The scurs got the waterworks taken care of on the Weather Eye, but someone still keeps fiddling with the heat control lever. Will it warm up now for good or are we building towards another ice age? Starting Wednesday, sunny with a slight chance of an evening thundershower. Highs in the mid-70’s and lows in the low 60’s. Thursday, mostly sunny with highs in the mid-80’s and lows in the upper 60’s. Sunny and warmer Friday with highs in the low 90’s and lows in the low 70’s. Saturday, sunny with highs a modest chance of an evening shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the low 90’s with lows in the upper 60’s. Mostly sunny Sunday with an increasing chance of a shower or thunderstorm by evening. Highs in the low 80’s with lows in the mid-60’s. Monday, partly sunny with highs in the low 80’s and lows in the upper 50’s. Mostly sunny skies for Tuesday with highs in the upper 70’s and lows in the mid-60’s. We’ll see the sun rise at 5:31 a.m. on the 9th, within seconds of the earliest it will rise in the month of June. On the 13th, we will see 15 hours and 27 minutes of daylight, the most since June 27th of last year. The normal high for June 13th is 79 and the normal low is 58. Awaiting the July preview with sunscreen at the ready, the scurs have their chaise lounge set up by the cement pond.
Some cooler weather last week along with some rain made crop progress somewhat slower yet responsive to the sunshine and warmer weekend temperatures. Most corn was V5 – V6 and soybeans were all over the board due to replants and later planting dates. Most were V1 – V2. Remaining weed control measures were able to be performed on most of the corn acres and some soybean fields were also addressed. Some soybean aphids were discovered at the SWROC. There is already evidence to indicate that resistance has developed in areas of Southern Minnesota, so tossing in an insecticide early to save a trip is not considered a best-management practice. Our rainfall continues to arrive in measured amounts, much the same as it did last year up until the week of June 20th. In other words, best not say that too loudly.
Fellow Memories Car Club member and Vista’s noted Swedish astronomer stopped by last week to discuss old cars and of course what we’re seeing in the evening skies. June should be good for viewing Saturn, Mars and Jupiter all month long. Jupiter is about halfway up in the southwestern evening sky. Yellowish Saturn rises in the southeast sky about sunset. Last Thursday night as I was putting the lawnmower away about 10 p.m., Mars was obvious in the southeast sky. It is red and very bright right now, the brightest it has been in 10 years. For conjunctions, on the 11th, the moon will be to the left of Jupiter. On the 16th, the moon will be above Mars. A triangle forms on the 17th, with Saturn to the lower left of the moon and Mars on the moon’s lower right. On the 18th, Saturn appears very close to the moon while Mars will be slightly to the right of the moon. Thanks to Vista’s noted Swedish astronomer and the Steele Co. Astronomical Society for providing this information.
Looks like we’re heading for some mid-July-like temperatures along with drier weather, so that means making some hay. Well, sort of anyway. I decided it was time to take the chains off the tractor as May was finally over. No need to aerate the lawn or hayfields at this point and I’ll need to spread some fertilizer anyway. Looks like we’ll probably resort to having the Dubya’s round bale it as it’s perhaps more rank than I’d like for small square bales. That makes everyone happy. No one likes handling those little back breakers any more than necessary. Will still need to lay in some small squares for lambing pens, etc., but that will work better second and third cutting anyway.
The last three ewes with lambs were weaned Saturday morning and that made us happy. The ewes weren’t nearly as happy as it took them away from an overly generous feed bucket and more hay than they had a right to consume. With belly deep grass and other forage in the pasture, they have nothing to complain about but they still do. There’s a reason they are numerous biblical references to sheep and that’s one of them. In the meantime, during their bellering the folks who owned the ewe and lambs to be born came to pick them up. Didn’t even hear them drive in with all the racket. They had the ewe and lambs already loaded when I looked out and saw they were here.
The garden has made some impressive progress (so have the weeds) with the timely and generous but not excessive rains. Looks like all the Moregold and Buttercup squash made it as did most of the gourds and pumpkins. The cucumber beetles have needed treatment as new seedlings emerge. Luckily most hills have plenty of plants as there has been some mortality. The tomatoes and peppers have enjoyed the little heat island they reside in. Rain fell just in time so watering for the time being was unnecessary. The sweet corn planted from old seed was pretty thin so it looks like replanting that will be in order once it’s dry enough. The canna’s are coming up in the small garden. Sunday’s heat was just what the doctor ordered for this plant with tropical origins. Some four o’clocks remain to be planted to further entice the hummers and sphinx moths.
The hummingbirds must know something is up as we seem to have some regular visitors. They’ve already been scoping out the pots that Mrs. Cheviot planted last week and over the weekend. One hummer almost flew right into me as I came around the corner of the house after planting one last grape tomato. There are lots of goldfinches at the ranch once again after a couple year hiatus. They’ve taken a shine to the new feeder and like having access to water other than just puddles. Both the orchard and Baltimore variety orioles appear daily although they aren’t singing as much as they did initially. The robins and wrens are picking up the slack for them quite nicely however, starting shortly after 4 a.m. Before we know it though they’ll head south and we’ll be wondering where the summer went, again.
See you next week…real good then.