Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Gone Camping Again, Y'all

It's now 2 am here in cotton country as I type this, and I have to be up early to get ready to go camping. My brother in law Johnny, Zztop's hubby, sent me these 2 pics of some cotton fields ready to harvest. They were taken south of Harrisburg, Arkansas, about 10 miles from where I live. The cotton harvest is in full swing, and they are now racing the clock and the weather, trying to get all their cotton picked before it rains on it any more. Once the cotton is open and fluffed out, the weight of the rainwater can make the cotton heavy enough to fall to the ground. Once on the ground it is ruined and the cotton pickers can't pick it up. Also, the rain lowers the grade, or value of the cotton, so every minute counts now for getting the crop in and getting a good price for it. Several of you have mentioned in my comments that you have never seen cotton growing, so I thought you might like to see a few more pics of it ready for picking.

I'll be gone for several days so it may be Sunday or Monday before I post again. The plans are for us to spend a couple of days at Murfreesboro camping and digging at the diamond mine, then maybe several days at Gunner Pool camping. We don't have a set schedule and it may change at any time, according to our whims. Never fear, we'll eat some good food cooked over the campfire and on the grill, and I have my trusty air mattress and lawn chair ready to go. I also have my digital camera and lots of batteries, plus 2 memory cards. I'm hoping for some good shots of the scenery, and hopefully some nice fall color pics. That campfire will feel good, because we're expecting the coldest weather of the season after a cold front passes through on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to this trip, if you haven't already figured that out.

I'm going to leave y'all in charge of keeping the blogosphere running while I'm gone. The only way this trip could be better would be if I could blog while I was camping. I will think of y'all now and then as I'm roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, and as I stargaze, I'll think of all my blogging friends scattered all around the world, under the same stars.


May you love and be loved, and may you be blessed with enough to share.

Love to all....

17 comments:

Meow (aka Connie) said...

I hope you have a fantabulous time camping. I wish I was going with you, I just looooove camping. Looking forward to your photos ... take plenty !!
Enjoy, stay safe, Meow

Susie said...

Have a wonderful time! Enjoy a s'more for me!!
Looking forward to fall pics...

Tammy said...

Have a great time! :)
(And love those cotton fields...)

Linda said...

Have a wonderful, restful time Diane. After all the work you've done you deserve some down time. It all sounds like such fun. Roast a marshmellow or two for me. I like them golden brown and gooey in the middle.
I'll miss you.

Carole Burant said...

Have a wonderful time dear Diane!! How I wish I could be camping with you:-) Not having seen cotton fields before, I was amazed by these pictures!! How many people would it take to pick such a field as that one??? Hugs xoxo

momteacherfriend said...

Miss Sue brought me up some cotton bolls, they are pretty amazing things. She showed us how to string out the cotton. I tell you, you would have thunk it. Oh yeah, God did. He is pretty smart like that.

momteacherfriend said...

Oh yeah....have a great trip!

Mountain Mama said...

The cotton fields are wonderful. I know they have some thorny things on them but if they didn't it would be fun to pick I think.
I can't imagine how thrilling it would be to go digging in a diamond mine!
I love rockhounding but never found anything more valuable than garnets in Idaho.
I hope you have a wonderful time and find a diamond as big as a cow pie!

Girl Raised in the South said...

Diane, when we visited Arkansas a few years back (my MIL is from there) we saw fields of cotton, and got out of the car just to go pick a few heads of it. I tore off a branch or whatever you call it, and took it home to show people. Here in the East they'd definitely never seen it! Amazing how labor intensive it is to harvest.

Girl Raised in the South said...

PS We're hoping to squeeze in one last camping trip too - weather is getting a bit iffy, but the woods are so pretty this time of year. Hope you have a great time on your trip.

Granny said...

AR, the only totally self sufficient state. It even has its own diamond mine.

I'd rather pick diamonds than cotton.

Have a great time.

Greeneyes said...

Hey Sweet D.
I have my bag packed ,my cooler too ,lots of snacks and yummies ,I will meet you under the stars my friend !
Hope you have a excellent time and cant wait to see those pics , and the pics of the cotton looks like it snowed in Arkansas! I love info stuff like that , I will never look at my cotton balls the same again ,tee hee . Interesting stuff, more please :} I will miss you
take care
Your squishy friend haha
HUGZZ
Greeneyes

Anonymous said...

Have a good time

Dick said...

Thanks for thinking of us and providing the photos. Cotton doesn't grow here in the northwest and I've never been to your part of the country to see it, so I appreciate seeing the photos & getting the info you provided.

Have fun on your camping trip. Stay warm and dry.

Nashe^ said...

...... and as I stargaze, I'll think of all my blogging friends scattered all around the world, under the same stars.

nicely put, D.
hope you're having fun!
cotton and all... =P

TJ said...

the cotton fields almost look like snow has done fell!!
I'm just back from a few days away myself...I hope you are having a blast and I'm sure you'll come back with lots to share!!
:-D

kansasrose said...

I have never seen cotton in Arkansas! Now I have thanks to you! Beautiful pics Diane...hope your camping trip was serene and a good time.