Rittman Trip

 I finished planting corn on April 29.  I planted most of it after dark, and it was a little damp, so I hope it comes up okay.  The next morning I planted our sweet corn.  After I finished, I realized the population was set too high.  I may have to thin the stand a bit after it comes up, and probably ran out of seed before the end of the patch.  A week later I was able to get my old tiller to run enough to till a spot for the green beans.  They are now planted and waiting for warmer weather.  We've caught some rains over the last couple of weeks, but in general we are pretty dry.

I am on the Board and Planning Committee for the Apostolic Christian Home of Eureka.  We are looking into the possibility of building an Assisted Living building on our campus.  We have toured several local AL buildings that are recent, and were hoping to visit Rittman's new building.  I received a message on a Friday afternoon that there was a tour scheduled for anyone that could make it from Eureka on the following Monday morning!  We checked the calendar, and decided to make a road trip.  We drove separately from the rest of the group. We left for Ohio Sunday afternoon and drove all afternoon and evening in rain.  Not the most enjoyable way to travel.  We stayed at a nice hotel about a half hour out and had a pleasant drive to the Rittman Home Monday morning.  We had an informative meeting with their young administrator, several key employees, and a couple board members. They gave us a complete tour of their skilled nursing and new assisted living facilities.  After the tour we had some more discussion, they fed us lunch, and we bid farewell.  The reason we drove separately was because we decided to come home through Grabill and stay with Loren and Rita.  We had a nice visit, and Kray and Heather and new baby came over for the evening.  Tuesday morning we were back on the road for home.  It was a quick, but nice trip.

A few weeks ago Gus treed and I shot a raccoon.  Usually he won't let me near it for a couple days, and then I come get it out of the yard and make it disappear.  He hid this one in the landscaping, so we didn't find it for over a week when the smell became very obvious.  I carried it out of the yard and threw it in a pile of composting manure behind an old cattle shed.  The next day it was back in the yard.  It is now being consumed by maggots.  I hauled it out again.  The next day it was back.  The old farmers wife hauled it away this time.  The next day it was back.  We've been playing this game for a couple weeks now.  Not sure why he is obsessed with this particular raccoon.

I have been scouting fields and one day Gus followed me back our lane as I was checking a soybean field at the back of the farm.  On top of a hill at the end of the grass lane, there is a coyote hole that is sometimes active, sometimes not.  I noticed Gus staring intently into the den, so I walked over to him and heard his low growl.  From the inside of the den I heard a return growl.  Not knowing what could develop, I convinced Gus to leave and follow me back home.  I think that's the first time I actually heard a coyote in a den.  Usually they keep quiet.

We were saddened when we heard the news that my cousin Charlie and his wife Linda were killed in a tragic car accident after their grandson's graduation.  I had hoped to be able to go out to Lester for the funeral, but no one else was available to go.  I listened to the service online this morning.  I'm sure it was hard for everyone involved.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.                                                                  Psalms 90:12