The scurs got a little surprise in the form of a midweek rain from the Weather Eye. Will this become a pattern or will there be more stability in the future? Starting Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a good chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the upper 70’s with lows in the low 60’s. Thursday, mostly sunny with highs in the upper 70’s and lows in the low 60’s. Sunny and warmer Friday with highs in the low 80’s and lows in the upper 60’s. Saturday, partly sunny with a good chance of an evening shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the mid-80’s with lows in the mid-60’s. Mostly sunny Sunday with a slight chance of evening showers and thunderstorms.  Highs in the low 80’s with lows in the mid-60’s. Monday, mostly sunny with a modest chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the low 80’s with lows in the low 60’s. Partly cloudy skies for Tuesday with highs in the low 80’s and lows in the low 60’s. We’ll see the days become a minute shorter on the 26th with 15 hours and 27 minutes of daylight. The normal high for June 26th is 82 and the normal low is 61. Mosquitoes aren’t bad but let you know they’re around closer to dusk. Looks like July could be a warm one. The scurs have their sun block and mosquito repellent booked just in case.

Crop progress this last week was again outstanding. Corn has reached nearly three feet in height and with the timely yet not excessive rains has rooted down well into the nitrogen, with much of it showing a deep dark green color. Soybeans began showing a few blossoms last week shortly after the column went to print so the days of several of the post emerge weed control products are becoming limited. Second cutting alfalfa has been baled in several area fields and it appears to be of exceptional quality. Spring wheat headed out a week ago and pollinated shortly afterwards. Pea crops have looked wonderful with the rains being limited as they have. We did actually see a rainfall event eclipsing one inch in Greater Bugtussle last week on the 15th of 1.22”, the first of the growing season. The first firefly at the ranch was seen on June 13th, so we were due.

At the ranch we have been slightly drier but certainly not lacking for moisture yet anyway. The lawn has slowed slightly although mowing once a week is still a good idea if I don’t want to leave windrows. Fudgie and Ruby appreciate the exercise too. Generally time only allows a part of the lawn to be mowed at a time so they relish the opportunity to pace back and forth as we make the rounds. Their white socks have come in the house about the color of the Grinch several times so far this summer. It just makes us laugh at them and they wag their tails happily.

The garden is moving along also as are the weeds. They’re lots easier to deal with now when they’re still small so I make an effort to hammer them every chance I get. Tomatoes continue to set fruit and the vine crops are starting to run in places, especially the melons and cukes. Can’t wait for that first cucumber! The sheep can’t wait for the first cucumber “escape” as they cherish the seeded out, overgrown models when they land on their side of the fence. About 75% of the string beans have emerged making my trigger finger itch when I see bunnies. The replant sweetcorn has also come up although it is a little spotty. A little more could be stabbed in to fill in the stand if there’s time yet. At last count I think there were 19 cannas that emerged with one casualty as a result of either a rodent or a bunny digging it up, so I have cause for my disdain. Mrs. Cheviot’s plantings are taking shape and need watering soon if the rain misses us. Think I’m not praying for continued measured rains?

Speaking of Mrs. Cheviot, I am flying solo for a week while she’s attending a major sheep show in Missouri. It’s not like the old days where guys were once doted on by their wives and waited on hand and foot. I like to cook at least certain things and if I need to can do laundry. Not like I have to take the clothes down to the river and pound them on the rocks. A few years of bachelorhood weren’t all bad in that department. Cleaning up the aftermath from some of my culinary “masterpieces” and dirty clothes. Still sucks but it has to be done. Otherwise the house starts to look like a college apartment. Thank goodness camera phones weren’t commonly in use in 1980.

In the yard the orioles have started bringing their young to the feeders. One can tell by their coloration as well as their almost mournful sound, making one wonder if they’re lost or something. They get crabby if the jelly feeder gets empty so restocked the other day. There are several young chickadees around the yard as well. Not sure where they nested but they’re also showing up at the sunflower feeders. The young squirrels have been trying in vain to figure out the squirrel proof feeders. Watched one spend ten minutes attempting to open the feeding holes without success. It finally decided the ear corn was just fine after all.

Made the Back to the Fifties car show last Saturday and what a show! Estimates that there were many as 12,000 automobiles on the State Fairgrounds turned out to be true. The streets and lots were lined with cars with the area between them full of people as well. The drive from Owatonna was great as I had a passenger, HB, to share some laughs and keep me from talking to myself. Kinda nice since the radio doesn’t work. The Silver Hawk was a hit on the grounds and on the road as well. It is a rare bird, the only ’59 Silver Hawk I saw on the grounds that day.  It cruised nicely at 65 mph in overdrive too. Don’t get a lot of chances to drive it on the freeway so was fun to see how it reacted. Also fun to see how people reacted. Many gave us the thumbs up when they’d go on past. Much better than the digit you sometimes see.

See you next week…real good then.