08/24/2026
I have debated even making this post b/c last week in our great hoosier state businesses were destroyed, livelihoods gone, homes flooded, entire towns submerged. In the blink of an eye some lost everything they have spent their whole lives working for and others sadly, lost their lives. I do not want to take away from that. My heart goes out to all those affected by these devastating storms.
Here at home, my losses seem insignificant compared to that. I lost a tent, sweet corn was flattened. Some of the flowers, vegetables, pumpkins and soybeans are so waterlogged they are drowning. This is the side of farming no one wants to see. It isn't pretty and colorful. It doesn't bring joy or inspiration. No one wants to pick a wilted flower, carve a rotten pumpkin or eat a sunburnt tomato.
It is however, real no matter how significant. It is difficult to persevere after watching your hard work be destroyed in mere minutes, hours or days. It is difficult to remain optimistic that next years weather will be better when history tells a different story. It will make you second guess yourself and why you are even doing this.
Three days ago I did a post showing all the beauty in the field right now that now has over 100 likes! (for me that is alot 😆). I also posted about a new monarch transforming and taking its first flight which is something very special to me. While I recognized the beauty of both and even sought to capture it for you, I was distracted by what was lost instead of fully appreciating what I still had.
I decided to post as a reminder...no matter what you are going through, big or small, there is always hope. It is easy to focus on what was lost or went wrong and forget what we still have, what went right and what is our inspiration. Perspective is everything.
There are still beautiful flowers, pumpkin harvest will begin early to gather what wasn't lost and the tomatoes will be covered with shade cloth to see if they can be saved. Smiling faces will still visit and leave with gorgeous bouquets, wonderful memories and soon, spectacular pumpkins and everything fall!
