The scurs had it pretty close to right although the rain for last Saturday didn’t materialize. Will we see some welcome precipitation this week? Starting Wednesday, partly cloudy becoming mostly cloudy with an increasing chance of rain into the evening hours. Highs near 85 and lows around 60. Mostly cloudy becoming partly cloudy and slightly cooler with a chance of showers in the daytime. Highs of 75 and lows of 55. Cooler again on Friday under partly cloudy skies with a slight chance of a shower. Highs 70 – 75 and lows near 60. Partly cloudy on Saturday with a slight chance of a shower during the daytime hours increasing slightly by evening. Highs of 80 and lows around 65. Showers and thunderstorms likely for Sunday with highs of 85 and lows of 65. Cooler on Memorial Day Monday with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs of 75 and lows near 55. Mostly sunny on Tuesday with highs around 80 and lows of 60. The normal for May 28th is 73 and the normal low is 52. By then the rate of increase on our daylight will have slowed to roughly a minute per day. The scurs will be cooking out and remembering those who fought and died so they could do so.
The weather, namely the wind, kept everyone occupied last week. Some crop damage occurred although it was minimal. Leaves were tattered in areas on some corn fields and soybeans were not emerged for the most part so they were spared from the wrath of the blowing soil. Fields this time of year remain very vulnerable to erosion by the wind and water both. Once a canopy forms to help protect the soil, the vulnerability decreases somewhat, particularly to wind erosion. After seeing some 30 to 40 odd fields this last week that had some sort of erosion-related issues, it’s probably a good idea to put in a plug for the folks at the NRCS and SWCD. There are programs to help decrease the severity of these issues available. All you have to do is inquire. Corn grew rapidly with the warm temperatures and soybeans began to emerge on the early planted field this past week. Early planted small grain is in the boot stage and looks very impressive.
At the ranch it was weaning time once again Sunday. The ewes at the kindly neighbors pasture seem to get over the process much more quickly than those that remain here. Part of it here is they can see their lambs and part of it is they seem to enjoy bellering anyway for the sake of bellering. Just coming out of the house is enough to set them off. I enjoy tormenting them after the last several weeks of feeding them when they almost knock you over trying to get at the feed. That behavior wears thin after a while, especially when knee and hip joints are as expensive to repair or replace as they are. Feed is expensive too and the grass is plentiful so it’s just plain silly to keep putting up with that nonsense. Ruby seems largely unimpressed by all the commotion especially since she has to wait outside of the panels we set up until the sorting process is over. Tough to do sometimes when you’re hard-wired for action.
Finally was able to get on top of the weedy parts of the garden so they are ready for planting transplants. The hot windy conditions last week made for an excellent kill on weeds such as lambsquarters, horseweed and shepherd’s purse. Six rows of Indian corn were slipped in quickly just before dark on the 15th. It should be emerging any day now. Most of the garden is doing OK although rains would benefit some of the peas and beets. The potatoes are really starting to take off, especially the Pontiacs and Norkotahs. Apparently they appreciated the treatment with composted manure they received before planting if their dark green leaves are any indication.
The weekly trip to the wetland on Sunday night was a real treat. When approaching the basin 30 or so giant Canada geese took off, looking a little like a bunch of B-52s as they launched into the wind. The little kestrels are continuing to grow and are becoming defiant. They’ve started doing the little kestrel version of the adult kestrel call and hissing when the door is opened. Of course when it’s as cool as it was Sunday night with a stiff northwest breeze, they’re probably expressing their opinion of the draft they’ve been subjected to. I may have seen the male finally as he left the nesting box although both parents right now are constantly on the move foraging for food to feed the youngsters. In the nesting box put in place Easter Sunday, a new wood duck nest was discovered after I’d checked out the kestrel progress. When opening the nesting box it was readily apparent that the cedar shavings had been rearranged. On top of them was white fuzz, breast feathers placed on top of the nest from the hen. Fishing down through the soft, dry nest I plucked beige colored egg that was no doubt from a wood duck. Placing the egg back in its place was a great way to end my weekly visit I thought to myself.
See you next week…real good then.