Friday night football, Saturday Hay Song and Banquet for a Star!

"Hay! Moving hay...dadada da...moving hay " That's the Hay Song. They play it in every band thing from 6th grade upwards. It helps these farm kids enjoy their Saturdays in song.

Friday night was a home football game, starring Eldest as Field Commander for the marching band, and Middlest as one of the supporting players on saxophone. Humid was the way you could describe the atmosphere, along with enthusiastic. The game starting kickoff was returned for six by the home team- perhaps the highlight of the whole game. I believe it was the only six points the team earned.
The half-time show is the most important bit though (said by a parent of two band members).
The Golden Sound of the Vikings are doing a show of songs from Les Miserables this year, and Eldest is in charge of a field of marchers, half of whom are freshman, and marching for the first time. It is a challenge, but the kids are working doubly hard, and the show is going to be fantastic!

 This is Youngest, with his friends. He is on the end. He is the only He. Seems to be a theme for him.

 Eldest on her podium. Here, she is actually conducting to her Assistant Drum Major on the other side of the field, who then conducts the band, as they are all facing away for this part.

 It is hard to get a picture of Middlest, she moves around a lot and has a flip folder attached to her saxophone with the music on it. She is required to have this until she can "pass off" on her music, which means play it individually from memory for the Band Director. She has the opportunity to do so next week. Then, my pictures might be better. For now, she is the girl just right of center, with a saxophone, and you can see all but her elbow and what is covered of her face by the flip folder.

 Besides the half time show, and the pre-game show, Eldest conducts the band in the stands, as they play inspiring little bits for the team and the crowd, as well as some longer songs during time outs etc. We had a long time out in the third quarter, when the electric company caused a black out by cutting the power to the field. The lights in the press boxes came on quickly but it took a good 15 minutes for the field lights to get warmed up and come back on. During this time, the two bands took turns playing songs in a "battle of the marching bands in the stands in the dark".

 This is what night time football without lights looks like. My flash could illuminate the folks in front of me, but the field? No dice.

 This is what Youngest looks like when the lights come back on!

And then Saturday morning dawns early when Mom and Dad are pressing you to get up and put on jeans and boots and grab your gloves and eat your Wheaties, because, today, m'dears, is Hay Day!  Dadada  da- HAY! Duhnduhn dah..dadada  da-HAY!

Sing it kids!

To be honest, there were a few tears, and some griping attitudes, but those quickly disappeared in the sweat of moving bales

 

Huz is allergic to hay. Dust. Horses. Poultry. This is unfortunate. But, he did not make me go it alone. Thank goodness. We moved 250 bales, three times, which makes it 750 bale-moves. This is not easy for me when my shoulders are 100%, but now, really NOT easy. Still, I managed, which means I am healing.  

Borrowing a enormous flat bed trailer from generous neighbors meant moving the hay in one load was possible. A real boon. I shudder to think how many pick up truck loads that would have been, even with big ol' Blondie. Thank you Steeles!!!!

We got all but about 80 bales put up in our barn before we had to quit to go "git purty" for a banquet. So, Eldest, Huz and I claimed first showers and tried to ignore our dust-irritated red eyes, and hay prickle reddened arms. I pulled a dress over my head and put some killer heels on my feet. Then, put my feet up. Tired. We are tired.

 

But we rallied and drove to Ohio Christian University to celebrate our communities young leaders.Eldest had been selected to represent our school district as one of the outstanding candidates for National Youth Council on Leadership. There were 8 or 9 girls (not sure why only girls, c'mon boys!)  from our school district, and roughly the same number from the other 3 districts in the county.
. The process involved application, essay and interview, letters of recommendation, a session with a professional photographer,  and then this banquet. A committee chooses one young leader from each district to represent the county at the Town Meeting for Tomorrow in St. Louis. Students from 10 other states will also attend. They split into focus groups, make plans for implementing a program in their school district and then return to get started. There are also several opportunities for scholarships within the program. The entrance to the banquet was filled with fantastic photos of all the candidates and a short summary of their accomplishments. It was so awesome to read all that these kids are doing. These are the stars of the county, and it shows in their academics, and public service as well as leadership roles.
We were thrilled that they chose Eldest to represent her school district! Along with a nice little scholarship and a plane ticket to St. Louis she will be experiencing a whole new atmosphere, one filled with kids that are also headed to be the leaders of tomorrow.

WAY TO GO ELDEST!