the ranch

Even though I grew up in Indiana, I wasn't really a farm girl. Going to the Ranch with D was quite an experience for me 8 years ago. He took the simpson girls home with him for Easter to meet the family. D says "the place has gotten a little run down over the years", but it still has a step-back-in-time beauty that is quite peaceful. We like to walk the prairie, but lately haven't gotten to do much except what his mother needs done. My big girl loves the ranch and has fun exloring. I wish sometimes that she was able to ride horses, play in the haystacks and swing on the tire-swing at our house. (she is a ride horse, haystack, tire-swing kind of girl). She spends hours looking for old treasures, watching and adopting calves, digging in the dirt and walking around in sort of a melancholy dreaminess. I think she imagines living here 100 years ago-- milking cows and having to walk to the well for water. It does have a romantic quality to it.

This is the scrapmetal graveyard on the way to the hay bales. there's a Model T there that I like to look at, and tons of farm equipment that went there to die and rust. In the summer the grass is green and the sky is so blue and vast that you think you could never leave. In winter, it is dry and brown. You hear the squeeky turning of the windmill by the well. You smell the wood burning stoves and the smell of cows. Yet still there is beauty and simplicity. I like not seeing any other houses in any direction.

This is the south fence post. Someone made a little bird out of a shovel and I love it. I love walking out here. I spent most of the day ( when I wasn't cleaning) wishing I had a better camera. "mom!" She screamed "I saw a Coyote!" this is what she saw down by the barn. I am not sure if this is a warning to other hungry coyotes who were eyeing the livestock or if it was just convenient to hang them by the barn. It was oddly fascinating to M and me to see then hanging there dead. we had to get a picture. I hope to get some more ( better) pics when I get a new nicer camera-one day.

p.s. notice that I intentionally left out the details of taking Mary home. It is better that way. thanks for the prayers.