Farmers and Ranchers

 

FARMERS and Ranchers and the lives they live.

In our Journey across AMERICA we have renewed respect for folks who produce our food,  and products such as ETHANOL, leather, vitamins, glass, metal products, and food by-products.  People who manage to eke out a living for themselves and the future generations in the “fly-over spaces” -  the areas where major shopping might be 2 hours away, each way!!  Where the sports events, likewise, are 2 to 3 hours away, each way.  Where the Middle School and High School football and baseball/softball games are 2 to 3 hours away.  Being a grandparent, who was also working full time when our grandkids were involved in sports, that would have certainly curtailed many of our “gotta be there” trips!!

This last year has caused us to stick to “the roads less traveled” since we pull our HOME on WHEELS at 55 to 60 mph whether on freeways or County Roads.  People on County Roads know where the passing areas are, and we do attempt to be good citizens on the road, pulling over to let the parade pass at the first available wide spot or parking lot.  It helps us to slow the pace, support the local economies in rural AMERICA, and get to know the folks who like to camp or even GLAMP in their RVs.  We have connected with a traveling nurse from Massachusettes while in Colorado, a man from Holyoak CO who works at the prison where some of our family members were employed once upon a time, home-schoolers from New Jersey who “work from home” in the healthcare field, and a young couple who gave up their $1200/month apartment for a $120/month travel trailer payment as he works IT and can work from anyplace with good connections!!

We were the west coast reps at the FAMILY REUNION and BONFIRE this past weekend and Tom was able to participate in a very meaningful ceremony at the FARM.  His sister will be moving into the house shortly with her husband.  She has been painting and having maintenance done on the place that had been deferred as Dad aged.  New flooring in kitchen, laundry room and old, original bathroom, new carpet in the master bedroom, and her husband has taken over the outdoor work – mowing and trimming the shaggy trees.  The flag on the illuminated pole had been blowing in the eastern Colorado wind for several years and was overdue for replacement.  As the old flag came down we heard the Star Spangled Banner sung by a niece and her mother, my husband said a few words of thankfulness for Dad and Mom’s patriotism and for teaching he and his siblings to respect the flag of our Country before attaching the new flag, representing the change of ownership and responsibility for the FARMHOUSE.  Then we all said the Pledge of Allegiance and wished them happiness in their new home on the prairie.

We were so pleased that Aunt Jeri, at 93 she is the last of that generation in our family, surprised us all by arriving just in time for the Changing of the Flag and stayed for the BONFIRE and the musical performance by Jeremy’s Band, he is one of the 16 grandchildren of Tom and Virginia Weathers.

The BONFIRE was the LARGE pile of timber, branches, and debris from years, accumulated just shy of the irrigated cornfield.  That followed the cleaning out of the 40 x 60 foot storage building; some heirlooms were unearthed, but mostly things that Mom had planned to repurpose, gifts from children made in high school - used and then no longer needed - some trunks that hopefully WILL BE repurposed by the younger generation.  We adjourned at DUSK, tired but well fed, and emotionally satisfied; some folks then had a three to five hour drive HOME to where they live!  But checking up the next day, all made it safely!