Transitions

It was cool yesterday evening.  Tom had eaten his dinner and left and I was waiting for Jeff to come in for his turn.  I crawled up onto the hood of our white pickup and watched the combine crawl closer, the evening sunset warmed me while crickets and grasshoppers sang an impatient staccato chorus.  I felt an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction, of contentedness.  This is where I am supposed to be, and I am happy.

Today was my last day at my raspberry picking gig.  The berries have certainly tapered off.  Where I was making $90 a day and only picking on side of one row, today I picked on 6 rows and only gleaned two gallons ($30).  But I suppose my wages were earned in other ways as well-- delicious meals at noon, the odd extra produce from the rest of the garden (2 HUGE zucchinis, and a pound of green beans), connections made with other pickers and wisdom gleaned from conversation.  And that certain satisfaction that can only be earned by hard work.

So now, I'll enjoy my weekend, help where I can around the farm, and seek my next Hi-Line adventure. Already the second half of August, and although it feels like summer just began, it also feels like it's nearing its end.  Nights are cooling off quite a bit already.  Football and hunting season are just around the corner.  Though harvest continues to roll on, transitions are all around.