More September pictures

One morning, Toby and Michael were bored. They discussed a plan to set up a battle with Michael's new Playmobil knights, but it seemed like too much work. So they scrapped that plan, and decided to build a catapult in the backyard instead. I felt like we were a real homeschooling family that day!Knowing that frost was on the way, I took a picture of our corn harvest. See it? This is what happens when you plant corn in July in northern Minnesota. I don't recommend it.
Here are the girls in our corn plot... see how tall it grew?
Our poor sunflowers didn't get a chance to develop their seeds, either. But the whole family learned a lot about the rhythm of northern gardening this year, and I'm sure we'll do much better next year.

Let me back up

I've been taking pictures for the past month and not sharing them. How distracted of me!

First of all, here's a picture of Grace, which reminds me of a picture of my sister when she was little. I still have a framed drawing of that one packed away somewhere.
One evening in early September, I surprised the kids with a spontaneous trip to a lake. They enjoyed jumping off the dock, swimming, canoeing, fishing, and trying to catch frogs. As night fell, we had to leave before the mosquitoes got us. Such is life in Minnesota. And we do love it!

Oh, bother.

In the midst of all that is good and right with God (and the world, it being autumn and all), I am having a huge pity party. I'm not proud of this. Therefore, I will try to keep it to myself. I hope to keep blogging through it, but if it's quiet under the pines, please, just pray.

Went fishing the other day

I didn't catch anything with my expensive lures. Dad caught a nice big crappie on his Swedish Pimple, but I didn't catch anything. Why did I give him the Swedish Pimple? Why didn't I keep that for myself? (Because it was his birthday gift.) I'm gonna have to get myself one. Or a bunch. They are really nice lures.

I called for my correspondence course today. I'm gonna get all the stuff I need to teach myself about trapping. Then, if I pass the test, I will go to Palisade and have my 8 hour infield instruction with a pro, and then I can trap on my land by myself.

It looks like I will be doing some hunting this fall. I talked to a hunter a few days ago about grouse hunting, and he agreed to take Lynae and me hunting after the leaves fall. I'm excited.

I need a Swedish Pimple. You guys can all get me a Swedish Pimple for Christmas. Don't bother with the Pro King. Those aren't so nice. Never caught anything on my Pro King lure. Maybe that's because it looks like a squid. Anyway, you can also get me a bag of Zoom lures, the ones that are like little green plastic lizards, cuz bass love 'em. And while we're here, let me advertise for the Cajun Line, which is red, casts very smoothly, and turns invisible in water. I love it!

Sorry this post is so darn boring. I am bored just watching myself type, or doing anything else. "I think it's all the stress in my life. I'm 31 years old and I still don't have a girlfriend, I'm about to lose my job, and my car is making this 'hickonk hickonk' noise." No, that's not it either. I could put up with that. I don't know what my deal is.

Lynae and I cut up apples last night. Mom is making them into apple butter. I was the Quality Assurance guy this time, so we may be able to give some of this batch as gifts. (Last time, Lynae and Mike did it, and despite Mom's diligence, the apple butter may still contain some extra protein.)

Charlie Maguire - Fall is Here

When my cows no longer care to go
Out to their pasture far or near
But stand close in the last warm sun
Around the place, I'll know that fall is here

And when the corn goes into dent
Across the fields like old men appear
And we pick it and store it all away
Around the place, I'll know that fall is here

When the limbs of the apple and the pear
Lean down with their fruit so near
And my children go a'gathering
Around the place, I'll know that fall is here

And when the hunters come from town
Seeking the pheasant and the deer
With their dogs in front to point the game
Around the place, I'll know that fall is here

When the hay and straw are in the barn
Stacked to the roof, tier on tier
Smelling like a summer come and gone
Around the place, I'll know that fall is here

Around the place, I'll know that fall is here
When the evenings come early and the mornings are clear
Over all of the fields that I worked this year
Around the place, I'll know that fall is here

I tend to forget

Two weeks ago, I locked my truck and promptly forgot the number code to unlock it. I tried several combinations before I was able to recall the right one. I've had this truck for five years and lock it all the time.

One week ago, I took the kids for tetanus shots. I had to call Toby from across the waiting room to come and confirm one of the kids' birth dates for me. I couldn't remember the month or the day.

Earlier this week, I filled out five identical papers at the eye doctor's office. Halfway through the last one, my mind went blank. I was staring at a paper with words on it which may as well have been in Chinese. It didn't matter that I'd just filled out four others the same way. Thankfully, I was able to figure it out, but not before I was caught looking really foolish.

Later that day, I used my debit card at Walmart like I do every week. But the cashier had to walk me through every step of it, because after each step I apparently thought I was done. Needing a stranger's help because my brain wouldn't work... that was embarrassing.

I forget stuff all the time at home, but there, no one outside the family has to look at my stacks and stashes of redundant lists or my backtracking or head scratching or hear me muttering about what I'm trying to recall. I take it much harder when I'm in public.

But then there was the time I was putting dishes away and forgot what went in the most convenient place in the cupboard... I tried and tried to think of what belonged there. When I couldn't remember, I decided that the cereal bowls would go well there, and gave that a try. But no, bowls go on the other shelf. I walked away and had a good cry. Someone then reminded me that that spot was reserved for the cute little plates we use at least once every day. The plates I'd just finished drying and stacking.

No wonder I'm content to be back in the area where I spent a huge chunk of my childhood. Many places I go, people I see... I remember.

It's all in the details

From Jon's narration of Heidi:

"And I felt a little nervous about saying, 'Aunt Dete' because it didn't really feel normal to me, but I thought you might like to know her name."

James Whitcomb Riley - When the Frost is On the Punkin

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then's the times a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bare-headed, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here --
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossums on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock --
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves, as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries -- kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below -- the clover overhead! --
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!

Then your apples all is getherd, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the celler-floor in red and yeller heaps;
And your cider-makin' 's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With their mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and saussage, too!
I don't know how to tell it -- but ef sich a thing could be
As the Angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me --
I'd want to 'commodate 'em -- all the whole-indurin' flock --
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!