Thanks man, I enjoyed that. Come-on Twins!

For the week of July 6th - 13th...

"Strange how after offering my neighbor some refreshments last week, suddenly everyone claims to be my neighbor, has a fenceline and a garden. This could get expensive. Gotta be more careful what I write about I guess.

The wily scurs were a day ahead on Mother Nature’s fireworks. The thunder and lightning on Sunday woke some up wondering I’m sure if the 4th had already arrived. Rainfall last week was spotty with the northern end of the county receiving upwards of 2” in places to .3” in more southerly latitudes. Prepare yourself for another warm and generally dry week. Look for highs in the low-80’s on Wednesday and mid 80’s to low 90’s on into midweek next week. Slight chance of rain Saturday. The scurs are rummaging around to find their watering can.

The forecast does not bode well if you are betting soybean aphids won’t be a problem this year. If you are a soybean aphid however, you probably think otherwise. Aphids have very few paid subscriptions I suspect. In general, warm and dry plays to insects favor. Some have mentioned seeing holes in soybean leaves this past week. Since 1st generation bean leaf beetles have run their course, grasshopper nymphs are probably the culprits.

Action in the garden this week as striped cucumber beetles were noted munching on the leaves of cucumbers, squash and melons. Several products including Sevin and synthetic pyrethroids to choose from to help keep them from ruining your efforts. Also noted some feeding on the leaves of the cabbage and flowering kale. The cabbage butterflies are out and upon examining the leaves, no question they are the culprits. Again, the aforementioned products work well as do the Bt’s such as Thuricide.

The Twinkies won 5 of 6 after last week’s edition and the Sox faltered, allowing the Twins to claw back to within 8 ½ games. See? Not superstitious just hedging my bets. Hmmm, maybe if I run that White Sox doll through the chopper on the tractor…

It was amusing to watch all the baby birds emerge from their nests or at least watch their parents try to keep up with them. Brown thrashers were frantically flying to and fro with wads of insects for their teenagers. The house finches once again this year brought their young along to the feeders. Little wrens are scattered all over the yard as one can’t walk near a shrub without being scolded. The tree swallows have multiplied thanks to a little help keeping the house sparrows at bay. While chopping the thistles in the pasture was amazed at the swallow numbers and how many insects they were consuming. As slow as I was going they must’ve had a tremendous bellyache afterwards!

On my thistle mission, ran across the gray (Hungarian) partridge I thought had nested near the garden. When the adults got up, I immediately shut the mower down and inspected the grass in front of the tractor. It was crawling with tiny chicks fleeing from the racket. Left an unmowed strip 30’ x 150’ for a few days to allow them find their way to the CRP. Walked through the patch before mowing it just to make sure. Most of us aren’t familiar with these little butterballs but they’ve been here since their release across much of the Midwest in the early 1900’s. Native to much of Europe and parts of Asia, these little guys (and gals) adapted well to our cropping systems and survive as a result of a high reproductive rate. Not unusual to hear reports of 15 – 20 eggs in a nest. Only females sit on the nest but the male assists rearing the young unlike a rooster pheasant. Huns as they’re called are primarily seedeaters but also eat insects. The chicks in particular rely heavily this time of year on insects as they need a high protein diet. However, as a whole, gray partridge need a little better habitat than we’ve generally given them in order to maintain hunt-able populations. They like areas such as our garden because it combines brushy vegetation (redosier dogwood) and is right next to a pasture that isn’t overgrazed. With the elimination of fencelines and a trend towards large, open fields, it’s not easy being a Hun. That’s okay. They’re welcome in my fencelines anytime.

See you next week…real good then."

Welcome to Fencelines, read in such exotic locations as Philadelphia PA and Brooklyn NY, not to mention the Du Drop Inn.

More heat in the area and rainfall tending to be sparse last week, much as the scurs predicted. It did rain enough to make splatters in the dust on area windshields but that was generally about it. This week conjures up visions of much the same forecast, a very typical July pattern after the 4th for this part of the state. Look for highs in the mid-80’s Wednesday and lows in the mid-60’s. The burner gets turned up slightly Thursday through Saturday with highs near 90 and lows near 70. Sunday through Tuesday, back to mid-80’s for highs and mid-60’s for lows. There’s a slight chance of rain Saturday through Monday. Hurricane Dennis made a mess of the south but doubt it’ll make a dent in the rainfall deficit in IL. The scurs are looking for their old flesh colored nose plugs. Attired in their Zuba’s, the beach looks like a promising destination.

No rain means fewer therapy sessions at the Mall for Men although we did have a small ceremony to retire the shoes of New Richland’s Fastest Man. Good thing they got most of those road kill Tootsie rolls and chewing gum cleaned up following Farm and City days. Morning footraces begin again!

Speaking of Farm and City Days, greater Bugtussle did itself proud once again. Most people behaved themselves and had a great time. Super job by those patrolling the festivities and keeping us safe while celebrating what it means to be part of small town America. Where else can one visit on the street with the mayor then watch him clean road apples off of it the next?

The Twinkies struggled this past week. The All Star break comes at a good time. They made up a little ground on Chicago thanks to a sweep in Chicago by the A’s. They’re 9 back vs. 7 ½ back last year so all is not lost. Interesting to see if Brett Boone will help shore up the Twins defense and kick start their offense.

Crops continue to motor along. Corn could use a rain following tasseling. We’re seeing some tassels around groves. Soybeans are liking the warm, dry weather but as mentioned last week, so are the soybean aphids. Numbers have not reached threshold levels in fields in the local area however so addition of insecticide to a herbicide application at this point would be frivolous due to the nature of the little beasties.

The bluebirds left their nest, but only two of the four made it. Predator guards for the variety of nesting boxes here are the order of the day for next year. It is far too easy for a cat, opossum or a raccoon to climb up and reach in to grab what they can. They are relatively easy to make but since we have 4 different kinds of bluebird houses, they will have to be custom designed. While cleaning out the tree swallow nests I came across another nest in a previously unused house. The eggs were small and blue and the nest was similar to the bluebird nest in the nesting box behind the granary. Only thing was, the eggs in that nesting box were cream-colored. After consulting with birding guru extraordinaire Al Batt, turns out some female bluebirds lay cream-colored eggs and some lay the light blue variety. As he claims, just knowing there are more bluebirds is always good news.

Sadly, it appears something got the teal ducklings I’d had high hopes for. That or they moved to the neighbor’s pond. I strongly doubt it however as I haven’t seen any ducklings magically appear there. There is a rose-breasted grosbeak back at the feeders that helps put a little ointment on the wound.

Some insect notes include the mating of monarch butterflies. Also seen were black swallowtail butterflies. Spent many hours collecting their caterpillars in fruit jars as a kid, feeding them either the dill or carrot tops they were found on. Dragonflies are helping keep the mosquitoes in check. The drier weather has helped too. Heard the first cicada buzzing in town the other day. Seem to take a few days longer in the country as we don’t get the heat island effect from all the asphalt in downtown Bugtussle.

See you next week…real good then.

The scurs weren’t fooling when they said the heat was on. Several days topping out over 90 as part of what has been hailed by many as the longest heat wave since the drought of 1988. This week we should see more moderate temps once again and some slight chances of rain midweek. Highs should be in the mid-80’s most of the week with lows in the mid-60’s. Early next week, expect highs to drop back down into the 70’s a few days with lows in the mid-50’s! The trend through the end of the month should be for near normal temperatures and normal precipitation. The scurs may have to find their blankies again.

The Full Moon falls on the Thursday the 21st and has many names depending on the source of the info. Most commonly it is known as the Full Buck Moon or the Full Hay Moon. However, in the plains and woods of MN, the Sioux called it the “moon where the red lilies bloom” and the Ojibwe called it the Full Raspberry Moon. Wonder if they were wearing Deep Woods Off when picking raspberries as Shannon Schonrock’s uncle does?

The Twinkies continued to slide following the All Star break while the White Sox are still playing out of their gourds. Bret Boone hasn’t lit a fire under anyone yet and their offense is anemic. Yes they ran into good pitching but the clutch hits needed to win one-run games are not there. Still a potential Wild Card team IF they get their hitting shoes on.

Many native prairie plants are showing up in the road ditches and CRP around the area. Big bluestem is beginning to head out, as are yellow Indiangrass and Canada wildrye. On the wildflower side, oxeye daisies and compassplants are blooming, as are wild bergamot, purple coneflower and evening primrose.

Birds watching again this past week saw an indication that the pheasant hatch hasn’t been all bad. Stopped the truck on a gravel road and watched as 10 chicks about the size of meadowlarks crossed in front of me. Looks like the orioles had a good hatch too as there appear to be some juveniles visiting the feeders in addition to the male and female.

Small grains are turning and corn tassels are evident field wide across much of the area. Some timely rains and moderating temperatures should help ensure good pollination. Due to ideal conditions soybean aphid numbers continue to climb in area soybean fields, as do numbers of beneficial insects. Unfortunately, with soybean aphid numbers doubling every two to three days, in many fields it’s unlikely they’ll be able to catch up before yields are damaged. However, this is still not a reason to begin spraying every field without checking them. The treatment threshold is 250 aphids per plant on 80% of the plants. And, despite the best coffee shop analysis, the recent rains did not wash all the aphids off the plants. Drat!

Gus and Lucy got baths after the 4-H clan was through washing their sheep here. Amazing how well they stood for it. It was hot out and we used warm water so the benefits of cooling them off were only realized once the water began to evaporate off them. Neither one is really much of a water dog although Gus likes his mud whenever he can get it. Both are shedding off right now and thought I heard the screeching of tires the other day. A driver stopped only to see a large wad of Gus hair blowing across the road.

Was fueling up the truck the other night and an older gentleman approached me. “Say, you look like a farmer.” He said. “What did the markets do today?” “Corn was up a couple cents and beans finished about even.” I blurted out without really thinking about it. He thanked me and went inside as I finished filling the tank. Then it struck me: Do I really look like a farmer? He thought so. I had hay bales in the back of the pickup, my overdue for a haircut mop was all matted from sweating profusely and I was wearing a seed corn hat, blue jeans, a stained T-shirt and work boots. Am guessing I didn’t smell good either. Am I really a farmer though? Let’s see, I do chores twice a day, hang out in the barn a lot, clean it once a year whether it needs it or not and I file a Schedule F. That last one clinches it. Just proud to wear the uniform.

See you next week…real good then.

i can't get a pic. of an uncommon bird,however i got tired of waiting and snapped chippy. i more or less want to see what kind of advise i can get from hobbydog & buzzsaw to improve my photo skills. do you guys use any of the camera's scene programs,or just shoot in standard mode? any info. appreciated. thanks.

If I can get up real close on the picture I'm taking I put it in "Macro mode", however, I usually keep it in outdoor mode with the "sun & cloud" picture on. I always use flash regardless if it's a sunny day as you can get shadows. I'll make a new thread titled back yard pictures and post some pictures I took in macro mode.

Here is a picture of todays sighting in Murphy Hanrehan park behind our home... Lakeville/Prior Lake border.

Skipped last weeks edition, partially because there wasn't a lot of bird sighting info and partially because between soybean aphids, helping sponsor a soybean rust meeting and simple laziness, there wasn't a lot of time.

"Scurs are certainly batting better than the Twinkies of late. Blanket sales locally rose sharply as we had some wonderfully cool evenings after the heat left us. After the early week heat, we’ll see a return to more seasonal temps along with a chance of showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday night into Thursday AM. Highs on Wednesday should be around 90 with lows around 65. Thursday through the middle of next week, highs should be in the mid to low 80’s and lows near 60. Still some time for the scurs to peruse the beaches, searching for their lost shaker of salt.

The Twinkies make no deal, play it close to the vest so what you see is what you’ll get. Somehow losing 2 of 3 to the Yankees and getting swept in Boston with the status quo isn’t going to help put butts in seats. Oh well, we’re still fans anyway. The other day at a restaurant ran across a bunch of Red Hatters while the Twins game was on. The Twins were behind in the late innings (surprise, surprise) and could swear I saw some of the Red Hatters put their rally caps on!

Summer has really flown by for some reason. Maybe it’s because a person is always busy doing something. With work always hectic, it leaves only a few precious hours to complete tasks at home. What’s worse, it really cuts into my naps!

Lots of bird activity and some indications autumn will be staring us in the face before we know it. The pond we put in 2 years ago now was host this past week to numerous types of waterfowl. Egrets and herons are almost always present looking to spear one of the myriad of frogs the pond contains. Blue winged teal, mallards and Canada geese waddle through the mud on around the edge and paddle around undisturbed. Hard to believe the area was a non-vegetated depression where it now is surrounded by reeds, cattails and bullrushes.

In the yard, the feeders are constantly busy. Whether it’s the goldfinches at the thistle and sunflower feeders or the hummingbirds and orioles at the nectar feeders, it is rare to see no activity. Some chickadees were scoping things out, as were the nuthatches, probably taking notes to see where the best handouts will be this winter. Swallows are starting to line the wires already. While some are the barn swallows that likely came out of our buildings, there are some cliff swallows interspersed with them. Too early for that yet.

Gus and Lucy continue their shedding. After brushing them in the yard it looks like a dog exploded. One of the tasks completed this past weekend was filling the holes dug courtesy of Gus. He’ll be celebrating his second birthday on the 6th but judging by the size of those holes, he’s just a big puppy.

Like many farmsteads in the area, ours is in full bloom right now. The purple coneflowers have been spectacular, as have the orange tiger lilies that gave me my start in weed control as a lad. Amazing what can be done with a toy hoe, right Mom? There will be more to come too. Four O’Clocks and sunflowers are budded and ready to burst open any time.

Sunflowers are definitely near and dear to my heart. It is the only seed crop that originated in the Americas and was first cultivated by Native Americans. They used the plant not only for food but also for dyes and as an indicator as to when to hunt buffalo. When the sunflowers were in bloom, the buffalo were fat and ready to be hunted. Seeds were collected and taken back to Europe by various explorers and by the 1600’s, sunflowers were common in European flower gardens. Sunflowers were first utilized as an oilseed crop in the Former Soviet Union. In the mid-1960’s, cultivars were brought back to the US to help develop our own oilseed sunflower production.

Sunflowers were one of the most fascinating crops I had the pleasure of working with after graduating college and moving to ND in the early 1980’s. The sunflower heads follow the sun, a phenomenon known as heliotropism. This movement is the result of a bending of stem through a process known as nutation. Once anthesis (pollen shed) begins or shortly thereafter, nutation ceases. About 90% of the heads are then facing east or northeast where they hang until maturity.

Worked with the striped confection sunflowers, which are raised for the sunflower seeds you and the birds eat as well as the black oilseed type, used for oil and birdseed. Loaded with different insects, susceptible to disease and subject to low prices, they had their share of problems. Still, there were few things aside from a field of flax perhaps that were more stunning than a field of sunflowers in full bloom against a clear blue ND sky. Most of the farmers at that time were not familiar with row cropping so it was a learning experience all the way around. Sunflowers also need to be run through a dryer after harvest so that was especially exciting, as they tend to catch fire rather easily. The local fire departments were doing land office business.

Always try to plant some sunflowers every year here. They’re still pretty, the birds still like them and the flowers still follow the sun across the sky, just like they did on the prairies of ND.

See you next week…real good then."

Wonderful thundershowers this evening as I paste this. Sorry, no pics!

The scurs called it close again but we narrowly missed the showers August 5th. They stopped about at Mankato and fizzled out. While a rain would be beneficial, we’re not in the dire straits some are. This week brings with it increased opportunity for rain from Wednesday through Sunday. After midweek highs in the low to mid 80’s, we’ll see a kinder, gentler temperature regime move in with highs in the 70’s from the weekend through early next week. Lows will be in the low to mid-60’s Wednesday through Friday and cool into the mid-50’s through the middle of next week. Good sleeping weather for the scurs who are always behind me in line for a good snooze on the couch.

The Twinkies still have a pulse after taking 2 of 3 from the Red Sox. Doubtful they can make the playoffs but winning series is the only way to get there. The Viqueens with their new owner have been in training camp awhile. Should be interesting to see how this team functions without Randy Moss. Some think it may make them an even better team offensively as there won’t be one guy to focus a lot of the attention on. One thing’s for sure; their defense will be better.

The mourning in Bugtussle is over: The bakery is open once again. They’ve worked overtime I think since they got back from their vacation though. All the goodies I like to eat for lunch are in the cooler once again.

The sheep continue to enjoy the bounty of the garden. Cucumbers have taken off this week and some ewes wait by the fence each morning for last night’s vegetable peelings. Wonder why they’re always the ones that are so fat?

Pepi left the Mall for Men last week. Due to a shriek that was like sticking an ice pick in your eardrum, she had pretty much worn out her welcome. The mess we could tolerate as we were already used to that. In the meantime we’ve started a book club. We’ve replaced the African gray parrot owner’s manual with one concerning some of the other birds that frequent the joint. Our first book: Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands.

Goldenrod is starting to flower and fills in for the Black Eyed Susan’s that are about done blooming. Noticed the chipmunk in the kindly neighbor’s pasture must’ve been sampling the still green acorns atop his favorite stump. Some of the trees around the ranch have begun to give indications that autumn is just around the corner. The hybrid poplars are showing some yellow leaves and the walnut trees are starting to turn. Amazing how they are one of the last trees to leaf out and one of the first to drop their leaves. Remind you of any people you know?

The birds are beginning to give us a taste of autumn too this week. Cedar waxwings have finally been seen here in the white pine tree. Could always hear them but they were being secretive. Much harder to locate them with all the leaves still on the trees yet. The wrens have for all practical purposes stopped singing too. There are still some in the bushes but they must be tired from the almost nonstop singing they did in June and July. The orioles have made themselves scarce so the hummingbird has laid claim to their feeder. The bluebirds still grace the electric wires with their presence and up to a dozen mourning doves are rummaging around under the feeders every morning. Their songs are so soothing. The goldfinches are blowing through thistle seed like it’s candy. Usually close to a dozen of them tittering away in the trees. The sunflowers are blooming now and they’ll be keeping an eye on their progress as they ripen.

Wound up with border collies Gus and Fudgie celebrating their birthdays together at our place as Mom ended up in the hospital over the weekend. The doggies are growing up and play together pretty well but just like kids, they still have cross words once in awhile. The resident squirrel certainly got a lot of scrutiny though.

After a battery of tests, Mom was considered good to go and was released on Monday. Mrs. Cheviot graciously did the chores as I took Fudgie back home Monday after work. As I pulled in front of the garage at Mom’s, Fudgie was bouncing off the seat like a Mexican jumping bean. She knew exactly where she was. As we settled in Mom prepared a “little supper”, complete with many of the seasonal fruits and vegetables, including pie from the Oriole apple tree, one of over a dozen varieties that Mom and Dad planted shortly after we moved to the Spring Valley farm in the mid-1960’s. Fudgie was her usual self, trying to push Mom’s buttons for a nibble of people food. Mom relented eventually and allowed her to lick the plate off after we had devoured that absolutely scrumptious piece of Dutch apple pie. Even though it became a late night drive back to Bugtussle, it was an evening to store in the memory banks, as it will always be there to treasure. Like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home.”

See you next week…real good then.

Sixteen Quality Birding Locations Around the State
A brief guide to some of Minnesota's best birding areas.


1) Roseau Bog. (Roseau County) This area, and the Lost River State Forest just to the east, are good birding spots for such species as nesting Wilson's Phalarope and Sharp-tailed Sparrow. In winter look for a possible Gyrfalcon, Northern Hawk Owl, Snowy Owl and winter finches. Resident birds include Great Gray Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay and Boreal Chickadee.

2) Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge. (Marshall County) A large, expansive refuge good at all times of the year, this is one of northwestern Minnesota's most interesting birding areas. Look for Yellow Rail, Sandhill Crane, Franklin's Gull, Sedge Wren and Mourning Warbler. Agassiz is also an excellent place to bird during migration, especially for shorebirds.

3) Felton Prairie. (Clay County) Famous for its nesting Chestnut-collared Longspurs, Felton is also a good spot to look for prairie birds such as Swainson's Hawk, Upland Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike and numerous sparrows.Several tracts owned by the Nature Conservancy are located in this general area as well.

4) Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. (Becker County) Here is an interesting area in the northwest to look for woodland and boreal species. Great Gray Owl, Ruffed Grouse, Golden-winged Warbler and Mourning Warbler are all species that can be found here.

5) Itasca State Park. (Clearwater and Hubbard counties) While this park is not noted for having specific Minnesota specialties, it is nonetheless a park with a great variety of northern species, and therefore good birding in general. Look for Common Loon, Northern Goshawk, Alder Flycatcher, Winter Wren, warblers and, in winter, finches.

6) Sax-Zim Bog. (St. Louis County) Some say this is the place to bird in Minnesota. Indeed, species difficult to find elsewhere are often much easier in "the bog." Upland Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Great Gray Owl, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Boreal Chickadee, Gray Jay, Connecticut Warbler and LeConte's Sparrow all nest here. In winter look also for Snowy Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Northern Shrike, Snow Bunting, crossbills and redpolls.

7) Gunflint Trail. (Cook County) Nowhere else is Black-backed Woodpecker or Boreal Owl found more often. The trail is actually a road -- County Road 12 -- which wanders north from Lake Superior for about 50 miles. Other species to watch out for include Spruce Grouse, Northern Saw-whet Owl and Boreal Chickadee.

8) Aitkin County Road 18. (Aitkin County) One of the better roads for finding such specialties as Sharp-tailed Grouse, Great Gray Owl, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Boreal Chickadee. Also a good drive in winter for Snow Buntings and winter finches.

9) McGregor Marsh. (Aitkin County) This is the best known spot in Minnesota for nesting Yellow Rails and Sharp-tailed Sparrows. Arrive well after dark and listen for each of their distinctive calls -- the rail's clicking sounds and the sparrow's dry wheezing. Look and listen especially on the east side of Minnesota highway 65.

10) Rothsay Wildlife Management Area. (Wilkin County) Greater Prairie-Chickens nest here, and nowhere in the state are they easier to find. Also look for Marbled Godwit, Prairie Falcon and, in migration, flocks of Sandhill Crane and Smith's and Lapland Longspurs. Also an excellent place to find migrating Short-eared Owl.

11) Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge. (Sherburne County) Sherburne has a varied habitat, and therefore a variety of possible species. In summer, look for Sandhill Crane, Eastern Screech Owl, Whip-poor-will and Golden-winged Warbler. In winter Barred Owls, Snow Buntings, crossbills and redpolls are likely.

12) Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area. (Anoka and Chisago counties) Over 2000 acres of marshland, lakes and swamp, Carlos Avery is best visited in migration when the shorebirds come through, usually in large numbers. Species usually found in summer include Sandhill Crane, Sedge Wren, and Golden-winged Warbler.

13) Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. (Big Stone and Lac Qui Parle counties) Big Stone has lakes, pools, meadows, fields, woods and marshes. Take the auto tour road (best by bicycle) and you can find water birds, prairie birds and woodland birds. This is a park that is best visited in migration or early summer. Western vagrants are always a good possibility, and there are many good nesting species here as well. Watch also for Cattle Egret, Swainson's Hawk, Marbled Godwit, Sedge Wrens and many Sparrows.

14) Salt Lake. (Lac Qui Parle County) Every spring as many as 100 birders from around the state make the trip to Salt Lake for a long birding weekend. A good place in high water times for migrating grebes and ducks, in low water years it can be exceptional for shorebirds.

15) Blue Mounds State Park. (Rock County) A habitat most unlike the rest of Minnesota, the park has cactus, a herd of buffalo and a feel to it more like states found farther west. So it is not surprising that Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, Western Kingbird, Say's Phoebe and Mountain Bluebird have all been seen here. And nowhere in the state is Blue Grosbeak easier to find than here.

16) Whitewater Wildlife Management Area. (Winona County) Simply a beautiful area with steep ravine walls, groves of eastern red cedar, and a winding gravel road, Whitewater is promising any time of year. In winter one can usually find a soaring Golden Eagle overhead or a Red-shouldered Hawk in the nearby trees.

From the Aug. 30 edition of Fencelines:


"The scurs claimed deadly accuracy last week but I beg to differ. I was gone most of the week but returned to MN late Thursday afternoon. It rained Friday AM instead of Thursday but I guess close counts in horseshoes and weather forecasting. Most received precipitation somewhere in the 1.5” – 2” range. Looks like another week of ideal late summer weather ahead. Highs will remain relatively steady in the mid-70’s to low 80’s with lows in the mid-50’s to low 60’s. Best chances of precipitation are Wednesday and a very slight chance again possibly Saturday. The scurs are shopping for flannel shirts as a part of their morning attire.

The Twinkies are slipping slowly out of contention in the wild card race. Too bad they weren’t able to add some punch to their batting lineup. There’s always next year and would look for Terry Ryan to go after a stick or two in the free agent market. Short of trading away pitching, the Twins have little to offer. The Viqueens have improved on defense and should contend for the division title. With whom I’m not sure.

Saturday I had to get critter supplies in Hope so made a quick jaunt there before going to the Great Minnesota Get Together. Such a gorgeous day and was noting the sumac and odd soybean field beginning to show some color. Went by the Belted Galloway cattle in the pasture north of Ellendale and slowed down to admire their spring calf crop. Only trouble was, some of the calf crop was on the wrong side of the fence in the road ditch. Had an idea whose they were so dropped in to mention they were out. The owner was in the barn milking yet but his dad was out playing with the skid loader. Made a quick introduction and explained the situation. He was grateful and like all good farmers, concerned first that someone could get hurt. He went to inform his son. Would’ve been a shame to see those beautiful calves hurt or worse, too. Next time by the pasture, everyone was exactly where they were supposed to be. Like our Border Cheviot sheep, Belted Galloway’s have their origins in Scotland. Check out this website at: http://www.beltie.org/history.html

The yard is full of goldfinch babies. How can I tell? Well, for starters, there are a lot of goldfinches with fuzzy little heads that apparently are just learning to fly. Their crash landings on the thistle sock are rather comical. The adults are busy sampling the sunflowers that are ripe, leaving behind the hulls on the backside of the heads. The hummers are becoming more numerous; there are at least 4. There is still an oriole or two around that come to the feeder.

The pond has been an attraction for waterfowl lately. Almost always a heron down there but counted over 100 ducks between black ducks, blue-winged teal and mallards on Sunday. Walking across the pasture some 200 yards away with binoculars trained on the wetland, I nearly turned an ankle on a rock. Suddenly the ducks that had been segregated swam quickly to the middle of the pond. Odd, as I was still relatively far off. Suddenly I realized what had spooked them as I spied the intruder in the binoculars: a marsh hawk was flying over the pond. He paid no attention to the ducks and came to rest in a tree a fair distance away. Within minutes, order was restored to the pond and the ducks returned to their dabbling and quacking. While gardening Monday about dusk, was fascinated to watch from 50 yards as a group of 25 honking, giant Canada geese flew past, set their wings, and glided silently as they made their approach to the pond. They disappeared below the hill but could hear the distinct sound of their splashdown seconds later in the calm, crisp evening air. Nature’s aircraft at its finest and another sign that autumn truly is just around the corner.

Gus decided to spit his last heartworm pill out several times. Reminds me of a young lad growing up who used to hide his vitamin pills in various spots around the house rather than swallow them. When asked why the 5 year old replied, “Guess I just got tired of fighting with them.” It’s not anyone you’d know.

Was fortunate to be a part of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour last week for the second year. I serve as tour crop consultant and am called upon to answer technical questions like “Which area restaurant has the best pie for dessert?” Seriously, since I have a background in bugs, weeds, and plant diseases I get to put some of my experience to good use. The tour is a marathon not a sprint. The eastern leg starts in OH on a Monday, runs through IN, IL & IA on consecutive days and ends up in Owatonna Thursday night. It does tend to tire one out after a week of getting up at 4 or 5 AM and working until midnight or after. Back at work in front of the confuser Friday afternoon, my eyes began to flutter and that meant only one thing: time to go home and take a nap.

Once home, I proceeded to stretch out on my favorite couch. Soon after falling fast asleep, the phone rang and you guessed it, it was one of those @%*# telemarketers. So as a result of that and as a public service, am listing the number of the national “Do Not Call List”. It is: 1-888-382-1222. Or to register online, go to: http://www.ftc.gov/donotcall/ and follow the instructions listed there. The sign up is good for 5 years and it is linked to Minnesota’s Do Not Call List. While it won’t stop all the telemarketers’ nonsense, it will take a good portion of them out of your hair. There then, that oughta teach ‘em for messin’ with my nap.

See you next week…real good then."

9/5/05


The scurs wrung over an inch of rain of their slight chance of rain for Saturday. Some areas near Faribault were well over 3”. Let’s hope this week isn’t the washout it could be as rain is in the forecast every day through Friday along with a slight chance again Sunday. Look for highs midweek in the mid 70’s and lows around 60. It’ll warm up Friday to 80 then to the middle 80’s for the weekend along with lows in the mid to low 60’s. Normal highs are in the mid 70’s and lows are in the lower 50’s. A cool down is a real possibility about the middle of the month prior to the Full Moon on the 18th. The scurs are saying no frost in that timeframe however. The scurs obviously haven’t considered getting their red Dodge Peon winterized yet.

What a storm on Saturday night! Lightning was sharp and did some damage here at the ranch. Blew the fencer fuses and fried the submersible pump in our well. Was afraid of that when watering the sheep Sunday AM and the water slowed to a trickle. After replacing the fuses in the fuse box and trying to see if it would reset (it didn’t), called the well company and they were there within an hour. After pulling the pump there was no doubt when looking at it what had happened. It had been warmed up rapidly. Guess I would’ve rather the fencer got zapped and changed the fuses for the pump. All part of the joy of living in the country. No one ever said it was cheap or easy.

Neighbor David’s grandsons were on hand to unload hay about the same time the well man was here which complicated matters somewhat. Any way you slice it, I was probably more in the way than I was helping. Some people run down young folks these days but when you come down to the barn and see half a load of hay already unloaded, you won’t hear any complaints from me. I had a mess on my hands and they along with the young well man made it go a lot smoother than I ever would’ve imagined. All of them knew how to work and made short work of the task at hand.

Just when the Twins start to get our hopes back up, they lose an important game. Has been their M.O. all season. On the bright side, they won’t lose any playoff games to the Yankees this way. Will leave that up to the White Sox. Too bad both teams can’t lose! Meanwhile we’re all pinning our hopes on the Vikings and Gophers. Both teams are fresh off wins even though the Vikes win was a preseason number and the Gophers could’ve sleep walked against Tulsa and won. We’ll see what happens when the 16 game regular season starts for coach Tice & Co. and what kind of a Big Ten record Glen Mason’s Gophers post before we start talking bowl games.

Am thinking I should put up a bulk bin for thistle seed the way the goldfinches are eating it. They cleaned out several of the sunflower heads last week too. Hope they don’t get into the house! Some wrens still attempting to sing but not able to pull off the full-fledged song the way they do in June. One male oriole at the feeder as of Monday. A blue jay calling and the krenk! krenk! krenk! of a nuthatch had to be telling the oriole that his days here in the northland are soon coming to a close.

Happy 80th birthday to my Mom on the 7th! Bringing up 5 kids as she did it’s amazing she lasted this long. Of course we were always good though. We never threw any eggs at each other, never put firecrackers in the trash before she burned it or scared the daylights out of her with our latest wounds. She became wise to our ways though regarding that last one. Can remember working on a 4-H booth one time at the neighbors. The moms were working inside and we older boys were working out in the garage with some power tools. We ran across some red grease that could’ve passed for blood so we decided to try the old fake injury routine. Wrapped my hand in a rag and coated it good, then we went inside to see what kind of reaction we’d get. The other moms gasped in horror when they saw the wrapped appendage but Mom wasn’t buying it. She quickly dismissed our attempt at humor, told us to quit goofing around and get back to work, much to the amazement of the others. “How did you know?” They asked. “Seen that one before.” she replied as they went back to work and we disappointedly slunk back to the garage to see what other mischief we could get into. Happy Birthday Mom!

Ran across a golden garden spider or black and yellow garden spider in one of the planters at the Mall for Men the other day. These large, showy spiders are fairly common in gardens, fields and areas sheltered from the wind. The female in the planter is nearly 1 ½” across and has a black & yellow pattern on her back. Despite their large size, they are harmless to humans. These are orb web spinning spiders meaning they build their web in a circular pattern. Their eyesight is poor so they detect prey by the vibrations they make on their web. They eat primarily flying insects including grasshoppers, flies, bees, wasps and apparently butterflies. Found the silk wrapped body of a red admiral in the planter. The males are about half the size of the female and live on a smaller web on the edge of her web. After the spiders mate, the female lays the eggs on the edge of her web and covers them with a papery sac. The sac may be an inch across and contain as many as a thousand eggs. Shortly afterwards, the female dies. The baby spiders hatch in the fall but stay in the egg case over winter, dispersing in the spring. Another of the creatures one might run across in the fenceline.

See you next week…real good then.

9/12/05

The scurs called it right again last week as we experienced several rainy days or evenings. Totals in the greater Bugtussle area didn’t amount to much over .5”- .75” for the week but it allowed us to avoid watering the flowers at the Mall for Men. We probably saw some of the last of our upper 80’s and low 90’s type weather for the season over the weekend. That’s okay as there is no award for being the first one done combining despite what some may think. After early week rains, the weather will plateau into a very pleasant, seasonal pattern. Starting Wednesday, look for highs through Tuesday in the low to mid-70’s with lows in the mid to low 50’s. Next week may usher in a wet spell but still no frost on the horizon. The scurs are not ready to stop sunbathing at Beaver Lake and trade in their flip-flops for ice cleats just yet.

Frost is sometimes common around a full moon but it appears we will likely skate by with ease this year. The full moon this September is on the 18th and is known most commonly as the Full Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox, which is September 22nd. Two out of out of three years, the Harvest Moon falls in September, but due to the 29-day lunar month vs. the calendar month, it occurs in October the rest of the time. Crops developed and tended by the Indians such as corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice are nearing maturity and will be ready for harvest by months end. In fact, the Ojibwe called this moon the Rice Moon. The Sioux were a bit wordier, calling it the “moon of the drying grass” (warm season prairie grasses mature and go dormant in September) or the “moon when the buffalo calves grow hair”. With heating prices expected to go through the roof, am contemplating growing some hair myself.

Crops have progressed rapidly with the weekend warmth. Leaf drop was nearly complete in some soybean fields on Monday morning and would expect to see combines rolling soon, weather permitting. Some fields of early soybeans have been harvested and reports are encouraging. . Now that the soybeans have turned and the soybean aphids are leaving them for the buckthorn, the multi-colored Asian ladybird beetles have made their presence known around farmyards already. Had lots crawling on me while mowing lawn this weekend. Like ordering a ginsu knife on TV, just wait, there’s more. Ears are beginning to drop down on some of the early planted, early maturing corn hybrids and some fields have black-layered. Silage harvest has been progressing, as well it should. Warm, breezy conditions can rapidly take the moisture content of corn plants lower than desired for proper ensiling. Sweet corn yields are outstanding which generally translates into outstanding field corn yields.

Stick a fork in the Twins. To borrow a line from Cubbies fans, “There’s always next year.” Great college football weekend though, summed up as follows: the Gophers won, while Michigan, Ohio State, and the Hawkeyes all lost. The offensive line and Daunte laid an egg in the Vikings stinkeroo loss vs. Tampa Bay making his grumbling about a new contract a moot point. Hey, at least their defense and kicking game was better. Fortunately, the entire NFC North appears to be pretty anemic, this was just one game and the Vikes offense should get better. Lord knows they couldn’t play much worse.

Was surprised to look out and see no birds at the feeder on Saturday. Could hear the sparrows and finches shrieking as something was awry. A male marsh hawk or northern harrier flew out of the ash by the house, then to an Austrian pine, then out of the yard. Hope he had one of the sparrows over for lunch. A few minutes later, all was well again and feeding at the thistle tube resumed. Finally retired the oriole feeder for the season. Didn’t see or hear the oriole this week so replaced the feeder with one those pesky ladybugs can’t crawl into. The hummingbirds are still thick and have taken a shine to the impatiens as well as the salvia in the pots at the Mall for Men. Saw my first white lined sphinx moth of the season on the impatiens too. Had expected them sooner but was probably getting antsy just like some farmers I know.

The bakery has been sold and Elmer and Marilyn can retire. Our local Bandwagon star has also retired. Not from Bandwagon but from his regular place of employment. Rumor in the hood is that Elmer and the aforementioned Bandwagon Star will be spending lots of time fishing or at least that’s what they’ll tell their wives.

Just a “Thank you” to several kind readers who commented they’d enjoyed what we’d written over the past month or so. Never sure just exactly what kind of reaction we’ll get after sending the column to print but generally try to stay with a formula of topics rural folks can relate to. In light of that, have instructed my agent to meet with new editor Jim after I feel he’s sufficiently recovered to hammer out another new contract, ala Daunte. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Jim consult with former editor LaVonne who knows what a tough negotiating customer I can be. Still living off all those free New Richland Star pens I’ve been reselling. Yeah, I know. Sounds more like Mike Tice, doesn’t it?

See you next week…real good then.

You got some catchin up to do! PLEASE

Yeah, Dotch, like TWO MONTHS!