I love old barns, don't you? These are all pictures of barns we saw on our recent trip up the coast of Lake Michigan. I love to think about the families who built these impressive structures, undoubtedly sacrificing and doing without in order to afford them.
Isn't it sad that so many are crumbling to the ground now because of neglect? It makes me a little weepy.
Another thing is making me feel like crying this morning.
People, we are burning up out here. The drought is unbelievably severe and it is taking its toll on the prairie. I don't even remember the last time we had any measurable rain, and we have day, after day, after day of scorching temperatures. Yesterday, it was 108 degrees.
Our corn looks like it should at the end of September except there is nothing to harvest.
Our beans are struggling to put on a pod and even trying to fill. The will to reproduce is amazing.
Our trees are losing leaves and we worry how many will still be alive next spring.
Thank goodness most farmers purchased at least some federal crop insurance, which will help cover some of the enormous expense of putting out a crop. Profits will more than likely be nonexistent. Some farmers will probably have to go out of business.
Our small farm communities will suffer and the ripple effect will be great. If you are a small business owner, you understand how that works.
Your food prices will rise, and the news media is starting to make a big deal out of that. And they should.
But when you go to the grocery to purchase your cereal and milk and bread and bacon, please say a little pray for the farmer and his family who are wondering if they will still be in business next year.
