Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Freshly Mown Hay


 I raised the kitchen window this morning 
to a fresh morning breeze 
and the smell of new mown  hay.
How glorious this new country life is to me:)

Last week they started mowing it,
so anytime now they will start to bale.
We love sitting on the front porch and watching.
With all of today's modern farm equipment, 
it doesn't take them long to bale it and bring it in.


We had a little rain yesterday,
and it looks like rain again today.
That's not what a farmer wants to see 
when his hay is down.
They go through and rake it to get air in it
 and let it get dry before baling.


My roses are starting to bloom.
Since I just planted them this spring,
I didn't know if I would get blooms the first year or not . . .
Also my daisies are starting to bloom.
I brought a couple starts from our old house
before we moved.

I know that most of you are not experiencing
 the smell of new mown hay . . .
I wish that I could send you a whiff.
It's heavenly:)

Keep smiling,
Connie:)


53 comments:

  1. You are truly blessed, with an amazing view.

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    1. Oh, I know it! I love our view. When we looked out our windows at our other house we saw the neighbor's houses and their cars parked along the street. Looking out at a hay field is so much sweeter:)

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  2. I agree with you, it is a delicious smell that lets you know that summer is here. There are a few hay fields in my part of Wales but they will not cut for a few more weeks. I do get to smell the sweet coconut scent of Gorse most days though.

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    1. Good Morning Pam, before I replied I had to Google, "coconut scent of Gorse." I had never heard of it and didn't know if it was a farm crop or a flowering plant. They are beuitful and it looks like they grow wild, is that so? It must be nice having the air filled with the scent of coconut:)

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  3. Connie, I would love sitting on the porch watching them bale hay! Your post made me want to go sit on my own porch and take it all in. We don't have a hay field but we do have a garden growing, birds chirping and flowers blooming ... don't you just love this time of year! Happy Wednesday to you my sweet blogging sister! You inspired me today :-)

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    1. I love sitting on the porch and listening to the birds. It's the best place ever for relaxing. Yesterday I had time to hoe the garden . . . it looked so nice when I was done. Maybe you can answer this question . . . why is it that the weeds grow twice or even three times as fast as the plants? It's a mystery to me, LOL.

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  4. I didn't realize that you had moved ... I guess I haven't been by in a while! I love the smell of new mown hay too, brings back memories of my childhood. Great view from your window, and the little glass jars with flowers look so sweet.
    Wendy

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    1. Hi Wendy, yes, last spring we put our house of 33 years up for sale and we purchased a little country cottage built in 1905 and setting on an acre of land. It's a big change for us . . . we have so much more outdoor space and room to grow a vegetable garden. We are loving our new country life:)

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  5. I bet it smells heavenly! You are so blessed.

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    1. Yes we are and we thank the Lord every day . . . He is so sweet:)

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  6. I love the little banner in your kitchen window! I used to be a receptionist for a sales office located across from a field. I had big glass doors that overlooked the seasons. Each spring the farmer would begin planting. I would watch each day to see what would show up in the field - soybeans? sugar beets? wheat? corn? (we practice rotation farming here) I would watch the crops grow in the rain, wither while we prayed for rain, then, in the case of wheat, soybeans and corn, slowly begin to brown in the fall. Then would come harvest. The field would be snowcovered all winter and in the spring - we would start again. I don't want to be a farmer, but I sure enjoyed being a next door neighbor to one!

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    1. There is great pleasure in putting a seed in the ground and watching it grow. The hay field isn't ours either, but we get pleasure watching it grow and watching the farmer when he cuts and bails, not to mention the lovely scent. I pray that at least in my life time, he doesn't decide to turn that beautiful field into a housing project . . . I think I would cry.

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  7. They haven't cut my alfalfa yet but I always enjoy looking at the field as they do it. Summer will be in full bloom by this weekend. Yay, I have had enough wind.

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    1. Hi Karen, last year I believe that they got four cuttings on that alfalfa and each time it was a pleasure watching them cutting and bailing. We are blessed with this lovely country view:) Here's hoping you get four or five cutting this year.

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  8. Oh Connie...I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the fragrance of this lovely fresh cut hay! I do love those times when I get a drift of it at times. Freshly mown grass is also one that I enjoy :) You have such a lovely view looking out your window as well! Have a wonderful Wednesday :)

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    1. Hi Debby, when we bought this old house my husband wanted to install a dishwasher. I didn't want to give up any of the storage space and I don't mind doing dishes at all, looking at that pretty view of the hay field. That and the fact that my poor old crippled and arthritic hands feel their very best when soaking in good hot water :)

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  9. I agree with you, the smell of fresh cut hay is absolutely wonderful, as long as you are not allergic to it! Thankfully, I'm not, but many are. Your roses are beautiful in your windowsill, what delight they must bring you as well! I agree that country living is just about as close to heaven on earth as we can get... :)

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    1. Oh, I do not think that one single day has gone by that we haven't thanked the Lord for our little home in the country. We love it!

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  10. We are surrounded by farmer's fields, but no hay. Mainly corn. What a beautiful view you have out your kitchen window!

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    1. Hi Melanie, I love my view, but I love corn fields, too:) We have been watching this TV show called Lake Life. Have you seen it? It is filmed mainly in Illinois, but I think more in the southern part of the state. In every show I see corn fields . . . it reminds me of indiana and my childhood. I didn't grow up on a farm but as you know corn is everywhere in the Midwest:)

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  11. Love your photos and your post. So calming. I tried to sit out yesterday, but kept getting buzzed by the Red Wasp....yikes!

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    1. Hi Billie, do you know where their nest is? Try putting ammonia in a spray bottle and give their nest a big spray. That should send them somewhere else:) Do it at night or very early in the morning when they are still and not out buzzing around.

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  12. Hi Connie.
    I know the smell you are talking about. I love the smell of mowed grass too. it sounds like you are settling into country life so well. I'm envious.
    Thanks for the positive words. I'm looking forward to getting this over!!
    Hugs,
    Kay

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    1. Hi Kay, you have been on my mind and my prayers are with you. God bless.
      And thanks for stopping by to visit. I always enjoy your company:)

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  13. LOVE your window, the bunting, the flowers and the view.. and the smell! Now that you're a country girl.. it's a "bale" of hay, so when they're producing them, it's called "baling" the hay. :-) Hope you don't mind my correction. OK.. I have to run off to swim for an hour.. hope the sun comes back fast! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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    1. Hi Teresa, I do not mind at all . . . how else do we learn, thanks:) I hope you have a great swim today.

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  14. fresh mown hay is a great country scent. There are a few country scents however that aren't quite so heavenly.....lol Still beats city smog though. You've got a great view there

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    1. Hi Ann, we do have a dairy farm about 4 or 5 miles away and when the wind is just right, we do smell that smell, too. Like you said it's another one of those country smells and much better than the smell of factories and industry.

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  15. love the smell of fresh cut hay and grass........unfortunately I am flipping allergic to it...LOL Know where the term "Hayfever" comes from now!

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    1. I'm so sorry . . . we have had people say to us, "how can you stay that hay across the road?" We are fortunate and it doesn't bother us at all . . . we just breathe it in and enjoy:)

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  16. I love the smell of freshly mown hay! I live in the country too although we don't have a hay field in sight of my home. I do enjoy looking at the pastures ful of cown, the corn and various crops growing and the blueberry farms on my way to work each day. There's just something about country life! Enjoy those beautiful roses too my friend. By the way, I love the bunting hanging in your kitchen window....so sweet! Have a delightful afternoon!

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    1. Hi Vicky, when I saw the photo of you riding in the back of that pick-up truck, I knew that you where a country girl at heart:)

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    2. I am Connie...most definitely! :)

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  17. oH I know that smell!
    How I love it. We finally got to mow today! My son in law did the mowing, they live on our land, neighbors, you know? So, that's his share of the work. Its a big job! But oh how I love it!
    If we stay dry, I'll be able to rake it up and make our home-made bales again (a bunch of work) for the chicken boxes! It lasts a good while for us...and we use it for bedding the chickens and keeping them warm in the winter. After that...COMPOST!
    That view from your kitchen window... is amazing.

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    1. If they could bottle that smell and put it into a perfume . . . girls that wanted to marry farmers would buy it by the gallon, LOL.

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  18. I like to see the round hay bales lying in the field. It just screams country.

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    1. They use to bale in round bales here, but most of the farmers went back to the square bales, only very huge bales:) The machine that the farmer across the road uses, bales the hay and stacks it on the trailer at the same time. So we don't get to enjoy the step of seeing bales lying in the field, but I know what you mean . . . country living . . . it's wonderful :)

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    2. I'm watching them bale the hay and they are leaving the bales lying in the field . . . I was mistaken about the tractor baling and stacking at the same time.
      I'm going to call it a senior moment, my short term memory just ain't what it used to me :)

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  19. Hi Connie, We took a drive after church on Sunday and went past a field of newly mowed hay. It smelled so wonderful. If I had had my camera I would have snapped a picture but I will enjoy yours instead. Is that one of your roses in the bottle? Lovely color. Thankful to God for the gifts of sight and smell (and taste and touch and sound) :)

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    1. Hi Gloriade, yes it is one of my roses. On the label, when I bought the plant this spring, it was suppose to be a pale pink rose, but the first bloom was almost orange, then the second was hot pink. It will be interesting to see it when in matures and has many roses. I'm dreaming of the year (maybe my next year) when I will have enough roses to have big bouquets in our house. Until then a bottle in the window with a single rose will do. I've always enjoyed bottles on the window sill:)

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  20. My roses don't know what season it is with our crazy, no rain, weather. My roses bloomed 2 months ago.

    Enjoy your summer garden.

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    1. Hi Carol, I do hope that you get rain soon . . . California has always been such a garden state, but gardens do need rain:)

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  21. Connie, what a great post. Love the view from your window. And the window. :)

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    1. Thank you . . . it makes doing dishes, pure pleasure:)

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  22. Oh the smell of mown hay takes me back to my youth on dads small farm and each year we loved hay making time! It was hot heavy work but so much fun and the best part was back then we could make huts from the bales and play in them! Ahh those were the days! Glad you are enjoying it for now and your roses are beautiful!

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  23. Love the smell of hay baling time - reminds me of my growing up. I never had to do it, but my three older brothers surely did. Hard work! Great post!! :) Jane

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    1. Hi Jane, I'm happy that this post bought back some memories. I always thought that it would be so much fun being a farm kid:)

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  24. Hi Connie, Glad you could enjoy the freshly mown hay! I am allergic to grass I guess. It might not be a good idea to leave the window open. I love your flowers in the little vases on your window sill. So cheerful! Just like you! Nancy

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  25. Connie-There is absolutely NOTHING In the world like the smell of fresh mowed hay. That was the one farm chore I was not allowed to do. My dad would not let me drive the mower. I guess he was afraid I would cut my leg off or something. lol Your roses are beautiful. Can't believe they are first year plants. wow. xo Diana

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    1. Hi Diana, your Dad was a smart fellow. I had a friend (he passed away a few years ago). Less than a year after him and his wife married, he got his hand caught in a baler. He was alone out in the field and it was hours before anyone found him. He was lucky to still be alive, but did loose his arm from the elbow down. The good part of the story . . . their love was strong and they were married for over 60 years, when she passed before him. They had a good life and had four children. This couple was one of the sweetest that I have ever known, theirs was a true love story:)
      Farm accidents happen everyday and they can be so bad. If you still have your dad give him and big hug:)

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  26. Your flowers are so pretty on the windowsill with the field in the background!

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