StillwatersIowa

Good morning. How was your week? If it was like ours there were days when you felt you were on top of your game and things were happening. A lot  of work was being accomplished. Then maybe you had times this week as I did when there were obstacles that slowed you do wn. Interestingly those obstacles cause you to see things you don't always take the time to see. As we go about our duties from week to week in our routines we don't realize how fast life is happening. Then we look back and think, whoa, it's been 30 years. That's how long ago this picture was taken. It was harvest time during the early 1980s on the Mottet farm along Hwy 92 just east of Osky. This young fellow is sitting on the hood of a single axle grain truck which hauled all our grain. We could haul around 275-300 bushel, just one of today's hopper fulls. Today BJ and his wife Cassia and their 5 children are busy with life. Mike is busy building terraces. This week he worked for his folks...

Good morning. Have you ever come across a situation, a visit, or a realization that warmed your heart, that made you smile, that are just little things, that are many times hard to put into words. This morning I'm going to try and share a few of those nuggets I felt blessed with this week. And John and  Glenda, thanks for loaning me a couple of pictures. It's always a treasure when you get a hopper full before you get all the way across the field. It's 6am Saturday morning and we are making a plan. Kristin surprises us with carmel rolls and monkey bread. Few things are more appreciated than good food early in the morning. Thanks for the goodies and helping a while Kristin. Are you kidding me? Am I calling this a treasure? It's not a New Idea. It's a bad idea. Believe it or not I actually have a few fond memories. I repeat a few. We harvested with one of these from 1978 through 1987 from the time I was 22 to 31 years old. I still remember trading in a br...

Good morning. As you will see in the blog photos we harvested all week. And even though harvesting is a very good cause worth working for I want you to think about a bigger picture with me this morning.   With equipment, technology, genetics, and planning, farmers in this country have been given the ability to produce a very good crop, even in a dry year. We are to be stewardly in doing a good job and fiscally responsible in marketing. Now here's a curve ball for you. I have always been intrigued by a harvest tip to the Israelites in Leviticus 19. "When you harvest the crops on your land, don't harvest your field right up to the edge, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. Leave them for the poor and foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God."   Now I fully realize we do not have poor folks and foreigners walking through our farms, however does this verse have an application for us today? A couple of thoughts about that at ...

Throughout history(His-story) people have gathered around and shared stories. Early on folks would share stories in conversations face to face. Then print was added. Then came media with radio and television. Today we can instantly share stories anywhere in the world through social networking.   Sometimes we share life history by reading Bible stories like Doug is doing in the photo above. Sometimes we listen to or watch the news stories as the media shares with us what's happening around our world. Sometimes we just share family stories with each other. That's what we're doing this morning so sit back and enjoy the 5 or 6 short stories of the events of our week.   On Labor Day Mike hooked up to his boat, took Kurt and Andy with him, and went to the Des Moines River to shoot some fish with a bow and arrow. The arrow has a string on it by the way so you don't lose it every time you shoot. On this particular voyage Mike was the boat captain and Kurt a...