Like Dust in the Wind…

Had you come into my house these last few weeks you would’ve thought we had completely skipped the corn harvest this year. The sink lacked dishes piled up to the ceiling, the laundry room lacked dirty clothes piled up to the ceiling, the kitchen floor looked relatively clean, and Swirls the Cat and Buddy the Bad Dog were fed on a consistent–and even– basis.

In reality, we did have a corn harvest–albeit a quick one.

Golden kernels of corn--proof we did have a harvest.

Working it for the camera...

Last year when Adam and I got home from our honeymoon, Adam dissappeared the day after we returned.  I soon discovered where he had run off to–he was combining corn.

This year’s harvest could’ve been missed had you blinked your eye at the wrong time.  The majority of the corn was chopped into silage in July–leaving this year’s harvest DONE in just a week.

Work it baby, work it!

I almost missed shooting corn harvest this year–I told myself, “Self, you have plenty of time to get your footage.“

That’s the last time I’ll listen to that lady!

Luckily, I was able to leave school and drive straight to the fields a few nights to ride along and experience the harvest.

Did I mention I didn’t change?

Who says you can't be dressed up for corn harvest?? I say, wear a dress and leggings! At least my toes are painted.

Speaking of getting your nails done...

Maybe if I do a little Photoshopping it won't look as bad.

So the 2011 Corn Harvest is officially over–and because it was so quick, my memories of it are quickly becoming like dust in the wind.

It’s a good thing I have the internet and YouTube to help me remember.

Breaking Points…

I’ve had enough.  It’s a tragedy that I cannot afford to ignore any longer.  It must be addressed, like NOW!

Mamma needs some new shoes, STAT!!!!

I like shoes. No, really, I LIKE shoes.  In fact, I’d say I’m pretty darn close to LOVING shoes–especially my high heels. They’re an integral part of my being (not really).

Celebrating Spring with Kenneth Cole

I wear my heels just about everyday during the week while I am educating the future about Oedipus Rex and Antigone, metaphors, root words, and philosophical assumptions.

My heels and I have broken up fights, chased students down halls, climbed ladders (I wouldn’t recommend), and even shot a few hoops together.  It’s just second nature for my feet at this point in our coexistence.

Polka dots in wheat

I’ve had people ask how I can wear “those things” all day long.

“Don’t your feet hurt at the end of the day?”

“Aren’t those shoes uncomfortable??”

“How do you do it?”

The truth is, I enjoy wearing heels.  Yes, to me they are comfortable and No, my feet don’t hurt at the end of the day.  Plus, they make me 2-3 inches taller on a daily basis.  And when you need to have a “come to Jesus” meeting with a teenaged boy who stands 6-foot-whatever, it’s always handy to get a little closer to eye level.  It’s a tactic that I swear by.

Like a snake in the grass...

Until this school year, my heels have always had a pretty calm reality.  I’d throw them on in the morning, walk across five feet of cement to my vehicle and then go to work.  Repeat the steps in the afternoon.  No problem.  Ahh, the city life.

 

Good times with my Steve Maddens

But this year is different.  Living on the farm has just about done in my precious shoes.  I’ve scuffed and scratched and broken and worn down to the souls my poor, pretty shoes. The life expectancy of my heels has been dramatically cut short, and I’m now at my breaking point!!

The ugly truth for these heels on the farm

In actuality, my heels are at their breaking point.  Which is why I had to make an emergency trip to the nearest town with a mall to get me some new shoes this week.

Apparently constantly walking on gravel, using my heels to aerate the soil on a nearly daily basis, and walking through Milo fields and cattle pens has affected the longevity of my shoes.  Who knew?!?!?

 

Hang in there my pretty peep toes

So I called my husband as I was driving home from work and actually caught him with his phone (a miracle in itself which will be properly addressed in a later blog).

“Hey, I’ve got an emergency and NEED to go to Hutch.  Wanna go??”

“Really, what’s the emergency???”

“I broke the tip of my heel today, and now there’s metal showing!!!!  It’s a tragedy of Greek proportions!!  OH, THE HUMANITY!!!!”

“Yah, I’ll go.  I need to pick up something for the planter.”

“Great, I’ll see you in 15 minutes.”

So hubby and I traveled to town to get a plastic tube thingy for his planter and then we hit the mall.

Oh, Glorious Shoes!! Pretty peep toes, just in time for spring!!!  Focus, Kim.  Stay focused.

After trying on one too many pair, I made my purchase—a simple back heel to replace my disheveled, downtrodden shoes.

Rest In Peace

After getting my shoe fix, it was still fairly early to be out for a school night, so we decided to go out to dinner.

Chili’s was my choice as it has a special place in my heart.  Aside from the fact it has endless chips and salsa, it’s where  Adam and I first met for a dinner date.

It wasn’t until halfway through a second bowl of salsa that I realized we were having our “last supper” together because corn planting was quickly approaching.  Adam has been working on his machinery for weeks now, getting ready for planting.  And that’s when I became concerned…

So that's what he's been doing in the shop

“Well, I guess I’ll see you in June before wheat harvest.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I won’t see you because you’ll be planting now.  I’m going to be a planting-widow.  Don’t worry, some ladies in my Farm Wife Support Group have told me and I know all about it.”

“I’ll be done in a week.”

“Yeah right.  (Adam’s sense of time is a little off.  If he says he’ll be home in 30 minutes, he really means 2 hours.  Again, another blog, another time.)”

While we were driving home I asked him what he’d like me to bring him for dinner while he’s planting.   I started naming off a grocery list (to last a year) of items I thought would hold him over during planting.

“I’ll be done in a week!”

End of discussion.

Whether he’s done in a week or not, there’s one thing that will be a guarantee.  My new, pretty black heels are going to get broken in “farm style” as I plan to drive by fields and check on my farmer on my way home from work this week.

Antonio Melani in the field

Pull up your boot straps, little heels!!!  Let’s see what you’re made of!

Continuing the trend…

So apparently my blog is becoming a “once every season” kind of blog.  Hopefully that will change this summer–which is right around the corner for this teacher!!! .  I’m not excited or anything.

Since my last post (in November) I’ve been staying very busy and settling in.  Thanksgiving and Christmas allowed us to travel and visit family and some friends.  Adam and I decided to demolish the chicken shed (according to Rowan, that’s my house) to make me moving into the “people” house official and to not confuse Rowan any longer.  It was interesting to watch a massive piece of equipment come in and totally destroy a building in a matter of minutes.  Now I have a nice view from the back door.

So…without further ado (as opposed to adieu, which looks cooler), I present to you my 35-second, low budget video creation of the destruction…

Too bad Swirls the cat wasn’t as excited losing his hangout place.  He’s now taken a permanent residence in the “people” house as well.  And it’s really, really tough…

"Maybe if I play dead they'll put me outside."

"It's so miserable living in this house..."

"I'm sooo annoyed..."

I’ve also reached a major milestone in the pursuit of becoming an official “farmer’s wife.”  It all started when my husband took me shopping.  Not to Dillards or Neiman Marcus or (heaven-forbid) Walmart.  No, he took me to the Tractor Supply Company store…wait for it, wait for it… for some boots!!

Look what my wonderful, thoughtful husband bought me...

Let me be clear, these boots symbolize a major development in my position at Baldwin Farms.  I now have no excuses to not help.

No more are the days of, “Oh Adam, I’m wearing my super cute polka-dot heels and I can’t get out of the truck, ”  or, “If I walk through that mud, I’ll lose my shoes”  or, “It’s freezing outside and my toes are very sensitive to the cold.”

Uggs ain't got nothin' on these babies!

These boots aren’t just any boots.  They are Muck boots.  You’ll notice they are labeled “Chore” on the sides.

They are insulated, big, and black–which means they go with everything.  And for the price we paid for them, I might start wearing them to school.

Getting my money's worth during a recent winter storm...

God bless Muck Boots!!  And the farmer’s wife who gets to wear them.  And boy, oh boy, I’ve been wearing them.

Unless you have been spending some time outside the country this winter, you’ve probably experienced some of the weather we’ve had.  That includes snow.  Lots and lots of snow!

So on the few snow days I’ve had (I swear my school district is like the Postal Service), I’ve thrown on my precious MUCK BOOTS and have helped out Adam.  In fact, I’ve helped out Adam so much lately that I have become his official assistant in farm operations (this official title that I have given myself is in lieu of pay, of course).

I’ve helped him move cattle, check cattle, water cattle, feed cattle, rescue cattle, resuscitate cattle, chase cattle, and escort him to Arby’s after buying electrolytes for cattle.  The MUCK BOOTS have come in very handy, and have kept my sensitive toes warm and dry.

Getting warm inside because my mama decided to have me during Snowmageddon...

Braving the elements and 17 inches of snow where the chicken shed once stood.

Adam blazing a trail down the road with his tractor so I don't get stuck.

Happy cows like being fed corn, especially when there's tons of snow on the ground.

I had to try out the homemade snow ice cream everyone was talking about on Facebook.

Just a pretty picture...

 

 

Hopefully everything will start thawing out, the rest of the calves that are yet to be born will have nice warm weather, the wheat will have great conditions to get nice and green, and Swirls won’t get eaten by coyotes when he decides it’s time to go back outside for good.

 

Seriously, you want ME to go outside?? Hey, what does a cat gotta do around here to get some nice boots like yours?

Awww nuts, did I offend someone??