Woman loved life as a 'farmwife'

Yellow jacket is Grandma Dee and her very close sister, Jean

By Kathy Hanks - The Hutchinson News - khanks@hutchnews.com

All her married life, Deloras Harkness brought meals to her family working in the fields.It was just before noon on Tuesday when the Scott County farmwife was heading to the milo field with sandwiches and milkshakes. On a road she traveled for more than 50 years, just one-quarter mile from home, Deloras, 76, didn't see the other vehicle through the blinding dust from truck traffic. The two collided."I went with her thousands of times," said her sister, Verene Dearden, Garden City. "She was always careful."Harkness' sister said the two were raised in a close-knit family of 14 children on a Sioux Indian reservation in South Dakota. Some of Deloras' domestic skills were gleaned during high school, when she boarded with a Scott City farmer and banker, Henry Parkinson, and his family. Keeping house and cooking allowed her to earn money to attend school.Soon after graduating in 1949, she married Robert Harkness, and together they farmed by Dry Lake, in Scott County. "Her fondest dream was being a wife," Dearden said. "She learned to be a farmwife through Bob."The couple raised three children, Mike of Scott City, Kenton of Garden City, and Deb Gruver of Scott City. She also had 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. "She loved being a farmwife, and made sure the men had food," Dearden said. "She had a beautiful home and they always had the big family meals there during the holidays." Daughter Deb Gruver said her mother hung at least 40 Christmas stockings every year. So many, Bob Harkness had to create a special bar and chains to hold them."Mom taught us to be thoughtful, kind and respectful," Gruver said. "She was a very unselfish person, the last to sit down at every meal." In his grief, Kenton Harkness was cherishing the things his mother taught him. "She was Christ-like," he said. "She liked everyone, knew no strangers, was not racist and embraced everybody."Known for her sewing skills, every one of her 10 grandchildren received a homemade quilt when they graduated from high school. Deloras passed along her sewing talent to her daughter."I remember spending hours with Mom in the sewing room," Deb Gruver said. "We'd talk and giggle." Her sons recalled their mother as a willing gopher on the farm."She'd run to town for parts," Kenton Harkness said. "She moved pickups from one field to another at the drop of a hat."But that's not all; she even vacuumed the inside of the tractors and combines, and kept the windshields clean on the vehicles. That was one way she made sure everyone was safe.

Books

"Found" by Karen Kingsbury. I'm almost finish that book. I love it. I just find out that it's a series! Pfft. It's #3. Baxter Family Drama-Firstborn Series. Trying to decide if I shld read #1 and #2.


The other book I finished last week was "Over the Waters" by Deborah Raney. Wow. It melts my heart!


"The Nanny Diaries" is my next book! Then I want to see this movie. It looks like HILARIOUS!

Prayer Walk

I went for a prayer walk with my church. I don't know how many miles I have walked with others. But some continue to walk around part of salina back to the church. That would have be 18 miles. I didn't finish since I had plan with my mom. I wld say I have walked half circle. It was about almost 3 hrs for me. Boy! It was a challenging! Feeling the pain what Jesus has gone thru. Debra and Kerry and I were having pain in our hips! Debra was eager to learn sign language with me!! So I helped her with her signing while walking with her. It was challenge to walk and sign with her. It was windy and humid!! And pray in my mind to talk to lord. Pray for the women, men, and children. And it was an amazing experience! Worth my time. Got home and took a shower. I was soo exhausted. So my mom took us out to eat at Hong Kong. I had trouble keeping up with conversation and lip reading, etc. As soon we got to my sister's house. We all took a nap and I slept for 3 hrs!! whew! Went back home as my kids spending the nite at Aunt Nikole's and with Grandma. So it was weird feeling for me being home with Mauricio only. Quiet house.. I got to take a hot bath and read a book and watch tv. Just do NOTHING! Went to sleep at 8 30p or 9p till 7 30am. Caught up my sleep. Soo nice! Am looking fwd to see my kids!

Organic....

I have been reading to get some ideas for non-toxic cleaning recipes. I love this link http://www.care2.com/greenliving/. I'm learning.. Try to change 1 thing at a time. My goal is to stop using the cleaning supplies that has all the chemicals. Change 1 by 1 cleaning supplies. I was reading a "Cookie" magazine about eco, etc. How to get the stain off of ur clothes? Pour boiling water on the spot as soon as possible! I'm like... That's simple! I love that part about the "pot gardening." It makes want to grow organic fruits, veggies, and herbs. I don't want to dig our garden to grow them. Anyway.. Something to think about to change everything to organic one at a time.

Updates...

There are soo much going on in the past few wks.

Bathroom is almost done remodeling! Just need to refinish the tub and then caulk around the tub and shower wall. 5 new windows. Just need to add 3 more new windows in 2 bedrooms which it will have to wait.

Mat had a surgery few days ago to repair his right inguinal hernia. He's healing quickly. Just glad that it's over. Because we had to drive 3 hrs to go to KC Children Mercy's Hospital early am then drove back after he had his surgery. Just so good to be home and back in schedule. Mat is not able to go to school till this coming Monday. Mathew, also, had MRI testing last wk. First try wasn't successful. He couldn't stay calm and cry. They can't do the testing while he cry. I can't go in the room because I have cochlear implant. I totally forgot about it! *slap me* Then reschedule again and put him to sleep and did the testing. It went well but it was a looooong morning. Then he had an immunization shots this morning. Poor him. He has to go thru so much for the past 2 wks! Other good thing, Mat has been playing xbox a lot lately! :-( But he sure enjoyed playing games on cpu, Nick Jr. He did really well himself! He learn quickly. Wow. He let Mak sit by him and watched Mat doing it. He let her pick out too. Share.

Mak has been throwing tantrum lately. Whines about EVERYTHING! Screaming at me. Is it her age? Mat was never like that. Mmmm... She has been trying to comfort Mathew lately due to surgery, and him being in pain, etc. It was soo sweet. She seems to be sooo THIRSTY for knowledge. She starting to sign new words. She loves to read read and watch movies and play by herself. Also, goes for a walk with me, too.

As for me.. I'm feeling weird lately. Fustrating.. I think I miss "me time" and "date with my honey." Mauricio knows that I want a date just the 2 of us! Hopeful soon we will. The weather has been WONDERFUL! Love the feeling of FALL weather. Now that I can open new windows! Before there was no screen and it makes it difficult to do it and don't feel safe with wide open. Suga keeps suggesting that I shld watch "The Secret" and I got it from Library. So will ck it out soon. I better get off..

Talk some more later. Will post pictures of before and after for the bathroom.

Visiting Angela n Rachelle in KC

My kids and I drove to KC to stay at Angela's place for a couple of nites and it was soooo good to see them. Their beautiful babies! Lil Z and Lil P wow. I miss holding them! My kids aren't baby anymore!! Boo Hoo.. I think babies are much more fun and easy! Toddlers.. Oh boy.. More challenge! Anyway, we all went to MidWest Kids Event and it was interesting information and free popcorn. Kids got some candy that looks like sand but it has flavors and colors.. They pick out the flavor and put it in the tube. Of course, they ate it! Candy freak kids! Pfft.. I don't like them eating candies very well. Or else, they become soo obsessed with the candies! It was a nice visit with Angela and Rachelle. Old times. Now they are mothers! wow.. Feels better to have them join my motherhood club! Here are the pictures of their beautiful kids and my kids.

Vacation with Chani~~York, PA

I had a great time visiting with Chani! It was a loong wk. We had a lot of talk, laughs, and so on. I was bummed that Suga couldn't come! Sure miss u girl! When I arrived to Baltimore that evening, Chani drove thru Inn Harbor. It's goreous! The next day, we went to look around for cars, food shopping, etc. It was very good experience for us. Chani's mom cuts my hair! I love my hair! MUCH BETTER! Wish we didn't have to live so far apart. She's very good with haircutting and know what works for my face shape, etc. Then on 7th, we all went out to eat dinner to celebrate Chani's 29th bday with her family. Her family is sooo neat! Fun, loving and funny family. After we went out to eat, we took Chani's 2 brothers to Border Bookstores. It was fun and we talked about all kinds of book. Also, we have been watching movies every nites! I don't remember all the name of movies! LOL. It was 7 movies we have watched for the whole wk! That's my record I ever watched in a wk! We shopped. Got some good deal clothes for Mauricio, kids and me! Wow. Cheap! LOL ... Then we drove for 2 hrs to see Sally! We got lost for a while. Then the restaurant that we were going to eat doesn't open till 3! Pfft.. Oh man, it was SO GOOD to see her. All 3 of us went out to eat lunch. We talked and talked for hours! Then walked back to the car and end up got LOST! LOL. It was shower then rainy. So we stopped and chat in the shade till the rain stop! Then finally we asked someone and found our cars! LOL. It was funny. Stopped at DQ for Chani to get ice cream and we droved to Starbuck. Sally and I got frappucinio!. Yummy. Talked and talked for another hour or longer. Lost track of time. Guess what, I end up got DIARREA at STARBUCK! Oh man. I went back for 2nd time. How embarrassing! And we had to leave because Sally got to go back to work. We drove back to York for another 2 hrs and Chani got DIARREA! LOL . She said to me "you are cursed!" So we had to stop on the road so she can go to bathroom. We laughed. Then we talked about why we got diarrea and try to figure out about the food, drinks , etc. What cause it. Got home to get the blockbuster movies to take it back since 1 movie has no cc. As soon as we left her house and we had turn around to go back to her house. She end up got 2nd diarrea! I told her that it was a very interesting trip I ever had! So much laughter.. Then when we got to Blockbuster and we talked about Sally and wonder if she had diarrea. So I emailed to Sally if she had it yet. GUESS WHAT?! SHE DID!! She said it could be the food we ate for lunch! Oh man. We laughed soo hard at the blockbuster. Wow. So much happens in 1 day. We got to chill for the next few days before I come back home. Went to bookstore again. Just relax. We drove thru York Downtown. Wow so beautiful and it has a lot of history there. Civil War, 1800s buildings. So amazing. You don't see that very much in KS. We went to the farmer's market. Oh man it's sooo CHEAP veggies and fruits. We got some of it and bought me a nice purse for only 3.50 bucks! It's Estee Lauder purse. Last day to spend time with Chani, we went to the lake. Getting some tan, read a book for a lil and in the lake. Only twice! That's it. I keep freaking out with seaweed yuck.. We cldn't stay in the sun very long. Almost 2 hrs maybe. It was good enuff for us. Then we went to Japanese restaurant to eat sushi! Sooo yummy! I miss it already! Packed and flew back home last Sunday. I was sooo exciting to see Mauricio and kids! Soo good to be home! I already missed Chani! Thanks Chani for this wonderful vacation with u! Miss you girl! Suga, ur next! We need to get together someday. Sally, thanks for take the time and visit with us! Will post some more pictures of York Downtown.

Mini Vacation..

Oh boy. When is the last time I ever had a vacation?! In some way, I'm soo exciting but mostly mixed feeling. Don't want to leave my honey and kids.. I feel guilty in some way. That I shld be with my mini family. My mom said u need to go! ugghh.. I'm looking fwd to see Becky! It's been ages.. I'm soo nervous about riding on the bus which is the most thing I can't stop thinking. Jeez I haven't even pack yet! It's already 8:35am and my friend is suppose to come at 9:30am! LOL. Oh yeah I still haven't shower! I better get off. So ck out when I come back on Sunday to tell you all my about my mini vacation! Suga, please give Stefrose my blog and my kids blog. Thanks girl! hugs!

What kind of FRIENDS?

I have learned a lot about friends.. Oh boy.. It's not the same. It caused tooooo much of plms and dramas. I'm soo thankful to have my own lil family, my family and my few true friends from college and some childhood friends. Also, made new hearing friends from christain bible study but not close yet. I just know that they are wonderful women.. I realized I like to be around with christain people. I know some of my friends are not christain which is not a plm as long as they are my true friends. Who knows someday they may become christain. It just makes it more difficult to make friends who are not christains, not mature enuff, no respect, or whatever.. *sigh* It makes me more appreciate of my life more and more. Focuz on my lil family and my family more and keep in touch those who are very close to me. That's IT!

New Journal

Hi... I'm copy Suga! LOL I love her ideas of this blog. I can only show to few of my family and friends in private. If you know anyone that want to read it let me know. Bear with me I'm still working on it. I plan to get my kids' own blog too.. One mostly for me to talk and one mostly all about kids..