Finally got a day where the time and the weather cooperated to let me plow my garden. As it would happen my neighbor pulled in the drive just as I was harnessing. He always likes to show up to tell me what I am doing wrong and he never fails to know when I'm about to hook up. I hadn't worked my mules in nearly two months. Busy with other things and plenty of rain. So, I start complaining as soon as I see him at the barn door. I tell him how spooky the mules are and how hard to harness and how I can't get'em to walk together. I have him go to their heads so I can hook'em to the plow telling him how bad they are likely to behave. Then I swing'em around, line'em up an pick up on the handles and tell'em to come up. They walk off like I just unhooked from the plow yesterday, which I expected they would. I made about 10 furrows and stopped to check how my mold board looked. My neighbor asked me how long I figured I could stand to follow that plow like that, and I lied and told him a half acre or so, and started out again. 10 more furrows and my neighbors tells me he has to get home for dinner and how if them mules don't suit me the way they are a walking I must be a hard man to suit, and he sure wouldn't want to work for me! I believe beating him to the punch on pointing out faults is the only way to deal with him! I sure don't believe I could have asked for my mules to have done better than they did. And that ain't how I'm used to things going when I have someone watching.

Don't that make you feel good? Just keep up the good work.

Fight fire with fire, lol
I'm going to be at Mike Downs plow day Saturday, if you not busy, come on by.
Shanen

Nothing better than getting out back, away from roadside spectators and everyone else, and plowing. It's not that I don't like people. I just notice I feel best when they're not around.

I will have to make it over, Shannen! I didn't know about the plow days. I don't hear much out here. It's pretty bad when a person's only source of news is his Amish neighbors!

T Payne, I used to really enjoy talking with people but more and more I find I like being up in one of these dark hollers with a good mule or a pair of them and seeing what I can get done. I've run across a very few people who appreciate that. Afraid I might be turning into a hermit or at least a curmudgeon! Either, I think, would be a fine aspiration! Was real pleased to see after yesterday's short plowing session, the mules were at the gate early and ready to go this morning. I think they enjoyed it as much as I did. Got a little bit planted this morning and hope to get some sets in the ground this evening. I ordered a jointer for my plow that is supposed to be here Friday, and as soon as it does I plan to plow some creek bottom ground and get this Floriani Red Corn planted and see if all the hype is true. I've been taking pictures of some of the steps in the tobacco process that I didn't have and am working on getting something written about the process. Started working that new mule yesterday evening but still haven't gotten him a good fitting collar yet. Played with him to a light load so it didn't make much difference but I believe I got a pretty good mule there. We'll see how he does hauling rocks to lay a culvert as soon as I get that new collar in. All in all, staying busy, but enjoying every minute of it!

Congratulations, sounds like you obviously know what you are doing. Nothing like putting critics in their place with a few subtle words or actions. I agree with T. Payne. I'm a little like Mark Twain, I like people but the less I see of them the better I like them. I envy you. I would be working my Haflinger but I have a hernia and a kidney stone to contend with at the present time.