Putting up the hay

Yesterday on our family vacation, I got a taste of Ohio farm life. Our cousins, who are hosting us, had to pick up 150 bails of hay to feed their horses throughout the winter. If course we volunteered to help as we do for family.

As its summertime and I’m on vacation, I didn’t bring any jeans or tennis shoes. It didn’t matter though because I had offered my muscles. So out I ventured into the hay field in my denim skirt and sandals, looking like a city girl in work gloves.

Of course we had to pick the hottest day of the summer – it was 100 degrees in the mid-day sun. With the humidity of Ohio, it felt as blistering as 115 degrees in Phoenix.

I was hot with sweat dripping down my back as I worked to pick up the bails and load them into the trailer. I kept thinking to myself how lucky I am to spend time my studio making art and writing for a living. Working the land is tough and I can see how it needs to be in your blood to truly love it.

Our hard work was rewarded with some thankful relatives, a hearty lunch and and the rest of the afternoon hanging out in the cool swimming pool.

Today we are helping people picking up items they won in a family auction. A cousin passed away earlier in the year at 93 years old and her estate and contents have gone to auction. I won some really great vintage treasures that I’ll show here soon.

For now I just had to show proof of the tough farm chick that’s been dormant inside of me. I’m living proof you can take the girl out of the city.