Keep your nose to the ground...

I keep trying to remind myself to just keep my nose down and focus on the task at hand. Harvest is here and it has come on stronger this year than any before....literally we went from nothing here to full in a matter of 2 days. This intense rush of product left me no choice but to work on Sunday.

During harvest there a few key components of the process that could cripple us. Empty trailers is one. We have 30 sets of trailers that the almonds are hauled in from the field to our place to be processed. If a truck arrives with a full load it will need to drop the full load and pick up an empty to take back to the field....if we run out of empties because they are all full then the trucks wait. When the trucks wait...then the fields and farmers wait...

Saturday we were not able to empty enough trailers for the farmers that were harvesting so there was no choice but to work Sunday.

Hunter and I jumped into the car around 6:30 and met up with a few of the finest people at Monte Vista Farming to get some trailers emptied. Hunter insisted on being the supervisor and drove around in the golf cart waving at people all morning. It was fun to have him with me...

These next few months are going to be full of almonds...and more work than I could ever realistically do. So I have to shut up, keep my nose to the ground and get done as much as I can. The good part is that moment I walk through the door I see Hunter's beaming smile and I am instantly recharged and ready to just be with him.

People need to work harder...me too. We all need to strap in, stop complaining and put our heads down to get the work done. There is always something that needs to be done.

Lunch

Step by Step

Just a few months ago I was worried he would not walk...all the other boys his age are walking...is what I kept thinking....

God is GOOD. He is teaching me that he is in control and that is about HIS timing.

Now, Hunter is running, playing, falling and getting back up again!!

Riding Alone

What a Big Boy!! No tears!!

Squash Man

My little man loves his veggies! This is one of the last squash from our garden...it was HUGE. Hunter could not even hold it by himself. Having a garden has encouraged me to explore cooking and all of the options I have to cook squash a million different ways...it has been fun.

I still have cucumber coming off the vine every week...and we all know how much Wade loves his cucumber!

This is the first garden that I have ever planted and it brought so many fun moments into our lives. I like the healthy fresh food, I love cooking it all up in fun, new ways and more than anything I am ecstatic to know that Hunter is learning about agriculture...it is a HUGE part of my life and sharing a bit of that with him gives me hope that he too will have a place in his heart for agriculture.

So Many Emotions...

I was reading a post from a blog I follow and he posted this picture and asked what it made you feel when you saw it.

I feel so many things...

Angry that this is the reality of the world

Curious if I could be that strong?

Sad to see the hate, how sad her heart must of been knowing they hated her without knowing her.

These Caucasian women are so ugly.

I bet they call themselves Christian.

What can I do today to follow through with the movement for equality she started?

What can I do to protect Hunter from being hated or hating based on skin color?

I love this woman. I want to walk beside her.


How does this picture make you feel?

Shake, Rattle and Roll

It is that time...time to shake, rattle and roll...Almond Harvest is happening across the valley of California. The Nonpareil variety is the type you see above. It has a softer shell and it is the most common and most expensive variety of almond eaten in America. The almond has three parts, the hull, the shell and the meat or almond nut. As you can see the hull is split open naturally and ready to come off the tree. The farmers have one goal in mind at this stage of harvest...

that one goal is that as they shake loose all the almonds from the tree and that they all fall nicely to the ground. They do not want any to stick to the tree and not shake loose....it is like leaving money on the tree.

Once all of the almonds are shaken from the tree they will stay on the ground for around a week. They will dry out to around 5% moisture before they will be ready to have the hull and shell removed.

I was able to get a bit of mud on my boots today out in the field. I LOVE being out there...not only does it not happen that often, but every time I am in the field I learn more that makes me better at what I do in the plant. Just as in every task of life the more you know about what you are doing, the better you are...Happy Harvesting...

Health Care

When I was in college political debate and discussion was as much a part of my daily routine as drinking water. I participated in not only national political debate as you know it, but also in campus politics through student government. I loved a healthy, organized conversation about the rules, programs and guidelines that govern our lives...and the fees or taxes that paid for them. Student government was perfect. We had order, Robert rules of Order, that gave us each an avenue to be heard equally and fairly. Each of us students came with open minds and an attitude of service...we honestly wanted what was best for Cal Poly and each student that attended. We did not please each of the students with every decision, but we heard each one and with open minds and with kind words talked about the what and why of each choice. We voted and the outcome was supported by all. Democracy at it's BEST.

Now that I am in the real world living my life just like most average women my age...making babies, working full time, paying taxes, cooking dinner and watching the evening news...I cannot help but get SICK to my stomach as I watch this health care debate unfold. I am not in college anymore...

I am a conservative republican, obviously right...I want all Americans to reap what they sow, I want to help out those in need with an unconditional heart of a servant, I want smart, kind teachers in all schools and all children to attend, everyone to speak English or be learning to speak English plus whatever additional languages they choose, I want smooth roads, clean air, healthy food, a safe and protected nation, I want people held accountable for their poor choices that end in the pain of someone else and I am willing to see my taxes go toward these things...

I love Democrats...them more liberal the better. A few of my favorite people on this planet are as blue as they come. I enjoy hearing what they have to say. They open my eyes and my heart to things I may have not understood any other way...but I do not always agree. As Americana's why do we all have to agree? I have a tendency to change to the topic...not share my thoughts in worry that I would anger or upset someone. We all need to be more tolerant, more understanding, more willing to just open up and speak from the heart and listen with full intention of understanding.

I see a multitude of abuse of the government. It makes me feel like I am working hard to pay for someone else to be lazy and spend my money. If they need help to get on their feet...great I will be the first in line to approve that spending...but the truth I see with my own eyes is that I am paying for someone else to put their children in day care why they watch soap operas and eat food paid for by food stamps....I am watching children be held behind because others in class do not speak English and therefore cannot learn the lessons...banks are bailed out and bailing out people walking away from homes just because everyone else is doing it while I am paying my mortgage and paying the ultimate price of watching the value of my home rapidly decline....hospital charges and doctor fees are all high, very high because those that do not pay...costs get absorbed through higher prices for those that do pay....and it goes on

We have issues. The heath care system has issues and needs to be fixed...but is a socialized medical program the answer? I do not know. I would be open to discussion, debate and research....I would love to see all American people be educated with this research and then come together to vote. The way it is being handled today is HURTFUL and DISRESPECTFUL to both sides. It is time for change I agree, and firsthand I know change is difficult and it hurts....but not like this....this is not the progress of healthy change... it is dictation and corruption of power. I have hope for this country. I have faith that God will bring healing and peace...and that we will be led to quite pastures and still waters where we can come together and make choices we all can at least respect....in the meantime we should all watch our tongues and encourage kind intelligent conversation about possible solutions.

God Bless America

Land that I love

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with the light from above

Wedding Rings

When I think about my wedding ring so many thoughts flood my mind. First, my love, my husband...I think of him on his knee in our living room...I think of our wedding day as he made a promise to me and placed it on my finger...I think of how much my heart swells with love, adoration and pride to know that I am his and he is mine. Thank you Lord for this man, for giving him a heart for me.

I also think about my great grandma Winey. It has been along time since she cut the crust from my peanut butter and honey sandwich or played a game of bridge with me....a long time....but I still remember her as vividly as I remember an event 10 minutes ago. She would rub lipstick onto her cheeks to "brighten them up a bit" and she would tuck money away on her bra "just in case" and she would adorn her neck with a string of colored beads and her ring finger with a diamond from the love of her life. I remember this precious diamond on her hand...and as I look at my own hand with that same diamond I think of her. Would she be proud? Would she love Wade? What words of encouragement and love would she whisper into my ear? I miss her.

Last night Wade and I were sitting on the couch exhausted after battling with Hunter to fall asleep as he is cutting a second molar (poor kid)...Wade looked over to my hand, took off his wedding ring and jokingly said "I guess I do not have to wear my ring either". You see I rarely wear my ring these days. Ever since I gave birth to Hunter it irritates my finger and a red itchy rash appears. On top of that I work in an almond packing plant and it is not only a dirty place for a sparkly ring, but the ring could be a food safety hazard at times...so unless we are going out for dinner on the weekend or it a special occasion the ring sits in the safe. It was not until last night that I knew this bothered Wade. The more I thought about it the more I realized if Wade was not wearing his ring, for whatever understandable reason, it would bother me too.

Rings ARE a big deal...a HUGE deal. They are the one physical symbol of the deep, faithful love between my husband and I. I NEED to find a way to get that ring on and KEEP it on.

Bees

I am not a fan of bees....they STING! But almonds not only love bees, they NEED bees. These little bees fly around during bloom and pollinate the trees.

I love this picture....and for this one second I just might like bees too....

Harvest is around the corner and I am in a state of flurry trying to make sure we are not only ready but that things will be smooth. August 17 seems like the date we should start receiving almonds from the field. Lots of hard work is coming and less time with my family...but part of me loves the energy that harvest brings. It is a thrilling time to see the farmers reap the harvest they have been cultivating for a year and to know that they trust me with their harvest is motivating.

Just in case

Just in case any of you, like me, worried about Hunter while Wade and I were away in Catalina....

Worry no more...this child is simply ADORED.