StillwatersIowa

Have you ever had too many projects started and in progress but not finished. Sometimes it's because of lack of time. Sometimes it's waiting till the last minute because of being unsure on how to proceed. Sometimes it's just a lack of enthusiam or self confidence. In most cases you just have to be brave enough to try something. Mike and I helped on the same project this past week fixing a hole in a dike and clearing 3 acres of sand off of a bottom. Mike is just finishing for the day here and is heading for his pickup and fuel tank. You can see how dusty it is after two months of dry weather. This is BJ and Craig, both in the tiling business, talking shop and trading stories one evening while they wait for the trackhoe and scraper to call it a day. Saturday morning I saw these young men standing along the street being brave enough to wave their signs at traffic asking for work. Since I was just two blocks from my destination and since I admired their enthusiasm I st...

As I am writing this weekend's blog Jan and I are enjoying the view from her cousin Linda and David's cabin in Estes Park, Colorado. In the past I haven't taken much time for politics. However we participated in the Ames Strawpoll last Saturday. Salt of the earth people need to be involved in the process of getting ready to elect our countries next leader. If we don't we will lose our process. There are risks in allowing kids to explore. However there are also risks in sheltering kids and not letting them grow up. A few days ago BJ, Gideon, Kurt, and I went to Mound City, Missouri to look at a tool bar for Kurt as he is getting ready for fall. A toolbar is an implement that applies anhydrous ammonia for next years corn crop. This particular bar is run by satellite and gives the operator the ability to monitor NH3 flow for individual knives from the cab. This past Wednesday evening our family held our annual Customer Appreciation Supper. Jan always does a spec...

The definition of close is near to. That relates to space, time, things, and people. This bridge is a close fit for our sprayer. It crosses the North Skunk River and the little plaque on it said it was built in 1920. If you think about it there were probably not many motorized vehicles back then. This photo is close to my heart. Kurt, Karl, and six of their friends were just ready to leave for a couple of days of Prairie Dog hunting at a rancher friend in Montana. Right after the picture was taken it was suggested that we all pray together for safety. Little did we know that our prayer would be answered just 14 hours later when life was spared after an unfortunate accident. These same 19-22 year old boys stood around their friend's hospital bed and prayed again in South Dakota before they came back home. As trucks get bigger some yards seem to get smaller. It tests a persons backing skills in close quarters manuvering under the auger. We cleaned out a number o...

I met a new friend in May. We have stayed in touch. Rick Santorum is running for President and is on a 3 week Iowa tour with his family. Last week Rick and his wife Karen and their family stayed at the cabin on our farm for the first week of their Iowa visit. They experianced lots of rural Iowa life. Here Brian is showing them how to clean fish that they had caught out of the pond. Rick spent most of the week on the campaign trail but he did find a little time to relax with his family. Here he and Karen are enjoying a jet ski ride on the pond. Rick is meeting Iowans in all corners of the state in contrast to some other candidates who are staying in a 60 mile radius of Ames. In this picture Rick and his son John are grilling for both of our large families. Harry Truman once said "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." Rick has taken plenty of heat from those who dislike his courage to stand for social issues and fiscal responsibility. He served in a leader...