Hay Haulers

Loading the hay wagon for the last trip to the barn. Notice the bale in mid-air over the trailer? Our nephew, JP, is back there stacking the bales after the other boys "buck" them onto the trailer. And by the way, according to the meterologist, the heat index was 110 degrees fahrenheit (43 degrees celsius). Lots of cold water and sports drinks were required!   

Makin' Hay While the Sun Shines

We're on about the third week of a really hot dry spell -- so the only real benefit is that it's great for mowing, raking and baling hay! Jake is on the trailer, tossing the bales down to another member of the crew, who puts them on the elevator, which carries them up to the hay loft. Inside the loft is where the *real* hot work is -- and there are a couple of other crew members up there, stacking the hay. Most hay these days (thankfully) is baled in the big round bales that are moved by tractor, but there is still a need for a certain number of these square bales.   

Anniversary Bouquet

To celebrate our 27th anniversary, my wonderful hubby surprised me with this colorful, fragrant, bouquet of flowers. The flowers will only last a week or so, but my husband is a keeper. :-)   

My Favorite Tree: Summer

This is the third installment in a four-part series, featuring my all-time-favorite tree, a big old oak tree growing a couple of miles from my home. I considered taking this shot in the early morning or before dusk, to give a softer light, but decided that a mid-day shot would more accurately portray the harshness of the 101-degree conditions we are currently "enjoying."

Hosta Surprise!

The blooms on this hosta are roughly 18 inches off the ground, so you can imagine the shape I was getting in, trying to get the camera under them, framing the shot, focusing on the blooms, etc. I was completely oblivious to the fact that Mollie, our beagle, had hopped up on the porch to be nearby whatever I was doing. It wasn't until I was browsing the shots on my camera when I was done that I noticed her in the background of some of the shots. When it was all said and done, the shots with Mollie in them were infinitely more interesting than the ones without her! Thanks, Mollie!    

Ready to Ride

A life-long lover of horses, my mother didn't own her first horse until she was almost 50 years old. And those were some lucky horses, too, to get to live on her farm!

But time has passed, along with her riding days, and the well-loved horses have passed as well. This is her favorite saddle, which she's recently cleaned and restored -- making it ready to become someone elses "new favorite saddle."   

English Rose

Mom and Dad arrived on the Fourth of July bearing gifts -- a beautiful bouquet of roses from Mom's English Rose bush. A day later I pulled the prettiest of the bunch out, for some close-up work. :-)

Raindrops on Roses...

After a rainshower, I took a few minutes to go outside and see what the flowers looked like after their "bath."  :-)

Fireworks on the Fourth of July

Changing of the Guard

The old 86 Ford F-250 has been a good farm truck for a long time, but she's earned the right to be put out to pasture (or sold for parts/scrap). It was time to upgrade, and Bruce found this 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 to take Old Gray's place. Jake christened this one The Billy Goat.

The Water Hydrant: Three Attempts

I've thought for some time now, that the water hydrant by our driveway was somewhat photogenic. Don't ask me why -- I guess I just like it's curved lines. So I took a few photos of it the other evening, and gave each of them a little different post-processing treatment.