See this field? It looks fairly innocuous doesn’t it, just another, flattish field, in front of an old, abandoned farmhouse.
Anyone can see that the hay just needs a quick run through the baler and then the farmer can head home for a lunch that has been lovingly cooked by an adoring wife.
Or he can head home and be waylaid by a neighbour and invited in for a crafty aperitif. Except that in this particular field, the glass of pastis might have to wait a bit longer.
And whoever said that the camera never lies has obviously never taken a photo of a field in the French Alps. Lets take a look from another angle shall we?
The man with the pitchfork, risking life and limb at the back of the baler is my father-in-law. He has been pulled out of retirement to stop delinquent hay bales from making a bid for freedom, down a steep slope to the bottom of the valley. Or at the very least to the bottom of the nearest ditch. Because once those babies are on a roll, there ain’t no stopping ’em.
Lucky he’s there really because I’ve never quite mastered a pitchfork.
On the other hand, I do know where that neighbour lives and as I’ve been hanging around a field all morning, I haven’t been able to make lunch.
Looks like we might have time for a leisurely aperitif on the way back after all.
The mountain dweller 
I hope that baler’s break is on; they can roll backward, yes?
Glad to see you back in cyberspace!
Oh goodie! You’re back and the farm’s still there and all! Hmmm… man-eating rogue hay-bales. Life in France is tougher than I thought… How be the sheep these days?
Glad to see a new post! Hope you are well.
You certainly lead a busy and varied life on a farm! We’ve missed your posts and are happy that you could find a bit of time.
Hope the apples are flourishing!
Good to hear from you again!
I love this post…makes haying on flat fields in the US seem a little dull 🙂
WOW! I had a friend killed by a tractor that rolled over him on a hill like that. Scares the stuffin’ out of me to even look. Glad your husband’s dad is there to help him, so you don’t have to.
The first european farmers reaching the midwest USA as new settlers must have marveled at all the flat land.