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Random Thoughts: Electronics make farming an armchair job

I have just read a small book, "A Year By the Sea," by Joan Anderson. It is the story of a woman who needed some space to look at her life so she spent a year in a fishing village on the East Coast. It is pretty much the revelation of a middle-aged woman's intimate thoughts. She quotes Ann Morrow Lindbergh's book, "Gift from the Sea."

Don Larsen, a local, or at least he was born and raised in Marion County, has a new book out. He tells about the changes in farming during the past century. He tells of the way his grandfather and father farmed and the way it is now. Tools and machinery have changed so much, from mules and hand plows to tractors with air conditioning and maybe TV. Pretty interesting. With all the electronics now, I suppose the farmer can sit in his easy chair and direct his machinery by remote control.

I'm also re-reading James Michener's "The World is My Home." What a writer. I just love his stories of the South Pacific. What a great musical they made.

Time to get out the rake and the big garbage bags because we are going to have an abundant harvest of autumn leaves. If the whole family joins in it could be a lot of fun. I used to try to convince some of my small great-grandsons of such an activity but somehow I couldn't convince them even if I paid them a nickel.

My California brother-in-law used to say how wonderful the change of seasons was, but I noticed he stayed in California.

— NORMA HANNAFORD

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