Dry Weather

Dry weather at the farm.  Lawn has turned brown and crunches under foot.  Garden  suffers in places where we are not able to water.

Rain clouds build up in the afternoon, then disappear at sunset.  Everyday the same.  Bright sun in the morning, eighty degree temps., storm clouds but no rain.

Prairie remains green, but not growing. Late summer prairie flowers, goldenrods and blazing star—so stunning when they open—seem to be waiting for the rain. In a holding pattern.

The prairie grasses know drought, especially the big blue stem grass that continues to grow on the side hill where I first found it, a place that was likely never plowed so the grass is old, hundreds of years maybe.  Big blue stem, grows six feet tall, rain or no rain, as it has a root system that goes nearly as deep as its height above ground.

I worry about the little pines I planted in the spring.  Off to a good start, but now in need of rain.  Everything could benefit from some rain.  An all day soaker.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Time for a rain dance, or at least a shower shuffle.

NEW NOVEL OUT IN SEPTEMBER: The Great Sand Fracas of Ames County can now be pre-ordered. It's all about how a small town deals with the possibility of a frac sand mine coming to their community.  Go to this link for further information: http://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/5392.htm

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  It’s time to sign up for my writing class at The Clearing (Saturday, November 1). It’s about writing stories from your life—to be shared with families, friends and more. Go to this link for further information. http://theclearing.org/current/classes_workshop_description.php?id=3

If that doesn’t work, write or call The Clearing:
12171 Garrett Bay Rd, Ellison Bay, WI 54210
(920) 854-4088.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

August 20, Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. Madison. 5-7 p.m. Stories From the Land.  For more information: elindell@wisconsinacademy.org

August 22, Verona Library 7:00 p.m.  Farm Stories.

August 26, Neville Museum, Green Bay. 6:30 p.m.  Breweries of Wisconsin

September 9, 6:30 p.m., Monroe Library, Limping Through Life.

Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and his Books from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fund raiser for them):

The library now has available both of Jerry’s DVDs, A Farm Winter with Jerry Apps and Jerry Apps A Farm Story.

Also available are several of Jerry’s book including The Quiet Season (on which the DVD A Farm Winter is based), as well as Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old Farm, (which are related to the DVD Jerry Apps a Farm Story).

Contact the library for prices and special package deals.