Harvest 2011

While many of my posts have been about the mountains, my adventures, things I've found out about myself while ON these adventures, once a year this crazy phenomenon called wheat harvest rolls around and I find myself trapped inside a tractor cab, no where to go but where I'm at,  (until I have to be somewhere else) THINKING.  I never cease to forget how my brain never ceases to day dream while my dad, mom, brother, and I work the morning, noon, afternoon, evening, and night away.

Every year I over zealously pack many things to do to help me pass the time between unloading the combine and loading the trucks.  I knit, I read, I eat sunflower seeds, I write ideas of stuff I TOTALLY will get done but anyone who knows me knows this is a lie, (ahem...chicken coop???)  I use my iphone to play "Words With Friends" (somewhat sparingly because that battery has to last all day and what I really really need right now is a car charger) I use my cell phone to text friends (ok I use it too much and live in FEAR that the battery won't last) I have not been listening to my book on cd since the player is broken (I thought I could listen to a book and knit...kicking up my hat productivity.)  The greatest addition to my wheat harvest survival kit so far has been....a toothbrush.  (I drank too many sodas the first day and my teeth felt like they were going to fall out so for the last two days, I've brushed.)

It's hard to love harvest...but it's also hard to hate it, which makes it harder to love (weird because that  is exactly how I feel about Boulder)  I get to be around my family and I get to see some amazing sunsets, I've made an amazing dinner for 100,000 of the nearest misquitos, I get to play with radios (I haven't even used one "niner" and mom definitely chickened out saying 10-4) and RARELY do I get as dirty as I do when I'm in the field.  (I am PROUD of how much dirt is washing off me in the shower, it's like a mud slide.) I am used to being a bit more in control of my life, but I suppose there is beauty in not being for awhile.  I don't think I'll ever have the enthusiasm my nephew did about a tractor the other day, but I've accepted my role and my survival pack is surviving. (My brother asked me if I was going camping...at the time I about burst into tears because that was exactly what I wanted to be doing.)

For those of you who follow the harvest, we got to a slow start, it's STILL going slow but it IS going.  So far only a few minor repairs have been needed and we are keeping up pretty well.  The insanely hot days we've had the past two have really helped out in drying up the fields. I know my dad is under a lot of stress to get this all done and he's been doing a great job keeping it all together...he even helped a friend that was stuck in the mud today!  I'd like to thank those awesome aunts of mine for hooking us up with new recipes (Aunt Rebecca!  I saw ingredients for scones on the counter!) I appreciate all the thoughts from friends who know what I'm up to and seek to keep me entertained.  Only ??????????(til it's done) more to go!