It’s fall – harvest time on the Great Plains of North America. Some farmers will be harvesting already, while others will be getting their equipment ready to go, or perhaps swathing some of their crops.
While they have watched the skies hoping for just the right amount of rain throughout the growing season they will now be hoping for clear, sunny days for the rest of the season, giving them enough time to harvest their crops without delays or damage to the grain.
My father loved harvesting. He loved preparing his machinery for what he hoped would be a harvest without interruptions caused by weather or problems with equipment.
The prairie air is clear in the fall – cool in the mornings and evenings, and warm in the afternoons. Great for harvesting and photographing.
Geese flying. Combines humming.
Grain augers rattling as they put the last loads into the bins. Long shadows just before dark.
Late meals. Stories and laughter.
Someone once said to my father: ‘I bet you’re really anxious to finish harvesting and have all your grain in the bins.'
My rather replied: ‘The important thing about harvesting is not finishing harvesting. The important thing is harvesting.'
I miss him: and I miss harvesting.
Such a wonderful story. I miss my Dad and I miss the harvesting times as well.
Posted by: Cathy Martin | August 20, 2017 at 08:27 PM