Wheat Harvest

I have once again had a very busy week. I’ve been spending all my extra time out in a wheat field, taking pictures and riding on the combine with Colby.

I won’t deny it. I’ve been having a great time. At sunset, I’m always amazed be the beauty around me. I get to see this every single day. How lucky am I?

I’ve learned more about farming in the last seven months then I had in the last twenty years of living in the country. It’s crazy what happens between the time wheat is planted and the time it is made into bread. Crazy.

The combine goes along the ground, sucking and cutting the stalks. Once inside the head is separated from the stalk. The good stuff goes into the combine and the rest is kick out on the ground. You can then gather all the straw up and bail it.

It’s pretty much like a giant, complicated lawn mower. That used a lot of gas and cuts really fast.

Things can get pretty complicated with three combines going at the same time. They have to dump off the wheat before they make an entire trip around the circles. A grain cart, pulled by a tractor, is driven around to unload the combines.

When the grain cart is full, it drives over and dumps the grain onto a semi-truck where it is driven to town.

Once again, it wows me by how beautiful the sunsets are out there.

I’m so very blessed.

An Update

Hello blog readers… I hope the world has been treating you well. I’m exhausted and scattered, but I thought I would show off some of my favorite pictures I’ve taken during the last week.

I love my new camera. It’s shiny and pretty. I find myself often leaning out the window and yelling “pull over, I want to get a picture of that!” Luckily, my loved ones usually allow me to get my perfect shot.

Dreamer has been getting a lot of attention lately. She loves taking pictures and poses for me everyday. I love how silky her hair looks here.

Jamey also has a tendency to run over when my camera is out and smile happily. I’m loving having my own little model.

This is Ashley. She also likes posing for the camera. It’s a girly girl thing. Boy of boy, is she ever a girly girl.

Jamey doesn’t look quite as cute in this one. You should have seen us chasing this frog around my Grandpa’s yard. It was hilarious!

Look at how sweet me and Colby look!

I love him so much!

As you can see, I’ve been learning so much about my camera and photoshop. I’m enjoying it so much!

And I thought I was busy last week!

Boy was I wrong! Harvest started yesterday, totally turning my world upside down.

Here’s my schedule:

7:00 AM- Roll out of my bed- grinning. Okay, I’m lying. I’m usually totally pissed when my alarm goes off in the morning. I never feel rested in the morning. I then shower, get dressed and pretty, pack my lunch, eat breakfast, and check blogs if I have anytime at all.

8:15 AM- Leave for work.

8:54 AM- Arrive at work where I have all kinds of fun. I mean, who doesn’t like mowing and cleaning up trash. Being the minion totally rocks.

1:00 PM- Eat lunch.

1:19 PM- Glare at my boss as he tries to cut my lunch break short. Does he not realize I’m off the clock for a full 30 minutes?

1:30 PM- Resume being paid.

2:53 PM- Glance at my blackberry and wonder “Why does the time go by so slow??”

4:45 PM- Proclaim- “We have less than an hour Clay!” in a very excited voice.

5:27 PM- Pace by the door, waiting to make my run.

5:30 PM- Knock over my coworkers as I try to be the first one outside. Smile as we pull out of the parking lot.

6:09 PM- Arrive home. Immediately start proclaiming, “What’s for supper?”

6:25 PM- Stuff something, usually anything in my mouth. Get on the computer.

7:10 PM- Order Colby and the crew something for dinner from one of the local restaurants. Dream of cooking them a homemade meal, but realize that I barely have enough energy left to drive it fifteen miles to them.

7:35 PM- Pick up dinner.

8:00 PM- Arrive in the middle nowhere when 5+ people happily take dinner off my hands. Usually eat again.

9:13 PM- Look at my blackberry and wonder “Where does my time go?”

9:58 PM- Began to insist- “I really need to go home.”

10:59 PM- Finally leave the field.

11:19 PM- Arrive home and get ready for bed.

11:42 PM- Finally get to bed, sighing because it’s about to start all over.

No wonder I’m tired! That’s exhausting just thinking about all of it. I have one question: What vitamins should I be taking right now?

Oh gosh. I’m late again. Where does all my time go?

Meet Dreamer

My new camera got in today. I’m amazingly excited about it too. It takes really good pictures and I’m enjoying playing around with it so far.

Jake would like to introduce you to his friend, Dreamer.

Jake and Dreamer have a unfortunate relationship. He likes to follow her around and she likes to kick at them.

She sure is pretty though…

What do you think?

Jake sometimes just stares her down. It’s totally a Border Collie thing. They get obsessive over the weirdest things.

But you gotta admit, he’s sure handsome.

P.S.- Can you tell I live in the desert from the background of these pictures? Everything that isn’t watered is depressingly brown.

I Skipped Work Today

And I no longer feel bad about it.

I woke up this morning totally exhausted. My body was aching and my throat was stuffy. While brushing my teeth, I had an asthma attack. It wasn’t horrible, but it didn’t make me excited about work.

I’m a “Forestry Aid” for the USDA. I have to do a lot of crappy outside work that sometimes involves running around in weeds. I probably could have made it through the day without having another asthma attack, but I was already feeling bad so I just decided to call in sick.

I had the hardest time deciding not to go. I really wanted to stay home, but I felt bad for some reason. Of course, my brother and Colby reminded me, “They give you sick days for a reason. Stay home.”

Of course, I took a little nap and I no longer feel bad. I definitely made the right decision.

I heart faces! (Sepia Fun)

Hi everyone. I’m really trying to learn more and improve my photography, so I decided to start participating in the I heart faces contest every week. (Well, at least some of the time anyway.)

You should head over to http://www.iheartfaces.com to check out some of the other amazing entries for this week.

This weeks entry was actually taken last summer at the lake. It’s one of the very first pictures I’ve played with in Photoshop. What do you think?

My new camera is getting closer everyday and my excitement is rising by the second. I just can’t wait to really dive into photography and capture more memories.

"But Dad…"

Last night, Jamey got in trouble from our dad for eating in his bedroom. She had been watching television and had made the mistake of leaving her plate laying on his floor.

“Jamey, did I tell you yesterday that you are not allowed to eat out of the kitchen?” My dad was obviously annoyed.

Jamey got totally serious and said, “But Dad, you don’t know about my memory.” She went on, “I forget everything when I go to sleep at night. Everything Dad.”

I didn’t pay attention to the lecture or threats that came out of my father’s mouth. I was too busy trying to hold in my giggles.

Jamey is utterly and totally hilarious. I can’t imagine the trouble she’s going to cause as a teenager.

So Excited!

For the last several (probably three) months, I have been dreaming about my next camera. My old one is a crappy point and shoot. I’ve been dreaming of getting the perfect SLR.

I finally made the move and ordered my new camera today. It won’t be here for a full week, but I’m super excited about it anyway. Isn’t it so pretty?

Now I just have to figure out how to work Photoshop. Awesome.

Sleeping, Swimming, and Dirty

Hi everyone. I’ve more than halfway through another work week and don’t have much to share. Instead, I thought I would jump right into this weeks Thursday Thunks a day early.

Welcome to the June 11th version of Thursday Thunks!

(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)
Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!

This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by Berleen, the number 1 (because I am) and the color nude.

1. What is your least favorite candy bar?
Haha. I love all chocolate. I can’t pick one “least favorite.” That would be like choosing my “least favorite friend” or something.

2. If I were to call you, what would you say?
“‘Sup dawg. What’s shakin your boat?”

Or “Hello.” It all depends on my mood.

3. What is your favorite type of leaf?
Really? Where do these questions come from.

4. When was the last time you….
– had sex? Family blog. I’m not discussing.
– swam in a lake? Memorial Day. It was way too cold for that crap.
– went barefoot outside? Last weekend.
– ate peas? It’s been a very long time.

5. Since Father’s Day is right around the corner, tell us about the person that you are celebrating.
My father has no biological link to me, yet he has treated me as him own for the last ten years. He’s an amazing man.

6. Were you dropped on your head as a child?
No… but I once convinced my younger sister that the doctor dropped her when she came out of my mom.

7. How often do you clean your toilet?
About once a week.

8. Have you ever been sunburned? Tell us about it.
I was sunburned last Friday after mowing for an hour and a half. It hurt.

9. On average, how many hours a sleep do you get a night?
Like six. I want eight so bad.

10 How many hours did you get last night?
Seven woot woot.

11. Take a picture of something. Post it.
No. My camera batteries are dead.

12. Are the bottom of your feet dirty?
Nope, but my jeans are covered in mud. It rained today.

13. Do you know the names of every member of the family who lives next door to you?
I live in the country and have no neighbors.

Sleeping, Swimming, and Dirty

Hi everyone. I’ve more than halfway through another work week and don’t have much to share. Instead, I thought I would jump right into this weeks Thursday Thunks a day early.

Welcome to the June 11th version of Thursday Thunks!

(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)
Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!

This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by Berleen, the number 1 (because I am) and the color nude.

1. What is your least favorite candy bar?
Haha. I love all chocolate. I can’t pick one “least favorite.” That would be like choosing my “least favorite friend” or something.

2. If I were to call you, what would you say?
“‘Sup dawg. What’s shakin your boat?”

Or “Hello.” It all depends on my mood.

3. What is your favorite type of leaf?
Really? Where do these questions come from.

4. When was the last time you….
– had sex? Family blog. I’m not discussing.
– swam in a lake? Memorial Day. It was way too cold for that crap.
– went barefoot outside? Last weekend.
– ate peas? It’s been a very long time.

5. Since Father’s Day is right around the corner, tell us about the person that you are celebrating.
My father has no biological link to me, yet he has treated me as him own for the last ten years. He’s an amazing man.

6. Were you dropped on your head as a child?
No… but I once convinced my younger sister that the doctor dropped her when she came out of my mom.

7. How often do you clean your toilet?
About once a week.

8. Have you ever been sunburned? Tell us about it.
I was sunburned last Friday after mowing for an hour and a half. It hurt.

9. On average, how many hours a sleep do you get a night?
Like six. I want eight so bad.

10 How many hours did you get last night?
Seven woot woot.

11. Take a picture of something. Post it.
No. My camera batteries are dead.

12. Are the bottom of your feet dirty?
Nope, but my jeans are covered in mud. It rained today.

13. Do you know the names of every member of the family who lives next door to you?
I live in the country and have no neighbors.