Temperature Swing.

       The temperature today is 82. The predicted daytime high tomorrow is 42. We live too far from the moderating effect  of the ocean.

    Realizing the high temperature tomorrow I opted from some tillage work today. Operating an open station tractor in cold weather is not on my list of desired activities. The 25mph wind with gusts to 35, was bad enough, but cold??? forget it. So, I worked until there was equipment failure. L asked "Why do you have so many break downs?"  "Well, all my equipment is 50 years old, or older."   

    Filled my truck with gas today. The total? 101.33$   It could have been worse because it was 3.40$ per gallon. That's the lowest price I've seen in awhile.

Takk for alt,

Al

Saw a version of this in Marine Boot Camp

 

Field Work!

     The warm dry weather, 70 something, made ideal conditions for chopping the cornstalks in my fields. There was much left-over corn in one field. Deer nose under the corn husks and feed on the corn as far as they can reach. On longer ears there are a few rows of kernels beyond their reach. Chopping the stalks shatters the kernels and spreads them on the ground. Now, birds and deer will feed on the shelled corn, and the occasional full ear.

   Wildlife feasting on this corn is helpful to me. If the kernels were tilled into the soil, in the process of planting the new crop, their germination would be problematic for the planted corn. Corn does not like to be crowded so their presence would inhibit the growth of the corn which was planted.

  One field had a significant amount of left-over corn. The ground was yellow with corn kernels. The other field  had none. This is the field that was grazed by the geese last summer. My effort there was essentially recreational chopping. South Dakota Fish and Wildlife personnel will fence the geese out this year.

Takk for alt,

Al

Ye olde stalk chopper!

Wildlife News.

   "Ladybug, ladybug fly away home,

Your house is on fire and your children are gone,
All except one, and her name is Ann,
And she hid under the baking pan."   1744

   The Little House has been a winter refuge for many ladybugs and a few boxelder bugs. Their presence is a clue that the house is not air tight. Mostly I just move these harmless critters aside. When the temperature reached the 70s I scooped up 40? and transferred them outside. While insects may not have feelings it appeared to me that they flew happily away. Harmless, they just wanted a warm place to wait out the winter.

   The pond across the street from the house has been dry since last fall. Drought, you know. In spite of that the frogs are signing. They must have emerged from the ground to sing their spring song.

Takk for alt,

Al

 

The pond across the street when there was water.

Christmas in April.

      A few years ago I posted a few bluebird houses. Gradually the number of houses has expanded so that they number about 25 now.  Never has a bluebird been spotted near them. However, they have proved very popular with tree swallows. That's fine, because the swallows also need nesting space. Sella gave me two, nicely decorated, for Christmas. Today I placed them on posts.

    After mounting the first one on a pasture post I moved on to do the second. Near the post I planned to use there was a battalion of invasive cedars. Before mounting the box I spent an hour cutting the cedars. With that task complete I mounted the second box. As I was leaving the pasture there were several swallows flying around the first box. None of the boxes a quarter of a mile north had any birds. This leads me to believe that these swallows had just arrived. 

   Occasionally cattle will knock a box down, it's happened twice. Wrens are a bigger problem. They are so territorial that they will stuff boxes full of twigs to deny their use by other birds. Last summer, in one line of eight boxes, six were filled with twigs. That's disappointing because it denies other birds their use. 

  While I was doing these tasks a meadow lark was serenading me. A flock of pelicans flew over, newly arrived back from wintering in the south. Both the lark and the pelicans made me glad. 

Takk for alt,

Al

If you look carefully as this newly posted box you can read "Sella Rocks" at the top.

A box that wrens have stuffed full of twigs.

You go. Earl!

 

Joanne Elizabeth (Hanson) Negstad, April 1, 1936-April 12, 2018

      When asked if it seems like eight years since Joanne died I responded, "I don't know what it feels like."  What does eight years feel like?  It's been long enough that it feels normal to be single. Naturally the anniversary of her death triggers grief.  This morning at 7:00 I visited her grave. One of the gifts of being resident at The Little House is its proximity to the cemetery, which I've visited several times this week.

    Naturally I reflect  on her last day. After relieving the night nurse at 6:00am, I asked Joanne, "What's special about April 12?" She shrugged her shoulders. Three and a half hours later she died, surrounded by her family. The night previous was the only time she didn't get through all her mail. One day she received 53 cards! There were visits, phone calls and emails. Her gradual death was a huge, gift allowing her to bask in the accolades, many of which were a total surprise to her. 

   Frequently I've described my grief experience as moving from a knife in the ribs at first, to the present dull ache. Knowing what she's missing, especially with her granddaughters, is always accompanied by grief.   

   When grief strikes I try to focus on the important gift of 53 years of marriage to her. Gifted, faithful, accomplished, compassionate, kind and loving she lived a very productive life. It was my great good fortune to be her companion on the way. Rest in peace Joanne, good and faithful servant.

Takk for alt,

Al

Joanne modeling the dress she wore for Lars' and Melissa's wedding.