This is how I feel today: a tired sunflower, with a drooping head and petals of energy fallen and scattered.
We baled hay yesterday, and because there are chances of rain, the farmer decided we would wrap the bales. Of course that means late hours with lots of travel across rough fields and at times I think, surely I will die from "shaken head syndrome". We ate supper after 11:00 and when I went to bed I was too tired to fall asleep right away. I keep looking forward to the day when the farmer thinks enough is enough and cuts back on some of the farm work.
When the farmer pulls out of the field with the last load, I drive the loading tractor home, a lot of the time after dark. Now I know the field backward and forward in the daylight, but in the darkness things can get out of place, and tractor lights don't give a far range of vision. We come out of the field, downhill, across a low water bridge and a big snag tree is our sign post of sorts to tell where the crossing is located. One particular night the farmer had already crossed the bridge and his lights weren't visible to me when I started home. I drove toward what I thought was the place to cross but couldn't find it; all the edges of the field looked the same in the dim lights of the tractor and there seemed to be lots of snag trees. I kept driving along the edge of the field, searching, searching; soon I realized I was going in the opposite direction, turned around and found a tree at the edge of the field that I knew was just before the crossing, and slowly, slowly found it. What a strange feeling to be lost! I had begun to think I'd just have to sit in the field until someone came looking for me. Of course I felt stupid to tell the farmer. Someone should tie a white flag at that crossing! Last night the farmer waited for me to come up behind him before he drove on.
When I grow so tired and think of how much we do at age 73, these verses from wise King Solomon come to mind:
Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun... Ecclesiastes 2:18-19
Think about it!
Charlotte
I understand what you shared.
ReplyDeleteWill say, this one
built 3 homes in 5 years
my cottage where I live the last home
and now here 5 years
Do not want to leave until the Lord calls me home.
Fine until age 77 and then energy really began to decrease
and do not like it.
Seemed to happen over night but in reality - guess it did not.
We share a lot and you and I are a like in many ways.
You are fine for a few more years
but please take care and try and slow down.
I've done very little today except the chicken work and feeding my kittens.
DeleteI've been blessed with good health and hate to feel drained now. Yes, I think we both share a love for our homes.
You amaze me at the things you do to care for your home and property. Compared to you, I have a small amount to take care of and that is enough for me and I'm younger.
ReplyDeleteGod's blessings on you and your husband ~ FlowerLady
Our girls say keeping busy and active is the reason most people don't realize we're this old.
DeleteAwe, you're amazing. I couldn't do all of that even on my best days. Bless your heart, I hope it lets up some for ya'll really soon. I love those Bible verses and so true. Lots of hugs, xo
ReplyDeleteSusie, I really can't see anything changing as long as I can put one foot in front of the other. lol Isn't the Bible an amazing book! I love reading these passages. Hope you're feeling better; I worry when you don't post a poem.
DeleteWe had no boys to help the farmer so I've always helped him. The hay work has barely begun; if we get rain throughout the summer there will be at least two more times to cut. I could always find some fabric to work with, or yarn, or DMC ...
ReplyDeleteWhat a amazing woman you are!! I am so glad you found the crossing that night. That sounded frightening! I hope you can rest up a bit before have to tackle the hay again.
ReplyDeleteThere's still no marker at the crossing for me, but the last night we came out, the farmer drove the tractor to the crossing, then I took over to bring it on home.
DeleteStaying busy is the key to staying young. Don't envy the night driving, I just don't see as well as used to. Hats off to you and the farmer!
ReplyDeleteStaying busy to stay young ~ then I must be in my 60s at least :)
DeleteThat sounds exhausting! I don't see well in the dark and I can almost imagine how lost you felt.
ReplyDeleteThere are men in my family very much like your farmer. My granddad was a wheat farmer and when they finally retired and moved to town, he planted wheat in their back yard. I imagine your farmer won't really slow down until he just has to.
I spent 3 hours doing yard work in yesterday's heat and I felt like your droopy sunflower too :)
Slowing down? You're probably right!
DeleteYou are such a trooper Charlotte. I honestly don't think I could do the kind of work you do. I'm sure the farmer appreciates the wonderful helper you are. I hope you'll have some days to rest regroup a bit. I just read a book I think you'd like. It's called "Pursuing the Intentional Life" by Jean Fleming. It's about growing old wisely. I got so much out of it.
ReplyDeleteAll this time, I thought you were in your fifties! I loved farming and baling hay and having to work well after dark to get it in and...all of it, but....not into my seventies!! Yes--it is probably good for your health, but if you have arthritis, heavy lifting, heavy work and long days are going to make it worse. Tell The Farmer to cut back a bit--he isn't going to end up in poverty!!! Reminds me of my Dad--still milking cows twice a day and farming until he was 85!!
ReplyDeleteOh boy! I have daughters in their fifties! I don't know about telling the farmer to cut back; I may just have to quit on him :)
DeleteI admire you Charlotte. You're a wonderful lady and an amazing wife. You honor the farmer well with your support and attentiveness.
ReplyDeleteI hope some year soon, you two will retire and will spend your days enjoying the fruits of your labors. :)
E.C. I don't know about the support and attentiveness; it's probably more like, I've spoiled him :)
DeleteThat sounds like a long, hard day, Charlotte. You and the farmer are hard workers. I agree keeping busy helps to keep you young. I would be tired too after such a long day. I hope you are rested up by now. Take care.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Daisy.
DeleteI think your sunflower is still beautiful! And, wasn't Solomon's empire lost after he died? Hope you rested up today and enjoyed a bit of cooler weather.
ReplyDeleteSolomon's empire was divided.
DeleteA lot of the farmers around her worked in the hayfield on July 4th. It's hard, hot work even if they have a tractor. My brother used to bale hay the old-fashioned way. Poor farmers work really hard. I hope you can get some rest. I know how tiring it is working on a farm. I grew up on a farm and know how hard the summers are working from sunup to sundown, but you worked until 11:00. You must be exhausted.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in a family of farm working people, holidays took second place to what had to be done. I can't imagine having to put up hay the way my daddy did, with horses and horse-drawn equipment. Today we drive tractors with automatic gadgets and A/C and equipment that allows us to bale many acres in a few hours.
DeleteYou're quite busy, and a great help to your husband. I didn't grow up on a farm, but my mother's family were mostly farmers, and the very best of my memories are visiting my grandmother whenever I could. I never took a vacation except to go over to W. Fla to visit. Charlotte, she was a widow at 50; my mom was her last of 8 children. She lived to 104 1/2, and by the time her husband passed away, she had grown sons to do the farm work. However, her philosophy was busy hands keeps the mind busy also, so as not to dwell on things that are unpleasant. She became totally blind in her 90's but never stopped making quilts. The only thing we had to do was thread her needles which would be anywhere from ten to 15 on one string. She cut out her own squares. But, let me tell you this, I'm 72 and I couldn't do what you do! I enjoy yard work more than inside work though. Please take care of yourself! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sally for sharing this with me. It seems your grandmother was blessed to have the philosophy of keeping her hands and mind busy. And threading needles is a chore for me! Maybe I make my work sound more difficult than it is :) but I do tire more quickly now.
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