StillwatersIowa

Most people don't like tests. A test is a way of discovering what someone knows. A test can measure the genuineness of a product. A test can build character. Friday was a snow day. No school. No spelling or math test. So thanks to Jan's suggestion I asked the grandkids that were hanging out if they would help scoop sidewalks. They passed with flying colors being willing, and working hard. Remember looking back on our own growing up years and thinking we were deprived of all the things our own children grew up with? Well, maybe I wasn't quite as deprived as I remember. Apparently I had a swing set. A taller friend or cousin (I think cousin Dan from my mother's side). And a ball glove, although by the looks of the glove it's obvious why I wasn't any good at catching. Seriously, over the past 55 years since I wonder how often I have recognized or missed, passed or failed, life's tests. Another definition of a test is taking measures to check the ...

Greetings from the Cayman Islands. Jan and I are blessed to be on vacation. Last Sunday morning after our blog visit and early church we drove to Indiana. I would like to sincerely thank the Becks family for this opportunity. We flew out of Atlanta, Indiana early Monday morning. My visits with you on Sunday mornings are most often either what we've been up to for the week or what's on my heart. This week is both. A couple of Sundays ago our family praise team sang a new song. Jan had heard it on FB at a Thanksgiving service in Rock Valley.  It's a simple catchy song called, We Will Remember. That song got me thinking.  Thanks for sharing the song with us Freida. Back home early in the week the guys were tiling at Karl and Kristin's while Mike built a terrace. I saw on Snapchat where Kristin had them all in for lunch. Thanks for the picture Kasey. Kurt continued to truck for others. Thanks for the picture Kurt. Of course as many of you know far bette...

Good morning friends. This past Friday evening winter finally arrived in southern Iowa. Most activities were cancelled as ice coated everything. Just the day before on Thursday it was 61 degrees. We were busy applying NH3 for ourselves and others. Below Alex is helping Seth and Jenny's family prepare for their next crop as he works near Monroe under a full moon. As many of you know applying anhydrous can be a dangerous job. It's a liquid that turns into a vapor gas when it hits the air. You can see the vapor as I bleed off the connection, unhooking this empty tank and rehooking to a full one. A double tank at 200 pounds of N per acre on corn on corn does about 35 acres.   On Friday morning Alex called and asked me to bring him parts. As he was hooking on to a tank near Romans Lake he noticed he had a wheel bearing out on a main frame. What a job on a heavy toolbar. I came with a skidloader to lift the weight off the walking tandem. Just a day or two before ...