Halloween or ???

Even after living here for over 3 years now, I'm still finding differences between Indiana and Iowa. For the last month we've been hearing about Beggars' Night. Huh?? That's what Halloween is more often called here!

I Googled Beggars' Night and here's what I found:

Beggars Night, or more properly Beggars' Night, is a regional term for the Halloween-related activity that is referred to in most parts of the United States as "Trick or Treat". Specifically, the term is broadly but not exclusively used in Ohio, and in many parts of Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and western New York.

In general, Beggars Night represents the "treat" portion of Trick or Treat, where children in costume make evening rounds of homes (and to a lesser extent to businesses during the day) and are given candy. This event being closely tied to, but distinct from, Halloween itself, when various forms of mischief (or "tricks") may occur.

The night has often been scheduled by municipal governments on a date prior to the actual Halloween date of October 31.

It's interesting that only 5 states call it Beggars' night. Diane says that Lacey does NOT want to do it even though she has a Hannah Montana costume. She just doesn't like or want the candy!! Uncle Bill says he will pay her to get and bring him the candy! We'll see if that helps! Camry is going to be a little green pea pod! I've always loved that costume!

This year, Beggars' Night will be on Halloween (Oct. 31st) here in our town. We usually go out to eat or something and wouldn't have trick or treaters at our house anyway.

It's a great day here for getting things done inside and out. I've taken some screens out of the windows and will get them scrubbed and put away, have pulled my dead zinnias out. Bill went pheasant hunting this morning (first day of the season). He came home with one that will probably be lunch tomorrow. Do any of you have a favorite recipe? The one I have is so so.

Trip to Ft. Dodge Day

After another day of close to 40 mph winds with almost 60 mph gusts yesterday, today was colder but a nice, sunny, non-windy day to go to Ft. Dodge with my long Walmart list. Our Walmart is about 45 min. away (no Target or anything in between!) so we all keep running lists. I keep stocked up on everything but especially at this time of year. I don't like to make that trip much in winter. I returned a couple things at Menard's, picked up a shop vac brush for Bill at Sears, checked out the holiday stuff at Hobby Lobby, got gas and went to Walmart.

On the way home, I did my traditional stop at the apple orchard. Besides apples, they have good soup and sandwiches and the usual apple dumplings, fudge, etc. and a gift shop on the main floor with gourmet foods, apple pies, etc. and upstairs in the attic a gift shop with unique items for decorating, babies, jewelry and some clothing. Today, in the attic, they were working on switching over from fall to Christmas. Always fun to make a stop there for apples and to look at everything.

Mom & Camry

Mom just visited us for about 10 days. We got to babysit Camry last Fri. She is such a good baby - only cries when she needs her diaper changed or is hungry!

It's VERY windy here today. We've had about 35 mph wind gusting to 50 mph since during the night and it's supposed to continue through tomorrow. Glad I got some outdoor furniture and things put away a couple of days ago! One of my big flower pots in front of the garage on the west side of the house blew over spilling the flowers and dirt, and the pot ended up on the east side of the house!

Have heard that Ft. Dodge has power lines down.

Bill has been doing work in the office today. I went to Pocahontas to do a couple things for Glenn at their house and to the bank. I have a P.E.O. meeting in Mallard tonight.

Anhydrous Done!

Bill got done with anhydrous last night! He looked at his tickets (from the elevator) today and found that we had 27 good weather/work days straight this fall - wow! He's getting up early tomorrow to take back the anhydrous rig (the blue thing behind the tractor) to the West Bend elevator - and the last tanks of anhydrous. Guess there's another farmer wanting to get started tomorrow and needs this rig. West Bend's location has 10-15 of them but they're all out being used. We're lucky to be done!! This is the same tractor I drove for ripping this year.










Bill & I went to Humboldt Hospital this morning for him to have an MRI. He's going to have to have shoulder surgery probably in Dec. He's been putting up with an on and off hurting shoulder for about 5 years and needs to get it fixed. The MRI was to make sure it's what the dr. thinks and no other problems. It's interesting that many of the hospitals here don't have an MRI machine. A portable one comes that's in a semi! It seemed unusual that they would schedule an MRI on a Sun. morning. Afterward we had lunch out and got a few things at Hy-Vee. It was a cloudy day but the fall colors of the trees really looked pretty. Many leaves are already down though. Still warm!

Glenn let Mom know that a tornado touched down a couple of miles from where they live in Loan Oak, TX this evening but they're ok. They do have hail damage on their vehicles. He sent this picture - yikes. CNN story link HERE.

Anhydrous

Bill is applying anhydrous in our fields around our house this morning. We were supposed to get rain starting last night - but nothing. Good for him to maybe get done today or tomorrow. I think he only has one more field after doing ours. I don't get to ride with him when he does that. The gases are dangerous and he has to be extra careful.

I didn't ride with him in the combine as much this fall because I was driving this tractor. We decided we think that now we like it this way - we're getting more accomplished! You can tell we've been married for a while now!

The pictures below were taken last night. Mom & I took a sandwich out to Bill and followed him to his mom's when he fueled the tractor. We were surprised to see that the anhydrous rig folds up. The tractor and all was still about the width of the whole road.

Sad to hear that Dallas Clark is out for the season for hand surgery. The Colts have lots of injuries this year.

Yesterday was a really nice, warm day and I was glad to get some outside furniture, the garbage can, coolers and several other things scrubbed and ready to put away for the winter.

This morning I'm wondering what to have for lunch today - I don't have a clue yet. Anyone else ever have that problem???

We Turned it Black

The ripping is done. When ripping, Bill is not real picky and just says "turn it black". Farmers like to see their fields black. That means they're almost done with Fall work!

These pictures are of ground that has been ripped.

Bill got started yesterday applying anhydrous to the ground that will have corn next year. It's fertilizer for the corn. He gets up early to get started doing that and doesn't quit until about 9:00 at night. He says it will take him about four days. They get their tanks of anhydrous from West Bend.

We're still in that nice, perfect weather streak. I got our mowing done for the year yesterday.

We are supposed to get rain this weekend. We'll all be kind of glad since everything is so dusty. Out here, it's better if we get rain once in a while to keep the dust on the gravel roads down. I'm kind of waiting until we get some rain before washing the windows and other things.

My Pilot has a 4 wheel drive light on so taking it to be "scanned" this afternoon. Driving in corn fields probably wasn't real good for it.

Mom & I may be going this afternoon to check out a new bakery and place to go for lunch in Manson. We read about it in the Sun. paper. It would be nice to have a new, nice place to go for lunch around here.

Tired

While I was gone to Des Moines for a Stampin' Up! Regional Seminar Sat., Mom went with Diane & the girls shopping all day. You can see the results here - tired!

Bill & crew got finished combining Sun. night. Jim headed home yesterday after ripping for about 3 days. Carl & Bill ripped some today and still have some more to do. They hope to power wash all the big equipment during this continuing nice weather we're having and get things put away before it turns cold and windy. Bill also had to work on some farm bill paying.

I covered my flowers the couple of cold nights we had so they're still hanging on which is nice.

Todd has been gone on a guys' hunting trip so we've been eating out with Diane & girls about every day. Tomorrow night she's having a combination purse & Scentsy party we're going to and we're making the refreshments for her.

I signed up a new Stampin' Up! recruit today. She lives here in our town.

Combining is Done!!

Have been busy babysitting and visiting today - COLTS game now - will post tomorrow!

Trip to Des Moines Today

Lots has been happening around here the past couple of days! A friend of ours had a combine fire that also started the field on fire and was heading to a house of other friends. The fire dept. got it out and several neighbors came with tractors to plow the ground to keep the fire from spreading to any houses which it was trying to do fast. With the wind, just a corn leaf that was on fire could blow and start another area on fire. We were all working as far north as we go and could see the smoke. The combine is totaled.

While Bill was gone to the fire (he's a volunteer fireman), Tim switched from driving the semi to the combine. Then Carl & Pam's son who is in town came and ran the combine for us so Tim could keep hauling corn to the elevator. It all worked out pretty well. I had to sit stopped for a while when I ran out of fuel. It was too far for me to drive the tractor with ripper on the road to go fuel up so I had to wait until someone could do it for me.

Last night we found out that a wheel came off of a wagon loaded with corn and it veered off into our field just north of our house. Good thing it didn't happen a little sooner or it could've been in our front window. Whew.

We've had no rain delays now for over 2 weeks so everyone is getting tired with the long hours, and mistakes can and are being made. Hope all goes well for our crew today and tomorrow. If it does, they can probably get finished with combining by the end of Sunday.

Bill's brother got here Thurs. night and has been doing the ripping.

I'm off this morning to a half day Stampin' Up! Regional Seminar in Des Moines. SU! doesn't come to our area often. They had a full seminar yesterday too. I haven't had time to make cards to swap at this one but that's ok. Bad timing for them to come to a farming area.

The End is in Sight

Last night's P.E.O. meeting included a meal together. Isn't this a beautiful Fall table? The hostesses did a great job. We had chicken salad in the waffle? bowls, grapes, a jello/cucumber salad, homemade rolls made in the shape of a star (P.E.O.'s emblem), a small cup of mint choc. chip ice cream and angel food cake. 12 attended.














Bill and all finished combining a field near town today. The owner does his own ripping. After getting done there, all equipment was moved north again to a big field. I caught up to the combine at about 7:45 tonight while Bill was servicing the combine. I hope to be right behind them all day tomorrow in this same field. This field was *wonderful* to be in compared to others in recent days. This one is all straight rows - ahhhhh. And nice soft dirt. :) (not nearly as much jerking with soft dirt)

After this field, we have another big field and a small one and that's it! Then there are still some bean end rows to do, applying anhydrous and clean up of all the equipment and getting it put away. Thurs. will be my last day since Bill's brother will take over Fri.

Today I got to be home for a couple of hours while they were finishing up the the first field. I got laundry put away, dishes done and other misc. which was a good feeling. Also watched some of the Chilean miners being rescued!

More Corn

Last week, I went over this Bradgate bridge. The water was up to the very bottom of the bridge - scary! Minnesota had gotten about 8" of rain in one day so it's been flowing down toward us. The ground all around this bridge was flooded.

We are still combining corn. Every day I learn more about ripping. I had kind of a frustrating day yesterday. I just knew I wasn't doing corners right. So last night Bill & I drew pictures! No, I wasn't doing corners right! I've been making more work for myself. This morning's new field will be a challenge going around the edge of it but then will be nice when I can switch to auto steer and go down a bunch of straight rows.

Yesterday's lunch for the crew at Bette Jo's was meatballs, baked potatoes, corn pudding, apple salad, rolls, and a fruit cocktail cake.

Today I get to quit at 4:30 to go to a P.E.O. meal and meeting. Friend, Kyle, will take over for me after he gets off work. Bill's brother Jim will be getting here Thurs. night and will rip. They hope to maybe be finished by the end of the week! Continue to have sunny, dry weather.

Matthew has been here since Sat. afternoon. He's been riding with everybody (he's 5).

Dumping on the Go

Due to the long line at the elevator, I'm caught up to the combine! This video is Bill in the combine and Pam driving the tractor with the cart. Bill also has a rider, Glenn Markley.

I had a good start to the day yesterday doing end rows. They weren't near as bad in this straight field! But then I started in the field that Bill and all were working in and the problems began. Couldn't get the angle going with the GPS. First problem was that I didn't have the thing engaged next to the steering wheel (operator error)! Then Bill noticed I was missing a point on the ripper. So I went to the shop at Peggy's to get one of those (and a spare) and Bill got that put on.

Bette Jo & Tim went to a funeral for the mother of a guy we farm for. Turns out Tim didn't miss anything with the elevator delays. Bill even had time to stop the combine and jump in a semi and take it to the elevator.

We had planned to have lunch for Carl & Pam here. But due to Carl & Bill having to wait in line in the semis, Pam & I picked up the chicken from the grocery (glad they have hot food now!), came home and put the chicken, broasted potatoes, my apple salad and pumpkin pie in containers, grabbed some drinks and we all had lunch in the parking lot of the elevator!

After lunch all went well. We even had some little riders with us after about 3:00 - the twins.

The elevator closed at 6:00 and will be closed today which meant moving from this field close to the elevator to way up north to fields where they can take the corn to our bins today.

Most of us go to church on Sundays, have lunch on our own and then get started. Bill & Carl usually get things ready to go and have a quick lunch at Pronto. The cooks are off on Sundays!

This morning, Bill was going to fuel my tractor and I'd get going early but he found a leaking steering hose so is fixing that. Hope we're not going to have another slow start today. It's another beautiful, warm fall day. This makes about 13 in a row.

In the meantime I've gotten the lunch dishes from yesterday washed, have 2 loads of laundry going and have paid a couple of bills. The Colts game is on TV here this week, but I'll be in the tractor. Thank goodness for DVR's!!

There's my call - the tractor is ready!

Harvest Lunches

Not much time to do blog posts right now but will try to do some quick ones as often as I can!

Like last year, Aunt Bette Jo is feeding all of us lunch. This has worked out really well so that we all stop at the same time and get back to work at the same time. It's a lot of work for her though.

From left to right: Carl who drives a semi usually, rips, moves and fuels equipment (really whatever needs to be done), Bill, Pam (Carl's wife) who drives the grain cart "catching" the corn or beans in the cart usually while moving along next to the combine (unloading on the go they call it), and then dumping it into a semi, Uncle Tim and Aunt Bette Jo. The guys don't bother to change from their sunglasses for lunch!

Today we had roast beef, (real) mashed potatoes, gravy, leftover ham balls, macaroni salad, green bean casserole, bread, apple pie and ice cream. I may be leaving something out - it's getting late! And these pictures were taken yesterday so different food!

Bill figured up tonight that we have about 700 acres to go. My ripping job is going pretty good but I have a lot to learn and need a lot of practice which I'm getting! Today I hit my first rocks - HUGE ones! Luckily, so far they haven't torn anything up. When ripping, you can't see them - it just all of a sudden happens. You get out and mark it with a flag so that Tim or Bill can go back later and dig them out with something big! This last picture was yesterday. I had to go along (just one pass) a dredge ditch. Kinda scary. It looks deeper than this picture probably shows. In this picture I'm crossing over it on a little path to get to a little 10 acre field on the other side. Today in a nice straight, big field was much nicer than yesterday! Tomorrow will be end rows (remember my first fall here I said "end rows give me a headache") - but also some nice straight stuff. And, bonus, I'm in the same area as everybody else so can hear the talk between them on the radio.

Oh, yesterday, in the morning, I delivered fliers for church for our upcoming Women's Conf. and I had chosen Dallas Clark's hometown and the town he went to high school. I wore a Colts shirt for my deliveries. My first stop in his hometown, Livermore, was City Hall where the nice lady that was going to help me get some packets to a couple of the churches said she liked my shirt. Then told me that she is Dallas' mother in law! Had fun talking with her!!

New Clearance Rack Items!

Just a quick note... Stampin' Up! has added new items to the CLEARANCE RACK.. Now, from October 5-18, they're adding over two hundred more discontinued items--some at up to 80 percent off!!! These are available just while supplies last and they're going quick!

To place your order now CLICK HERE! (then click SHOP NOW and then "Clearance Rack" on the left - you may add "regular" items to your order, too!) If you haven't shopped on my site before, you'll need to set up your account first after clicking on Shop Now.

PS - you get better prices and benefits by ordering through my web site vs. through the Stampion' Up! site. They want everyone to have a Demonstrator and encourage us to direct you to our sites this way.

Full Speed Ahead

The combine was fixed by noon on Mon. morning and everything has been running well since then.

Yesterday we had some visitors from Wisconsin. They have lots of family in the area so stopped to see us. John rode with Bill for a while and Mary Jeanne (who is also a stamper) got caught up with Peggy. Then we all met here for lunch. We had pork loin, cheese potatoes, broccoli casserole, salad, caramel brownies and iced tea. Mary Jeanne always brings apple butter for everybody!

I ripped the field by Tim's house from about 3:00-8:30. I have a little tiny field there and some of the end rows to finish after lunch today.

This morning I'm picking up some checks for Stampin' Up! orders and running east to Dallas Clark's hometown and 3 others to deliver those fliers for our church's women's retreat - gotta go!

We're in about our 12th straight day of beautiful fall weather - sure has been nice!

Combine Problems

Just a quick update tonight. The guys were working on getting the combine changed over from the bean head to corn head this afternoon. They had just gotten started in corn and investigated some vibration that had recently started. Turns out there is a problem that required the combine to be taken to West Bend for repair. A mechanic from John Deere will come out to the field to fix some things but not this one - it needs to be worked on in their shop. They said they could get working on it by 7:45 in the morning, but we don't know how long it will take.

This morning at church, I picked up some flyers and other promotional materials that need to be delivered to 4 area towns for our women's conference at our church on Nov. 13th. I said I would rather deliver to some of the smaller towns like Thor, Bode, Livermore, Mallard (vs. Ft. Dodge, Storm Lake). Received a reply "Super! We'll put you down for all of those towns if that's ok". Yikes. So I'll use this time before ripping to get that done! I chose Livermore and Bode since that's where Dallas Clark is from and went to school! Unfortunately the Colts lost in the last minute today - and it was not on Dish here!

We did have frost last night and may again tonight but still great weather in the forecast for the next week!

Stinky Cattle

This is a feed lot that we pass on the highway going into our town from the south. It's one of those farms that you try to remember to turn on the recirculate button before you get close! Pretty strong some days. They're in a pretty small area.

Bill thinks they'll be done combining beans tomorrow. We're having a nice, long stretch of sunny & dry weather with more of the same the next few days (lucky!).

I was home most of the day getting caught up on things. Tonight I took sandwiches out to Tim & Carl at the bin site and then north to where Bill was combining. I rode with him until he was done with that field. He has to take the head of the combine off when moving to another field (because it's too wide for being on the road). He puts it on a long trailer that's then pulled by the pickup. So I followed him to the next field, then took him back for the combine. He moved it and I came home.

They were combining seed beans today. This is the first time they've planted them and the beans did pretty well. They hauled them to one of their bins vs. to town for now. Eventually, probably this winter, they will haul them to the Pioneer processing plant in Renwick, Iowa.

All the ground right around us is bare now. We had beans in our field around our house and there were beans across the road.

Bill says tomorrow is my last "free" day before getting in the tractor for several days so the plan is for me to go to Algona for some bush hog parts that are in. Algona's about 40 min. away. I'll stop at a (bigger) grocery there while I have the chance.

When Dave or Jim help us with ripping, they're texting, looking at Facebook and stuff on their phones while going down the field on auto steer. But Bill and I still don't have all of that on our phones so I'll be out of touch!