The scurs need to run the Weather Eye to the Nash-Rambler dealer again. A little too generous on the high temps and rainfall chances last week. Are we done with snow in our vocabulary, or does it remain for another week? Starting Thursday, mostly sunny with a good chance of rain in the overnight. Highs in the mid-60’s with lows in the upper 40’s. Mostly cloudy on Friday with a good chance of rain. Highs in the mid-60’s with lows in the mid-50’s. Mostly cloudy on Saturday with a fair chance of rain. Highs in the upper 60’s with lows in the upper 40’s. Sunday, mostly cloudy with a good chance of rain. Highs in the upper 50’s with lows in the low 50’s. Mostly sunny on Monday with a fair chance of morning showers. Highs in the low 60’s with lows in the mid-40’s. Tuesday, sunny with highs in the mid-60’s and lows in the upper 40’s. Mostly sunny on Wednesday with highs in the low 70’s and lows in the low 50’s. On April 27th, we experience over 14 hours of daylight, the first time since back on August 15th. Wednesday is May 1st already. The normal high for May 1st is 62 and the normal low is 41. Having exhausted their jellybeans and chocolate bunny supply, the scurs can’t wait to dish into their May Baskets.
Planters were largely idle until the 22nd after a narrow window of opportunity from April 13th – 15th. So far so good as the corn planted in that timeframe has a healthy sprout on it already. Soybeans planted at the same time are intact as well. This week promises to bring another window of opportunity as well, as the warm, breezy Monday dried soils rapidly after a cold stretch late last week. There is plenty of time and those who missed out on the first opportunity will get a chance. Surprisingly, the memory of replanting is fresh enough in many minds, so that the urge to mud crop in hasn’t expressed itself. There is time and as several have said, some of the best corn they ever raised was planted in May the past two growing seasons. Not that anyone should become complacent, but with the equipment getting larger, the advent of high-speed planters and tile drainage systems their fathers only dreamed about, a lot of crop can go in the ground in short order.
While they didn’t affect germinating corn and soybeans, the sub-freezing temps both Saturday and Sunday morning were of some concern in area lawns and gardens. Many, including those of us at the ranch, covered the tender vegetation we didn’t want to see injured. Looking at the 25-degree low Sunday morning was a little unnerving. Fortunately, when perusing official weather reporting sites, the duration of the coldest temperatures was very brief. There was little sign of any frost damage on the fruit tree flower buds that were still relatively small and clenched shut tightly. Likewise with the rhubarb and peonies we didn’t cover. There didn’t appear to be any injury on either one. One can bet, however, if we hadn’t covered some of them, we would’ve been wishing we had. Been through too many springs in So. MN to count on the weather doing us any favors.
It normally doesn’t and Monday’s wind illustrated exactly what I’m talking about. The lawn was greening up nicely with the recent rains and warmer temps. Sunday, I diligently raked and picked up every last stick I could find, including the second time around under the river birch tree. Just a week earlier I’d cleaned up under that and the oak trees for the first time. The ash trees are bad enough, shedding copious amounts of 4” – 10” small diameter sticks over the course of a winter. Given the slightest breeze, the river birch drops sticks and branches out of sheer spite, lots of them. Not that I’m superstitious, but I tempted fate and removed the chains from the tractor for the season. Along with having the yard shipshape, I’d say that almost guarantees we’ll see additional precipitation in the frozen form with river birch sticks on top of it.
Along with the greening of the grass and leaves, our feathered friends offer subtle clues that spring is progressing. A brown thrasher was heard in the brushy part of the windbreak on the 17th. The next day, the song of a white-throated sparrow was heard in the windbreak as well. It’s become more common in the past several years as the habitat we planted develops, the longer it takes for some of the migrating birds to appear in our backyard. Eventually, when the numbers increase, they show up. One that threw me for a loop while I was cleaning up the backyard mess on Sunday was a yellow warbler. It was perched on the sunflower feeder, so I assumed it was a goldfinch. When I approached, it didn’t fly off suddenly. It allowed me to get close enough, so I could see the striped breast identifying it as a male. It wasn’t feeding on the sunflower as they’re primarily insect feeders. After listening to recordings of their song, it’s likely they’ve been here; we just haven’t noticed them. Shouldn’t be a surprise given the bushes, roadside thicket and orchard we have to offer.
Poppy had her usual big weekend, which includes more people time than during the week. It also means more outside time. Since Corgis are herding dogs, this past weekend she got her first chance to watch an open gate. The yearling ewes usually like to hover or come running any time there’s an open gate. When you can get an occasion to put the dog into a somewhat controlled environment, you do it. The ewes had moved off into the windbreak, so that gave me a chance to do some things in the lot that needed tending with the skidsteer. The ewes looked in our direction, but for whatever reason, declined the invitation. That’s OK. Maybe just seeing Poppy was enough deterrent for now. There will be more opportunities. Only in America.
See you next week…real good then.