I once heard a cowboy poet, in this case a gal named Jerry Brooks, say that "there has never been an inauguration as important as a good slow two inch rain" and that is probably a little known fact everywhere in the world but they really appreciate it in the western United States.
Yesterday, after 5 days of preparing equipment and 8 days of non stop work from "can to can't" we swept up the last loose hay just as a high wind with a little lighting blew through quickly and a good slow rain set in to settle the dust and renew the earth. It also allowed us the time to renew ourselves physically with a couple extra hours of sleep, clean clothes, trimmed whiskers, etc. This morning late I made a run to Belfield 20 miles east to the NAPA store for parts and back west to Medora for a stout and a buffalo burger and some internet access.
This is quite an experience that I will not soon forget, I hope, but it will take some quiet time for me to corral my thoughts. I don't have the quiet time today so this is a quick update before I get back on the mower this afternoon for the final push. We have laid down about 300 acres of hay and have around a hundred fifty acres to go. I will be getting back on the train east in about 10 days.
Tracy Mountain from the porch of the Shade Ranch house.
A beautiful place to work
A 12 ton stack of loose hay. The fastest way to harvest and store high quality hay on the High Plains.
My 1952 Model 88 Oliver steed while raking for 3000 small bales
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If you would like to see my collection of Carolina Lowcountry memories—"Magnolia Elegy: Place In the Edisto Fork," you can view the book trailer here, and see the book page here on the publisher's website. The book is also available from Amazon, B&N, and your independent local bookseller.
