Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Making Hay...











The sun had dropped below the horizon by the time we had finished rolling up the last bale of hay.  It had been a long and very hot day, so we were happy to heading home.  With the work finished, we were no longer concerned about the dark clouds that blackened the sky. (No good grass farmer wants to see his hay get wet from rain before it is baled.)  We were, in fact, excited to think that rain might be on the way.  Our Hill Top is needing rain!

My biggest  concern was that Millie and I hadn't  made our evening trek over the hill!   And, that I hadn't fed the hummingbirds since early morning.  All of this yet to do, and there was a thunderstorm headed our way.  Lightening flashed and thunder rumbled, but no matter, I got my umbrella, my flashlight, and my Millie and headed out.  It was our 772nd walk, and the streak would not be broken.  We hadn't made it more than 50 yards, when He-Who-Worries, pulled up behind us in his side-by-side.  The lights from his headlamps certainly made the walk easier, and the assurance that I  could always get inside with him, was comforting. (Millie won't ride.)  The storm hit when we got to the pond.  The wind blew quite hard and a few drops of rain fell.  We walked on.  The streak was not broken.  And, the storm moved off to the east leaving us, much to our chagrin, high and dry.




With the walk completed, I went about the task of cleaning and filling nine hummingbird feeders.  Three of the quart-sized feeders fit perfectly in an old roaster pan, so there were only three trips to be made out to the Garden Shanty and Shed.  On one of those trips is when I discovered the spider.

Oh no, not another spider story, you say!  Well, maybe not another one.  It may be just another chapter about the same Orb Weaver that, last week, I thought was lost.  At that time, the web was built each night on the east side of the little shed.  Last night, there on the west side of the shed was a magnificent orb web with a big beautiful Orb Weaver right in its center.  I think she is my spider.

If she had simply moved to another location to build her web, I wouldn't have known, because I had not gone out to fill the feeders at night.  And, the web would have been gone during the day when I was ordinarily out and about.

 So, that's the end of the spider story.  I suppose, all's well, that ends well.  ( I just stepped out to the Shanty a bit ago, and there was my spider busy at work on her new web.)





12 comments:

Kim said...

How wonderful your Orb Spider has relocated and is busy spinning her web once more. Your "he-who-worries" is a keeper. It sounds as if all is well at your lovely place.

jenclair said...

I love looking at the rolls of hay after baling. We took a trip down to our land the other day; with the hay baled, the fields looks so neat and clean!
Congrats on not breaking your streak and on having such a caring husband! And are you going to name your orb weaver? :)

Sandra said...

You live an interesting life for sure. Hard work and perseverance! Happy you were able to get the hay baled; and most importantly that you were able to continue with your walks! No missed days. So thoughtful for your husband to be there for you...just in case! We all want you and Millie safe. And now this morning all those little hummers will be happy too; they have fresh drink for the day. Happy you found your friend the Spider. All in all I think you went to bed with no worries! Hope so. Have a great day today! FYI ~ Five weeks ago I made a challenge to myself...eating healthy and exercising each day. All good so far. Down 10 pounds. I check in with doctor next week. But, like you, my challenge won't end there. I will continue on to October...my 60th Birthday...and then I hope to continue on to the end of the year...when our third grand-child is due. I have put off my blogging for now. I need to focus on me and my health. But, I will always follow along to hear your story and get my inspiration! Thank you, Chip Butter!

Hill Top Post said...

Kim, I love when you come all the way up here to visit. Yes, all's well here, but our summer is winding down while yours is just around the corner.

Hill Top Post said...

I also love the fields when the hay is baled. Okay, I'll start naming the spiders when you start naming the worms. I now have two Orb Weavers - this large one and a smaller one by the door of the Garden Shanty. I am fascinated by them! :~)

Hill Top Post said...

What a wonderful and thoughtful comment, Sandra! You have become such a dear sweet friend. Congratulations on the 10 pounds lost. That is one dress size down, you know, so if you keep that up you'll be shopping for new clothes. :~) Walking has been so good for me. As long as I can put one foot in front of the other, I'll keep it up. I just wish you would leave your blog up. You don't have to post often; just every once in a while would be good. I felt sad when I saw that it was gone! Thank you, Sandra!

happyone said...

I've just finished a walk in the rain. Nice to know others walk in it too!! : )
I love to see a field of rolled hay.

lil red hen said...

The hay field is a familiar scene. Maybe, since we've had some rain, we can get back into our fields.
I know you love walking, but don't take chances with the lightening which can be so bad in a summer storm.
Did you send that 10 pounds my way? :)

Henny Penny said...

I LOVE your new blog. You write beautifully!! I can't believe you and Millie headed off into the storm for your walk. I would have been scared to death. If only I had your determination. Spider stories are great. Seems like every time I go out I walk through one of those big round woven spider webs with one of those fat colorful spiders...must be the Orb Spider. Your hay field is wonderful!

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

My heart goes out to you. I grew up on a farm and I know it's hard, hot work. Haying is very hard. At least now you don't have to do it with horses and by hand. That was rough. I hope the storms avoid your part of the country.

Rose said...

Oh, I love your story about the orb weaver...I had one one year that stayed in my flowers. Mabel was her name...she was Charlotte's cousin....LOL Or so I told my granddaughter. Instead of going to the country, she came here.

Glad you got your hay done...that was always a tense time when I grew up. Trying to pick a time when it was ready and no rain in the prediction. That was back when we had the small bales.

Rose said...

Just coming here to try to give recommendations for books that I have loved. One I have read over and over is Tisha. By Robert Specht and Anne Purdy. Anne is who the story is about. I have it in both physical book and kindle edition.

I loved Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman. My original book said it was based on real people, but I have also seen it called fiction. I really have the feeling the first was based on fact. There is a follow up book called Joyful that I do not like near as much.

I have both the physical and kindle version of Three Against the Wilderness by Eric Collier.

I just read the first four books HERE by Janette Ross Riehle. And my sister-in-law read them and really enjoyed them, too.

I am forgetting another one that was a favorite but cannot for the life of me say what it is...OH! I know... it is The Silence of the North by Olive Fredrickson. Doesn't the title alone make you want to read it? I have it in both Kindle and hard copy.

I have several more in my library...but these are my favorites.

If you have the time, look up the poem The Spell of the Yukon by Robert W. Service....I so love it...
There was a show that got me started on this type of book and that show was based on the book O Rugged Land of Gold by Martha Martin. Unfortunately this does not have a sample of it...and I have neither copy, though am tempted to buy the one here.LOL



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