Brother
Chuck and wife Joanne made their traditional August trip to this area to visit
his three sisters, of which I’m the youngest. (I’m really only half his sister,
but we play that down.) He arrived in time for us to help him celebrate his 80th
birthday on the 12th. During the ensuing week he visited us in our
homes and capped his visit with a reunion of the OHS classes of ’53, ’54, and ’55
in Orofino.
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| Chuck and Mike |
So,
Chuck and Joanne arrived at our farm home on Wednesday (Aug. 17). This year’s
visit was very quiet, since the field activity is
already finished. I mean, it was quiet! – with the exception of the Olympics.
We watched a whole lot of Olympic events. (I’m so glad it’s over!)
Outside,
nothing spectacular happened, unless you count the baby rattlesnake Mike found
in the lawn. He already had it corralled in a bucket by the time I saw it, and
I don’t know why I didn’t think to take a picture -- totally uncharacteristic of
me. It was about the size of a nightcrawler and quietly buzzing away. I’ve
never seen one so small. The presence of a baby rattlesnake gives me pause. Is
there a nest, and if so, where? You’d think if there’s one baby there must be
more, but we haven’t found any.
As for the family of American coots on the pond, we seem to be
down one – six not seven now. We try not to think about what might have
happened to number seven. The six remaining coots don’t seem too concerned. I’m
just hoping they will stay so that our next visitors (scheduled for Labor Day weekend) can
see them. 
I
tried to encourage the hummingbirds to stick around, but this past week there
was only one, and the last day I didn’t even see him. So, I took the feeders
down and cleaned them for storage. I think I only saw eight hummingbirds at a
time this year.
We
weren’t able to supply the thunderstorm that Chuck requested – and that was
probably a good thing – but Thursday evening into Friday morning we had a
ferocious windstorm.
I
had hoped to serve our guests from the bounty of my garden, but it didn’t
happen. The garden just seems to sit there refusing to ripen. At the end of the week, I picked one small zucchini and one small yellow
summer squash. The tomatoes are green as can be with the
exception of the “Sweet 100” cherry tomatoes, which is beginning to produce. Maybe that’s the way to go -- container tomatoes. Well, I just can’t seem to accept that I’m
not a gardener. I try every year. KW
If you like to garden, you ARE a gardener. The same is true about running. You don't have to be fast to be a runner, you just have to like it.
ReplyDeleteWe had the most delicious green beans from our garden! The radishes were woody (according to the radish-eater) the beans didn't bear because we failed to build a trellis, the Brussels are gigantic and preventing the onions from seeing the light of day. We planted mixed variety of carrots and who knows what that will bear. And finally, the spinach was pretty good, but I've had better. But, we learned so much!
The PEAS didn't bear, I mean.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. I always thought REAL gardeners were knowledgeable and had success.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like beans fresh out of the garden. Peas are a cool weather vegetable, and even then, they don't always produce. You could plant peas, spinach,and radishes very early. I planted and replanted spinach this year, and didn't get a crop. I heard that gardeners should plant small carrot varieties for success and leave the long varieties to commercial growers.
Thanks for the fun we had at the "homestead". Joanne liked the atv ride to the cemetery. I brought her back, of course. We watched a lot of Olympics, which did not do our waistlines much good. The food was delicious. Now, we want to see the rape sprout and turn into pretty yellow.
ReplyDeleteHi Chuck!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know you and Joanne are home safe and sound. We, too, look forward to watching the rape mature. I'm afraid, though, that it will pass its glory before August.
Thanks again for the visit.
You are most welcome. We enjoyed the visit. The trip back was good, except for the construction zones from hell. Four, which held us up. Keep the pictures coming during the rape growing process. It's good to be home.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday to Chuck! August birthday people unite! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to unite, but we need a goal.
ReplyDelete