It was beautiful out, sunny and nice. Wheat fields are heading out in these parts (forming the grain heads).
A closeup of wheat heading out.
Got to see my two horsey friends in the rearview mirror as Hubby and our friend were talking.
Well, you never know what may happen when you take a jaunt in the country. As it turned out, our friend had us (the word "us" used very loosely!) aerate a small pasture for him, so he could be free to go tend to another chore. This involved a tractor with an implement that had rotating cylinders with "pokey things" sticking out, and weighted down so it would get into the surface of the ground. This would make dents, which would both loosen the soil, and allow rain to soak in better, helping the pasture to grow better. This pasture was about 40 acres, which is 1/16 of a section.
After we all got together at the appointed place, and got the tractor going, Hubby and our friend went one round around the edge of the pasture, to get it started and we could then just "fill in" the rest of the way. It took awhile, even though this was a "small" pasture by some standards!
After the first round, our friend left, and I got in to ride with Hubby. Now this brought some good memories, since right after we were married almost 24 years ago, we spent some time helping friends with harvest. One thing we did about that first day with them, was work a field. They had a "Belarus" tractor, and I think it didn't have any extra seat, and I think I remember sitting on the floor as we went around the field! But we were together, and it was an interesting day. So .... here we were again, in a tractor (a John Deere this time), no jump seat, I was literally wedged between Hubby's seat and the window! But to someone who loves country stuff of any kind, this was no problem. I "endured," but I was also having a blast! Now I've had times riding in a tractor with both Hubby and Older Son in recent years, but something about this day made me think of our "honeymoon." So off we went on the first of ... innumerable ... rounds as we aerated that pasture.
There were terraces in the pasture, so when we went certain directions, it was better than any roller coaster! Sometimes I cringed or shut my eyes, but Hubby is a great tractor operator. I just get squeamish when things tilt or get too rough!
This was my view for the next FOUR HOURS. That's right, FOUR HOURS in a bouncy tractor and implement, watching the pasture grass roll by below.
After a few rounds, we felt like we were making some progress.
At first, I was just so excited to be out on a tractor with Hubby. I was taking pictures with my phone and sending them to Facebook. Did you ever try texting (typing) on a phone while riding a "redneck roller coaster?" It's the ultimate challenge!
Then I went through a bit of just looking all around at the wide-open fields, horizons and sky. That's always like medicine for me. I slow down, I enjoy the scenery, it calms me, all the rush and worry and clock and calendar melt away. Seeing the cowpaths through the pasture made me think of a poem I had been mulling around in my mind for years. I had the first two lines, but couldn't get any further with it. But this day, things started clicking, and the poem started taking shape. (See previous post.) The aerator chopped the paths up a little, but they were still there. Undoubtedly the cows will have them packed back down in no time. This direction led down to an "alleyway" by the edge of the wheat field, that led to pasture on the other side that had the watering place.
On one round, we saw a hawk right by us. In this picture, he had backed off a little ways. We also had a rabbit running out of the way for a few rounds.
"Us and our shadow."
The cowpath as it was coming out of the trees at the top of the hill.
Then I had a lot of relaxing, thinking, looking as we made pass after pass after pass. Hubby and I would talk about stuff, or we'd just ride along. I started to get a little tired and cramped. We did take a break and get out for a few minutes at one point. This going 'round and 'round made me think of the song "Amarillo Sky" by Jason Aldean. "And he takes the tractor another round (another round), another round (another round), another round (another round) .... he takes the tractor another round, another rooooouuuuunnnnddd ...." That's exactly what we were doing! And that's what farmers do the world over and all through history - back and forth, round and round, going over and over and over the dirt to plow or plant or harvest or whatever.
FINALLY ..... we made the last pass. What a relief! Now it could rain (which it did heavily during the next couple of days), and the moisture would soak in and do some good, and not run off.
So we wound down the road back to the truck ...
... I got in the truck and followed Hubby back to where we were to leave the tractor. Our friend was working on a swather at this place. We couldn't help but laugh, he said he saw the tractor coming down the road, and thought, "I wonder whose tractor that is." Ha, it was his own! Guess he got so engrossed in what he was doing he forgot he'd sent us out to do some work!
Then we headed back to town, I was a passenger again. We enjoyed a nice Oklahoma sunset as we rode along. Though it was tiring (I had a headache all the next day!), it was worth it, both to help our friend, and just enjoy the blessing of being out in God's beautiful creation.
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