My brother, who was the last of my weekend guests, left early this morning. Knut felt bad because they’re in the thick of planting season that he couldn’t be home much when our family was here. It’s how it goes. It made bringing him meals pretty easy. I could just hop in the car with his supper really quick and leave the kids at home with our company.
I always feel so smart, as though I have passed some test when I ask Knut which field he’s working on, and he tells me directions based off of who used to live where, and which unnamed dirt road. I feel like after 8 years I’m finally getting the hang of that.
I spent a bunch of time yesterday adding mulch and compost to our gardens. The strawberries, especially, needed attention as grass was starting to invade my patch like crazy. I still have more work to do there, but the worst of it is cut down, under newspaper, and then smothered with compost or wood chips. The strawberries are blossoming now. I cannot even explain how ridiculously exciting that is. I will just point out we just went through 8 months of below average temperatures. I’m in desperate need of garden strawberries that taste like summer.
I got a little sun on my shoulders as I was out. Not enough to hurt, but enough to feel warm. I’ll admit, as much as I know I was supposed to be horrified that I hadn’t put on tons of sunscreen and got another light burn, I was just so excited to be out in the sun that long to have an impact on my skin. Seriously, it was like coming up for air. It’s getting hot quickly, but I refuse to complain. I’m not done soaking it in yet. I had to bring my garden hat out and cut off jean shorts. I’m telling you, so far this summer is spectacular.
My brother made a ton of rhubarb jam while he was here. I’m not quite yet in jam making mode, so I rudely made him do it all himself. I had work that needed to get done outside. My jam season doesn’t start for a few more weeks yet. He didn’t seem to mind, though, and asked Silje to help. I think she enjoyed every second of it. He’s only been gone a few hours, and already the kids all miss him so much. He’s such a good uncle to them. The unlimited tokens he provided them at supper at Chuck E. Cheese’s (which Elias pronounced Chucky Jesus) didn’t hurt their opinion of him. Really, though, just the way he talks to them, and comes up with all these crazy plans and just does them is what I think they like the best.
Anyway, the poor, rainy weather forced the farm to move some of it’s fields to soy beans that were intended for corn. The corn is now complete (I think) and they are working on the soy beans now. The weather is perfect right now, so they’re going to be pushing really hard this week, since they are still weeks behind. I know Knut isn’t far from us at all, but we still miss him. The lady at the grocery store yesterday was telling me that her husband works in the fertilizer business, and since he’s in the farming industry, he’s been working long hours too. She said twice last week he didn’t get home until 9pm. I tried to politely hold back laughter when she said that. What I wouldn’t give for Knut to be in from the field at 9pm every night. It was sweet of her for trying to relate. Sometimes its the thought that counts.
Leave a Reply