Fireside Books

For each of the past ten years, in early December, I have signed books at a fine independent bookstore in West Bend named Fireside Books.  This past Saturday was the day for this year—a balmy weather day with brief rain showers.  But a great day for buying books, and Fireside Books was busy as I talked about and signed copies of my newest novel, TAMARACK RIVER GHOST.

It is always fun visiting with friends, former students, and those who have never heard of me at these events.  It's humbling—we all can use a little humble pie from time-to-time—when I ask a person stopping by my table if she has heard about my books.  “Can’t say if I have,” a nice lady says.  “What is your book about?”

I talk a bit about TAMARACK RIVER GHOST.  “Oh,” she says, interrupting me, “I’m really not very interested in that sort of thing,” and she walks away.

A little while later, a tall, intense young man stops by my table.  “I’m writing a book,” he says.  “Can you tell me how to do it?”

I try to share some thoughts on book writing—mostly I say, “Sit down and write—a couple hours a day, every day, six days a week.”

“Oh,” he says.  “That’s it huh?  I’ll give that a try.”

I wanted to say there was a bit more to it—but writing a couple hours a day is how I got started.  Perhaps next year I’ll see this fellow’s book in the bookstore next to mine.

Bookstore book signings are always fun and never predictable.  That’s one of the reasons I keep doing it.

SPECIAL EVENT: Monday, December 3, 6:30, Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose.  Central Wisconsin launch of TAMARACK RIVER GHOST, my latest novel, with a setting in central Wisconsin.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS:  No matter if you are writing a book or painting a house, two hours of work a day on the project will make a difference.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

December 3, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose.  Reception and book launch for “Tamarack River Ghost.” 

December 5, 11:00 a.m. Larry Meiller Show, Wisconsin Public Radio.  Tamarack River Ghost.

December 8, 9:30-11:30, Sheboygan Falls Memorial Library, Garden Wisdom. Sponsored by Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.

December 15, 11:00 -12:30. Wisconsin Historical Society Museum, Downtown Madison.  Book Signing.

Selecting a Christmas Tree

Over the years we have planted about 12,000 red pine trees that are now of various heights and diameters at our farm near Wild Rose.  In addition to the many that we planted, many more have self-seeded.  We have about five acres of self-seeded white pines, and here and there throughout the farm self-seeded Scotch and jack pine grow.

Each year for many years we have selected our Christmas trees from this collection—and what a task it is.  You’d think picking out a couple trees, one for Ruth and me, and one for Sue and Paul would be an easy task.  It is not.  We do no shearing of our pine trees—thus they grow naturally and often imperfectly.  Imperfectly for those who want a straight, fully branched, dark green, just the right height tree.

Last Saturday my daughter, Sue and I had the onerous and enormous responsibility of selecting this year’s trees.  It was a cool clear day and we faced the task with seriousness, as well as enjoying tramping around from tree to tree:  “How about this one?  How about that one?”

Finally, we settled on two Scotch pines that appeared to meet most of the requirements for a suitable Christmas tree.  Sue, a woodswoman as she calls herself, sawed off one and then the other tree.  We loaded then on the back of our John Deere Gator and chugged off down the trail by the pond and up the hill on our way to the cabin.  Arriving at the cabin, we proceeded to load the trees into the pickup—and discovered we had but one tree.  Back on the trail to find the one that had fallen off.

It was a great day.  I've not yet heard how successful we were.  That information usually comes later—after the trees are decorated.  I’m hopeful.

SPECIAL EVENT:  December Monday, December 3, 6:30, Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose.  Central Wisconsin launch of TAMARACK RIVER GHOST, my latest novel, with a setting in central Wisconsin.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS:  Decision making can be a bugger, especially when selecting a Christmas tree.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

November 28, 7:00 p.m. “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” State-wide broadcast on all Wisconsin Public TV stations.

December 1, 10:30-2:30 Fireside Books, West Bend, WI. 10:30-2:00 p.m. Presentation at

11:00. “Tamarack River Ghost.”

December 2, 7:00 p.m. “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” State-wide broadcast on all Wisconsin Public TV stations.

December 3, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose.  Dinner and book launch for “Tamarack River Ghost.”  Call 920-622-3855 for reservations.

December 5, 11:00 a.m. Larry Meiller Show, Wisconsin Public Radio.  Tamarack River Ghost.

December 8, 9:30-11:30, Sheboygan Falls Memorial Library, Garden Wisdom. Sponsored by Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.

December 15, 11:00 -12:30. Wisconsin Historical Society Museum, Downtown Madison.  Book Signing.

Deer Hunting

Not once since I was old enough to buy a hunting license have I missed  a deer season in Wisconsin.  Not that I’m much of a hunter anymore; I am not.  But the idea of being with family for this annual ritual compels me to return to the woods on these days before Thanksgiving looking for the illusive ten-point buck, which is the standard, high-ranking achievement for the deer hunter.  Anything less, say a fat six-pointer evokes little praise.

I suspect there are a growing number of us, with many years of deer hunting experience, who continue not because of the thrill of bagging a big deer (most will take one if the opportunity presents itself) but of the hunt itself.  The Saturday night chili supper at St. Paul’s Lutheran in Wild Rose. Chatting with nephews seldom seen during the rest of the year.  But above all, for me at least, the opportunity to sit in the woods on my farm, with giant oaks all around me and a view of my pond in front of me, and the quiet.  Oh, how I appreciate the quiet with no cell phones chirping, no traffic roaring in the background, and no door bells dinging.

After an extremely busy fall of speaking and book signings, I needed these few days of escape.  Deer hunting is my excuse.

SPECIAL EVENT:  December Monday, December 3, 6:30, Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose.  Central Wisconsin launch of TAMARACK RIVER GHOST, my latest novel, with a setting in central Wisconsin.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS:  Find time to seek a quiet place from time to time.  It’s good for the soul.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

November 28, 7:00 p.m. “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” State-wide broadcast on all Wisconsin Public TV stations.

December 1, 10:30-2:30 Fireside Books, West Bend, WI. 10:30-2:00 p.m. Presentation at 11:00. “Tamarack River Ghost.”

December 3, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose.  Dinner and book launch for “Tamarack River Ghost.”  Call 920-622-3855 for information.

December 5, 11:00 a.m. Larry Meiller Show, Wisconsin Public Radio.  Tamarack River Ghost.

December 8, 9:30-11:30, Sheboygan Falls Memorial Library, Garden Wisdom. Sponsored by Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.

December 15, 11:00 -12:30. Wisconsin Historical Society Museum, Downtown Madison.  Book Signing.

Wisconsin Book Festival

To those who proclaim that the book is dead, they need only to have attended the Wisconsin Book Festival to know how wrong they are.  A program of the Wisconsin Humanities Council, the Wisconsin Book Festival, held this year November 7-11 at various sites in and around Madison, attracted scores of authors and hundreds of readers from near and far.

On Saturday, I had the privilege of the introducing Jim Draeger and Mark Speltz, authors of “Bottoms Up: A Toast to Wisconsin’s Historic Bars & Breweries.”  The event was held at Le Tigre Lounge off Midvale Blvd. in Madison--and people were literally spilling out the door—all thirsting for a bit of “Bottoms Up” (and a cool brew or two as well).

On Sunday, afternoon, during the last time period of the five-day show, author Kristy Athens of Portland, Oregon and I shared a stage at the Overture Center in Madison for a program called “With Our Hands in the Dirt.”  She discussed her new book, “Get your Pitchfork on: The Real Dirt on Country Living,” and I talked about my book, “Garden Wisdom.”  We were privileged to have Wisconsin’s own, Larry Meiller, host of Wisconsin Public Radio’s Larry Meiller show, to introduce us.  With a cold rain making the afternoon a bit miserable, book readers listened, chuckled, and raised great questions during our nearly one and a half hour session. 

Really no need to say it, but books and book-reading continue to be important in the lives of many.  May it ever be so.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Books do not scold when you blunder, laugh when you are ignorant, or hide when you seek them.

CHECK THIS OUT: Tune in your Wisconsin Public TV station on November 28, 7:00 p.m. for the inaugural showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.”

UPCOMING EVENTS:

November 13, Barnes and Noble Book Store, Madison West. 7:00 p.m. Launch of “Tamarack River Ghost.”

November 14, Columbus, Wi Public Library. 6:00 p.m. “Tamarack River Ghost”

 November 15, 7:00 p.m. Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine Street, Green Bay, WI. Showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV.   Free to the public. Reception with cider and cookies. Apps will speak and take questions from the audience following the show.

November 28, 7:00 p.m. “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” State-wide broadcast on all Wisconsin Public TV stations.

December 1, 10:30-2:30 Fireside Books, West Bend, WI. 10:30-2:00 p.m. Presentation at 11:00. “Tamarack River Ghost.”

December 3, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose.  Dinner and book launch for “Tamarack River Ghost.”  Call 920-622-3855 for reservations.

December 8, 9:30-11:30, Sheboygan Falls Memorial Library, Garden Wisdom. Sponsored by Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.

December 15, 11:00 -12:30. Wisconsin Historical Society Museum, Downtown Madison.  Book Signing.

November 13 Jerry Apps Book Launch

A special invitation to all:

Launch of Tamarack River Ghost at Barnes and Noble West Madison, Tuesday, November 13, 7:00 p.m.

Another installment of the Ames County Series of books with a Wisconsin base--and this time a contemporary issue facing the good citizens of Ames County who live in the Tamarack River Valley.

Making Wood

The old oak tree stood maybe 40 feet tall, one of the sentinel trees on the side hill back of the cabin.  A couple years ago the tree died; no one knew why.  The bark had fallen from the upper branches and were bleached white from the summer sun.  But the tree remained sturdy and strong—and had become a prime candidate for firewood to feed our every hungry wood stove that warms our cabin and cooks our food during the cool days of fall and the long, cold days of winter.

Making wood has become a fall-day tradition for many years at the cabin.  The family gathers and together we, cut, split and pile the wood on the outside of the woodshed where it dries for the winter.  The wood we burn this season was cut a year ago—well seasoned and dry firewood is not only safer to burn (far less danger of chimney fires) but it also is easier to start and burns better.

Steve handles the chainsaw these days; Paul is in charge of the cant hook—which helps to prevent the chainsaw from pinching when the tree is down.  Once the tree is sawed into chunks, I haul them to the shed with the tractor and there, with a log splitter, Steve and grandson, Ben slice the big chunks into cook stove size pieces while Paul hauls the split wood with the tractor to the woodshed where he not only stacks the wood but makes the stack look like an artist’s work.

Daughter Sue and Ruth prepare an enormous noon meal for the hungry wood cutting crew and the work continues throughout the afternoon until the wood is all piled.  I am reminded of the wood cutting bees we had on the home farm when I was a kid.  When the neighbors came to help slice the oak logs into manageable hunks.  In those days there were no chain saws, and no mechanical wood splitters.   Just two-man cross cut saws, axes, and splitting mauls.  All hand labor.  Except for Guy York’s circle saw that made the rounds of the neighbors, slicing long oak logs into manageable chunks of wood—the work we do these days with a chainsaw.   The good old days? 

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Daughter Sue said it.  “Bacon never tastes better than when it is prepared on a wood burning cook stove.”

Upcoming Events

November 7, 5:30 dinner.  Platteville Historical Society, Platteville, WI. “Garden Wisdom.” 1^st English Lutheran Church, 215 W. Pine St., Platteville.

November 11,  5:15 p.m. Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison, Overture Center,

“Garden Wisdom.”

November 12, 10:00 a.m. Radio show, WBEV-AM, Beaver Dam. Brenda Murphy Show.  “Tamarack River Ghost.

November 13, Barnes and Noble Book Store, Madison West. 7:00 p.m. Launch of“Tamarack River Ghost.”

November 14, Columbus, Wi Public Library. 6:00 p.m. “Tamarack River Ghost.”

 November 15, 7:00 p.m. Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine Street, Green Bay, WI. Showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV.   Free to the public. Reception with cider and cookies. Apps will speak and take questions from the audience following the show.

November 28, 7:00 p.m. “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” State-wide broadcast on all Wisconsin Public TV stations.

December 1, 10:30-2:30 Fireside Bookstore, West Bend, WI. 10:30-2:00 p.m. Presentation at 11:00. “Tamarack River Ghost.”

December 3, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose.  Dinner and book launch for “Tamarack River Ghost.”  Call 920-622-3855 for reservations.

December 8, 9:30-11:30, Sheboygan Falls Memorial Library, Garden Wisdom. Sponsored by Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.

December 15, 11:00 -12:30. Wisconsin Historical Society Museum, Downtown Madison.  Booksigning.

Upcoming Events

November 7, 5:30 dinner.  Platteville Historical Society, Platteville, WI. “Garden Wisdom.” 1^st English Lutheran Church, 215 W. Pine St., Platteville.

November 11,  5:15 p.m. Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison,”Overture Center, “Garden Wisdom.”

November 13, Barnes and Noble Book Store, Madison West. 7:00 p.m. Launch of “Tamarack River Ghost.”

November 14, Columbus, Wi Public Library. 6:00 p.m. “Tamarack River Ghost.”

 November 15, 7:00 p.m. Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine Street, Green Bay, WI. Showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV.   Free to the public. Reception with cider and cookies. Apps will speak and take questions from the audience following the show.

November 28, 7:00 p.m. “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” State-wide broadcast on all Wisconsin Public TV stations.

December 1, 10:30-2:30 Fireside Books, West Bend, WI. 10:30-2:00 p.m. Presentation at 11:00. “Tamarack River Ghost.”

December 3, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose.  Dinner and book launch for “Tamarack River Ghost.”  Call 920-622-3855 for reservations.

December 8, 9:30-11:30, Sheboygan Falls Memorial Library,  Garden Wisdom. Sponsored by Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.

Treasured Public Libraries

When I was a kid growing up on a farm in central Wisconsin and attending a one-room country school, we had few books at home, and the school had but three shelves of books located near the wood stove in the back of the schoolroom.

As a lover of books since I learned to read, by fifth or sixth grade I had read every book in the school’s limited collection.  And I wanted more.  In those days, the Wild Rose library would not lend books to kids who lived outside the village.  So I was stuck.

Mr. Roberts, owner of the Wild Rose Mercantile knew about my love for books.  In the basement of his store, where you could buy everything from four-buckle barn boots to groceries, Mr. Roberts offered a small collection of hard cover books; none priced more than .49 cents each.

While my mother was busy grocery shopping, Mr. Roberts would take me down to his book collection and recommend books for me to buy.  I saved my money from picking cucumbers, potatoes and green beans—and bought books.  I still have several of them in my collection: SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON, TREASURE ISLAND,  THE BLACK ARROW and several others.

I was reminded of all of this last week when I attended and spoke at the 2012 Wisconsin Library Association Conference held in La Crosse.  How fortunate we are in Wisconsin to have such a fine collection of public libraries—that are open to the public, country kids included.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS.  Support our libraries.  They are community treasures.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

October 30, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bramble Books, Viroqua, WI.  Book Signing.

October 30, 5:30 p.m. Temple Theater, Viroqua, WI. Showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV. Refreshments.  Free to the public. Apps will speak and take questions from the audience following the show.

November 1, 6:30 p.m. Minoqua Public Library. Minoqua, WI. “Rural Wit and Wisdom.”

November 7, Platteville Historical Society, Platteville, WI. “Garden Wisdom.”

November 11,  5:15 p.m. Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison,”Overture Center, “Garden Wisdom.”

November 13, Barnes and Noble Book Store, Madison West. 7:00 p.m. Launch of

“Tamarack River Ghost.”

November 14, Columbus, Wi Public Library. 6:00 p.m. “Tamarack River Ghost”

 November 15, 7:00 p.m. Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine Street, Green Bay, WI. Showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV.   Free to the public. Reception with cider and cookies. Apps will speak and take questions from the audience following the show.

November 28, 7:00 p.m. “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” State-wide broadcast on all Wisconsin Public TV stations.

December 1, 10:30-2:30 Fireside Books, West Bend, WI. Presentation at 11:00

Writing From Your Life

Last Saturday, at The Clearing in Door County, as rain splattered against the windows of the Jens Jensen Center, I worked with a wonderful group of writers.  I call the workshop “Writing From Your Life,” and I do it a couple times a year at this special place near the tip of Wisconsin’s thumb.

It was a great day for writing, gloomy, wet, but so beautiful as the maples and birch were in their full fall splendor.  The stories ranged from hilarious to sad, but all personal and written from the heart.  Long forgotten memories were recalled and put down on paper.  A record for the family.  History for the community.

For story writing tips, I suggest—with no modesty—looking at my new book RURAL WIT AND WISDOM (Fulcrum Press, 2012) where I have a long chapter on the importance of personal stories and how to write them.  Go to my website, www.jerryapps.com for more information.  Or order directly from Fulcrum Press http://www.fulcrum-books.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=6171

THE OLD TIMER SAYS.  The history of a community resides in its storytellers.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

October 24, 2:15 p.m., Wisconsin Library Assoc. Annual Meeting, LaCrosse Conference Center, LaCrosse, WI  “Garden Wisdom.”

October 30, 3:00 p.m. Bramble Books, Viroqua, WI.  Booksigning.

October 30, 5:30 p.m. Temple Theater, Viroqua, WI. Showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV. Refreshments.  Free to the public.

November 1, 6:30 p.m. Minoqua Public Library. Minoqua, WI. “Rural Wit and Wisdom”

November 7, Platteville Historical Society, Platteville, WI. “Garden Wisdom”

November 11,  5:15 p.m. Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison,” Garden Wisdom.”

November 13, Barnes and Noble Book Store,  Madison West. 7:00 p.m. Launch of

“Tamarack River Ghost”.

November 14, Columbus, WI Public Library. 6:00 p.m. “Tamarack River Ghost”

 November 15, 7:00 p.m. Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine Street, Green Bay, WI. Showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV.   Free to the public. Reception with cider and cookies. Apps will speak and take questions from the audience following the show.

November 28, 7:00 p.m. “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” State-wide broadcast on all Wisconsin Public TV stations.

December 1, 10:30-2:30 Fireside Books, West Bend, WI. Presentation at 11:00

Rainy Days

The forecasters said 100 percent chance of rain.  They usually hedge a bit on their forecasts—80 percent, 60 percent.  But not this time.  They were sure.  And they were right.

The rain began Friday evening, slow and easy, not like a typical shower that rolls in with a lot of show and bluster and soon moves on.  No thunder, no lightning.  Just dark clouds and rain.  Saturday morning, drippy rain continued.  Not hard rain, not enough to keep visitors away from harvest festivals, but enough to get you wet if you chose not to wear rain gear. 

By late Saturday afternoon, the clouds darkened even more, and the rain began falling ever heavier.  Soaking rain.  And it continued all night.  Pounding on the bedroom windows, pouring off rooftops—and soaking the doughty land that had suffered most of the summer.

Sunday morning.  The rain continued, heavy at times. Making puddles where puddles had not been for months.  Giving my garden’s winter wheat cover crop the boost it needed.  Green showing everywhere as the little green wheat shoots pushed through the thoroughly soaked soil.

By Sunday evening, when the raindrops ceased falling and the clouds moved on to the east, the rain gauges in my part of central Wisconsin measured four inches. My brother in Wild Rose said that he’d measured five inches. The most rain we’d gotten at one time all summer.  And how welcomed it was.  Smiles all around.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS.  What do you do when it rains?  Let it rain.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

October 24, 2:15 p.m., Wisconsin Library Assoc. Annual Meeting, LaCrosse Conference Center, LaCrosse, WI  “Garden Wisdom.”

October 30, 5:30 p.m. Temple Theater, Viroqua, WI. Showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV. Refreshments.  Free to the public.

November 1, 6:30 p.m. Minoqua Public Library. Minoqua, WI. Rural Wit and Wisdom.

November 7, Platteville Historical Society, Platteville, WI.

November 11,  5:15 p.m. Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison,” Garden Wisdom.”

November 13, Barnes and Noble Book Store,  Madison West. 7:00 p.m. Launch of

“Tamarack River Ghost”.

November 14, Columbus Library. 6:00 p.m. "Tamarack River Ghost"

A Farm Story

In the fall of 2011, Wisconsin Public Television began developing a documentary about farm life in Wisconsin during the late 1930s and through the War years of the 1940s.  I helped them with the project and they gave the hour-long program the title of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story,” which is now complete.

 The show includes still photos that many Wild Rose area people contributed-- one-room country schools, making hay, threshing bees,  cucumber picking, swimming at Little Silver Lake and much more  The film also has several shots of Wild Rose’s Main Street featuring Hotz’s Hardware and the old Mercantile, still the largest building in the village, as well as the millpond and the old grist mill.

The narration includes stories from several of my books  including, RURAL WIT AND WISDOM, WHEN CHORES WERE DONE, LIVING A COUNTRY YEAR, EVERY FARM TELLS A STORY, ONE-ROOM COUNTRY SCHOOLS and OLD FARM: A HISTORY.

The premier showing of the film will be at the Wild Rose H.S. auditorium (600 Park Avenue, Wild Rose) on Monday, October 15, 5:30 p.m.  The showing will include a reception with light refreshments.  There is no charge and everyone is invited—I’ll be making some brief remarks as part of the program.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS:  Remembering where we have been can help us see where we are going.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

October 13, 9-4.  The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life. Go to www.theclearing.org for information.

October 15, 5:30 p.m. Wild Rose High School Auditorium.  First showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV. Refreshments. Free to the public.

October 24, 2:15 p.m., Wisconsin Library Assoc. Annual Meeting, LaCrosse Conference Center, LaCrosse, WI  “Garden Wisdom.”

October 30, 5:30 p.m. Temple Theater, Viroqua, WI. Showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV. Refreshments.  Free to the public.

November 1, 6:30 p.m. Minoqua Public Library. Minoqua, WI.

November 7, Platteville Historical Society, Platteville, WI.

November 11,  5:15 p.m. Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison,” Garden Wisdom.”

November 13, Barnes and Noble Book Store,  Madison West. 7:00 p.m. Launch of “Tamarack River Ghost”.

Canada Geese

As long as I can remember, the honking of geese flying south on a cool autumn day was a thrilling sound.  It still is. Sometimes the geese fly at night. With a full moon the sight of geese in a moonlit sky along with the sound of their honking is a one of those never forgotten experiences.

Yesterday, when Steve and I visited our pond with the intention of viewing the maples, birch, and aspen in full autumn splendor, I spotted movement on the far end of our small body of water—maybe a couple hundred yards from where the pond path ended by the water’s edge.

There they were, fifteen Canada geese.  I don’t know if they were northern geese passing through and spending the day resting in this beautiful quiet place, or if they were locals making the rounds of area ponds.  They made no sound at all.  Nor did we.  We watched them for more than a half hour.  They looked in our direction—but didn’t panic and fly off.  Maybe they were just too tired from already flying a long distance.  Or, maybe they found this quiet place ablaze in fall color too nice to leave.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS:  Take time to watch migrating geese fly overhead.  Notice how they take turns leading and following—and helping each other.

CHECK THIS OUT: Wisconsin Public Television premier showing of “Country life from an earlier day” documentary at Wild Rose High School Auditorium, Monday, October 15, 6:30 p.m. Show includes several photos from Wild Rose and the surrounding area. Free to the public. I will be offering introductory comments.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

October 3, 6:00 p.m. Onalaska Public Library, Rural Wit and Wisdom

October 4-6. Midwest Booksellers, Minneapolis. Book Signing.

October 13, 9-4.  The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life. Go to www.theclearing.org for information.

October 15, 6:30 p.m. Wild Rose High School Auditorium.  Wis Public TV showing of a “Country life from an earlier day” documentary.  Free to the public.

October 24, 2:15 p.m., Wisconsin Library Assoc. Annual Meeting, LaCrosse.  Garden Wisdom.

Horse Drawn Days

Before cars and trucks, airplanes and trains, horses got us from here to there.   In the villages and cities, horses pulled the milk wagons, hauled the beer wagons, toted everything that needed toting, including people.

On the farms, by the 1850s, draft horses began replacing oxen, those docile critters that did the heavy work of plowing and hauling heavy loads, and providing transportation for people as well. But they were so slow.  It’s claimed that if a family with oxen wanted to arrive on time for Sunday church, they had to leave home on Friday.

Soon draft horses were pulling the plows, the hay mowers and hay wagons, the grain binders and everything else that needed pulling. 

For many farmers, horses continued doing the heavy work through the Depression years of the 1930s, and through World War II as well, when tractors replaced the steady steeds.

Want to learn more about horses and horse-drawn equipment?  Travel to the Wisconsin Historical Society’s Stonefield Village, near Cassville, where next Saturday, September 29 you can see horses being harnessed and working. And you can hear me talk about the history of horses on the farm at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

If you want to learn still more about horses in our history, check out my book HORSE DRAWN DAYS, published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: When you farm with horses, you never have to worry about them starting on a cold winter morning.  Tractors are not that dependable.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

September 29, Stonefield Village, Cassville, WI.  Horse Drawn Days.

October 3, 6:00 p.m. Onalaska Public Library, Rural Wit and Wisdom

October 4-6 Midwest Booksellers, Minneapolis. Book Signing. RURAL WIT AND WISDOM and my new novel, TAMARACK RIVER GHOST.

October 13, 9-4.  The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life. (Still some openings. Go to www.theclearing.org for information.  Click on workshops.)

Garden Harvest

Several people have asked how my vegetable garden turned out this year.  The quick answer: some of it great, some of it not so great.

As most know, my garden is in northern Waushara County where drought and extreme heat made growing anything difficult this summer.  I didn’t expect much from my garden—and I wouldn’t have gotten much either, without lots of watering (much of it thanks to my brother, Don, who turned on the hose when I couldn’t be there).

As any gardener knows, weeds grow in spite of the weather.  Much thanks to Steve and Natasha who spent many weekends, rototilling, hoeing, and weed pulling.

The cool weather crops such as lettuce, radishes and broccoli did poorly.  They started quickly, and then the heat just as quickly did them in—after only a couple of meals of lettuce, a handful of radishes and no broccoli at all.  Early red potatoes, planted in March—average yield.

The sweet corn (again with water at the right time) was outstanding. Yields were good, taste was special.  Cucumbers—average.  Short season, all through bearing before Labor Day.  Carrots, average.  Beets, above average.  Onions, average.

Squash and pumpkins.  Germinated well with warm soil temps in May, and grew well, but with the extreme heat—and lack of pollination, crop was late and about half what I expected.  Not so for the zucchini, tough plant, lots of yield.  Still green and producing in mid-September.

Tomatoes—outstanding crop.  We picked probably four bushels.  Tomatoes like hot weather.  Key this year was mulching each plant with straw, which kept down the weeds and kept in the moisture.

Late Potatoes—Best crop in several years. Blemish free, uniform size.  Key was ridding the plants of the cursed Colorado potato beetles as soon as we saw them appear.

Harvesting is about completed.  All that remains is a row of very tall broom corn that is not quite ready for cutting and a row of ornamental corn that needs a week or two more before it is ripe.

All and all, in spite of the weather challenges, a good vegetable garden year.

An aside: I met a fellow the other day who bought my new garden book, GARDEN WISDOM.  He said he had a bone to pick with me, that his garden was a complete failure.  I told him buying the book was not enough, he should also read it.  He didn’t reply.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: As we get older, we forget things that happened, and remember things that didn’t.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

  

September 18, 10:30-11:30 WAHCE Conference, Marriott Hotel, Middleton, WI. Rural Wit and Wisdom.

September 22, 2:00 Wade House Historic Site, Greenbush, WI. Garden Wisdom.

September 24, 11:30, Learning in Retirement, Oshkosh. Stories From the Land. Rural Wit and Wisdom.

September 29, Stonefield Village, Cassville, WI.  Horse Drawn Days.

October 3, 6:00 p.m. Onalaska Public Library, Rural Wit and Wisdom

October 4-6 Midwest Booksellers, Minneapolis. Book Signing.

October 13, 9-4.  The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life. (Still some openings. Go to www.theclearing.org for information.  Click on workshops.)

Wilderness Loon Calls

Steve and I just returned from a week in the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota, a place where we have returned to again and again for nearly 30 years, a place where silence is the rule, except when a loon’s mysterious call reminds us that we are in a special place.  A place that is called wilderness.

It was summer at the beginning of the week, and clearly fall as the northwest wind brought rain clouds and lower temperatures, and made canoeing impossible one day when the waves were too high for comfortable paddling.

It’s been hot in the Boundary Waters this summer, as it has been in much of the country.  So. . . our excuse for catching few fish.  You ask how many fish did we catch?  Well, a good fishermen brags about success and remains mum on failure.

 It was a great week for reading, thinking, paddling, and yes, fishing.  Catching was a bit of a problem.

If you have not read Campfires and Loon Calls that I wrote about our adventures in the BWCAW over the years, you may want to check it out. (Steve did the photography).  Fulcrum Press, Denver is the publisher. http://www.fulcrum-books.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=6083. 

THE OLD TIMER SAYS (Quoting John Muir): In God’s wildness lies the hope of the world—the great fresh, unblighted, unredeemed wilderness.

CHECK THIS OUT:  You can preorder my new novel, THE TAMARACK RIVER GHOST (fifth in my Ames County Series) from Amazon.com.

 See press kit at this link for information about the book: http://uwpress.wisc.edu/Presskits/Apps_RiverGhost.html

UPCOMING EVENTS:

September 15, 1-4 p.m. Old World Wisconsin, Eagle, WI.  Book Signing. Barns of Wisconsin, Garden Wisdom, Horses Drawn Days and more.

September 18, 10:30-11:30 WAHCE Conference, Marriott Hotel, Middleton, WI. Rural Wit and Wisdom.

September 22, 2:00 Wade House Historic Site, Greenbush, WI. Garden Wisdom.

September 24, 11:30, Learning in Retirement, Oshkosh. Stories From the Land. Rural Wit and Wisdom.

September 29, Stonefield Village, Cassville, WI.  Horse Drawn Days.

October 4-6 Midwest Booksellers, Minneapolis. Book Signing.

October 13, 9-4.  The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life. (Still some openings. Go to www.theclearing.org for information.  Click on workshops.)

One Kernel

My brother, Donald’s tree farm is adjacent to mine, and we have both been lamenting the havoc the dry weather has been having on our trees.  But the drought goes further.

Don also plants food plots for the deer and turkeys and whatever other wild creature wants a special treat.  He plants mostly corn and rye on these little cultivated pieces of ground.  This past weekend, my son, Steve and Don inspected one of his corn plots that he had planted in the spring.  By now the corn should be dark green, six feet tall, with plump ears hanging on each stalk.

Because of the dry weather, Don’s corn is about three feet fall, mostly brown, and a pitiful sight by any standard for decent farming.  Steve went hunting for ears—and finally found one.  One ear in the entire food plot.  When he stripped back the husk, he discovered the ear, which was about six inches long, had but one kernel on it.  Of course a corn ear should have kernels from tip to base.

“It is a nicely formed kernel,” Steve said, smiling. 

The wild critters will have to look elsewhere for their special treats this fall and winter.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Next year will be better (he hopes).

CHECK THIS OUT:  You can preorder my new novel, THE TAMARACK RIVER GHOST (fifth in my Ames County Series) from Amazon.com.  See press kit at this link for information about the book: http://uwpress.wisc.edu/Presskits/Apps_RiverGhost.html

UPCOMING EVENTS:

September 7-8, Southwest Wisconsin Prairie Festival, Folklore Village, 3210 Co. Hwy. BB, Dodgeville, WI. Keynote, Saturday, Sept. 8, 1:00 p.m. “People and the Prairie.”

September 15, 1-4 p.m. Old World Wisconsin, Eagle, WI.  Book Signing.

September 18, 10:30-11:30 WAHCE Conference, Marriott Hotel, Middleton, WI Keynote.

September 22, 2:00 Wade House Historic Site, Greenbush, WI. Garden Wisdom.

September 24, 11:30, Learning in Retirement, Oshkosh. Stories From the Land.

September 29, Stonefield Village, Cassville, WI.  Horse Drawn Days.

October 4-6 Midwest Booksellers, Minneapolis. Book Signing.

October 13, 9-4.  The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life. (Still some openings. Go to www.theclearing.org for information.  Click on workshops.)

Rural Wit and Wisdom

Earlier this summer, my newest book, Rural Wit and Wisdom: Time-Honored Values From the Midwest (Fulcrum Press) came out.  It’s a completely revised version of a book I wrote several years ago.

I wrote the first version of the book shortly after my father died at age 93.  Although he had little formal education—he completed fifth grade—he was a man of wisdom and a great storyteller.  With his passing, I wrote across the top of a page in my journal, “Things I learned from my father.”  It was my way of grieving my loss.  I thought I would fill up a couple of pages with my memories.  As it turned out, a book resulted from this effort.

In this new edition, I include additional bits of wit and wisdom from my father, and I also include a section on storytelling—especially how to write stories that you remember from your life. The book includes a set of new photos taken by my son, Steve, who is Chief Photographer for the Wisconsin State Journal. Give the book a look; I think you will find it interesting.  To learn more go to http://www.fulcrum-books.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=6171 or stop at your local bookstore.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: There is never enough wit and wisdom.

CHECK THIS OUT:  You can preorder my new novel, THE TAMARACK RIVER GHOST (fifth in my Ames County Series) from Amazon.com.  See press kit at this link for information about the book: http://uwpress.wisc.edu/Presskits/Apps_RiverGhost.html

UPCOMING EVENTS:

September 7-8, Southwest Wisconsin Prairie Festival, Folklore Village, 3210 Co. Hwy. BB, Dodgeville, WI. Keynote, Saturday, Sept. 8, 1:00 p.m. “People and the Prairie.”

September 15, 1-4 p.m. Old World Wisconsin, Eagle, WI.  Book Signing.

September 18, 10:30-11:30 WAHCE Conference, Marriott Hotel, Middleton, WI Keynote.

September 22, 2:00 Wade House Historic Site, Greenbush, WI. Garden Wisdom.

September 24, 11:30, Learning in Retirement, Oshkosh. Stories From the Land.

September 29, Stonefield Village, Cassville, WI.  Horse Drawn Days.

October 4-6 Midwest Booksellers, Minneapolis. Book Signing.

October 13, 9-4.  The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life. (Still some openings. Go to www.theclearing.org for information.  Click on workshops.)

Pine Trees and Drought

Driving in the sand country of central Wisconsin, where there is no irrigation available, you quickly see the havoc created by this summer’s heat and drought.  Cornfields are dead and dying—some already have been plowed down with the crop declared a complete failure.  Other cornfields are stunted with dead leaves and no ears.  The soybean crop is not much better. Nor is the late cutting of hay.

But overlooked by many is what the drought has done to those of us who are tree farmers.  About five years ago we planted seven-thousand red pine trees on our farm.  They were doing well, many of them already three and four feet tall.  But this year trees that were planted on sandy, gravely hilltops have died. Once green needles are now a sickly, reddish brown.  Entire hillsides of dead and dying trees.  Not a pleasant sight.

It’s not just the relatively young trees that are dying.  Yesterday, on our farm, I spotted a twenty-foot jack pine, the toughest of tough native trees that had died.  And not far away, a Scotch pine, about six feet tall—dead.

I decided at the very beginning of my tree farming operation in the middle 1960s that I would grow pulp wood, logs for log cabins, and saw logs for lumber.  No Christmas trees. Driving past a Christmas tree farm north of Montello, I spotted an entire hillside of once beautiful Christmas trees, all dead.  The entire hillside of trees killed by the drought—and a great loss to the grower, I’m sure.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Let’s hope next year will be better.

CHECK THIS OUT:  You can preorder my new novel, THE TAMARACK RIVER GHOST (fifth in my Ames County Series) from Amazon.com.  See press kit at this link for information about the book: http://uwpress.wisc.edu/Presskits/Apps_RiverGhost.html

UPCOMING EVENTS:

August 25, 11:00 Mt. Morris Camp and Conference Center.  Mt. Morris, WI. Barns of Wisconsin.

September 7-8, Southwest Wisconsin Prairie Festival, Folklore Village, 3210 Co. Hwy. BB, Dodgeville, WI. Keynote, Saturday, Sept. 8, 1:00 p.m. “People and the Prairie.”

September 15, 1-4 p.m. Old World Wisconsin, Eagle, WI.  Book Signing.

September 18, 10:30-11:30 WAHCE Conference, Marriott Hotel, Middleton, WI Keynote.

September 22, 2:00 Wade House Historic Site, Greenbush, WI. Garden Wisdom.

September 24, 11:30, Learning in Retirement, Oshkosh. Stories From the Land.

September 29, Stonefield Village, Cassville, WI.  Horse Drawn Days.

October 4-6 Midwest Booksellers, Minneapolis. Book Signing.

October 13, 9-4.  The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life. (Still some openings. Go to www.theclearing.org for information.  Click on workshops.)

Stories To Tell

The came to Door County from Illinois and Iowa, from Minnesota and Wisconsin.  They came to The Clearing, a residential learning center near Ellison Bay.  They came to write stories.  Their own stories, as they participated in my “Writing From Your Life” workshop held last week.

They wrote of early childhood fun.  They wrote about tragedy—death in the family. They wrote hilariously funny stories.  They wrote about little things important in their lives—a rocking chair passed on from generation to generation, a mother’s coffee cup filled with memories, a favorite pair of boots.

They wrote six-word stories patterned after Ernest Hemingway’s six-word story: “For sale.  Baby shoes.  Never Worn.”

They laughed.  They cried.  They shared and critiqued each other’s work.  And they wrote and wrote some more.  Wonderful stories.  Stories from the heart.  Stories from the past with meaning for today.

CHECK THIS OUT: For a guide to writing your own story, see my book RURAL WIT AND WISDOM (Fulcrum Press, 2012).  I include a long chapter on writing personal stories with many tips to help you get started.

 THE OLD TIMER SAYS: When we forget our stories, we forget who we are.

CHECK THIS OUT:  You can preorder my new novel, THE TAMARACK RIVER GHOST (fifth in my Ames County Series) from Amazon.com.  See press kit at this link for information about the book: http://uwpress.wisc.edu/Presskits/Apps_RiverGhost.html

UPCOMING EVENTS:

September 7-8, Southwest Wisconsin Prairie Festival, Folklore Village, 3210 Co. Hwy. BB, Dodgeville, WI. I’m giving keynote talk, Saturday, Sept. 8, 1:00 p.m. “People and the Prairie.”

October 13, 9-4.  The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life.

Dry Weather Gardening

Five things to do during hot, dry weather to keep a vegetable garden alive and producing:

1. Work hard to keep out all weeds.  They use a lot of moisture.

2.  Water regularly--about a half-inch at a time, in the early morning to reduce evaporation.  We try to not let the garden "dry out" too much (we have sandy soil) as too dry and then too wet leads to problems (blossom end-rot of tomatoes for example).  Too much watering leads to mildew and other wet weather problems.

3. When I finished harvesting the early sweet corn, I cut the stalks into little pieces so the remaining corn plant would not draw moisture. Same for when the green beans finish bearing.

4.With hot weather,  crops mature quickly--and can over grow almost while you watch (especially zucchini  and cucumbers). Harvest regularly.  Overgrown crops draw lots of moisture.

5.  Do a rain dance--regularly, with vigor and enthusiasm.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Gardening is never a sure thing.  Mother Nature is full of surprises.

CHECK THIS OUT:  You can preorder my new novel, THE TAMARACK RIVER GHOST (fifth in my Ames County Series) from Amazon.com.  See press kit at this link for information about the book: http://uwpress.wisc.edu/Presskits/Apps_RiverGhost.html

UPCOMING EVENTS:

August 5-11, The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life.

September 7-8, Southwest Wisconsin Prairie Festival, Folklore Village, 3210 Co. Hwy. BB, Dodgeville, WI.  Keynote talk, Saturday, Sept. 8, 1:00 p.m. “People and the Prairie.”

October 13, The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life.