My man, on Sundays is the best looking, best smelling man I know. He is the image of anything but a farmer, well that is until you see is boots.
Monday through Saturday is a completely different story. His clothes smell nothing like the man I can’t get close enough to in church. If I could enclose a stractch and sniff you would totally agree. The first time my family meet Steven, they asked if I was sure that he was a farmer ‘cause he looked like a pretty boy in his hot pink Hilfiger (yes Isaid HOT PINK) and starched Wrangler. For the last few weeks, they have tried to pick grass seed- our new sources of income since we have stopped growing tobacco. However, this past year the rain has caused pure havoc on the seeds. While waiting out the rain, they have spent numerous hours mechanizing on the mean green grass seed eating machines.
Despite the aggrevation, he still pursues the fields as though the bounty is plentiful. Last week, I had the privilege of helping them (Murrell, Robert, David and Steven) relocate to the next field of seeds. Steven has mentioned on several occasions that all of my posts are about my side of the family. So, I decided to do a post on the Hines Brothers men. The partnership originated with two brothers, Murrell and Robert and Murrell’s two sons- - hence Hines Brothers. Steven later bought into the partnership right after we married. They have dibbled and dabbled in almost everything except making moonshine. Come to think of it, Derrick makes homemade blueberry wine. Okay maybe they have been involved in everything.Back to my original reason for the post, Steven asked me to come to the field and being his work truck, then take him back to the barn to get the semi-truck. When we first started dating it amazed me that Steven could drive a semi truck. I’ll never forget my first ride in the big honker. I was terrified the entire ride. Steven had commented on the rats that occupied the cab. My mind could only think “where I could go if the rat got on me or even worse what if a snake sneaked up on me and slithered upon my feet”. Needless to say, I could barely enjoy the time alone with my honey. Since then I have learned to sit Indian style or better yet only ride with my honey-love if we haul the seeds in the comfort of our truck.
Back to the story—
We load all the kids in the truck.
We stopped at the barn to get Steven’s truck when I noticed the barnyard full of combines. We searched high and low for Steven when Charlee spotted him—so she thought it was actually David. It amazes me the resemblance between all of them. As we peeked around the other machines we soon found our dad. Unfortunately the men have spent more time it seems like repairing the equipment than actually using it.
Part of the convoy proceeded to the grass field- 3 combines, 2 pick ups, 1 semi and a truck load of children.
As we drove down the on lane road, I thought-- I hope we don’t meet anyone along the way. The road is very tight and has he most beautiful canopy. It wasn’t long before we meet a car. they pulled over and patiently waited for the band of farm machinery to pass. 
You would never know by the excitement, that everyone in the truck was farm kids. Dillon commented that when he gets out of high school he wants to work on the farm. His dad manages one of the BIGGEST farms in Alachua, plus they live on a small farm. He said “I wish Uncle Steven would let me ride with him”. I replied “yeah I wish he’d let me ride some time”, then Charlee chirped in “your too old to ride with dad”. As kid I loved to go the fields and watch my dad and brothers harvesting peanuts, baling hay picking soybeans, that was, until I got old enough to help out.
When we arrived at the hay field, David immediately began picking. Then Steven arrived he cleared a small area to park the semi. As we headed out the gate we noticed Murrell coming with the semi. We all laughed as he cleared his path into the field knocking over small trees and bushes.
Murrell rode back to the barn with us and the adventure was over.
I have tried everything under the sun and nothing works all the time. Here’s some of the advice I have been given.
I spray the windows, under the bed, under the dresser everywhere a monster might lurk. The Mr. Clean man AKA the Monster Man works to keep the monster away during the night while we sleep. Needless to say, either our house is completely free of monsters or it’s the freshest smelling house in the neighborhood. Finally around 11 o’clock she gives in and goes to sleep.
Which means another trip will be scheduled on her agenda. Hopefully with some help, from an expert in FFA Proficiencies, she might stand a chance of winning nationally. One of the Judges, offered to help us prefect her application.
Typically they only allow older kids to win, due to the stiff competition higher up, but he felt as though her project has the potential to win-or a least be in the top 5.
Katie owes a BIG thank you to Ms. Marsha Cook for her talent in vivid descriptive writing, her dad for the money and knowledge to help develop her project.
She’ll enjoy fame, the beautiful beaches, while dancing the nights away. Did I forget to mention, maybe she’ll meet some cute cowboys? What more could a country girl ask for? Sounds like a cowgirls dream. She will travel with my sister and her family.
I will have to say they are awesome kids and every time I am with them, I am blessed beyond means. I will be leading the middle school youth for our daily church discussion and Bible study. The theme is FLIP meaning that when we accept Christ, we should flip /change from our old self. There will be about 35 people going. Specifically pray for wisdom for the adults, pray for positive attitudes (everybody) safety traveling, that the HOLY SPIRIT will move in a massive way and that lives will ultimately be changed for eternity.
I had packed snacks to entertain the kids for hours, but before I could pull out the good stuff the grads were tossing their caps into the air. Nowadays the awards and scholarship recipients are honored earlier and boy what a difference it makes. Apparently Ty-man is a tidbit smarter than his old auntie he graduated with BETA honors and a few scholarships in his pocket.
Tyler has known for several years that he plans to pursue a career in entomology. Twenty years out and I still am not certain what I want to do. This summer he will have the opportunity to work at the university and get some real hands on experience with BUGS. 
