Sunday, April 25, 2010

Rainy Day

Raindrops on the windows this dark and dreary morning. Raindrops drumming on the roof. Sounds of April. Sounds of spring. Much needed rain for the gardens and fields, for the animals and birds, for the little trees I planted a couple weeks ago that desperately need water to survive.

Growing up on a sandy farm I learned to never ever say a bad word about rain. No matter if it interrupted spring planting, or challenged a daughter’s wedding party. Like the land itself, rain was, is and forever will be a necessity of life.

So on a rainy day like this one, put on your old ratty Filson hat, your well worn raincoat and hike in the rain like you did when you were a kid. Walking in the rain is special.


THE OLD TIMER SAYS: A rainy day is a glorious day.


WRITING WORKSHOPS

August 8-14. My week-long writing workshop at The Clearing in Door County. “Writing From Your Life.” Contact www.theclearing.org or call 877-854-3225 for registration information.

October 30. Day-long writing workshop at The Clearing.


UPCOMING EVENTS

April 28, 7:00 p.m. Kiel Public Library, (Blue Shadows Farm and Ames County Novels.)

April 30, 10:45 & 1:10, WEAC Retired, Sheraton Madison Hotel (Stories from the land)

May 3, 3:00-7:00 p.m. Local History Expo, Sheboygan County Area Historical Community, Range Line Inn, 170 Range Line Road, Kohler. (6:00 p.m. presentation, Old Farm a History.)

May 16, 1:00 p.m. Glenwood City Historical Society, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 615 Maple Street, Glenwood City. Call 715-796-560 for further details. (Old Farm: A History)

May 20, 11:00 a.m., Southern Lakes Retired Teachers, 616 Droster Avenue, Burlington. (One-Room Schools)

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Early Garden Planting

We planted our early garden crops last week. Potatoes, both white and red, radishes, carrots, peas, and a long row of onions. I’ll plant more early crops next week, lettuce and beets, but will hold off with the tender crops, the tomatoes and peppers, until the end of May. Too often I’ve been fooled by the warm days of early spring when I set out my tomatoes early and saw them die with a late spring frost.

I have planted a vegetable garden at Roshara every year since 1967. Each gardening year has its mysteries and challenges, its joys and disappointments. Gardening seems a lot like life in those respects.


THE OLD TIMER SAYS: You can bury a lot of troubles digging in your garden.


WRITING WORKSHOPS

August 8-14. My week-long writing workshop at The Clearing in Door County. “Writing From Your Life.” Contact www.theclearing.org or call 877-854-3225 for registration information.

October 30. Day-long writing workshop at The Clearing.


UPCOMING EVENTS

April 22, 6:00 p.m. Walworth-Big Foot Historical Society Banquet. (One-Room Schools)

April 23, 3:00 p.m. UW-Madison, Day on Campus: Food Summit. Memorial Union. (A brief look at history of Agriculture in Wisconsin)

April 28, 7:00 p.m. Kiel Public Library, (Blue Shadows Farm and Ames County Novels.)

April 30, 10:45 & 1:10, WEAC Retired, Sheraton Madison Hotel (Stories from the land)

May 3, 3:00-7:00 p.m. Local History Expo, Sheboygan County Area Historical Community, Range Line Inn, 170 Range Line Road, Kohler. (6:00 p.m. presentation, Old Farm a History.)

May 16, 1:00 p.m. Glenwood City Historical Society, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 615 Maple Street, Glenwood City. Call 715-796-560 for further details. (Old Farm: A History)

May 20, 11:00 a.m., Southern Lakes Retired Teachers, 616 Droster Avenue, Burlington. (One-Room Schools)

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Tree Planting at Roshara

We planted trees at the farm this weekend. Two-hundred of them. All Red Pine, six to 12 inches tall. We’ve planted trees every spring as long as we’ve owned Roshara, so we have trees now more than 40 years old, and that tall, too. Beautiful trees that sway in the wind and remind me of when we planted them--Ruth, our three toddlers and me. Doing the work by hand. With a shovel to cut a slit in our sandy soil.

We planted trees by hand this weekend, too: Paul, Steve, Natasha, Kristin and me. Mostly easy work for this energetic crew that enjoyed a sunny day, a cool breeze, and the wonderful smell of pine trees.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Planting a tree is planning for a future.


WRITING WORKSHOPS

August 8-14. My week-long workshop at The Clearing in Door County. “Writing From Your Life.” Contact www.theclearing.org or call 877-854-3225 for registration information.

October 30. Day-long writing workshop at The Clearing.

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 13, 7:00 p.m. Menasha Public Library, Fox Cities Book Festival (Blue Shadows Farm and Ames County Novels.)

April 14, 1:00 p.m. Hatch Public Library, Mauston. 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Blue Shadows Farm and Ames County Novels.)

April 17, 5:00 p.m. Wisconsin Rapids Community Theater at Rapids Mall, Nature Book Bash (Old Farm).

April 22, 6:00 p.m. Walworth-Big Foot Historical Society Banquet. (One-Room Schools)

April 23, 3:00 p.m. UW-Madison, Day on Campus: Food Summit. Memorial Union. (A brief look at history of Agriculture in Wisconsin)

April 28, 7:00 p.m. Kiel Public Library, (Blue Shadows Farm and Ames County Novels.)

April 30, 10:45 & 1:10, WEAC Retired, Sheraton Madison Hotel (Stories from the land)

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Spring Charges In

Spring came charging in on a southwest wind this past week, sending winter sulking away to the north to lick its melting ice and disappearing snow. Eighty degrees my thermometer at the farm said as I cut black locust brush that tries to smother out the pines I planted two years ago. I worked and rested, drank water and worked some more. But so much more to do—and, I learned yesterday that my new replacement trees are ready for planting.

Like it was when I was growing up the farm, after weeks of anticipation, of waiting and hoping, spring, arrives. And the work comes all at once. But, as my dad said, work is good for you. And I must say, I do enjoy stretching my muscles and swinging my brushcutter, even though, at day’s end my back, shoulders, and arms tell me to take it easy, that I’m not a kid anymore.

THE OLDTIMER SAYS: Never have any problems raising your kids provided there is plenty of work for them. A tired kid is a good kid.

WRITING WORKSHOPS

August 8-14. My week-long workshop at The Clearing in Door County. “Writing From Your Life.” Contact www.theclearing.org or call 877-854-3225 for registration information.

October 30. Day-long writing workshop at The Clearing.

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 6, 3:00 p.m. Oakwood Retirement Center. Madison, April 6 (The Good Old Days?)

April 13, 7:00 p.m. Menasha Public Library, Fox Cities Book Festival (Blue Shadows Farm and Ames County Novels.)

April 14, 1:00 p.m. Hatch Public Library, Mauston. 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Blue Shadows Farm and Ames County Novels.)

April 17, 5:00 p.m. Wisconsin Rapids Community Theater at Rapids Mall, Nature Book Bash (Old Farm.

April 22, 6:00 p.m. Walworth-Big Foot Historical Society Banquet. (One-Room School)

April 23, 3:00 p.m. UW-Madison, Day on Campus: Food Summit. Memorial Union. (A brief look at history of Agriculture in Wisconsin)

April 28, 7:00 p.m. Kiel Public Library, (Blue Shadows Farm and Ames County Novels.)

April 30, 10:45 & 1:10, WEAC Retired, Sheraton Madison Hotel (Stories from the land)