Crazy hot

I wish I could describe with words just how hot it is here this month. Nathan tells me this is what Sinai felt like umpteen years ago when he served in the Middle East. As in the Sinai desert. As in crazy, crazy, crazy hot.

Can you see the heat radiating? 

As in so very, very crazy hot he just broke out his battle dress uniforms to combat the sun and heat.

Now this part I am enjoying.

Such a helper

Cultivating goes so much more quickly with his supervision.

Funny faces of the farm

The upside of West Texas

We may have severe drought and wildfires and feral hogs and rattlers. But there is one advantage to living out here.

Salty kitty sighting

Nathan was at the farm late last night. As he pulled up to the barn, Salty came flying out the door headed straight for the cover of the shin oak. 

We are both completely thrilled to lay eyes on her.

To celebrate: a recent montage of Salty as she was before adapting to our resident barn cat.

Surveying her domain.

Innocence on the couch.

Too sexy for the rug.

"Salty get off the table!"

That's better.

Sun coma.

Afternoon grooming.

The only thing missing is the tuna eating, loud meowing and raffia-playing. We can only imagine what Salty will think when she meets Cotton for the first time.

Scrub a dub dub

Part of Organic Growing 101 is that any implement used on an organic field is either an implement strictly utilized for growing organics, or one you've thoroughly hosed off to eliminate any possible contamination. The same policy applies to any newly purchased pieces.

This particular implement is a mole board plow. We had hoped to do a deep break of the soil before planting but this will suffice for now. After harvest we'll break out the big guns in preparation for next year's planting.

We bought this particular plow used because we knew whatever we purchased would take a serious licking on our freshly broken out field. It wasn't in great shape when we bought it . . . and now that we've plowed, it's a real beauty. The poor thing gave out on us with only 15 acres left to plow. We think it can be repaired but it's going to take the professionals to do it.

The training of the vines

The time has come to tame the creepers. 

Notice the forest green ties holding each vine to its bamboo stick.

I suppose if the 107 degree weather wasn't a clue already, the color of the winter wheat would be a helpful indicator that summer is upon us.