Jim and Sande have arrived for their summer visit with Sande's son Wade. We started right out with a barbeque of steaks from one of the steers we had finished out...T-bone, ribeyes and sirloins. The next day everyone went to work. Jim helped Clark in the field, while Sande, Wade and I gave the trailer a once over. Every year it is in appalling condition from being vacated for most of the year. Of course the mice prefer indoor accomodations over hay stack. One can always go out to eat!

Today is Clark's birthday so I made a cake early this morning. He wanted chocolate with marshmallow creme so I put some in the middle. Big mistake! It was hard to spread, then the top layer kept sliding (tooth picks were too short) as the creme oozed out and started to slide off the plate. And still peanut butter fudge frosting to go. I quickly spread the frosting as the marshmellow continued to squish out. I steck three skewers in and after one quick picture stuck it in the freezer. Sure will taste good anyhow.



Jim took us out to eat, the traditional event, this time to Vimbo's for the Friday night seafood buffet. Afterwards we decided to stop by the historic Landmark bar where we found the usual mix of colorful locals.


Text and pictures © 2007 Mona E. Dunn

Making Hay...

Been helping Clark put up his first cutting of hay since I've decided not to go back to work at the restaurant. I can't do much until it's all cut and baled but at least I can help speed up the finishing process. I can't make him sleep (10 hours in three days is common) but if I bring the food to the circle he will eat.

Yesterday I drove the 5500 John Deere to pick up and group the round bales in the field.

Later we put the bales on the flatbed trailer and drove them to the hay yard.


As with all else, rising fuel and electric costs will raise the price of the crop this year. It will still be less than what Becky was paying in Reno last year.


Text and pictures Mona E. Dunn

The other day Clark and I were talking (actually I was doing all the talking) about something I thought was important. About half way through the my ramblings Clark got a smirk on his face and started to chuckle but suppressed the urge. None of this escaped my attention so when I finished my sentence I asked him what was so funny. He could barely control his laughter as he tried to tell me it was just the image of me standing there with my shirt tied at the waist, the short pants, the sweater and the hat. Even though I didn't think I looked that strange, we both laughed uncontrollably for several minutes. Well, I managed to find a picture of him I had taken recently so we could compare notes. If you can't laugh at yourself then who can you laugh at?


Text © 2004 Mona E. Dunn