A few months ago, I decided that I wanted to help out my grandmother on her turkey farm. New turkey babies come in every three months, so I took time out this May to come and help during prep week in her barn in Bentonville, Arkansas. A lot of this work involved cleaning drinkers, little plastic bowls that the turkeys drink from. I also helped with filters for the heat lamps (since baby birds need to stay warm to survive until they can grow their feathers). When we weren't in the barn, we were out and about in Bentonville and Rogers, and we got to visit my favorite regional store in Arkansas: Braum's. They have great food, ice cream, and a grocery store, all packed into a building with a fun old-timey feel. All in all, it was a much-needed break from pianos.
Above are Smoky, Pablo, and some cattle on the farm. I love getting to see all the pets, horses, cows, and birds out here that I normally don't get to see in the hustle of greater Nashville! While I did come to work and help where I could, there was still plenty of time to relax and enjoy the sunshine.
Outside of the farm, I also helped with some gardening jobs like pruning the yellow leaves off of my grandmother's cedar trees. It's very peaceful work, listening to music and birds while making the trees look great. Inside one of the trees, I found a bird's nest with an egg inside!
While the vacation isn't quite over yet (there's still the drive back), I feel refreshed and totally relaxed. The change of pace and getting to see family has been so nice, but I'm excited to get back to working on pianos next week! I have a lot of workspace organizing to do, and I have a new piano that I can start working on for what I'm expecting to be a full rebuild. It's going to be lots of fun!
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