Farmer's Market

I was raised in southern suburbia also known as Mission Viejo....the town is know for great shopping, perfect California weather and it's close proximity to the beach. Every summer I would escape the sea of cement and spend time in Nebraska canning green beans, riding horses and eating as much sweet corn as my stomach could hold. One of those summers I fell in love with agriculture and I have not turned back. There are so many things I love about farming. FIRST, it is biblical. You reap what you sow. SECOND, farmers are hard working, loyal people. They work sun up to sun down, they sweat, they understand the power that God and this earth has on prosperity and they take seriously the responsibility of feeding this nation and much of the world. FINALLY, it is just a part of me. As much as my hair is brown is agriculture in my heart.

I have been sharing my passion for agriculture with Wade and Hunter....Farmer's Market is a part of this tradition of fresh food and food knowledge I am trying to share with my son. We picked up a wagon full of food today and as Hunter grows I cannot wait for him to learn all about where this food comes from....until then I hope it nourishes his body and strengthens his mind.

If you have the opportunity to support your local farmers you should and not only because it is good for the community but because the food will be good for your body.

Happy Eating.

I'm lovin' it

Hunter is having a snack as he helps dad install drip irrigation!





-- Post From My iPhone

Learning to Use my Camera

My gladiolas are finally breaking out in full bloom. They are a welcomed and long awaited pop of color and life. I had to snap a few pictures of them so I could share with them with you. When the first picture was taken I realized that flash was on and that the camera was set on auto. One of the biggest and best tips I have gotten is that if you cannot take a picture without flash do not take it. I quickly switched the camera over to manual, set the white balance, ISO to auto and F-Stop to 4.8 and turned off the flash. The second picture is the result of this quick change. I was lucky and the next picture came out well...most of the time I have to make a few more adjustments until I get the right settings.

I can see a huge difference in these two pictures and it even further encourages me to tinker with my camera and continue to learn how to take great pictures.

Have fun with your camera and most importantly take lots of pictures!

Hunter's Birthday

I cannot tell you how many times I have sat down to write out every detail and feeling I have from celebrating Hunter's first birthday last weekend....but I end up in tears or speechless. This past year has powerfully changed my life and I am overcome with gratitude and joy. I look back at his baby pictures and it is as if I am reliving every detail of his birth again...what incredible and miraculous moments those were....and now here we are celebrating one year of life.

WOW. How do I begin to recap all of these moments and memories? I am working on it and promise to share as soon as I can make it through a post without tearing up.

Dear Sun

Dear Sun,

What is going to happen in the next few months as Oracle takes ownership of Sun? Will my husband loose his job to India or to another group already working inside Oracle? If he stays employed and becomes an Oracle employee will he be valued? Will he enjoy the work he completes most days? Will he be challenged and will he grow?

As much as I hate the unknown I understand that you need this period of time to organize your thoughts and put together an action plan that will make Oracle profitable in the years to come. Please make wise choices. Please be kind in your process of letting go of thousands of hard working, loyal employees.

Whatever your answer is in respect to the future of Wade's employment...we look forward to just knowing so that we can move out of this frozen state we are living in. I have faith that nothing but good will come to our family through this period of trials and tribulations.

Good Luck and Gods Speed.

Renee

Walk with Her

I have a dear friend, a sister, that is is hurting. Her heart is swollen in pain and there is nothing I can say or do to fix it, nothing. I pray I can find the right words to encourage her, I pray that she will find justice for the man that has left her in more pain than my heart can handle to watch, I pray that her son is shielded from the pain of the actions of his father, I pray that God uses me to help her find healing.

I have realized that there is one thing I can do besides pray. Walk with her. Eat good food, play with our boys, talk about everything openly and honestly and make new memories that are full of love and laughter. I know that her healing process will be long and full of peaks and valleys. I am ready to go there with her....that is what friends do.

Super Human Power

If I could have any super human power it would be an easy choice for me. I want to see the whole truth when ever I look at anything. No more guessing what people are thinking and feeling, no more wondering if a part is broken or breaking, no more would people or things be able to mask their problems. Total exposure.

In my line of work we rely on electricity a great deal....and we do not have the best conditions for all of the sensitive equipment. Every couple of years I have a company come out and take thermal pictures of our electrical panels, breakers, motors ect. These thermal images tell me where potential problems are and enable me to fix the problem before it ever becomes an issue.

The same way I used these thermal images I would use my chosen super human power. I would try and fix everything I could before problems became problems. Oh wouldn't that be nice.

What super power would you want to have?