Sun Dogs and Soybeans on the Prairie

Last week, Jeremy and I headed to Fargo, ND for the Northern Soybean Expo, which is the annual meeting of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association and North Dakota Soybean Council.

We were looking forward to an exciting day of learning, networking, and spending time together as a farm and family management team.  I'm calling it a "working date" :)

On the way, we got to witness something we've never seen before.  Now, I'm fairly new to sun dogs, so they're all new and exciting to me, but when Jeremy, who grew up on the prairie, said he'd never seen anything like it, I knew I was witnessing something REALLY special.

The biggest Sun Dogs EVER!

What's a Sun Dog? Check out this link for more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog

Usually when we see Sun Dogs, it's simply two small rainbows on either side of the sun.  But this was spectactular.

 

There was a full ring around the sun.

 

There was even a full SECOND ring around the sun!

 

It gets cold here on the prairie. Really, really cold, but seeing things like this makes enduring negative 10 degrees (with a 35 degree below windchill) well worth it!

 

Brrr...That lip balm I got at the Soybean Expo (which is made from soybeans we grow)

sure is going to come in handy!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Sarah :)

 

This is My Father's World.

Tomorrow is the first official day of spring! Who's excited!?

We've been enjoying "spring during winter", as one friend called it. This past weekend we did some kite-flying on the farm!

Jeremy provided some guidance in keeping the kites from getting tangled.

The Wee Redhead did her best to keep her Winnie the Pooh kite in the air.  Special THANKS to our Irish friend, Mrs. B., who sent us green shirts and necklaces for St. Patrick's Day!

The Little Boy on the Prairie sat on his sister's sweatshirt and enjoyed some sunshine and kite-watching.

In celebration of the glorious weather we've been having and the time our family has spent on our farm soaking it up, I am posting part of the wonderful old hymn, "This is My Father's World".

"This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas- His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair; in the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere..."

This was written by Maltbie D. Babcock in the early 1900's and was taken from "Devotional Hymns", which, according to a note inside the front cover, was purchased by the Ladies Aid of Edmunds, North Dakota in 1953.  It was a gift to me from Jeremy's Grandma Eberhardt and it is a treasure to me.

Listen to the melody on "Cyber Hymnal" here:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/i/tismyfw.htm

Have a wonderful week, wherever you are in our Father's world!

Sarah :-)