A Church, Barns, and Fields

The fields have been harvested, and the traffic of combines, tractors, and grain carts has dissipated.  Early November was extraordinarily beautiful.  November 2nd I had my windows open and was outside in shirtsleeves--quite the contrast with two years ago, when it snowed in October.  It has finally cooled down, and we had our first snow yesterday.

There are at least three country churches within reasonable walking distance of my home.  This one, East Friesland Presbyterian Church, recently celebrated its 150th anniversary.  A few miles away there is another church, West Friesland Presbyterian.  West Friesland church is actually northeast of the East Friesland church: they were not named for their locations, but for the part of Friesland [Frisia], Germany each congregation immigrated from.  

Butler County Fair

A couple years ago, I wrote about visiting the Grundy County Fair.  This year, I went to the Butler County Fair in Allison, Iowa.  I probably missed the most interesting events (There are rumors of concerts, rodeos, races, and demolition derbies), but I'll give you a glimpse of what I did see.

One of the best parts of visiting the fair this year in June was seeing one of my sisters, Charity, win a blue ribbon, plus a grand champion ribbon, on her pencil drawing of a neighbor boy. 

Wake Me Up

It's lambing season, and one of our neighbors has a flock of sheep.  Not long ago, we asked him if we could come see his lambs and their mothers.  Some were tiny--only a day old--and others were already growing into sturdy little lambs.  He has to bottle feed any that are rejected by their mothers or whose mothers do not have sufficient milk.