I'm both overjoyed and heartbroken ....

 

One of the most difficult things I ever did was leave Johnson City, Tennessee and head for Illinois, leaving my little girl on the campus of Milligan College. Milligan is a good college, but it was 500 miles from home and my little girl wasn't old enough or ready for it, regardless of what the calendar said.

To be honest, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forgive Milligan College. Because my little girl thrived in its environment. She loved the mountains. She grew into a beautiful, well educated, big hearted, young woman. And she stayed in east Tennessee.

It has always been interesting visiting Jill. She has friends with names I recognize. For instance one time when were here she took us to dinner with some of her friends at Jim's house. I am familiar with his work, but when he writes for Christian Standard magazine he uses his full name.

She bounced around several jobs. Not necessarily “normal” jobs. Things live working with an adoption agency finding families and homes for kids. Eventually she ended up working for East Tennessee State University as a grant manager, responsible for … well, I'm not not going to try and explain because I'm not sure I fully understand it. I'm just proud of her for what she does.

A couple weeks ago she got her Masters degree from ETSU. This weekend we returned to Johnson City for a very different reason. I'm both overjoyed and heartbroken. Because we came back to Hopwood Church, on the campus of Milligan College, for Jill's wedding.

 I'm overjoyed because Jill has married a very special guy, one I am convinced God was grooming just for her. I'm heartbroken because he lives in the mountains of North Carolina.

So in the morning we will head north, although it will be a little different than 15 or so years ago. Because we're probably leaving Johnson City for the last time. We won't have much of a reason to come here again. Jill will be in the mountains of North Carolina. And while I will be heartbroken to leave my little girl behind, this time I'll be leaving her in the care of a great guy.

'Course, he still isn't nearly good enough for my little girl.

My First Responder class is progressing slowly.  One of the reasons it was moved from West Union to Robinson was because the instructor was on duty or on call there.  So we are meeting at the ambulance base.  But when the instructor has a run the class gets cancelled, so we are going long on the schedule. 

Some of the "clinical activities" really frustrate me.  I guess too many years of holding vibrating steering wheels and wrench twisting and beating on things.

 

My fingers just don't have the  sensitivity to find a pulse.  I just don't feel it. 

I had trouble taking blood pressure, too.  I was looking on Amazon and found a Sphygmomanometer (run THAT through your spell check) and stethoscope set that wasn't too expensive so I splurged and bought them so I could practice. Marge would like the color...

I don't think I'll make it as a Doctor ... or Nurse ... or Paramedic.  Because I put the cuff on my arm and pumped and listened and released and I just don't hear the sounds well enough to check blood pressure.    That or I'm dead.   But at least as a First Responder instead of an EMT I may not need that ability very much.

I'm making a First Response kit for my truck.  You can buy one for $100 or so, but I decided I could build one that suited my needs better for less.  But what do I put everything in?  I can uy a genuine First Responder bag for $35 or more .. or go to Walmart and buy a 6 can cooler with a hard liner that will hold everything I need for $5.98.

Any guesses which I bought?

Now I just need to stock it.

Our latest chapter is Emergency Responder childbirth training

MORE information I hope I NEVER need

I think once this chapter is done all we need is CPR certification (or re-certification for most of us in class) and do our finals and we're finished.  The finals may finish me alright.

Merry Christmas

Jim and Heidi can't travel home this Christmas, so Friday we went to Madison, WI to spend the weekend with them. Perhaps the most eye opening part of the whole visit was a trip to the grocery store. I know, "All you can talk about is a trip to the grocery store ?" There is a lot more that I consider private. And besides, this was kind of eye opening for me.

When you use the term "organic" around most farmers you can kind of sense the hair stand up on the back of the neck. For most of us in production agriculture this is like a slap in the face. It's like saying everything you have been doing is wrong. That discussion will have to wait. I am talking entirely about consumer perspectives.

If you are unfamiliar with Madison, it's a long way from the Wabash River bottoms. The metro area is probably over a quarter million people. More Volvos and Toyota Prius than I ever saw in one spot. The kids took us to a store called "The Whole Foods Market". It is a national chain of 310 stores (www.http://wholefoodsmarket.com/company/) specializing in "organic and natural". I'm not going to argue organic versus anything so don't write. The point is consumers are willing to pay for it.

Fascinating place for a country boy. My wife said she had never seen that many kinds of granola ... in bulk

And coffee as well

And produce wasn't just displayed, it was arranged

Yes the carrots are carefully arranged in a circle. And cooler upon cooler of cheeses.

So what has this to do with corn and soybeans down in the river bottom ? It convinced me there is a market for things like this. It may be a niche market we who are now the smaller farmers need to consider working in. Oh, the store also had some prepared foods

edit: THERE I got the correct photo
I liked the cookies

Yes, I know it has been 2 weeks

If you are one of the 4 people who follow my blog regularly you have noticed it has been 2 weeks since I wrote anything.  I know, it isn't farming season  But it seems like most of my spare time has been taken by the First Responder course I am taking.

It isn't that difficult.  It's just been 30+ years since I studied this hard.  To be truly honest, I have never studied this hard.  I think my brain is too overloaded with useless information.  Or just doesn't absorb like it used to.  And the schedule of classes Tuesday and Thursday evenings doesn't give me much time mid-week to get ready.

Let's see, what has been happening? I have some things going on I can talk about and some I can't talk about right now.  A normal week this month involves 3 lawyers, 2 estates (make that 3 estates.  I got a call this evening asking to help set a value on some equipment), 3 different trusts.  I am beginning to think my son in law is pretty sharp.  He told his dad he didn't care if he left him anything when he passed on.  But if he did he wanted it left to him alone, not him and ...

What else has been happening?  We (mostly Aman) have been insulating the shop.  See the farm page at www.BumpusFarms.us or my AgTalk+ blog at http://agtalkplus.com/?q=node/22574 for more on that.  Between normal Christmas activity, getting ready for a wedding, and getting ready for a new grandkid, and all this other stuff I'm about run ragged.

Late night ponderings

One of the problems being related to my Mom is poor sleeping habits.  I might as well blame her as me ;-).  I seem to have developed this habit of falling asleep watching TV, then waking up 2-4 hours later wide awake.   So I read a bit, or check email and Facebook, and them go to bed and sleep the rest of the night.  I've tried going to bed at a "decent hour".  I just toss and turn and keep Sue from resting.

Sometimes when setting here by the computer late at night I get to thinking about things ... pondering so to speak.  Tonight I've been pondering about family and friends. Some have moved ... for instance Jim and Bob

some who aren't with us any more ... like Grandparents

Dad

Jean

 and Lyman

And while Jill has been away from the flat land quite a while, I guess it's time I accept the fact she has moved

I guess time does keep marching on.

Although at times it seems it is all uphill

Lost a friend this week

We lost a friend this week. Lyman Shawler passed away Friday.  Lyman Shawler's visitation will be Sunday 3-7, Funeral 10:00 Monday at Prust-Hosch

http://obituaries.expressionstributes.com/?o=e023217855

You've GOT to be kidding ...

I think it would be interesting.  I don't think I can sell that concept to Sue.  It looks better from the back

But I just don't think she'd go along with it.  Especially when she saw this

I meant the $7995, not the 70 MPG. Nope, no chance

Larry Boy and the football player

No, it isn't a new carton idea.  It's Grandsons dressing up for halloween

Bet you can't guess which one is which

You've GOT to be kidding ...

Nope, I'm serious. Halloween lilac blooms

 Mom had me take a picture to prove it.

Oh, and I found THE WAY to get the Sweet Gum balls out of the rain gutter.  Climb up on the roof with my new Hitachi leaf blower. stick the nozzle in the gutter and walk.  Although it is better if there isn't water in the rain gutter.....

I didn't try taking any pictures. Staying on the roof seemed more important.

Odd wonderings ...

I see Union Hospital is having a a free dinner and presentation  about living with diabetes including learning about effective self-management, developing a balanced, healthy lifestyle and overcoming fears surrounding diabetes.   I always wonder about odd things, like will the menu be "diabetic friendly"?

(from http://tribstar.com/features/x783643880/Union-Hospital-to-offer-free-diabetes-events):

Union Hospital’s Diabetes Education Center will observe Diabetes Awareness Month with activities.

The public is invited to a free dinner and presentation titled “Taking Control with Curtis Story” on Nov. 7. Story is a member of the sanofi-aventis A1C Champions Program, which is a patient led approach to diabetes education. He will share his personal experience about living with diabetes including learning about effective self-management, developing a balanced, healthy lifestyle and overcoming fears surrounding diabetes. The event will be at the Landsbaum Center for Health Education on Union Hospital’s campus at 1433 N. 61⁄2 St., in Terre Haute and starts at 5:30 p.m. with an opportunity to meet vendors. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and speaker presentations begin at 6:15 p.m. Call the Diabetes Education Center at (812) 238-7577 to reserve a seat.


On Nov. 15, the center will offer a pre-diabetes class from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Union Hospital Professional Office Building, Suite 503, 1530 N. Seventh St. The class is designed for people who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance. The cost is $40 and will include a personalized meal plan, physical activity guide, glucose monitor, complication awareness, healthcare resource information and more. Call (812) 238-7577 to register. Low-income assistance is available.

I guess $40 isn't too bad for that if they include a monitor.  I'm kind of like a friend.  He has trouble trusting most of the nutritionists he sees because they seem to  usually be overweight.

Union also has its Annual Spirituality and Health Conference coming up. I'm kind of going "Umm... O  K ...."  I guess Union Hospital’s Chaplain’s Office is hosting its for care givers to provide support in individuals’ personal grief experiences.  It just sounds odd for the hospital to be offering.

I found Jim a trail to go walking on.

Not really.  I don't think his Mom could handle thinking about him doing it.  See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsGC0lZ-5g8&feature=player_embedded.  I'm kind of like Mrs B from SE Iowa, "Who in the dickens built it, and how???? "  There is an article I just found at http://www.ssqq.com/archive/vinlin27d.htm, but I haven't had time to read it.

I did it! I bought a book!

I did it! I bought a digital book this morning! And my wife didn't have to show me how!

I know, some thing of me as a techno geek, but in reality my "geekness' means I barely know how to do what I need to in order to do what I have to get done. But Sue, with her own laptop and Kindle is mega bytes farther along than I am. However, I stumbled through it all and bought Danny Hone's book, Lord of the Harvest.  I then got a Nook app and downloaded it to the iPad.   Some day I 'll be as technically proficient as a 12 year old.

You can order one by clicking on the book title.  It links to Barnes and Noble's web site. 

Not that I have time to read it for the next month as I'm studying my Emergency Medical Responder book

 

Windmills

We found a fascinating little place NW of Poland, Indiana.  Maybe I should back up and start at the beginning.

Friday it was apparent we were not likely to get in the field.  So I took a "personal day" and Sue and I played hookey.  We didn't have any plans other than being together and away from home and the farm.  We left Darwin and went north.  Went through several big cities like Dennison, Elbridge, etc. We started east and got to Clinton and decided we wanted to avoid the Covered Bridge Festival as much as possible.  So at Lyford we went east.  We looked at a lot of pretty country.  ended up in Brazil for lunch.  I'd heard of Eddie's Sandwich Shop

(See the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128063055082) Little is the operative word.  Good food, fun place to be, but don't figure on a large family dinner there.  We stopped at a yard sale, then headed toward Poland on Rt 42.  We're near Poland when we spy a sign along the road pointing toward the Windmills at Riverside Farm. We took up this winding little road and end up at a fascinating place.  He has something like 55 windmills up.

Some are from the 1830's and safe inside the barn.

Some looked more familiar

Next weekend is the close of his season.  I'd put it on my list of place to visit next summer.

He has a huge web site at http://www.windmill-parts.com/id20.html  Visit it for history, parts, photos, etc.

I try to keep this separate from the farm page

I try to keep this separate from the farm page, but sometimes that is difficult for me.  I get out of bed farming in my head, I work on the farm all day, and quite often end up dozing off in my office chair doing farm related work. So what have I been doing besides farming? Let me ponder a minute ...

Tuesday evening we had one of our twice a month fire department meetings.  But that kind of became a farm thing, as we ran out to our shed and looked at a combine for possible trouble spots.

One of the things I am involved in I can't take much credit for is our Wednesday evening youth class at church.  This is my favorite age group, ranging from about 6th grade through High School.   Michael Leighty is the teacher.  My job is to be the old guy.  Sometimes we get help in that department from Jon Ledermann ... except he really isn't old enough to qualify. We have been running in excess of 10 kids a week, sometimes more like 15.  When you consider maybe 5 or 6 of those are regular's on Sunday it seems to be working.

We try and be rather informal.  They have been in class at school all day, they don't need more of the same.  So we don't enforce behavior expectations quite as strict as might be expected at school or on Sunday morning.  Basically Michael tries to teach a lesson and I try to put a spin on it that makes the kids think.  A question was asked last Wednesday, and the answer was of course "Jesus" ... to which one of our regulars responded "That's a Sunday School answer". You are going "What?"  Let me explain.

We learn there are certain answers that usually work.  For instance in Church we learn a "Church vocabulary"  I've gotten onto my kids before for giving pat answers, answers using words we wouldn't use in every day life, "Sunday School answers" instead of using words and terminology we would normally use.

I hope we are building these kids into a community.  It would just be fantastic to help these kids develop into a group of friends who look out for and support each other.  Maybe I expect too much, but you can't reach what you don't try for.

So what else non-farm stuff have I done?  Oh!  Aman and I took down a TV tower.  The house Dale and Carolyn Poorman moved into had a TV tower they wanted removed.  I told them months ago we would do it for them, but for various reasons never got around to it.  We were setting twiddling our thumbs this week, so we took it down.

Guess where I was?  Hmm..I just realized we left that pipe laying in the yard.


I'm contemplating playing hookey Friday the 14th.  We can't do field work, and I hate to start any projects during farming season.  We'll see.  I better wind this up before I start waxing philosophical  Although sometimes your philosophy needs a good waxing.

Building a waterway

The overflow for our pond had gotten to the place it needed maintenance.  That is one of the problems with a grass waterway.  If it does its job the grass holds sediment, which then forces water around it negating its effect.  So we did some looking and measuring and figuring and called Robert to bring his play toys.

 He did some pushing and digging and rebuilt the waterway

 After he finished shaping it we seeded it,

harrowed it in,

And put down a straw blanket.

and Voila! a new waterway is made.

This weekend we had rain,  so we'll we how it works.

This was a first for me ....

Let's see, how many firsts this weekend?  First time I ever went on a trip after we started harvest, first time I have been in Milwaukee ... or Sheboygan, first time I have stayed a vacation rental house, first time to be on the beach of Lake Michigan, first time to meet several people, ... oh yeah, and first time I ever went to my son's wedding.

Yep, Jim Bob got married.

Probably been quite a while since anyone called him that.  It was small, a little different, kind of what you might expect knowing Jim.

I took about 150 pictures.  3 of them might even turn out OK. Let me share a few.  Let's start with important stuff.  This is Jim and Heidi exchanging vows.

It was really on the beach

The guest list was rather small.  Family and a few close friends.  Ike and Garrett made it.

What is she pointing at?  Most likely it was Ike's daughter, Miss Margo.  She was the hit of the event.  Here she is with the daughter of another of their friends. And I forgot to ask how she spells her name, but I do know it is her 12th birthday.

She also led the group in a song during the ceremony.

 Lovely young lady my fuzzy photos do not do justice to.  And speaking of fuzzy photos, what is a wedding without awkward family photos?

Yes, maybe I should have use some mousse.  As you can tell by my hands in my pockets and the expression on my face, I REALLY wasn't ready for the shot.

 Here we are with Heid's mom

This is a brother and sisters shot.

Velvet, Heidi, Jim, Becky, Jill

The happy couple with Heidi's sister Velvet and her mom Winnie

 Oh, and a photo of Shades and Little Shades.  David really likes hanging out with Aunt Jill

  I had to get a photo of Jim's boutineer.  If you look closely one of the components is milo! Ok, so I'm weird.  I found it amusing.

And of course I didn't comment (yeah, right)

But the flowers were beautiful

The weather was nearly perfect, the fellowship was good, it just couldn't have been much better.  But now I have a daughter-in-law.  Somehow that makes me sound older than having a son-in-law