True American Heroes...

When I went outside the other mornin' I saw smoke in the distance. I knew immediately it was a bad one.
It was a hay fire and those are the worst. Baled and stored green hay can spontaneous combust and burn out of control in just a short period of time.

As I listened to the emergency scanner, I heard over and over the need for more help.

Even though my hubs was at work (a half hour away) he left his job because he knew he was needed.

When there's a fire in the country, it is much more difficult to fight. Our volunteer firefighters rely only on fire truck tankers, ponds and creeks. There are no fire hydrants in a rural area like ours.

Six companies from other small towns came to help with two more on standby.
That's the wonderful thing about country livin', folks help each other in time of need.
Neighborin' farmers arrived with empty trailers to bring the cows to their farms. Even durin' a crisis, the cows still need to be milked.

Folks, I can't stress enough the importance of supportin' your local volunteer fire department. They are truly our unsung heroes and their sacrifices are barely acknowledged.

Tragically, the barn was a total loss and some calves were lost in the fire too. (That broke my heart)
But thank the good Lord above no one was seriously injured. Although two of our firemen were sent to the hospital for smoke inhalation, they were later released.

When my dear, sweet hubs finally came home; he was badly sunburn and his voice raspy from inhalin' all that smoke.
I just hugged him, thankful he was safe.

The next day we drove by to see the devastation. The hay was still smolderin' and will probably continue to for months to come.

When we came up over the hill, I couldn't help but tearfully smile at what I saw...

Through that massive fire, Old Glory was still flyin' proudly and was amazin'ly unscathed!!
:> )