Seasons

The rain has been falling heavy for about 3 days. We are approaching 10 inches of rain and the forecast calls for another day of rain.  Wow! It feels like the season changed while we weren't looking.  It does that sometimes.  When I was a kid I was always ready for the next season, be it a school year or a sports season or a graduation. I knew it was time to say goodbye to one season and hello to the next.  I struggle with season changes now.  I've become more inflexible.  'I'm not done yet, darn it!' 

I sometimes find myself in mourning over a season that's gone.  Grief is important, it's part of the process of letting go of a season that's past, so that one can enjoy what's next, but it's still not easy. 

A big "season" change we've been mourning is the loss of our daughter-in-law Jo.   She left our son, Eric, in the spring.  It's been hard.  Of course especially hard for Eric. They are getting divorced, papers are signed.  We've also lost some friends and connections we had. More grief and growth.  One season has changed and I'm not quite sure about the next one yet.  I often say I don't know about the future, but I do know who holds it in His hand.  

This fall, we had our first logging season with Mark as the logger.  We wanted to log more than we did but received our permit later than we had hoped  and the rains came.  Our contract is good for a year though, so come summer we can be back at it.  

We turned this season into a family affair.  

Eric was our timber faller.   While he's cut a lot of trees for firewood it was his first time to fall for timber production. He did really well.  He is in good shape from being very health conscious and everyday he worked incredibly hard at falling trees that could kill him. His job was the most dangerous.  We are so thankful that he took his job seriously and stayed safe and strong.  He also helped Mark in the job of skidding logs out of the forest using a bull dozer. 

Our oldest son, Zac, was the official landing guy who cut off limbs left on the log.  He too, is very healthy and fit and was often running in heavy boots from log to log and then to the skidder.  When things on the landing slowed down he would skid logs from the forest too.  

This family logging event marked another change of seasons in that we no longer think of them as boys, but as very capable men. I guess they graduated in our minds.   Finally.  Why did it take us so long?  In the past the family dynamics could get a bit messy.  Tempers have flared.  This time everybody was helpful, respectful and worked hard at keeping the peace and getting things done.  We are really proud of our sons and look forward to working with them again. 

We also got help from a neighbor who owns an 'excabator' as Zac's son calls it.  

Zane loved the excavator. We would just park and watch it work.  Thanks Steve for your help and for Zane's entertainment. 

 

During the logging season I got to spend a lot of time  at our home with my daughter-in-law Teeny and the kiddos.  She's a terrific and patient mom as she put up with this spoiling Grammy for 2 weeks as well as being isolated on the ranch.  

 I'm really liking the Grammy season.  I think it might be the best one of all.