Make Hay While The Sun Shines

Well, you have to make hay while the sun shines. 

I never understood the meaning behind this old line when I was a small child. 

I knew what it meant to make hay. 

I knew the importance of sunshine in the hay-making process. 

I did not understand why adults said this in the middle of winter during a conversation that had absolutely nothing to do with hay. 

Then I got older. 

And a bit wiser. 

But mostly just older. 

Now I understand the importance of "making hay while the sun shines" - 

or taking advantage of an opportunity that can easily pass. 

Part of "living my life" is learning to recognize and take advantage of said opportunities that don't often arise and likely won't come back 'round on this carrousel we call life. I'm finding ways to recognize resources and utilize them. It has been a lesson learned and one I still need to work on. But I'm getting better at it. 

For instance, last week I utilized my (un-deserving) "mom-purse" and stuffed two bags of chocolate chips, 4 avocados, a pineapple and a box of Triscuits into it during check out at Aldi. I wasn't about to pay $.25 for a grocery bag. 

What I'm even better at, rather than making hay while the sun shines, is watching my brother make hay while the blazing hot sun shines down on his fair skin. Literally. 

I approached the southern end of our farm the other evening to see Luke tedding hay. Tedding hay is the process in which the rows of mown hay are picked up and scattered so that the sun can dry the forage. After the sun does its job, the hay is then raked into rows that will be baled. 

The sun was getting lower in the Indiana sky and the dust floated across the dry land. It was a really awesome scene - but the looks of the situation paled in comparison of the smell. Momma and I always said we'd make millions if we could just bottle the smell of fresh cut hay. I venture to guess approximately 2 million other people have had the exact same thought...

Never "made hay" on that deal. 

Below are just a few images from that evening last week  at Bowman Superior Genetics. Special thanks to Luke for not running over me, though given the number of times he yelled (I couldn't understand what he was saying - the tractor was loud) and shook his head at me, I know it crossed his mind more than once.