Marking Time While Weeds Sprout!

       The corn in my modest fields was reluctant to sprout. Was it planted too deep?  Was it cold soil and weather? The fact that weeds have also been slow to germinate suggests the corn's emergence is related to temperature and not depth of planting.

     The good news is that there is no sign of goose predation. Yesterday there were no observable geese on the water. The soybean field on the other side of the water has been fenced to keep the geese out. An electric fence powered by a solar unit keeps the geese at bay. If it's anything like other electric fences I've encountered one zap should be all a goose would need to learn a lesson. Local farmers who plant sweet corn also use electric fences to keep racoons out. Racoons with access to sweet corn will decimate a patch in one night.

    With the two pastures where cedars are invading are encircled with activated electric fencing. The shock of those fences is almost enough to knock me down. The cattle in one of those pastures are removed in early July. When they're gone I'll pursue those cedars. 

    Why do they leave in early July? These cattle graze on the invasive grasses which emerge in early spring. Their cropping encourages the native, summer grasses to flourish. It's taken over 30 years but gradually the native big bluestem grass has partially returned.

Takk for alt,

Al

Story

 

       There's a story about potato beetles that Dad told. Of course this was long before pesticides when potato beetles were menace. "An advertisement appeared in a farm paper. 'Sure fire method for ridding your potato patch of potato beetles. Send $5.00 to (address).' In response the sender received this message. 'Fill a quart jar half full of turpentine, drop the beetles into the jar.'"  The $5.00 at the time of the ad would be equivalent to about $100. today. 😀 Of course I neglected to ask if he'd sent $5.00!

       When I opened the door of my truck I was greeted by a jar of strawberry/rhubarb jam and six  chocolate chip cookies! Which reminds me of this story.  "Bruce was home visiting his mother in Sinai.

When they drove downtown she made sure to lock the car doors. 'Mom, do have to lock in Sinai?' 'Yes, if you don't lock your car in August, when you come back to it, it will be full of zucchini.'" 

Takk for alt,

al

Potato Bug also known as a Jerusalem Cricket. 

Little House!

        Leaving the OFH at 6:00 allows travel across Minneapolis at posted speeds, or, faster with the stream of traffic. Proceeding down Interstate 494, the four lane thoroughfare in South Minneapolis, what did I see in the rearview mirror but flashing red lights. "What did I do now?"  Five patrol cars, "I'm not dangerous!" weren't after me. They were pursuing a motorcycle at 100?mph. Seems very dangerous.

     Being a creature of habit my route to and from the OFH varies little. It suits me because most of it is on county roads with few towns and little traffic. About 90 miles from Minneapolis I connect with Hwy 212. Driving to town Wednesday I found 212 detoured a few miles. Perhaps a roundabout is being added. So today I took Highway 169 to St. Peter, then Nicollet and Highway 14. The 169 junction to Jordon is still one lane, which wasn't backed up at 6:30. Multiple signs proclaimed "USE BOTH LANES DURING BAKCUPS."  The detour on 212 is probably better.

    Driving through Nicollet means a mandatory stop at world famous Schmitt's Meat Market. Tonight's dinner was a scrumptious stuffed pork chop from Schmitt's. That stop is a definite plus for that route.

Takk for alt,

Al

Detour, there's a muddy road ahead, detour
Paid no mind to what it said
Detour, oh, these bitter things I find
Should have read that detour sign

Headed down life's crooked road
Lots of things I never knowed
Because of me not knowin', I now pine
Trouble got in the trail
Spent the next five years in jail
Should have read that detour sign

Detour, there's a muddy road ahead, detour
Paid no mind to what it said
Detour, oh, these bitter things I find

Should have read that detour sign

Tex Ritter

Schmitt's Meat Market

Ed never did this!

 

      Field stripping, i.e., disassembling our M-1 Rifles, became second nature. Woe betide the Marine who called his rifle a 'gun'. Care and maintenance of our rifles was a high priority.

       Beetle Bailey's experience with his rifle is similar to my experience of car or tractor mechanics. It seemed every time I disassembled an engine when the re-assembly was finished? there always remained a few parts. If any proof was needed this would have been sufficient evidence that being a mechanic was not my calling. 

Takk for alt,

Al

   

Seeing how I look after a couple weeks of a field exercise on Okinawa it's easy to imagine that my rifle would need cleaning.

Family day!

       Hanging at the OFH gave opportunity to connect with family. Meeting for dinner at a Thai/Lao restaurant, new to me and not far away it was quiet, with excellent food so good opportunity to visit. My preference is for Lao food over Thai. Laos was a former French colony and I think that has influenced its cuisine. 

   Seldom do I seek out Thai restaurants having eaten so much Thai food in Thailand. It being a long time since I'd had Thai food, this was a real treat. Then, too, the food was especially good. A good time was had by all and Al, too.

Takk for alt,

Al

This is a restaurant in Ayutthaya, Thailand, at which we'd sometimes eat. 

Friends!

    This has been a day of friends, which is half of the reason I return to the OFH with some regularity, family the other half. First it was breakfast with a friend. Eating in the OFH dining room gave us a full menu of breakfast choices. Besides the total convenience of the dining room is the plus that it's quiet. That's huge for someone as hearing impaired as I. 

    Early afternoon it was coffee with friends from the condo building in which I lived downtown. Both are authors and avid readers so books are often a significant part of the conversation. His quest to read all the Noble Prize and Pulitzer Prize books, is complete. He reports that many of them do not pass the test of time.

   Then there was dinner with friends who winter in AZ. Consequently our last in person visit was in November. Words were had! Friends make me glad and grateful.

Takk for alt,

Al 

No cattle so I don't need a big stick!