Thanksgiving

Praise to God, Immortal Praise

1. Praise to God, immortal praise,
For the love that crowns our days;
Bounteous source of every joy.
Let thy praise our tongues employ:
All to thee, our God, we owe.
Source whence all our blessings flow.

2. All the blessings of the fields.
All the stores the garden yields.
Flocks that whiten all the plain.
Yellow sheaves of ripen'd grain;
Lord, for these our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.

3. Clouds that drop their fattening dews,
Suns that genial warmth diffuse,
All the plenty summer pours.
Autumn's rich o'erflowing stores;
Lord, for these our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.

4. Peace, prosperity, and health.
Private bliss and public wealth.
Knowledge, with its gladd'ning streams.
Pure religion's holier beams;
Lord, for these our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.

5. Yet, should rising whirlwinds tear
From its stem the ripening ear,
Though the sickening flock should fall,
And the herd desert the stall;
Still to thee our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.

6. Should thine altered hand restrain
Th' early and the latter rain.
Blast each opening bud of joy,
And the rising year destroys
Still to thee our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.

7. Life and grace, whatever our woe,
Still to thee, our God, we owe;
Though of earthly hopes bereft,
Yet our hope of heaven is left;
And for these our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.

(Anna Barbauld, 1772)

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.              Psalm 42:4

October

 We had over ten inches of rain during October, with about three being normal.  We were interrupted regularly but were able to finish corn harvest working around the rains.  Why is it that when rain is imminent, we still try to make one more round or load one more truck?  Twice we got dumped on trying just that, and had to drive back to the shed in a downpour.  We didn't get good soybean weather until the first week of November, and were able to finish all but the double-crop beans.  We will need days of sunshine, a breeze, and a little warmth to get them to dry down.

Because of the warm fall and plenty of moisture, all of the corn and soybeans that shelled or shattered at the head, or was carried out the back of the combine, sprouted.  All of the early harvested fields turned green again.  With no early frost to kill the volunteer crop, the fields looked pretty bad for awhile.  Like we all did a poor job combining.  Even tillage didn't eliminate it. It is normal to leave a little on the ground, but this year made us farmers all look really bad.  The frost has killed it now, so we are feeling better about ourselves.

I've "attended" several online only land auctions recently.  The land market is hot right now and prices are setting all time highs for our area.  Needless to say, we haven't purchased any.  Farm machinery is a hot commodity now also, with short supply and high prices.  Most of the machinery auctions have moved online also.  It's just not the same when you sit looking at a screen instead of mingling with neighbors and kicking tires.

A beautiful fall sunrise!

Menards was selling these.  They had a rather unique flavor!

We stayed pretty close to home, waiting for the opportunity to finish harvest.  We had to cancel a trip to K.C. when we were able to get back in the field to finish soybeans.  Hopefully, soon, we can do a little traveling.

When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.          Deuteronomy 24:19