The New Life

I am not sure when I started to actually remember things, some people say you remember at the age of 3 or 4 or even 5. For arguments sake, lets say I was an early learner ( I am blowing my own horn ) and I started with a few thoughts from when I was about 3. Our farm was mostly a grain farm that was a homestead bought, by my Grandfather originally. Between him and , my Dad and my Grandma and my Aunt, they made it into a fairly workable piece of ground. We had a half section of land ( 320 acres ) that at one time was just trees. Through back breaking hard work and sweat, it was gradually turned into rich black soil, that as I have been told, produced incredible wheat crops. My early days on the farm were like retirement. Some days I went with my Dad and rode on the tractor, around and around the field as we ploughed or cultivated the soil. I would like to say it was exciting and a magnificent experience and I suppose at first it was quite incredible, however after awhile, sitting on the fender of an old Massey Harris 44 tractor was starting to get boring for a young toddler. I know for a fact it was pretty mundane and boring for my Dad, because he would fall asleep at the wheel and we found ourselves several timeat the edge of the trees, tangling up the equipment in brush, or ploughing a very crooked line across a half mile of dirt. I think it was then that I heard my first cuss words and I have began practicing ever since. I knew right then, I would never be a farmer !!

I know I had some toys when I was on the farm. They couldn't of been too much. Maybe some old wooden ones perhaps, not entirely sure but I figured I could plow my own fields in the dirt. I wandered out of the house and went down by the garden, where I found the most incredible pile of black dirt a kid could of ever laid eyes on. It was a mountain in my eyes, ready for all of my toys. I plunked myself down right in the middle and proceeded to have the most entertaining afternoon of my very short life. It wasn't long after I settled into my new playing field when I started to feel pain. Pain everywhere !! I could not understand what was going on. Something wasn't right but I knew I had to get up to go and find someone to help me with the problem. I was banished to the tub in the middle of the kitchen floor and cold water was used to wash all of the hundreds of red ants that were biting the heck out of me. Right then I knew I would never be a naturalist either, or an outdoor explorer. My options for life were already decreasing and I was not even 5 yet !!