Michael Perry's Blog, page 388

Blankety-Blank Deer

Woke up and did my standard property scan from the upstairs window this morning and through the heavy fog (environmental fog, not a redundant comment on the state of my brain) noticed our new apple tree seedling didn't look quite right.  Upon closer inspection there are hoof-prints and roughly half the leaves nibbled away.

Last week we were saying, "We should put a fence around that apple tree seedling so the deer can't get at it."

Yah.  Well.

Still…thousands of acres of forest, farmland and...

I Found It by Searching for "Buffalo"

Had an old mix-tape cassette (ask Grandad, kiddies) with this song on it.  Man.  Good.  And for some reason (perhaps the same cassette?) it always reminds me of this song (had to post the live version…blows away the actual music video which is roont by acting).

Those Were Tasty

Earlier this spring I got a spate of emails from folks wondering if I had gathered any morel mushrooms on the farm.  Fact is, I've never gathered morels.  Then on a rainy day several weeks ago, a woman came to help us with some questions we had about converting some of our fallow land back to pasture.  While hiking around the fenceline, she spotted several morels and shortly we were all spotting them.  We got a nice bagful and ate them for lunch.

Traveling Today

Blogging may be light for a bit.

For the Bride and Groom

Welcome.  Bienvenidos.

This morning on the farm we fly the American and Ecuadoran flags in honor of my sister-in-law and her husband-to-be who will be married in a matter of hours.  She grew up in lil' ol' Fall Crick, Wisconsin, and he and his family came to this country from Ecuador.  Today both are freshly-minted doctors and about to be married.  Tonight in the Chippewa Valley you will hear the mingled echoes of polka and salsa merengue!

In David Letterman's Hands

On June 22, Oh Boy Records will be releasing Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine.  I had a tiny part in the project, collaborating on the liner notes with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.  So when I saw the video below, I admit I got a little thrill knowing that the cardboard Dave was holding in his hands had our names on it.

I'll have more on the details of the album and the liner notes nearer the release date.

Why Does…

…the tape measure blade slip off the end of the 2×4 when you don't want it to, but clings tight when you try to shake it loose?

The Limits of Neil

Some of you have met Chris, the guitarist/keyboardist of the Long Beds.  He lays down the majority of our twang, despite the fact that his musical background is not so much country.  I attribute this to his general openness and omnivorous intellect.  Pretty much whatever y'got, he can play it or appreciate it.

Turns out he has his limits.  We were at a gathering of mutual friends discussing the joy of playing old vinyl records.  I started ticking through what I've been spinning on my

Big Ol' Honkin' Flagpole

When we moved to this farm there was a giant fiberglass pole lying in the weeds down by the old feed bunk.  My stepfather-in-law said it was a flagpole.  I didn't give it much thought.

I like to fly the flag.  Never been much of a Stars-and-Stripes chest-thumper, but I am daily grateful I was dropped in this country.  Been around just enough to know I owe much to those who arranged it and do their best to sustain it.  Thus we often fly the POW/MIA flag as well.  When my daughters ask me about ...

Corn Up, Oats Up

The corn I was concerned about is coming right along now.  Our oats is doing well also (although I think it's time to get a cultipacker), and best of all, the winter wheat I planted a little too late last fall is now heading out just fine.

Here's hoping by October we'll have grain in the granary.

It's not a given.