Learning From Winter Jerry Apps photo

 

In 1956, I was in the army, stationed at Fort Eustis, Virginia, which is a few miles from Williamsburg.  I arrived there in January and the first thing I noticed was—they had no winter.  I saw a fellow washing his car.  Unheard of in Wisconsin in January.

            As strange as it may sound, I found myself missing winter.  I liked skiing and snow-shoeing.  I liked ice fishing.  I liked being outside on a snowy day, when big snowflakes were falling.  I missed the subtle sound as they fell.  I missed how beautiful the countryside was all dressed in white. I missed all of that in Fort Eustis, Virginia, while I wore an army uniform.

            Many years later I wrote a book titled THE QUIET SEASON: REMEMBERING COUNTRY WINTERS. PBS Wisconsin produced an hour-long documentary based on the book, titled FARM WINTER.  In the book and the TV show I talked  about winter, and its positive points.

            Here is a bit from the introduction to the book: “Over the years I have come to appreciate and even enjoy northern winters.  But I’ve also learned that there is more to winter than snow and ice and bitter cold.  Winter has shaped me in ways that go deeper than I am even aware.  Living through a real winter—a northern winter—affects how we think, influences what we believe is important, and causes us to relate to other people in a particular way.”

In the last chapter of the book I wrote, “Of all the seasons, winter is the most striking and most influential on the lives of the people who experience it. . . winter is more than cold and snow, frozen water pipes, slippery road, and dark and dreary days.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Think about it. There is much to be learned from a Wisconsin winter.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS:

You can buy my books, including THE QUIET SEASON, at your local bookstore, order online from bookshop.org, or purchase from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering, or contact the librarian: barnard@wildroselibrary.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby, visit Dregne’s.  and look at their great selection of my books. Order a book from them by calling 1-877-634-4414. They will be happy to help you.  If you live in northcentral Wisconsin, stop at the Janke bookstore in Wausau (phone 715-845-9648).  They have a large selection of my books. 

 

 

 

 

Valentine's Day

 

       Jerry Apps Photo

            Valentine’s Day at the country school that I attended was special.  We were generally in the middle of a long, cold and snowy winter.  And we all needed a break.  The country school Valentine’s party was the break we needed.  It began around 2:00 p.m. on February 14 as I recall.  The mother’s were invited. They had to walk, of course, some of them more than a mile. We all walked to school in those days.

            A big box, decorated with red and white hearts stood on the teacher’s desk.  Each student had a valentine for every student.  And every student had a card for the teacher.  We couldn’t wait to see the valentines that we knew were in that box.

            The mothers brought cakes and cookies.  Our teacher made Kool-Aid.  We enjoyed the treats as we waited for the distribution of the valentines.  Usually an eight-grader had the honor of passing out the cards. The cards we received were similar to ones pictured here.  What we looked for is for some special hand-written notes on our cards, especially when we were in the upper grades and boys and girls began noticing each other.  It was a special day. It helped to shorten winter.  Once Valentine’s Day arrived, we knew that spring must be waiting just around the corner. 

            Valentine’s Day is named after St. Valentine and began being celebrated as a “day of romance” in about the 14^th century. Another story says that a fellow named Valentine was in jail, and had fallen in love with the jailer’s daughter.  He wrote a “Valentine” to her before he died. Supposedly, Pope Gelasius declared the day of his death as St. Valentine’s Day.  This was in the 5^thcentury.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Valentine’s Day—a day to take a break from winter. Remember your Valentine.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS:

You can buy my books at your local bookstore, order online from bookshop.org, or purchase from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering, or contact the librarian: barnard@wildroselibrary.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby, visit Dregne’s.  and look at their great selection of my books. Order a book from them by calling 1-877-634-4414. They will be happy to help you.  If you live in northcentral Wisconsin, stop at the Janke bookstore in Wausau (phone 715-845-9648).  They have a large selection of my books. 

 

 

 

 

 

Selecting Garden Seeds        Seed catalogs Jerry Apps Photo

            Starting in late December, and continuing through January and into February, the garden seed catalogs began arriving.  One, two a day.  Until I had a pile of them.  They came from all over the country—East, West, South and of course from Wisconsin.  Sort of fun to see all those brightly colored vegetable photos on a cold winter day.

            As we have done for several years, my farm garden managers, Steve and Natasha, and I met for lunch and an extended discussion around which vegetable seeds to order this year. We have a map of what we planted last year, and where it was planted in the garden as our guide—we try not to plant anything in the garden where it was planted last year.  Cuts down on disease problems.  We also try to order vegetable varieties that have done well in recent years.

            We have the most fun trying to decide on tomato varieties—of course we always go with the old standbys, Wisconsin 55, Early Girl, and Big Boy.  We usually plant five to seven different varieties. 

After the old favorites we read tomato descriptions: “bursting with flavor,” biggest tomato ever,” “incredible tangy flavor,” “savory old-fashioned flavor,” “hands-down champion,” and much more. One catalog had 39 pages of tomatoes. Which ones to choose?

            Our second interesting discussion revolves around sweet corn varieties.  We always have trouble deciding on which to order.  Here are some of the descriptors: “most widely used hybrid in the world,” “delectable describes its taste,” “filled with 14 to 16 rows of tender, creamy kernels,” “phenomenal eating quality,” “explosively crisp, sweet flavor,” “sweetest of all,” and much, much more.

            Of course, there is always discussion around each of the other vegetable varieties we should order—beans, carrots, kale, lettuce, etc. sometimes jokingly— “Which will the rabbits leave alone?”

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Ordering garden seeds is a peek into Spring.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS:

You can buy my books including my book, Garden Wisdom, at your local bookstore, order online from bookshop.org, or purchase from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering, or contact the librarian: barnard@wildroselibrary.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby, visit Dregne’s.  and look at their great selection of my books. Order a book from them by calling 1-877-634-4414. They will be happy to help you.  If you live in northcentral Wisconsin, stop at the Janke bookstore in Wausau (phone 715-845-9648).  They have a large selection of my books.