Mother Nature

Mother Nature has had the Harker Household speechless the past three weeks. Or perhaps, in some cases, it has been for a lack of better words.

Three weeks ago, on a Wednesday morning, as I was making my way to check my email before showering I spied a fox sunning itself in my driveway. A beautiful red fox resting at the end of my driveway as if he were the head canine protecting his domain. Within minutes I spied a second fox ducking out of the corn field beside the house. I thought it was a passing moment and I would never see the pair again.

However, within three days, the pair was making their rounds. Luke & Chase were in the house to witness their latest visit. The pair ducked in out of the corn field for three hours during a gentle rain storm on a Saturday morning. The boys had never seen foxes for more than a mere second while driving down the road.

 This game of cat and mouse continued for the next week. The foxes were visible in the early morning or late evening. They had taken over our residence - fertilizing my flowers, laying in the empty dog house, chasing each other around the house. We were in awe of Mother Nature.

Last week was the most exciting time for the Harker House.   The foxes played like two small children around the house for thirty minutes one morning.   Danny and I quickly grabbed the camera to take a few snapshots knowing that these opportunities don't come every day.      We had often wondered if they were a mating pair.     The another one of Mother Nature's rain storms came Friday night. Yes, rain. We've had 7 plus inches of it in the last two weeks and we are ready for it to leave. . .but we'll talk about that another day.  On our way to pick up Luke's birthday cake, we discovered a lump in the road. The storm had claimed one of our foxes and left us speechless once again.

Sweet Pea. . she's back. Danny weaned heifer calves to get ready for sale pictures. The youngest manager of Harker Simmentals wanted to know where his Sweet Pea was. Ooops - slight oversight by dad. The next day Sweet Pea was in the barn with a halter on.

Saturday we visited Sweet Pea. Of course, she fought the halter and didn't want to walk to the gate to be petted by Chase. Then she let him stroke her head and took a sniff of his hand. That was all it took. . .within seconds she remembered her caretaker and was liking him from head to toe. She remembered the love she was given and will now do whatever Chase wants. It's a proud moment for a four year old. Now he has a heifer to work with just like big brother. And it's a pleasant reminder of why we devote so much time and energy to the cattle business. It's also the beauty of Mother Nature at work again.

Mother Nature. . .I'm constantly amazed at her beauty. How she paints such a beautiful canvas of flowers and insects during the spring and summer. I couldn't resist snapping a few photos of her beauty.

Luke celebrated his 8th birthday over the weekend. He went bowling, however, it was his little brother that stole his thunder. Chase bowled the only strike and had the highest score of both games. However, Luke did manage to bowl three spares in a row. Six boys dining at Pizza Hut. . .$53.54, Two games of bowling. . .$57.80, watching my children grow. . .priceless!!!