I think if I wrote all that I learned and saw and felt this weekend, no one would read it! Too much to write!! I’ll do my best to give the short version, but I’ll warn you – that is not usually possilbe. Just ask anyone who has ever heard me testify – hehehe!
First let me clarify, many hands makes LIGHTER work! It was not a light work weekend by any definition! But, I have a fantastic family! Some were forced, some were begged, some were bribed, some would have showed up for no reward, and some were not able to make it – but my family is amazing! At least we have fun while we sweat our behinds off!
Front corner hill – This looks so much better!
It’s hard to believe how much we all got done, it’s harder to believe that my farmer man personally cut down every tree we mulched up this weekend. We fed the chipper for two complete days – Always a crew of at least five, but often a crew of up to eleven. Not counting our support crew – our “wife” – my mother! Keeping us fed, entertaining children, washing dishes, shooing the flies, making someone else clear the stinkbugs!
We worked hard, ate a lot, played hard, and enjoyed each other’s company. No fussing, no bickering, not even by the kids as far as I know. God is good!
Oh, WAIT! I forgot poor Eric! I love this guy! As an army buddy of my son-in-law Adam, he must have a rough life! Hahahaha But, he is brave enough to join a family work weekend just to have a little bit of time to sight in some guns they bought! They enjoyed their down time and we enjoyed the rest while they were shooting.
Working our way around from front corner hill to “beyond the pond” hill. It’s West Virginia, all fields are on hills!
Jim and I were up at 5:30am Sunday morning talking about how old we felt. Too sore to even roll over in the bed, hungry beyond measure, too body-tired to be able to sleep – but we cracked up and laughed loud enough I was worried we would wake the kids. We so enjoy this farm. We enjoy seeing everybody work together. We enjoy seeing it begin to take shape, to become more of what it can be. I have seldom seen my husband this happy. It is contagious!
At the end of the weekend, we had to choose where to stop. We couldn’t get it all done. We worked with all we had and made a huge difference in the landscape. We could pile the stuff up and burn it, but that would be wasteful. Those woodchips or whatever it should be called are very useful. We are already using it to keep down dust in the barn. I will use it in my garden. We might burn one pile of brush if we get a good snow. Those thorns are savage when they are being whipped around by the woodchipper. I think that pile might be useful as ashes!
We prayed, above all, for safety for everyone working. Only sore muscles after this weekend. No missing limbs, no missing children, and no trips to the ER. Again, God is good! Next weekend, we REST!
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