Children love water and sand .... and mud!! So buying an excavator for my farm boy seemed perfectly acceptable. The we-used-to-make-our-own-toys-with-sticks grandparents disapproved. Of course. I couldn't quite understand why. BuckarooBaby was delighted! The excavator is practical and hardworking. It is also the talk of the valley because we have had to show it to everyone who comes by. BuckarooBaby drips mud through the house throughout the day but he has such pleasure in his gift.
Today the massive dam that irrigates the entire valley was opened. Excavator in tow we all trundled up the valley to watch the opening of the flood gates. We then stopped at the real excavator to watch his progress. Did you think I had bought a real earth moving machine for my little boy? If I owned a country possibly but until then we settle for the small, cheap toy varieties. My brother @craigcryptoking and I often have a chuckle over his more city appropriate gifts for his son versus my farm appropriate gifts for my country children. When the BuckarooBabies climb onto their little plastic tractor my nephew is climbing in his toy car. While my nephew is learning to swing a golf stick (oops! club) my farm kiddos are collecting eggs or slinging mud clods into the thorn trees. Speaking of the thorn trees; they are the chief reason for getting earth moving machines into the valley. Many died during the long drought. Earlier this year a careless farm worker let a fire get out of control. There were no lives lost but the fire blazed through a large part of the dried river bed and neighbouring farmlands. The inferno cleared away huge dead patches of thorn trees but it has also left debris to dam up the channel when the valley flood irrigates - which happened to be today.
BuckarooFarmer is chairman of the water board and had initiated and strategized Project Cleanup. It has been an immense job. You would think that, with everyone due to benefit from the water again flood irrigating our valley, the farmers would unite to work together, helping wherever possible.
Instead there has been bickering and dishonest dealings. But the patient and persevering Husband has finally got the job done. As the excavator finished his labourious task today the flood irrigating began. Not unhindered by more bickering and dishonest dealings among the farmers.
Oblivious of the unpleasantness my BuckarooBaby has accompanied BuckarooFarmer every day these past weeks to assist the excavator . Also oblivious to the valley politics the water now forges its new course. Nature truly is amazing. And we will see in the coming hours and days how well the excavator has worked. And how well the water will comply and flow along its new course ..... or diverge. It is remarkable to see how much my children are learning through every day farm life. And it thrills them because they are learning through play. It is so important for Foundational Play. They were allowed to climb into the excavator. I was rather relieved that neither of them can reach the pedals. These earth moving machines are something to behold at work!
Today we all watched the slow progress of the water along its very dry new course. It was thrilling. The thirsty ground is sucking up the water. The trees that have survived will now thrive. While the small crowd of farmers stood around with baited breath watching the water moving over the initial twists and turns and clearings, my BuckarooBabies were playing in the water and sand .... and mud!!!
