Farmer, a difference makes.

                                                                    By Paul Harvey

Farmers are the base of food production in the world.  The Great Plains of America and the rich land of the Midwest are the sources of that food.

My childhood was spent on a farm in Illinois, where my folks farmed for about 60 years. The things I saw, did, and learned have been invaluable.

What some may not realize but farming is a 24/7 way of life. The money that goes into harvesting grain and taking care of livestock is unbelievable. Money spent on grain and feed has to provide livestock nutrition and the cost of livestock sales has to be factored into costs.

John Deere combine. Great equipment.

Deere + Massey Ferguson + International Harvester.....
 

Rising Feed $$ + Vet costs + cost of tractor equipment maintenance + fuel + unpaid labor are seen in the cost of meat. When the money is lost at the bottom of the food chain, the loss has to be made up by increasing meat costs or reducing herd numbers or both.  

Who wins in this battle?  Not the farmer.

I learned this whenever I needed a new pair of shoes or winter coat.  When you have to pay for your needs, you just get less for more money. 

So, Don't ever blame farmers for the cost of living. They are doing the best that they can, given the circumstances they face.  When a person opens a can of corn or other vegetables, the farmer was there growing them.

 Each clip is about 1 min. long.  Jackson has been in the fields since he  was in elementary school. Catch him in action at 

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Going to see tractors on an field, farmers,  

Snow! Glorious Snow! Ha.

Snow holds no mystery for us as we have experienced it for our entire lives until we got married and fled. But then my husband was a TA at Iowa State University. Snow swept across the prairie and locked us in at any given time.

Victorville, California

And then...

We dwelled in Victorville, California, in the Mojave Desert, a hellish wasteland. Surrounded by flat fields of sand, sagebrush, scrubs, and tumbleweeds, our family grew there for seven years. When the temperature plummeted to 94 deg. F/37 C., it felt like we needed jackets.

And then....

We moved to Ireland then where there was rain every day.  It was joyous, for the world was green and lush. Sadly, we lived there for only a few years.

And now...

Now we are enjoying a fairly even climate and enjoying the beauty of our area.  But, we miss some of the spring, all of the fall, and maybe a nibble of winter from Illinois. Summer in the Midwest is not missed at all.

And then...

My son John married Arlette in Chicago at December 4, 2016, with both families all around. What we also experienced was an unexpected taste of winter.

Just a taste, a beautiful taste was all we needed.

A cemetery was across the street from our really cool hotel. When
we arrived , I promised our gr-daughters we would explore
it tomorrow.

And then...

The next day we woke up to see snow, it was glorious.

The table on the balcony was pure and smooth.

Our gr-daughters were thrilled when the snowflakes began
to fall. 

And then the next day, we left the snow behind and flew

to LAX. The diamonds of light lay down below, making Los Angeles 

truly resemble where angels might actually have been.

God created snow, rain, desert, etc. He has a plan for us, for what awaits us. 

Snow? It is all part of the plan, just like barren wilderness or swamps, it is all part of His plan.

So, I guess we have to go with "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow."

Crusty Walls

Sunken Lane

Along paths of crusty walls 

and tangled brambles

Will time be soon left behind?

A path once of stones and dirt

Now displayed a row 

Of weeds, all now green and grown.

His footsteps had walked in mud,

Racing and laughing

Youth and friends hooting beside.

From his home, peat smoke once rose,

Fragrant over tall trees,

Brown bread baked on warm stone hearth.

Home now stones, long gone, hearth cold,

Gray rocks on his feet

Reminded him that green never leaves.

Nor will he.

Just images from my mind as summer fades makes me long for green.

Up and Down a Mountain

All that rain California has been enjoying for the past few months has been appreciated by all, especially in desert around mountains and along the freeways.  Before the rain, we all had grown used to the dry scrub that is our landscape.  

But, in a short drive up and then down San Jacinto mountains (lots of hairpin curves, warnings of loose boulders, and a set of cat-like nerves), view of the flat plains below were astounding.

We have driven this road many times, but never when there was actual green. It was impressive enough that my husband John actually pulled over into viewing points.  Getting him to stop the race car feeling he loves was amazing in itself.

P.S. We went to Idyllwild, CA, on a day trip.  Despite having the tourist attraction feeling, Idyllwild is a small town, where one really does know his neighbor.  This is an active community with four churches, supermarket, owner run pizza restaurant, a variety of quality restaurants,.movie theater, many art galleries, and other personally owned businesses. There are no franchises here.

Ludlow, Shropshire, England OR Ludlow, California, off Needles Hwy

In 2004, our youngest daughter, Mary married Richard McKinley, whom she had met at a Cambridge, England. It was a beautiful wedding in April, when everything was green, so green.

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We stayed in Ludlow for a week, and then in Cambridge for the wedding. (A delightful blogger lives in Ludlow/Shropshire, Carole AnnCarr.)

Certificate of Excellence

1066 or 1183 AD

Ludlow is one of those English towns where roses and geraniums grow everywhere, over stone walls, spilling into fences, and along roads--So amazing that I almost wanted to cry.

I have recently discovered there is a “city” here in California also called Ludlow.  Boy howdy.  Could there ever be such diametrically opposed cities?

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We discovered this Ludlow, California, as we drove along Needles Hwy.  We had stopped for petrol/gas and were immediately hit with hot desert wind, blowing sand-like bits of black lava, from an ancient lava flow, which is now being graded and ground. 

In 1883, Ludlow was once just a water stop for trains. After gold and copper were discovered, the town's population grew dramatically. The town now has ten residents left, after the gold and copper mines ceased to produce, in 1940.

Once Interstate 40 was built, the town slowly disappeared.  Now there are many empty boarded up buildings, all that remain of the former boom town. In fact, the towns along the old Route 66 also slowly faded away.  Ah, well.

Walter Feller-Digital Desert.com

Ragtown-Ghost-Town

It is a “gold mine” now for geologists and history buffs.  Remnants and pieces of old mines and rails are very inviting to lead those interested through the Mojave Desert to Death Valley Junction, passing through towns named Baker (Home of the world's largest thermometer) and Zzyzx. 

It does exist.

We lived in Victorville, California, for seven years in the Mojave Desert.  A desert has its own beauty, especially when the sun goes down, and the bluffs turn the colors of glory.

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Depending on your interests, please visit either Ludlow.  Both will astound you. 

Please note that the desert photos are copyrighted by Walter Feller - Digital Desert.com. and Mojave Desert Photos . He has several books available for sale on Amazon.  His photos capture incredible desert beauty.