FAIRY RINGS

Canola Field

Years ago, when I lived at home with my folks, a mushroom ring developed in the parking strip at our house. We now have them on the south side of the farmhouse where the raised beds are located.

“Mother called these ‘fairy rings,’” I said to Mike. But just to be sure, I searched the internet for “ring of mushrooms in lawn.” Sure enough – “fairy rings.” It’s a fungal infection cause by the decay of woody substances in the soil. In the ancient world, the rings were considered mystical and certain superstitions still linger, such as “don’t step inside the ring.” (Too late – I already have.) One option is to do nothing. The rings are harmless but likely won’t get better and might spread. I’m not sure I want that.

Lilacs still in bloom at the farm

A second option is to dig out at least three feet of soil, bring in new soil, and replant the lawn. I don’t think we could do that even if we wanted to, and we don’t want to.

The last option is to treat the rings with the following procedure:

1)  Rake out the mushrooms. (They won’t hurt the lawn.)

2) Aerate the soil 3 inches deep with a pitchfork or crowbar.

3) Pour a solution of 1 tsp dishwashing detergent to 1 gallon of water on the ring.

4) Using a hose, drench the lawn until you have standing water.

5) Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 every 3 days for 4 weeks.

The article I read was published in The Spokesman Review in 2009, based on a procedure researched through Washington State University.

“Is that what you’re going to do?” Mike wanted to know. Hmmm. I guess I know where I stand. I probably can’t keep to the schedule of treatment, but I can try. They say the fungi will never go away, but you can impact the infection.

Other updates:

·      Our canola fields look sparse at this point, and we wonder about them.

·      I filled the hummingbird feeders, but action is slow to resume. Time will tell, but it’s possible they won’t return. Visitation was slow last year.

·      Mike raked dead grass out of the ditch on the lane, and I helped load it into the 4-wheeler trailer. We had three overflowing loads, which we burned on the slash pile today.

·      The rhubarb is healthy, and I pulled some for a crostata. The peas and spinach are slowly maturing. One zucchini hill germinated. I should plant more just to be sure I get some. KW

FARMBOY BASEBALL

Action Shot

In an ordinary year, local baseball fans would be following the NAIA World Series played annually at Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston, but this is no ordinary year. It’s all off because of the covid-19 pandemic.

My Aunt Ethel, my dad’s sister (1898-1980), loved baseball. She mentioned to me that there were baseball teams in the farming communities. She said that her brother Earle (my uncle, of course) had played on the Gilbert Cubs. She also loved to play and pitched to him so that he could practice.

Charlie McCoy & Earle Dobson

I kick myself now for not asking more questions. How many teams were there? How were they organized? Where did they get the equipment and the uniforms? How did they gather for team practice? How far did they travel for games? Was there a game schedule? Was there a tournament to determine an overall winner? Did people gather to watch the games?

Does anyone know the answers today? I missed the golden opportunity to learn more, and I have to say, it’s not the only opportunity I missed. When I began to be interested, to really wonder about these things, my sources were gone, never to return. I do regret that.

Earle Dobson at 16

Years later, I came across these photos of Uncle Earle and a family friend, Charles E. McCoy, practicing for the camera in the front yard at the farm in 1912. Earle was 16 and Charlie a year or two older. All I can say is, the photos meant something to me because of what Aunt Ethel said. I'm impressed that someone, probably Grandma Ina, went out to take these pictures. Note the photographer's shadow, especially in the second photo. KW

Update: The photo on the left above appeared in the "Blast from the Past" section of the Lewiston Tribune today. It was identified incorrectly there. Earle is on the ground and Charlie standing. I figure at this point it simply doesn't matter.

MEMORIAL DAY ALREADY?

A view from the Gilbert (Idaho) Cemetery (2013)

Memorial Day snuck up on me. How did we get here? May has almost evaporated. What happened to April? Wasn’t it just March?

Sister Joni and I reminisced the other day about the Memorial Day activities our extended family used to enjoy. Through the organization of our Mother, it was a family tradition to leave bouquets at the graves of ancestors and loved ones in four or five regional cemeteries. It was wonderful in the ‘50s and ‘60s, but times change. We no longer have the plethora of spring flowers at our disposal or the inclination to travel the circuitous route to the various cemeteries. And – we no longer have mother.

Nellie stands beside my dad's grave at Gilbert (2013)

Joni lamented that she would like to buy flowers, probably planters, for the graves of her husband and son, but she’s maintaining a low profile during the pandemic and doesn’t want to shop the marts. Besides, the planters have become expensive. She said in past years she’s taken her planters on Memorial Day Friday and removed them Monday evening. To leave them longer is to risk theft, even from the country cemetery.

These “Decoration Day” visitations were so important to our mother and our grandparents that we experience some guilt in not doing it, but I reminded Joni that it’s simply a remembrance, and if we can’t do it, it really doesn’t matter. Mother knew it didn’t matter, too. She just liked to do it. KW