Gone Fishin'

The other day I called my husband while I was on my way home from work.  I was wrapping up a work week that was overwhelming.  Very long days, on call three nights in a row and some symptoms that were a challenge to manage. My mental exhaustion also included the projects I have been working on for the Humane Society, normal family issues and my sadness over the pathetic state of my garden.  So, I called Rick and whispered those words every man our age longs to hear, “ Stop what you are doing, go change your clothes, I am in the mood….to go fishing.”

I barely had the car in the driveway when Rick was backing the truck out of the pole shed.  I quickly changed out of my nursing uniform, invited Ande but received a look that I interpreted as “Really? Really Mom?  You have known me for all sixteen years of my life. When have I ever gone fishing?” and she went back to texting.  I am not sure Rick completely stopped the truck so I could jump in but we were headed to the river.

A quick stop at Pronto for bait and a few sodas and we headed down The Great River Highway. Usually we head north to the Genoa Dam but this time we were adventurous and turned south towards Ferryville into unknown shore fishing territory.

I have driven up and down this highway countless times since moving to Wisconsin. I even received a speeding ticket the first week we lived at the rental house. There is something about the Mississippi River that is commanding yet peaceful that can lull you into going just a little faster and faster and pretty soon you learn cruise control is your best friend when traveling this slightly curving road parallel to one of the most beautiful rivers.   With Rick behind the wheel driving the speed limit, it was my job to find a good spot to pull over to fish.

The town of Ferryville in the distance.

On this trip I could not remember where I have “always” seen people fishing off the shore.  Luckily we remembered there was a boat landing in town and found it quite easily.  Across the railroad tracks, tucked in behind some quaint homes, we found more then just a boat landing. Rick pulled the truck into an expansive parking lot that lead to a clean grassy area with picnic benches, a shelter, a large port-a- potty (also clean), and two outcroppings of rocks. It was beautiful.  We unloaded the poles, tackle box, a cooler for our catchings and looked for a good spot.

After putting a worm on the hook I carefully made my way to the furthest point out into the river, set my line and gently sat down. This little exercise of balance reminded me that I am not the graceful dancer I once was. I was glad Rick and I had the area to ourselves because getting back up was not going to be pretty. But that was a few hours away so I took off my shoes and socks and enjoyed the breeze.

Crayfish courtesy of the internet.

The river was moving at a quick clip and my bobber soon was close to shore. From my sitting position I cast again, nearly tangling my line with Rick’s.  I slowly reeled in. Did I feel a little nibble or was I getting caught on the rocks?  I could see the hook before it was out of the water. I caught the tiniest lobster I had ever seen. It was only two inches long and Rick informed me it was really a crayfish.  Later I would learn these are invasive.

For the rest of the afternoon I mainly fed the fish.  Few nibbles here and there, reel in and the worm was gone.  So, I changed my strategy and my location.  I walked back up the rocks and over to the other outcropping. I found there was a small dock that I hadn’t noticed before. Again, I cast out, sat down and just breathed. Isn’t this what I really came here for?  No cell phones, no computers, no demands.  I had needed to reconnect with what is important- a breeze on my skin, sun on the back of my neck, the lapping of the water on the shore, the occasional bird call and looking across the landing at the silhouette of my husband.  I fell a little more in love with him that evening.  The sparkling water, sun setting behind him, just watching him cast out and reel in, so peaceful, so content.

Then, in the midst of my peaceful moment the line wiggled. Was it the rocks? Another crayfish?  The pole bent ever so slightly. I tried to remain calm. I tried to remember what I was supposed to do. Wait for the next wiggle and jerk the pole back. I waited…and pulled! I had something. My heart got a little excited as the line was being pulled; something was swimming away from the shore.  Yippie! Not seaweed or a stick this time. I reeled in and paused.  Reeled in and paused. Then I just kept reeling in until I could see it under the water. I called for Rick but he did not hear me as my back was to him and a train was rumbling by just 100 yards away.   It was a northern pike….25 inches!

Fish story?

Sounds of Summer

Mother Nature has recently released her painful grip on our area.  Heat indices of 110+ are now in the high 70s and low 80s and even cooler at night.  A wall of humidity that took my breath away as soon as I stepped outside has given way to gentle winds. I have found my idea of heaven.   I have started walking again, now that I can make it further down the driveway, beyond the car.

During my walks this week I became acutely aware of the sounds of summer.  Cooped up in the house I could still look outside and see the birds and rabbits and my garden, but the house was closed up and the whirring of the air conditioner muffled every sound.  When I did venture outside I did not take the time to notice the music of Untah’s Farm. Perhaps the creatures I have come to expect were just as worn out as I was. The stillness of the heat did not allow for rustling of leaves.

The first sound I noticed as I set out with the dogs on my evening trek is the crunching of the gravel beneath shoes and paws. It reminds me of the echo in my head as I take the first bites of cereal in the morning, before the cereal gets soft. As my ears tune in, I hear the sniffing of giant canine noses exploring their world. Sniff, sniff, sniff, snort.  I can imagine a sommelier cleansing his pallet; the dogs snorting out all the particles that might interfere with new odors. Next the rustlings of stalks of corn, seven or eight feet tall, like good quality paper being shuffled.

Red Winged Black Bird
Courtesy of the internet

When I get home I sit in the Adirondack chair by my flower garden.  I am barely seated and I am nearly knocked in the head by a pair of hummingbirds vying for the next hollyhock.   I did not think such tiny bird could make such a buzzing.  As my heart and breath slow from my walk, I begin to notice the conversations of the birds. If I listen closely I hear the call and response of the red winged black birds, of which we have many. Black capped chickadees talk without ceasing.  To me, the house wren adds a bit of calm in the aviary party going on in the field and by the pond.

Red Tailed Hawk
Picture courtesy of internet

As the evening progresses and the sun moves further west into the horizon, a red tailed hawk screeches as if to defend his territory or give warning to an approaching predator.  I look around but cannot see him.  I also hear the first lone hoot of a great horned owl.  Tonight he is out of sight but I recall one evening as the sky was a beautiful blend of pinks and oranges, I could hear the owl loud and clear.  I stepped outside and looked at various high perches; the dead tree by the pond, the top of the electric post.  I finally found him- a huge black silhouette against the sky calling out into the night atop the silo.

Bullfrog Picture courtesy of internet

As the prairie begins to settle down, a bullfrog is the wake up call for the pond. The croaking of the bullfrog fills in the low bass tones as the American toad fills the tenor range and Northern Spring Peepers the soprano range.  

As I find my way up to the house I see our resident tree frog crawling out from behind the wisteria that has enclosed our front porch. Last night I saw a tiny tree frog on the window as I closed the front door for the night.  Tonight, a moderate size one sings out good night as I walk past. I think there must be a family among those leaves.   Good night to you too.

Medium sized Tree Frog on my living room window.

All the Wisconsin bird and frog sounds sited in this blog and many, many more can be heard through these websites:

http://www.wisconsinbirdsounds.com/

http://seagrant.wisc.edu/frogs/field_ids.html

Summer Break

Today on the radio I heard a phrase I had never heard before: “Not all watermelons are red in the middle.”  This is a loosely translated Italian phrase.  It would be similar to “Life is like a box of chocolates…”  Sometimes your choices yield something sweet and juicy and sometimes not so much. Either way, usually you can find something good.

This summer has been so exciting; full of adventure and change.  As usually happens, my best laid plans fell by the wayside.  I haven’t been to the farmers market in the last 4 weeks, and due to the weather I haven’t been able to tend to the garden. I put many miles on my new car and have seen Ande for less then 24 hours in the last 2 weeks.

In May, Rick handed me a help wanted ad for Development Director for the Vernon County Humane Society. I put it aside as I thought he was joking.  After all, I am a nurse!  After a series of events, I decided to send in a resume and cover letter to see what would happen.  Because I really did not think I was qualified I had a lot of fun writing the cover letter and figured I really needed to be myself. I put the formality aside and wrote from my heart about why I would like an interview to explore the possibility of this position.   It worked.  After two interviews, with much laughter and serious conversation, the position was offered to me and I accepted. I am so excited and overwhelmed.  It will be my responsibility to raise the funds to keep the Humane Society running.  There is so much good work going on and many volunteers giving of themselves to see that these abandoned and surrendered cats and dogs have some quality of life and are treated with dignity. Please check out the web site and give me some feed back about what you think.   http://www.vchumane.org/  I welcome your suggestions.

The Fourth of July was a blast. Our Pastor and his family came over for dinner. What started as a friendly badminton game turned into a competative tournament.  The Dads were the ultimate winners with 5 wins and no losses.  The Moms had the most fun and the kids were the most competitive. We had a big bonfire and Jay and Ande set off fireworks.

John and Krista

The next week Ellie, Maddie Ande, Jay and I headed to Oshkosh, WI for Lifest…A Party with a Purpose. We met up with my friends Starr, Krista, John and John’s daughters.  Lifest is a 5 day festival with Christian bands, speakers and family friendly activities.  There was a kid’s area with face painting, kids’ music and art stations. Ellie and Maddie had so much fun. Ande and Jay went off on their own and listened to different musicians and met peers from different backgrounds. The adults listened to speakers and played with the kids.  We all went to concerts each night. First we heard Mercy Me, the next night Toby Mac and Saturday night was Skillet.  What a variety….easy listening to hip hop/rap to heavy metal…all were equally exciting and powerful. We slept in tents, used port-a-potties and bathed in communal showers.  I am definitely going again next year, but I will be bringing the travel trailer or getting a hotel room. I am too old to sleep on the ground.



Jay and Ande llama dancing



All the girls with face painting



When we got back home, the girls and I had fun at the farm, playing with the dogs and cats, cooking and the girls made a neat fort under the old apple trees and overgrown vines.  I drove Ellie and Maddie to Middleton where I met my brother in law Scott to drop off the girls.

Middle of July brought a mother’s biggest fear-sending my baby out on the road alone.  We sent Ande to Illinois to my parent’s home 200 miles away, driving all by herself.  My Mom and Ande headed off to New York for four days. They toured Columbia University where Ande might like to attend college.  They ate at different restaurants including a sushi bar!  They also saw the Statue of Liberty and other touristy things. They flew back into O’Hare airport and the next day Ande flew out by herself to spend time with her godfather and his fiancé.  After a few days in Ohio she flew back to Chicago.  A day with my parents, a day with her big sister in Maggie’s new apartment and then Ande was home for 24 hours.  Now she is off for the next 8 days to dog and house sit for a friend of mine.  

So, my garden is a mess but I found cucumbers, pumpkins, beets and onions under three foot weeds. My oldest daughter is so grown up and in her very own apartment.  My youngest daughter has traveled far away and has the desire to live in New York.  My dreams of the farmer’s market have disappeared but goals for fund raisers for the Humane Society are so exciting. Boy, that watermelon is very red and very sweet.

NOAH?

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Last night the rain began around 10 pm and stopped around 6 o’clock this morning.  Rick and I looked outside at the rain gauge and could not find the red marker that indicates the amount of rainfall. Upon closer investigation the marker was up to the top and water was flowing over.  We received more then six inches of rain in less then six hours. Our pond is full, higher then I have ever seen before.

The bridge is raised up and aver. Notice the trees and
debris clogging the culvert on the right side of the bridge.

The force of so much rain in such a short period of time left areas familiar to me unrecognizable. Rick and I took a three hour tour on the four wheeler and surveyed the damage surrounding our farm.  Roads were been completely washed away.  Bridges were destroyed, and more incredibly, moved and raised several inches.  Farmer’s fields were underwater. We fear more rain could wash out the last road we have to get in or out of our area.  Our pond could over flow and wash away its berm. The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) website shows more rain headed our way over the next few days.

Monday June 20, 2011

Rick in the 4- wheeler crossing
a washed out area of our road.

I heard on the radio this morning a list of the roads that are impassable.  All of the roads are in our township and the immediate surrounding area.  It was slow going out of our little back woods but I made it.  We experienced a few hard down pours during the day but nothing like Saturday night.  It was mostly overcast.

Tuesday June 21, 2011
 By evening last night the clouds were rolling in again and sometime after midnight it began to storm.  Lightening lit up the bedroom and thunder sent the dogs to the windowless bathroom down the hall.  The gauge shows 1 ½ more inches of rain.  The road I have been traveling to get to the highway is even more washed out with trenches twelve inches wide and deep.  Any more rain and I will begin to worry.  Rick tells me there is a tornado watch and NOAA reports conditions are such that it is difficult to predict exact areas at higher risk. 

The water wash this
road completely away.

Before dinner I took the dogs for a walk to see if any work had been done on Rag Hallow Road.  A small area had been graded but my guess is that the township or county is going to bring in some heavy equipment, rock and gravel to re-establish the road. And with the prediction of more rain, it would make sense to wait.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

I woke to the sound of rain on the window. I pulled the fan out and closed the windows on the east side of the house. Luckily, it is not a torrential down pour.  NOAA is stating there is an 80 percent chance of thunderstorms through tomorrow night.

Last fall we placed a fallen tree at the edge of the pond.  I had read that this simple act will help attract birds and turtles and other creatures. And it did…as I have written before, we have had several pairs of mallard and wood ducks. This tree is now floating in the middle of the pond.

As I look out to the rain gauge this morning I see the garden is over grown.  The vegetables and berries are growing well but so are the weeds. I guess that is how my week end will be spent: weeding.

I can't imagine this corn is salvagable.

As I reflect on the weather and the amount of time Rick and I have spent watching, talking and trying to predict what will happen next, I realize I never did this before moving to the country. When I lived in the suburbs, I watched for tornadoes when the conditions where right. I was concerned about lightening if the girls had a softball game. And I needed to be aware of snow storms to see where and if I was going to see my patients.  But I realize the relationship I have with Mother Nature is so much more intimate now. Our very well being is directly related to the temperature, wind and storms.  When Rick and I went out to survey the damage, we notice we are not the only ones. On Sunday many people were out on their tractors, 4 wheelers and trucks. Some of us needed to know how we might get out of the valley; some people were checking their fences or cattle and some were assessing the damage to their crops.  We all stopped to share a few words of encouragement and awe. They say we get these kinds of rains every 100 years. We have had three in the last five.

NOAA?  NOAH?





Small Things

Very powerful things come in the tiniest of packages. An engagement ring, a word, the building blocks of life, a gnat.  A gnat?  Yes, gnat.  This past week we have had an infestation of buffalo gnats.  They focused their activity in the chicken coop area, killing 8 of the Cornish rocks and 4 of our layers.  It was horrible. Who would have thought something so small could do so much harm? 
According to //www.asktheexterminator.com/Gnats/Buffalo_Gnats.shtml the female biting or buffalo gnat has teeth that pierce the skin of humans and animals to draw blood. “The buffalo gnat, also known as the black fly or turkey gnat, is a tiny creature that measures no more than 5 mm. Even though it is called the black fly, it may also be gray, brown, or even some shades of orange. It has a humpback, which is how its name originated. The buffalo gnat has clear wings, big eyes, and antennae with eleven segments."

 Courtesy of asktheexterminator.com 

One afternoon Rick went out to the coop and was bombarded by a swarm of thousands of the gnats. The poor chickens were huddled in a corner of the building trying to get away from the insects. We think the cause of death was from a combination of the gnat bites, not eating or drinking and the stress.

Several farms in our area had similar situations and Rick found a comment board on the internet with many suggestions about how to eradicate the problem.  What we ended up doing was mulitfaceted. First, Rick put a box fan inside the coop.  The wind kept some of the insects from landing.  

Second, we hung fly tape in the coop. It comes in a cardboard tube about 2 inches long and ½ inch in diameter. The top is pulled off and the tape unwinds. The tape is hung from one end with the cardboard tube hanging down to straighten the coiled tape. After figuring out how to work this 50 cent contraption, Rick and I were prepared to do battle. My gallant husband covered his nose and mouth, donned his hat and headed into the coop. I stood outside waving my arms around trying to hold my breath. I would see his hand stick out the door and it was my cue to hand him the prepared roll so he could quickly hang it inside.  Once, Rick handed back a cardboard roll with glue tape but it broke and Rick could not hang it. After handing him a new one, I decided the glue on the tape was still good and I began to wave it around my face and head. It worked for a minute or two, minimizing the gnats until…the tape caught my hair.  UGH. It was so disgusting! Glue, dead gnats, live gnats. I panicked and pulled very hard to get it out of my hair. As I saw Rick still holding his breath franticly waving his hand for the last good roll I yanked a clump of hair, glue and bugs from my head. I tossed Rick the fly tape and went in search of a bottle of Goo Gone.

Interestingly, Rick read on line that the gnats do not like vanilla. He went to the auto section of our local Wal-mart and purchased a box of car air fresheners. He hung about a dozen next to the 8 sticky tapes. We have the best smelling chicken coop, and some of the most relaxed chickens for miles

Death and life.  Even smaller then the gnats are the cells required for mammals to create life.  Our Toby sired 11 puppies with Maisie.  They were born June 4^th and 5^th. I guess it takes 2 days to give birth to that many puppies.  Ande and I went to see the precious delivery (ies) this week. Maisie is a good mom and the babies are growing quickly. Their ears and eyes are still closed but their sense of smell is working well.

As there are so many, the owners of Maisie have half the puppies in a tote like box with a heating pad and the others are with mom. They are then rotated every 2-3 hours. The family takes shifts staying with Maisie around the clock. A common cause of death for puppies is that the mom can roll over and squish them.



Only half the pups with mama.
 Notice the puppy by Maisie's back legs.



I learned quite a bit about canine motherhood, and I had the most fun just sitting and watching Maisie do what comes naturally. 

Enjoy the pictures. 

Faith and Grace holding bundles of joy.
(Each girl is holding one puppy.)

Ande and sleeping beauty.

 

Nursing 12 puppies is hard work....
even if it is only 6 at a time.





Awe....



Rare Family Vacation



My Mom and Aunt Patsy
We miss Aunt Nori very much.



When a family lives on a farm time away together is rare.  This past weekend my extended family celebrated a family reunion and the life of my Aunt Nori who passed away last year. 

It takes time and money to plan time away. Dogs need to be boarded; someone needs to feed the chickens and cats.  Weeding, watering, snow plowing, mowing, planting, keeping pipes from freezing, painting, pruning, canning, and on and on. For these reasons Rick and I don’t usually leave home at the same time. We only go to our parent’s for Christmas when there aren’t as many chores to be done. 

For this special occasion we managed to all get away for the weekend. We arrived in the Dells at different times: Leander and I on Friday, Maggie arrived on Sat morning and Rick on Saturday afternoon. We arranged for one of Leander’s friends to let the dogs out Saturday night and Sunday morning. Rick fed and watered the cats and chickens before he left and Kenzie just had to put everyone in for the night.  Our neighbor across the street kept an eye on the place for us. 

The reunion was awesome! I hadn’t seen many of my cousins in years.  As my sister Cathy said, “How did everyone grow up and I stayed the same age?”  It seems only yesterday that we had our first family reunion when Leander, Claudia, Matthew and Kevin weren’t even a year old.  Now they are getting their drivers licenses and thinking about college. 

Ande, Maggie, Aunt Patsy, Jan and Gloria
I think that is David on guitar behind Ande.

We have several musicians in the family and they brought instruments and amplifiers. After dinner and a beautiful tribute to Aunt Nori on Saturday night, the “boys” began to play. Every so often someone would get up to sing. Primarily, my brother Chris, daughter Maggie and my cousin’s son, David sang and of course we all sang along when we knew the words.  Leander and Maggie performed a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace. I even got up and sang with Maggie- John Cougar’s Pink Houses.  We forgot a verse but Chris kept us on task.   I don’t sing well but had the greatest time.

Another first was playing at the water park.  I have never been to the Dells and I have vertigo and a fear of heights, but I was bound and determined to overcome my anxiety.  I started very slow by simply meandering on the Lazy River assessing all of the water slides. I began at kiddie slide with Leander, Maddie and Ellie cheering me on.  Leander was very supportive and helped me pick a big slide to try. She grabbed a two person inner-tube and we walked up the many, many, many stairs.  We decided on the Emerald River. I carefully got onto the tube behind Leander- my legs under her arms. I begged her to not push us out of the shoot too fast. But we got stuck and the young man monitoring the ride pushed us down the slide!  We turned left and right, went up and dropped down.   I have no memory of saying anything but Leander swears I pulled up my legs up and said, “I can’t do this.”  Where would I go? There’s no way out.  Surely if people died they wouldn’t have this ride.  As we splashed into the wading pool at the end I could not stop smiling, it was a blast.  I am so glad I did it. 

I was happy to get back to the farm and to my own bed. But I miss everyone. We set up a Facebook page and I am spending a lot of time checking for new photos and updates.

Back to feeding the chickens, weeding the garden and mowing the lawn.

We clean up pretty nice for counrty folk!

Love, Mom

Cherry tree in our back yard

Right outside my kitchen window I see a beautiful cherry tree, covered in fragrant white flowers. When Lisa was a little girl, she and her dad planted a handful of Bing cherry pits bought at the local grocery store. Amazingly, six germinated. Smokey, our Siberian Husky, ate four of the seedlings and the fifth one died.  But the last one survived. How wonderful it was to watch that tree, and Lisa’s love of nature, grow. Even though we lived in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Lisa found a small chapter of Future Farmers of America and joined through a horticulture class offered in high school. 

Lisa never relinquished her desire to place seeds in the ground.  Her first garden was a few square feet of earth in our backyard. Along with the cherry pits she planted marigolds, petunias, and a tomato plant.  And in every home she had thereafter, one would find a garden.  Lisa asked the landlord of her first apartment if she could plant a few flowers in the public courtyard. Even in this tiny bit of soil she fed her need to plant and watch things grow.  In her next three homes, the gardens expanded to include vegetables, flowers, and shrubs. 

Right outside Lisa’s kitchen window at Untah’s Farm I see her largest garden yet- 5,000 square feet!  It is teeming with organically composted rich soil in which strawberries, cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, onions, peppers, spinach, squash, raspberries, rhubarb, garlic, pumpkins and herbs thrive.   Lisa reads seed catalogs in the same way I might read a love story.  She mentions that her garden is her sanctuary; a place to unwind, to ponder, to refresh her soul.

Lisa and Gus

When I think about Lisa’s childhood filled with her love of all living things I also remember the animals. Along with the family pets - two dogs, parakeets and a rabbit - kittens, gerbils, and hamsters seemed to “follow her home.” In elementary school her fifth grade class hatched eggs and Lisa volunteered to adopt one of the Mallard ducks. Neighbors were astounded and amused as Lisa walked Gus around the block tethered to a cat leash.  As part of her Animal Behavior class in high school she brought rats home during winter break. As part of her biology class various mammals and reptiles came home as dissection homework.

Untah’s Farm lies in one of the most beautiful areas of Wisconsin.  The rolling hills lead to the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River and I can see for miles when I sit on Lisa’s deck, rocking in the chair her father made. I smell the garden, that warm, green, earthy smell I remember from my own childhood when I stood in my grandpa’s garden. I hear the bees by the pond, and watch the dogs playing before they finally come up the stairs and lie at my feet.

I wave to a neighbor as he drives by, the only car to pass in an afternoon. This is heaven, I think, and how happy I am that Lisa and her family have found the exact place they were meant to be - Untah’s Farm.

I would like to share a poem I gave Lisa for Mother's Day in 1996.

Dear Lisa,

You encourage your daughters to experience the world:

 ...to peer into rain puddles, and then jump in!

 ...to carve October's jack-o-lanterns grown from April's

    seeds.

 ...to touch fragile treasures with tiny fingers while learning the

    meaning of "gentle."

...to speak with authority in private syllables knowing you

   understand.

In your arms your babies find the warmth and security that will embrace them throughout their lives.  You provide them a model of womanhood to emulate:  honest, hard-working, nurturing, loving. What better gift could a mother receive than to witness her daughter's becoming such a wonderful mother?  Happy Mother's Day, Lisa.  I love and admire you.

Love, Mom