March 2024

March 2024
Over the years, we've always compared our family life to a wagon train heading west. Just as everyone had to do his part to get to Oregon years ago, so everyone in our family must do his/her part to make our journey through life successful. If somebody climbs in the wagon and lets the others do the work, we just don't make any progress. We all have to pull our weight and work together. Along the trail we find lots of pebbles that make for a smooth ride and some bigger rocks that jar us a little; we hit the occasional pothole that can slow us down. But if we purpose to search diligently, there are countless gold nuggets and precious gemstones along the way as well. This journal is an attempt to preserve some of those precious moments for our children, and our children's children, as together we travel this trail called life.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

8-17-11 Wednesday

And I have a terrible cold. Oh well. I’m just thankful nobody else has it (actually I think they already did).

Anyway.

After a few morning errands, we had a quick lunch and went down to watch progress on the lake. Or the hole. It’s actually going to be a great big hole for quite a while because it’s not a lake until God sends rain. So we went to see the hole progress. Hmm. Doesn’t quite have the same appeal as going to see the lake progress. We’ll stick with lake. Although if you want to really get the semantics correct (at least according to Minnesotans!), this hole will not be a lake at all, but rather a pond. Up yonder in the northland, a body of water must be big enough to drive a bunch of motorboats in before it qualifies as a lake. Anything smaller is just a farm pond. So technically this lake is a pond. But whatever. In Illinois rhetoric, it’s a lake, and a lake it is.

Anyway.

Here is our first view right after lunch today. It looks like a (dry) lake!!

P1100766

By the time we walked down the hill and got settled in the tall grass just east of our road, this was our view. The Quad-track had gotten stuck, and the bulldozer was in position to pull it out, with the bucket of the digger helping somehow.

P1100775

Alas, it didn’t work, and meanwhile the other earthmovers were stopped too because the digger was moved into position to pull out the Quad, right on the dam where they were dumping dirt. (I presumed, anyway. Actually maybe the men were counseling to find the best solution. I really don’t know.)

P1100778 

Closer look, same thing.

P1100779

P1100780

Out!

P1100784

We were in the grass to the west of the hole, just east of our road. Someone else, one of the operators maybe, was taking px from the top of Topsoil Mountain.

P1100793

And the digger moved to a new position -

P1100797 

East of the dam the other digger was filling Stuber Land Design trucks.

P1100799

When two pieces of equipment met on the dam – - one just drove off the road.

P1100802

The earthmovers got pretty close to us (don’t worry we weren’t in their path) – and it was NEAT!!!!!

P1100803

As we left, I sent Tori up the lane with the kids while I climbed Topsoil Mountain for a last picture. Near the right edge of the picture, by the trees, find Jacob who is merely a white speck on the screen!!!

P1100806

Jacob stayed a little bit after we left - - - and, being in the right place at the right time, he was invited to ride with Dave, the operator of the Quad-track. So Jacob got a ride in the Quad-track!!!!!!!

We came back for an hour before supper and watched from the top of Topsoil Mountain. What a view!!!!!!! The digger had made a lot of progress!

P1100807

P1100808

P1100810

From our vantage point, we could also see the bulldozer doing some improvements to the creek. It filled in some washed-out spots and shaped a ramp at one area.

P1100819

P1100820

Lovin’ all the dirt!!!

P1100824

 

P1100825

Then Bulldozer filled in the waterway where we pulled the fence out Monday evening. The run-off from the cornfield will be re-directed to the lake rather than the creek, and we will erect a fence over the former waterway so the cows have creek access there (moving the lane from the west side of the cornfield to the east side)(eventually – that won’t happen until the corn is harvested). The north tile is completely dry, so we’ve been hauling water to the cows in the north pasture. We’ll be glad to have the cows back to the creek when the diggers are done!

P1100826

P1100827

:)

P1100832

Tall beans!! :)

P1100836     P1100838

P1100841

After supper, a walk to see the progress.

P1100846

Tori had left the 4wheeler in neutral, and these two just about sent it down the hill!!!!

P1100848 

Uncle Randy & Aunt Marj and Uncle Jerry came by, and the boys stopped on their way home from milking.

P1100849 

Fun playground!

P1100850

P1100851 

A hike down to the deep.

P1100853 

P1100854

P1100856

Why? Because it’s there, that’s why!!!!

P1100857

On top of the dam, looking north.

P1100863

More progress – access from the cabin (which will undergo construction in a few weeks, in preparation for Dave & Beth’s permanent move there!).

P1100866

Debate over this track – conclusion was that it is too small for the Quad; so what is it for?

P1100868

Checking out more changes - - -

P1100871

- - - and then home again,

P1100872

Good night!!

No comments:

Post a Comment