The Perfect Golden Hour

Harvest has been in full swing lately. I've been working a lot of hours at my new job. I miss my readers. I miss writing. I miss taking pictures.

It's been a stop and go, very late and stressful #harvest14 season. From many hours at full time jobs in town, equipment break downs to lots of rain and wet crops, we've been short on time this year. 

When we started corn, the grain dryer kept putting us to a stop. When we tried to cut beans, they were just too wet and it seemed like it took all day for them to dry. Once they'd dry, it would rain all over again. 

Last night, after a long day of waiting for beans to dry, everything went smooth when my husband and I got off work and we just. had. fun. The golden hour mixed with bean dust was gorgeous for pictures as my husband hauled me around in the back of the pick up for a few minutes while my father in law ran beans. 

The weather was just simply gorgeous. Neighboring farmers were out cutting beans as well and you could see the plumes of dust in the distance. No need to call the fire department, folks. It's just everyone out cutting beans! 

My mother in law and I went into town to pick up pizza, took it to the field where we joined our husbands in the combine and the tractor for a a date.

 Afterwards, we moved equipment in the dark together and the dogs got to ride along too! Harvest IS my most favorite time of the year but it can also be the most stressful. Very seldom do our nights go the way they did last night. 

Nights like last night are what make it all worth it. Nights like last night keep us from throwing in the towel. Nights like last night give us the adrenaline rush to keep going. Year after year.

Pallet Pumpkin and #harvest14 Decor

Three cheers, fall is here! We just finished decorating our barn house porch and I am excited you stopped by to see it. I didn't really go all out but I added a few cozy touches to our front porch this year. My new favorite touch is the pumpkin my husband and I created out of a pallet! We had some extra pallets laying around from my Pallet Flag project. I really enjoyed how the pallet flag filled the empty spot on our front porch so I wanted to come up with something fall harvest related to go there.

I opted to not consult any magazines or Pinterest for any ideas. I wanted to see what we could come up with on our own! I started by having my husband cut out a pumpkin shape that I drew on the pallet.

Putting up Gratitude

I was driving home from work last night and the autumn sun was setting. It cast a warm, orange glow across the fields of crops, among the trees and filled the valleys. 

One of my new favorite songs came on on the radio. It's about dirt, roots and settling down somewhere.

I felt blessed. 

I felt warm.

I felt gratitude. 

Every year around this time, everyone talks about fall/autumn being their favorite season. Everyone loves the pumpkin spice everything, apple cider, boots, sweaters, decorating the front porches, the leaves changing and the imaginary hayrides. 

Don't get me wrong, I deck out my porch, buy my very fair share of pumpkin spice everything and I can't wait to cozy up in a pair of boots and a sweater.

Those things are not the reason to love this season, though. At least not for me anyways. 

I'm a farmer's wife so you're probably thinking I love this season because harvest coincides with it. I love harvest. I love the rush, the rewarding feeling and the teamwork within our family. It's definitely an event I look forward to all year.

Harvest isn't the reason I love this season though.

It's a busy season, but it's also a season that tends to slow me down. It's the only time during the year when I stop and collect my thoughts. And I do it often. 

I think a lot during the autumn season. 

I love to take a drive, go on a walk or drive the tractor and just think.

The last few years, I've developed such a deep appreciation for who I am, what I do and where I live. I don't know why it takes the autumn season every year to remind myself that everything is okay; but every year, that reminder is there. It's everywhere.

It's in the rustling sound of the leaves falling. 

It's in the hum of a combine running in the distance.

It's in the steam off a good hot meal brought out to the field by my mother in law. 

It's in my favorite worn out hooded sweatshirt as I pull it over my head and sink into it.

Autumn is sort of like my Christmas season.

It's just what I live for. It only last a few weeks, but while it's here, I try to squeeze out all the thoughts and good feelings of gratitude out that I can. 

Sometimes I feel like I am just going through the motions all year until autumn gets here. 

Everyone is putting up the last of the food, grain and feed for the winter from their gardens and the fields. I'm going to be putting up gratitude and warm feelings. You know, the same way squirrels put up nuts for the winter.

I.Want.To.Feel.This.Way.All.Year.Long.