Between dirt deliveries, hauling drainage rock, digging trenches and installing the main sump pump, my cowboy has worked himself to death over the past few weeks. Thanks to him and his wonderful childhood friend, Phase 1 of the farm’s drainage plan is DONE. All we are waiting on is the gutter installation.

After digging the hole for the sump basin and trenches for drainage pipe underneath the house, our pump finally has a home.

Underneath the drainage rock is perforated pipe which allows the water to drain to the sump and the pump inside will push the water out through the discharge pipe.

The discharge pipe is located in a low point on the back side of the house, heading towards the pasture. We were fortunate enough to have the help of Andrew’s friend, Jordan, and he brought over his handy dandy Ditch Witch. What a God-send!

Check out this nifty little thing! The best part about it is the size and easy maneuvering.

After burying the pipe on a slope, you can’t even tell it’s there. Amazing.

In addition to the trencher, there are also bucket and grading attachments. They used both when building the berm around the house.

As of right now, the berm stands out because we lack flower beds but we will eventually incorporate more into the landscape. A border of drainage rock will be added on the edge of the berm to hopefully prevent erosion.

After a long weekend and week of digging and hauling rock, my dear cowboy was more than ready for a break. Andrew continues to remain focused on the farm, our labor of love, but there are other things he would rather be doing than digging sumps and trenches. With the arrival of hunting season in our neck of the woods, his heart longs to sit in a tree pretty much every second of every day. They call it “buck fever” and he gets it EVERY YEAR. I get to experience his lovely mood cycles as such:

1. excitement about the upcoming hunting season;
2. anxiety about his hunting preparation checklist;
3. irritability because he’s not hunting yet; and
4. final mood swing…OBSESSION.

He’s been hunting any chance he can get, early morning before work and late afternoons. Now that we have property for him to hunt, he takes advantage of every opportunity to sit in the stand. He’s definitely reached the obsession stage of hunting season. Oh, the life of a hunting husband.

His view from the stand this morning was pretty stunning. Our neighbor has an 80 acre cattle pasture that Andrew is blessed to hunt this season as well. Not a bad way to start your Friday morning.

“God guide this arrow for rewarded fruits of my labor. Amen.”

Seeing Andrew’s prayer on his arrow warms my heart and is another reminder of his belief in God’s goodness all around him. Andrew has respect for the animal he pursues and God’s beautiful creation. His efforts in preparation, his time in the stand and the end result of taking an animal he admires and values is a tremendous privilege God has provided to him. Hunting is a spiritual dance between man and animal and communion with nature. I view hunting in a very different light thanks to my hunting husband. I have a much deeper respect for the animals I eat now and I appreciate the circle of life as God intended it to be.

You know I’ll be hunting some myself this year. I’m still trying to snag my first deer! Good luck to all the hunters out there. I hope you have a successful season.

Until next time…