon, Illinois is a little town of nearly 4,000.  It's riddled with history and beautiful houses, but then they have built a fantastic park system!  So it just keeps getting better!
Good luck finding "Splash Canyon", you have to know someone and know the area, the town has tucked it back there so that not just anyone is going to find it, meaning it's basically a local's haunt.  But we had a five hour bliss with eleven children ages 13 and under and three adults. Fountains that spring up from the ground, spray tunnels, a lazy river, and "Russian roulette" with dumping buckets of water...but that's not all!  The designers must have had a mother on the team because there were benches set up strategically in the shade AND a free library AND a park all in the same area!
Unfortunately, in Illinois "Splash Canyon" is something we can only enjoy about three months of the year.  It is worth enjoying!  Three cheers for "Splash Canyon"!!!  Three Cheers for Fabulous Aunt and Uncle!!! Three Cheers for vacation days!!!

Comfortable

There is a blonde joke:

Two sisters each had a farm, one blonde, one brunette.
The brunette sister was using the blonde sister's bull.
His job was done, and she needed him gone.
The brunette sister only had enough money to send a one word telegram, thinking it out she decided to send this word "Comfortable".
Confused how the sister was going to understand what she needed to do from just this one word, the telegraph operator asked..."Why will she pick up her bull from that?"
The brunette sister replied, "She will need to sound out the long word slowly...Comm-forr-t-bull"

Don't get down on us for telling the joke, we're all blonde here, and it's a great lead in to what we just did...
We picked up a new bulls this week!  Currently we have two bulls, but a lot of cows.  Actually more cows than just two bulls can handle.  We needed a third bull and some new bloodlines.  We have a great friend down south who has great bulls.  He sold us two of his!
So, Dear Farmer and the Wife packed up the four youngest to ride in the truck with them to go down south and pick up the bulls. The trip took two days of driving and one overnight at a cousin's house.  Six of us riding in one truck for a total of eleven hours is really NOT comfortable, but it was fun!  The young children loved the adventure and the visiting with cousins!  The older children enjoyed the young children and parents being gone for a couple of days.  Peace and calm...then the chaos of life began new and fresh again!

What did Dear Farmer do for his birthday?

In our large family gifts are usually time together, not so much opening boxes or having things.  Last year the children at home started the tradition of all pitching in together for Dear Farmer's birthday...
this year children at home took Dear Farmer out for his birthday gift to the "John Deere Historical Site" in Grand Detour, IL.  If you're a "John Deere"-fan, it's a must!
Check on their website first, to confirm when they are open, admission was only $5.00 for ages 12 and up-we went on a Saturday, they were open from 9-5.  We packed a picnic lunch, they have a beautiful pavilion to lunch in, and they have nice clean bathrooms as well.
The site is approximately one block long, and maybe a quarter block wide.  It's absolutely beautiful and well kept.  You are given a guided tour in small groups with other visitors.  We were a small group all by ourselves, but there was a couple that tagged along with us.  I only felt bad for the other couple when it came to "Do you have any questions?" from the tour guide.  The Pied Piper always has tons of questions.  I'm sure the couple would have gladly moved on.

On site there are several buildings of interest:

• One building is an excavation site of the original blacksmith shop built by John Deere where the company first started.  In that building is a movie about John Deere, and many artifacts from the dig. 
• One building is a replica of the blacksmith shop where an actual blacksmith was giving a demonstration as well as a verbal "tour" around the shop.  The blacksmith was entertaining and informative!  What a craftsman!
• One building was John Deere's home.  The family owned the property for a number of years, so family pictures and furniture were decorating the home.  There are also a number of period pieces to complete the lived-in look.
• One building is the neighbor's house, where there is a gift shoppe.  We didn't go in there...I had eight small children with me, and was not planning on purchasing anything for them.

The entire time there was about an hour and a half, not too long for the littlest, and just right for the parents.

Having seen this John Deere site, it makes Dear Farmer want to go to Moline, IL and see the corporate HQ. I don't know anything about that, we'll have to look into it for next year's birthday.

If you head over that direction, there is more to do in the area.  Lee County in Illinois has a well organized visitor's bureau.  

The highlight of Dear Farmer's birthday...he said it was being with his family!  What a great guy!!!

*Do I need to tell you no one paid me to say anything about anything?  We just had a great time, and would love you others to have a great time there as well!