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Fridays With The Farmer's Wife: Making Hay While The Sun is Shining

By
Mortgage and Lending with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp Louisiana NMLS#2289 Equal Housing Lender NMLS 69996

 

 

Most people have heard the old saying that you have to "... make hay while the sun is shining...".  And the truth is, you do.

 

 

Where does this saying come from?  Hay can only be cut and rolled into  bales when it is dry. If the hay is wet, it can rot and possibly spontaneously combust.  A dry sunny day is perfect for haying.  It  means you should do something while you have the opportunity, because later on, the opportunity may no longer be there for you. Do the job before things change and make it impossible for you to do it - don't procrastinate.  If you do not make hay when the sun shines, it may rain, and then you can't make hay at all.

The Farmer checks the weather forecast several days in advance and plans to cut the hay when there  is a reasonable chance of hot, dry, sunny weather.  Once cut, he will let it dry or cure for a couple of days, and then roll it into bales to be fed to his livestock during the winter months.

In business and in life, there are seasons of opportunity that if not seized upon, they are gone forever.  Just as the Farmer watches for the right time to "make hay", so there are times in my mortgage business when I need to do the same.  If interest rates are low and home prices reasonable, I must "make hay while the sun is shining".   Opportunity waits for no one.

But it struck me that this saying is also true for our relationships.  There are seasons when the sun is shining brightly and we have the opportunity to spend time with those we love.  The day could be coming that the opportunity is no longer there.  It's about our choices of how we spend our time and resources.    Are we "making hay while the sun is shining"?

The Farmer's father is almost 93 years old.  This week, with hay cut in the fields, waiting to be baled and the chance of rain looming heavily in the skies, the Farmer chose to spend time with his father who was in the hospital instead of baling the hay.  "The hay can wait...." were his words.

The Farmer really was making hay while the sun was shining.  He just wasn't using his tractor and baler to do it.

What opportunity - business or personal - do you need to seize right now before it is gone?

 

 

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Louise Thaxton VA Military Suits in Boots 

Louise G. Thaxton NMLS #69996, VA Home Loan Expert

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Comments (19)

Mark Loewenberg
KW of the Palm Beaches - Palm Beach Gardens, FL
KW 561-214-0370

seize the market carpe marketo?  this is the right time to get moving in this market very true

Aug 17, 2012 02:23 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

 

Even when the sun is shining, one must focus on the most important tasks.


Have a great day and a very special weekend.  Enjoy the days of summer with your camera in hand.

 

Aug 17, 2012 02:27 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Louise,

I think opportunities always exist.  It is also about being discerning as to whether an opportunity meets your criteria.  Recently we have had serveral offers for advertisements on our website.  We have turned them down, as this does not reflect who we are and what we stand for.  LOL A

Aug 17, 2012 03:16 AM
Kristine Ginsberg
Elite Staging and Redesign, LLC - Short Hills, NJ
NJ Home Stager

Louise - I knew that wet hay could rot, but didn't know it could spontaneously combust - scary! Who knew there is such a science to bailing hay!

I make sure to pass out my business card to everyone I meet. Just last week a guy called me for a redesign job, telling me I had given him my card while in Pottery Barn....2 years ago! I am now designing his living and dining room! Have a great weekend!

Aug 17, 2012 03:25 AM
Joni Bailey
101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX
Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®

Loved this post. Life is all about relationships. Love the way you tied it all together. And your photograph is GORGEOUS!

Aug 17, 2012 01:12 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

    
  Thanks for the Ah-ha moment!
Featured you in my Weekly Post!

Aug 18, 2012 09:47 PM
Cindy Edwards
RE/MAX Checkmate - Johnson City, TN
CRS, GRI, PMN - Northeast Tennessee 423-677-6677

What a great post.  I had no idera, but it makes sense.  I love the boot campaign as well.  I bought a pair for my whole team.

Aug 18, 2012 10:15 PM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

Louise:  First of all, I hope your father-in-law is feeling better and mending?  Prayers will be with him and your entire family.  Secondly, wonderful .. beautiful post.  You are fast becoming a favorite blogger for me.  Enjoy your writing immensely.  I definitely learn above and beyond just mortgage info.  Rather ironic that you speak on this topic too.  My son, who works for an insurance company, was speaking of the farmer's special insurance needs just yesterday.  Seems their company has been called-out more often for a variety of farm-related issues this summer ... but specifically regarding the "combustability" issue you raise in your post.  Dry summer weather has caused problems beyond just poor crops.  Those of us with farmers in our families realize just how far-reaching weather can be.  Hope you and your family are well ... safe .. and healthy ...

Gene

Aug 19, 2012 12:44 AM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Louise, I also ike this post and learned a thing or two about hay and relationships...

Aug 19, 2012 03:41 AM
Sandy Acevedo
951-290-8588 - Chino Hills, CA
RE/MAX Masters, Inland Empire Homes for Sale

Hi Louise, great story and analogy. I always thought the reference about "making hay while the sun shined" was more in the field of looking for love....:)

Aug 19, 2012 06:26 AM
Louise Thaxton NMLS 69996
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp Louisiana NMLS#2289 Equal Housing Lender - Leesville, LA
Military Mtg Specialist - 866-960-9115 VA FHA USDA

Mark and Roy - thanks for dropping by and your comments!

Aug 19, 2012 06:37 AM
Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089
Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI
Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

Really pretty picture, and a good life lesson.  Haying is important, but sometimes there are other things more important too!

Aug 19, 2012 09:02 AM
Louise Thaxton NMLS 69996
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp Louisiana NMLS#2289 Equal Housing Lender - Leesville, LA
Military Mtg Specialist - 866-960-9115 VA FHA USDA

A - You are SO right - we can't take advantage of EVERY thing that comes along!

Kristine - that is AMAZING!  You just never know how handing out a card could impact someone so much that they hold it for TWO YEARS?!?  Wow!

Aug 19, 2012 12:33 PM
Louise Thaxton NMLS 69996
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp Louisiana NMLS#2289 Equal Housing Lender - Leesville, LA
Military Mtg Specialist - 866-960-9115 VA FHA USDA

Joni- you said it!  Life IS about relationships - sometimes we forget (or I guess I should say, sometimes I forget!)

Kathy - wow!  Thanks for the feature!  Love how you gave the shout-out to so many!  Great idea....

Cindy - TOO COOL that you have your boots on!  Wow - send me a pic - and I'll spread the word!

 

Aug 19, 2012 12:38 PM
Louise Thaxton NMLS 69996
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp Louisiana NMLS#2289 Equal Housing Lender - Leesville, LA
Military Mtg Specialist - 866-960-9115 VA FHA USDA

Gene - thanks for thinking of the family.  Out of hospital - but still a struggle with father-in-law's health - hopefully now that he is home, he can get back to normal.  And you are right - if you do not have connections with farming, it is just the "weather" - not your livlihood at stake!

Rebecca - well, I'm no "expert" on hay - but the Farmer shares some things from time to time!  Thanks for your comments!

Georgina - Thanks for the comment and so true.  Hay is important - but in times of crisis - hay can wait! 

Aug 19, 2012 12:42 PM
Louise Thaxton NMLS 69996
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp Louisiana NMLS#2289 Equal Housing Lender - Leesville, LA
Military Mtg Specialist - 866-960-9115 VA FHA USDA

Sandy - LOL!  I guess it COULD be talking about the field of love!  Thanks for dropping by!

Aug 19, 2012 12:44 PM
NoCo Home Team
C3 Real Estate Solutions - Fort Collins, CO
Sell Smart, Buy Wise & Live Well in Nrthn Colorado

Hi Louise,

This was a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing and I'm so glad to read from the comments that your father in law is doing better.

-Dee

Aug 19, 2012 01:29 PM
Louise Thaxton NMLS 69996
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp Louisiana NMLS#2289 Equal Housing Lender - Leesville, LA
Military Mtg Specialist - 866-960-9115 VA FHA USDA

Thanks for dropping by, Dee!  Have a great Monday!

Aug 19, 2012 09:28 PM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Thanks Louise, I grew up on a farm where these analogys were ever present and sometimes when I spout out these old sayings it draws confusion from new associates or colleagues.

I really liked the story about the farmer at the end who had a more important hay to make than that out in the field.  I have a few of these relationships that I should be tending too also, thanks for the reminder.

Aug 20, 2012 05:48 PM