Howdy,
Well, I guess you could say that life is clipping right along lately. We are now in June, and the heat is here, the rain has stopped, and the wind is blowing like crazy. No more snow on the slopes and the rivers are back down since there is no snowmelt. Supposedly it will stay just like this until late September time frame. The winter wheat is headed out and almost finished, with spring wheat right behind it. Plums, apricots, peaches, almonds, and apples are coming on as well, slowly but surely. Everything is a little bit slower around here.
Our various gardens back on the base are doing well and occupying our time. All of our potatoes are showing their faces through the sand, and we have 4 rows of corn, tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, melons, and cantaloupe each, all doing okay. Since our drip irrigation has not been delivered, we have been watering the Afghan way….with flood irrigation, which I will mention is probably the most labor intensive method on the earth, aside from hauling a water bucket everywhere, but at least we can keep things wet….
I am still doing just fine. I feel like I have been here forever, while at the same time I feel like I just got here. Some days are great days, others leave things to be desired, but overall, each day has enough surprises and excitement so that each one is different. I have been spending lots of time working on our farm trying to keep our plants alive on the barren piece of land we have to work with. The rest of my time is spent planning operations or actually doing operations. I recently had a memorable visit to wine country…..by that I mean a small village in Ghazni where most of the grape production occurs. My tour was very “enjoyable”; although I am sure it differs greatly from the tour I would get back at home….especially the wine part. The Afghan’s we work with are pretty excited about things this year since they had more spring rain than they have in the last 15 years. That doesn’t offset the fact that they still live in a warzone, but hey, they are used to that….they’re just glad they got some rain.
Anyway, don’t want to be too long winded, just wanted to say hello, and that I miss everyone back home. No need to worry about me, I am doing well. Anytime I feel a little homesick I just go through the mental list of things I want to build around the house, the lakes and rivers I want to fish, and the great food that people are going to cook for me when I get home!!! Just kidding….but not really, I am excited about all the food people are going to cook for me!
Miss yall, love yall, and hope everything is going well for ya back home.
Bradley
With some time on their hands, the guys followed a Major's example and made signs to show where they are from and how far they are from home. You can see some of Brad's great handi-work on the Lake Whitney sign!
Well, I guess you could say that life is clipping right along lately. We are now in June, and the heat is here, the rain has stopped, and the wind is blowing like crazy. No more snow on the slopes and the rivers are back down since there is no snowmelt. Supposedly it will stay just like this until late September time frame. The winter wheat is headed out and almost finished, with spring wheat right behind it. Plums, apricots, peaches, almonds, and apples are coming on as well, slowly but surely. Everything is a little bit slower around here.
I am still doing just fine. I feel like I have been here forever, while at the same time I feel like I just got here. Some days are great days, others leave things to be desired, but overall, each day has enough surprises and excitement so that each one is different. I have been spending lots of time working on our farm trying to keep our plants alive on the barren piece of land we have to work with. The rest of my time is spent planning operations or actually doing operations. I recently had a memorable visit to wine country…..by that I mean a small village in Ghazni where most of the grape production occurs. My tour was very “enjoyable”; although I am sure it differs greatly from the tour I would get back at home….especially the wine part. The Afghan’s we work with are pretty excited about things this year since they had more spring rain than they have in the last 15 years. That doesn’t offset the fact that they still live in a warzone, but hey, they are used to that….they’re just glad they got some rain.
