The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in western Illinois.
It is yet dry and we are a hope'n for a good shower rain to at least help the soybean crop.
There are reports of a few cornfields be'n harvest'n in these parts with moisture levels in the lower 20s. No reports yet on yields, but most everyone expects they will be off some. Some more than others.
Talk amongst a few farmers is they wish they had more nitrogen applied to their fields to help fight the dryness. This is especially true for the corn on corn.
Some folk sez they is gonna do more split applications of nitrogen, especially on the corn on cornfields. They sez crop residue is a ty'n up the nitrogen too long in feed'n the "bugs" that breaks it down by decompose'n it.
By the time the nitrogen is released after decomposition it does not give maximum yield results due to poor time'n for the new crop.
Their answer to the problem is to sidedress after corn plant'n. It'll be enterest'n to see how all that turns out.
Some fields of soybeans are a turn'n color already. It's fairly late in the season to do them fields much good with a shower rain.
A friend of Bill Jones opened his wife's closet and found a brand new special unwrapped dress.
He knew this just wasn't any ordinary dress. He pulled the unused dress out of the closet and reflected on it for some time.
He recalled after think'n a spell, that his wife had bought that dress when they had went together to the big city of Chicago, 8 or 9 years ago. She had never put it on because she was save'n it for a special occasion.
Well, the special occasion was now here, although not the one she had planned on.
He carefully placed the unused dress next to the other fine clothing he was take'n to the funeral home on accounta his wife had just died suddenly and unexpectedly.
Bill's friend proclaimed to him and Mrs. Jones:
"Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion!"
Bill Jones sez those words changed his and Mrs. Jones attitude toward life. They now read more and clean less.
They sit on the porch and visit'n amongst themselves and with friends and relatives without worry'n about anything and what needs to get done.
They now spend more time with their family and friends, and less at work.
They sez they now understand that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.
They no longer keep anything back for a special occasion. They use crystal glasses every day...new clothes are worn to the supermarket, if'n they feels like it... Mrs. Jones no longer saves her special perfume for special occasions, but uses it whenever she wants to and feels like it.
The words "someday...' and "one day...' has faded away from their vocabulary.
Bill sez if'n it's worth see'n, listen'n or do'n, they wants to see, listen or do it now....
Bill wonders what his friend's wife would have done if'n she knew she wouldn't be there the next morn'n.
This nobody can tell....
Maybe she might have called her relatives and closest friends. Or, perhaps she would have called old friends to make peace over past quarrels.
It's possible she would go out with her husband for one last meal of special food, probably her favorite food and wear that "special" dress.
Would she spend sometime in prayer prepare'n to meet her maker?
Could she find time to search the scriptures and repent for past sins and mistakes made?
It's these things, big and small, Bill sez that he would regret not doing, if'n he knew his time had come....
Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.
Take care for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one....
Do not say "One of these days', fer remember, Bill sez, "One day' is far away....or might never come....
Well, it's not too often me and the boys hears Bill Jones talk in such a serious way. It kinda caught us off guard and gave us pause for some serious reflection.
I ain't done think'n on it yet, and maybe those thoughts might change some of us boys way of think'n a bit.
Before the busy Harvest begins, I'm makin' plans to take ma to someplace she's always wantin' to go and coaxin' her to wear her fanciest dress... and maybe coaxin' some friends along as well.
Over the weekend we'll hitch up the horses and wagon some evenin' too, and take all the kids and grandkids on a hay rack ride and a picnic. It's time to enjoy what we've got.
Have fun at the Farm Progress Show and the Old Threshers Reunions at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa and Argyle. Take a friend along and take time to enjoy God's special gifts of life with those ya love!
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya Later
Barnyard Bruke