IN THE GOOD OL' SUMMERTIME

The "Flat" in 2021

Earle is cutting hay on the flat. Dad is taking a much needed sleep upstairs, and Shirley is asleep on the cot on the front porch. Dad has stood the work fine this year, but we have been getting up at 4:30 or sooner for so long that he is getting worn out and Earl is noticing it too. The hot weather ripened the grain and hay is why he is cutting today. – Ina Dobson, July 30, 1933

And yes, the grain is quickly ripening in the hot weather of 2021, too.

It’s Friday, and we’re back at the farm now, having been in town since Tuesday night. While there, Mike insisted we take Bess to the beach for her afternoon exercise. I don’t like the beach much because if others are there ahead of us, I feel like I’m crashing a private party, but it worked out all right. Bess loves to swim out and fetch the ball that Mike chucks for her, but Thursday afternoon she made friends with a man sitting alone on the beach. He tossed a wimpy ball into the river for her, and she loved the game. It was fun to watch.

Wednesday evening was so warm that Mike allowed Bess to stay in the house overnight. When she needed to go outside, she awakened me, and I in turn awakened Mike. He got up and let her out – twice. Thursday night she was back in her kennel so that we might get unbroken sleep.

Speaking of sleep, once we get comfortable in our new recliners, we doze off. We’ve been going to bed at 9:00!

Anyway, Wednesday night we had a dry lightning storm that went on for several hours. I thought of brother Chuck and how he would have loved to sit and watch the play of those flashes. We had only a few claps of thunder and no rain.

Mike was up early Thursday morning to bake his oat bran muffins and then cycle. We shopped for last minute supplies and then attended our broker’s “customer appreciation” barbecue. We were amazed that the event was so well attended in this heat, but you know how it is when food is free.

As we traveled this morning, we were amazed at the steady stream of westbound traffic on the river road. Arriving at the farmhouse at 9:45, it was already 82 on the kitchen porch. It was too late to cool the stuffy house, but we opened windows for a while anyway. It was summertime pleasant in the shade with the occasional waft of cooler air.

Hoping to pull cooler air into the house at night, Mike brought a box fan from town, but when he tested it, it didn’t work. His first chore was to fix it.

I was pleased to see that the zucchini and tomato plants survived my two-day absence in the care of the plant nannies. In town, Ken says that the heat has cooked his raspberries.

 

 

The hummingbird feeder on the front porch fell and broke this morning. Mike helped me hang another, smaller feeder. A few faithful hummers have visited. Maybe others will follow. KW