Saturday, May 12, 2012

A Quick Trip to See Dad

Dad thinks deep thoughts after a nap.
After the rains, the corn looks really good and stands more than six feet tall.
Many of the stalks have two ears. Some have three, but no more than two will make.
Roughnecks dismantle the rig in Betty Ann’s field.
The coastal is green and lush.
The recent rains helped the small patch of jigs take off. The grazer beside it is doing well, too.

While Suna did her thing, I went to visit Dad. He’s looking much better than he has for more than a year now, even though he celebrated his 89th birthday this week.

When I got to the farm, he was out fixing fence. Yesterday a neighbor’s bull had wanted to come visit the cows enough to break four strands of barbed wire and challenge a mature Brahma bull. Dad chased the intruder out with the mule. After Dad ran into him a couple of times, he hit another stretch of fence at full bore,

Dad fixed that stretch of fence and another break yesterday. When he went outside this morning, something just didn’t look right with another stretch. Closer investigation revealed a gap there, too. Luckily, the Dad’s rented bull and his harem were laying under a shade tree looking at the gap and taking bets on how long it would take Dad to notice it and fix it.

After working up an appetite fixing fence, I took Dad into Yorktown for lunch. The local pizza parlor wasn’t too busy, so that’s where we settled. We ordered “The Monster,” which consists of everything they have to offer except jalapeƱos. Dad finished off two good-sized slices.

On the way back, we visited with the neighbor who bought Uncle Carol’s have of the old homestead. We talked about innocuous things and watched the roughnecks dismantle the drilling rig across the road on Betty Ann’s place. They’re moving it one piece at a time around the corner to another neighbor’s spread.

Soon it was nap time. Dad and I each dozed and then philosophized before wandering around the farm.

I sure am glad I still get to visit with him.