Jerry Apps's Blog, page 47

Great Writing Place

I’ve just returned from another great writing week at Rhinelander, the land of lakes and loons and north woods aplenty.   My wife and I, and for many years the entire family, have been trekking to Rhinelander since 1971, when I began teaching writing at the School of the Arts.  I stopped teaching in 2003; 32 years seemed a goodly number.  But we still go there, to a cabin on Lake George, where I write every morning and have fun with the grandkids who come from near and far (three from Colorado), (and a great grandchild from Minneapolis) to swim, boat and enjoy the sunshine in the afternoon.
I’m often asked where I write—well in the past I have written in airports, coffee shops, many hotel rooms and even dentist offices.  But my preference is a quiet place that is special—a cabin on Lake George near Rhinelander, a condo overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, a campsite deep in the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota, and of course my farm where I can watch deer and wild turkeys and sand hill cranes and where there is no TV, or telephone, or internet to interfere with my writing.
My first book was published in 1970 (43 years ago), and I’ve been writing fulltime since 1993—twenty years.  Although I can still write almost anywhere, the creative juices seem to flow best when it is quiet, the disturbances are few, the view is great, and I have several days in a row to mull over what I am thinking and writing about.
So last week was a great week. 
THE OLD TIMER SAYS: About the only way to get some writing done, is to sit down and do it.

UPCOMING EVENTS: August 3-4. Kansas City, Missouri Public TV. A Farm Story.August 6-7, Nebraska Public TV, Lincoln, Nebraska.  A Farm Story.August 8, Environmental Educator’s Conference, Noon. Keynote, UW-LaCrosseAugust 10, 1:00 p.m., Presentation Villa Louis, Prairie du Chein.  Horse Drawn Days.August 18, Chicago Public TV. A Farm Story.August 24, Egg Harbor Historical Society (details to follow)September 7, Milwaukee Public TV.  A Farm StorySeptember 9, Byron Historical Society, Eden Town Hall. (details to follow)September 10, DTS Banquet talk, Deer Valley Lodge, BarneveldSeptember 14, Mineral Point Book Festival. FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD
DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.

Three Sisters Garden

Here’s an update on my current adventure with a three sisters garden.  But first some background.  Three sisters gardening originates with Native American gardening practice.  The Indians planted three crops together, corn, beans, and squash with the idea was that these three crops would benefit from growing close to each other.
To make a three sisters garden, form a mound of dirt about eight inches high and about two-feet wide on the top.   Plant several corn (maize) seeds close together in the center of the mound.   When the corn is about six inches tall, plant several beans (climbing variety) and squash around the corn, alternating the beans and squash.
Here’s how it’s supposed to work.  The corn provides a structure for the beans to climb—thus no pole is needed.  The beans provide some nitrogen to the soil that the corn and squash use.  The squash spreads on the ground, blocking the sunlight, eliminating the weeds, and helping to retain soil moisture.  The squash leaves are also a little prickly and deter pests (some of them anyway).
Two years ago I tried a three sisters garden and the three sisters fought with each other and the experiment failed—miserably.  This time I did things differently.  I bought heritage seeds.  I didn’t use fancy hybrid varieties that simply didn’t know how to get along with each other.
Last time I planted all three sisters at the same time.  Didn’t work.  The corn has to have a head start or it becomes overwhelmed with a tangle of bean tendrils and squash vines.  This time I waited to plant squash and beans until the corn was about six inches tall.  To date all is well.  The sisters have become good buddies—so far at least.  We’ll keep you informed as the season progresses.
THE OLD TIMER SAYS: It’s always fun to try something new—even when it doesn’t always work.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
July 13-20.  Writing Retreat, Rhinelander.August 3-4. Kansas City, Missouri Public TV. A Farm Story.August 6-7, Nebraska Public TV, Lincoln, Nebraska.  A Farm Story.August 8, Environmental Educator’s Conference, Noon. Keynote, UW-LaCrosseAugust 10, 1:00 p.m., Presentation Villa Louis, Prairie du Chein.  Horse Drawn Days.August 18, Chicago Public TV. A Farm Story.August 24, Egg Harbor Historical Society (details to follow)September 7, Milwaukee Public TV.  A Farm StorySeptember 9, Byron Historical Society, Eden Town Hall. (details to follow)September 10, DTS Banquet talk, Deer Valley Lodge, BarneveldSeptember 14, Mineral Point Book Festival.
 FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD
DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.

Garden Update

For those vegetable gardeners who want to do some comparing, here is how my garden is doing as of July 8.  As per usual, some vegetables are doing well, some so-so and a few vegetables are down right miserable, struggling to stay alive.  In our neck of the woods it’s difficult to blame the weather, beyond the slow, cool, spring.  We've had ample rain, and the last couple of weeks have provided warm, sunny days.  Great growing weather.  Here’s the rundown:
Pumpkins—Doing well, just beginning to vine.
Early sweet corn—hip high, good color, lots of promise.
Spinach—failure.  Germination poor and that which did grow is sad, sad.
Radishes—best crop in years.  No worms, sweet, well-shaped.
Carrots—doing well now that radishes are harvested (I plant carrots and             radishes together.)
Peas—looking good.  Pods developing. Harvest this coming weekend?
Early potatoes—very average.  Don’t know why they aren't better.
Onions—excellent.  We've harvested some and they are great.
Leaf lettuce—doing well.  We've already had several cuttings.
Beets—coming right along.  Probably need a little thinning.
Late potatoes—best crop in several years.  Vines are thick, knee high, covering therows.
Tomatoes—almost all varieties in some stage of flowering.  A few plants with    little green tomatoes.  Thinking of how good they will taste when they ripen.
Cabbage—excellent.  Best in several years. 
Green Beans—merely okay.  Germination could have been better.  Not enough plants.
Green peppers—awful.  Plants look like they will die any day now.  Don’t have a clue what is bothering them.
Zucchini—Coming along just fine.  A few blossoms.  Look out.
Cucumbers—Beginning to vine.  Thriving.
Winter squash—Same as the cucumbers.
Late sweet corn—mostly knee high, some shorter, some taller.
Gourds—who can’t grow gourds?
Sunflowers—about four feet tall and growing like everything.
Three Sisters Garden—Full report later.  But so far doing much better than my  attempt a couple years ago.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS:   When you garden, you are never short of surprises.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
July 13-20.  Writing Retreat, Rhinelander.August 3-4. Kansas City, Missouri Public TV. A Farm Story.August 6-7, Nebraska Public TV, Lincoln, Nebraska.  A Farm Story.
 FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD
DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.

Chicago Library Confab

My son, Steve and I just returned from Chicago where we attended the American Library Association’s annual convention at the McCormick Center.  I had an opportunity to talk a bit about my book. LETTERS FROM HILLSIDE FARM (Fulcrum Press), and sign a bunch of books, and see more librarians in one place than I've ever seen before.  Some 17,000 people were preregistered for the conference, coming from all over North America and from many other places in the world as well.  The conference began on June 28 and winds up on July 2.
            I hadn't attended an event at McCormick Place for more than ten years, and had forgotten what a huge, sprawling, walk-requiring, escalator-taking place it is.  Good to be back home.
            Two events we missed.  On Saturday afternoon, bookmobiles from near and far paraded around downtown Chicago—something like a parade of tractors at an old tractor show I would guess.  And on July 1, I especially would have enjoyed seeing, and this is a direct quotation from the show’s daily newspaper of happenings, “10:00 a.m. -2 p.m. Authors will be rotating while reading poems of their choice.”  It would be a sight to see—poets turning in tight little circles while reading some of their favorite poems.  But why should I be surprised, poets have been long known for doing unusual things.
THE OLD TIMER SAYS:   I should try doing a bit more rotating.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
July 2, Boscobel Library, 10:00 a.m.July 13-20.  Writing Retreat, Rhinelander.August 3-4. Kansas City, Kansas Public TV, Kansas City. A Farm Story.August 6-7, Nebraska Public TV, Lincoln, Nebraska.  A Farm Story.
 FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD
DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.

Writing From Your Life

Just back from The Clearing in Door County where I taught a WRITING FROM YOUR LIFE workshop.  Nineteen people from near and far gathered to share their stories, write them down, and have a great time doing it.  Stories of joy and sorrow.  Hilariously funny stories—and everything in between.           
            One participant, a retired farmer, said that when his wife died several years ago, he sold  his cows, waited until the cat died, watched the house plants dry out—and decided he wanted to do something different—something he had read about and decided unless he did it soon, he would never do it.  He asked one of his children, he has five, all adults now, to drive him to Delaware.  Then he started West, on foot, walking.  He walked across the United States from the East coast to the West coast.  Along the way he met loads of wonderful people—he has all their names and their addresses, and their stories that he blends in with his.
            Not all the stories were about walking, or doing other heroic acts, but all were special, whether they were about a first job in a hospital cafeteria, or about a 4-H calf led into the farm house kitchen—much to dismay of the  person’s mother.
            The workshop is a joy for a teacher, for all want to be there, all want to learn.  All want to share their stories.
            For those interested, I will do it all over again on Saturday November 2. 
Contact The Clearing for further information.  This is a link to their website. http://theclearing.org/current/index.shtml
THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Everybody has a story to tell—and should find the time to tell it.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 25, 8:30-10:00.  Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison.  Homeless Book Club. Limping Through  Life.June 29-30, Chicago. McCormick Place. Presentation, American Library Association Convention. July 2, Boscobel Library, 10:00 a.m.July 13-20.  Writing Retreat, Rhinelander.August 3-4. Kansas City, Kansas Public TV, Kansas City. A Farm Story.August 6-7, Nebraska Public TV, Lincoln, Nebraska.  A Farm Story.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD
DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.

Talk About Apps

            Back in the late 1960s the Apps clan decided to hold a family reunion each year.  Last Saturday we held our 45thconsecutive gathering of the descendants of my Grandfather, George Apps who arrived in Wisconsin from England after the Civil War.
            It is always a grand and glorious affair, held at Bird Creek Park in Wautoma, WI with a tremendous potluck meal, lots of talking and catching up and a short planned program.
            When the noon meal was finished, the president of the group, now 91 years old called the group to order and we heard a reading of the minutes of the last reunion, and were brought up-to-date on the financial situation of the group.  This year the treasurer announced that we were in the black to the tune of $2.54.  Someone suggested we should file for nonprofit status, but rather than doing that we passed the hat with everyone throwing in a dollar or two and we are, at least for the coming year, in good financial standing.
            Then on to the program, which consisted of a variety of competitions.  Who traveled the farthest—this year someone from Washington, D. C. Who prepared the best casserole (we vote)—winner received a box of “Roadkill Hamburger Helper”, the best dessert, the best salad—close votes on all.  Then on to which woman had the shortest hair, which man had the longest hair, which person had the smallest foot size, which had the largest (size 13 won this year). Who had the oldest coin in their pocket—a 1965 nickle.  A prize was given to the Apps who had his or her picture in the Waushara Argus most often in the past year—Ruth clipped all the photos and makes a poster of them.  Some 35 Apps photos were in the local paper last year.                        The most prestigious award of all is the “Apps Knows” award.  The Apps men, not the women, are noted for their very prominent noses—they are, to be right up front,  uncommonly long.  Rather than calling the award the “Apps Nose” award, we hide what we are really doing with a word that sounds the same but has a considerably different meaning.  In fact, a person reading in the paper about the Apps Knows Award one time said to me that he’d never met an Apps who seemed to know much of anything.
            The award can only be won once and the winner receives a traveling trophy that he can display on his wall indicating the he has won the most prestigious award of all, the “Apps Knows Award.”
            A year from now we’ll do it all over again.
THE OLD TIMER SAYS: You can tell who is an Apps, but you can’t tell them much.
ANNOUNCEMENT:  Book Signing at The Clearing (Jens Jensen Center) from 4-6, Saturday June 22 (following my writing workshop on that day).  Public is invited.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 20, 7:00 p.m. Wisconsin Rapids Public Library.  Limping Through Life.June 22, 9-4. Writing Workshop.  The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI.June 22, 4-6.  Book Signing.  The Clearing Ellison Bay, WI.  The public is invited.June 25, 8:30-10:00.  Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison.  Homeless Book Club. Limping Through  Life.June 29-30, Chicago. McCormick Place. Presentation, American Library Association Convention. July 2, Boscobel Library, 10:00 a.m.July 13-20.  Writing Retreat, Rhinelander.August 3-4. Kansas City, Kansas Public TV, Kansas City. A Farm Story.August 6-7, Nebraska Public TV, Lincoln, Nebraska.  A Farm Story.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD
DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.

June Garden Report

            Lots of rain.  Many cloudy days.  Cool.  Great grass growing weather.  Great weather for weeds, as well.
            Except for a short row of spinach that decided not to grow, the garden is looking great.  Last night we ate our first radishes, sweet and mild, not like the radishes later in the season that may be large and beautiful but bite your tongue.
            Many of the tomato plants I started from seed back in April and set out on Memorial Day were wee little things, puny, fragile and not offering much hope.   Except for my new heirloom tomatoes from the Isle of Man.  I don’t think I lost one of them—I have a long row, maybe 25 plants of this experimental (for me) tomato that is supposed to have a special flavor and grow strong and yield well.  So far so good.  They are standing upright and growing, and competing well with Big Boy, Better Boy, Early Girl and a couple of other hybrid varieties.  The cool, wet weather made the transplanting easier on the plants.
            What great weather for potatoes.  My ten rows are thriving—well ahead of where they were last year at this time, and I planted them two weeks later.  Go figure.  Kennebec is the variety I favor, which generally does well on my sandy soil, tastes great, and lasts well into late winter.
            And cabbage, Kohlrabi, Broccoli, etc.—growing like crazy as they love this cool, damp weather.  The snap beans are coming up—but they like it warmer.  The cucumbers, winter squash, pumpkins, and zucchini are up as is the sweet corn.  But these vegetables prefer more sunshine and warmth.  The sweet corn is a rather yellowish green, which means more sunshine needed.
            The three sisters—well this year I’m following the instructions.  I planted the three sisters' corn on Memorial Day—it’s two or three inches tall.  Next week I will plant the Rattlesnake Beans and the pumpkins, the other two sisters.  And then I will sit back and watch how they get along with each other.
THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Want something to talk about?  Grow a vegetable garden.
ANNOUNCEMENT:  Interested in learning how to write your own stories?  Sign up for one of my upcoming one-day workshops that I am teaching at The Clearing in Door County.
Saturday, June 22, 9-4 (A few openings still left)
Saturday, November 3, 9-4
Contact The Clearing for further information and/or to sign up (www.theclearing.org).
(There will be a book signing at The Clearing on each of these Saturdays from 4-6:00 p.m. The public is invited.)
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 13, Writing Workshop, Fulcrum Publishing offices, Golden, CO.June 20, 7:00 p.m. Wisconsin Rapids Public Library.  Limping Through LifeJune 22, 9-4. Writing Workshop.  The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI.June 22, 4-6.  Book Signing.  The Clearing Ellison Bay, WI.  The public is invited.June 25, 8:30-10:00.  Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison.  Homeless Book Club. Limping Through  Life.June 29-30, Chicago. McCormick Place.  American Library Association Convention.  Letters From Hillside Farm.July 2, Boscobel Library, 10:00 a.m.July 13-20.  Writing Retreat, Rhinelander.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD
DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.

Three Sisters--One More Time

A couple years ago I tried growing a Native-American three sister’s garden.  Those following these ramblings then remembered that the three sisters did not get along and they mostly did each other in—in other words my little experiment was a failure.
The failure was mostly my fault.  I used modern day sweet corn, squash, and bean varieties, not the old-fashioned varieties the Native-Americans would have used.  Modern varieties, it seems, are too competitive, each wants its own place in the sun and does not want to cooperate with its siblings.
I also planted the three types of seeds all at the same time.  A mistake.  Big sister corn is supposed to be planted first, and not until it is six inches tall should the beans and squash/ pumpkins be planted.
I have been encouraged to try the experiment again.  On the internet, I found at “Renee’s Garden” a Native American Three Sisters garden seed packet consisting of  “Earth-Tone Dent Corn,” “Rattlesnake Beans” and “Sugar Pie Pumpkins.”
According to the instructions, I created a mound of soil in my garden with an 18 inch flattened top.  Last week I planted six corn seeds in the mound.  Now I’m waiting before I plant the Rattlesnake Beans and Sugar Pie Pumpkins for big sister corn to become established.
The theory of the three sister’s garden is this.  The corn provides a natural pole for the beans to climb.  The pumpkins are supposed to shade out the weeds and prevent moisture loss.
I’ll keep you posted on how these sisters get along.  With names like Rattlesnake, Sugar Pie, and Earth-Tone, it sounds hopeful.  Who’d want to mess with a sister named Rattlesnake, especially if you were known as Sugar Pie or Earth-Tone?

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Why can’t sisters just get along.
ANNOUNCEMENT:  Interested in learning how to write your own stories?  Sign up for one of my upcoming one-day workshops that I am teaching at The Clearing in Door County.
Saturday, June 22, 9-4 (A few openings still left)
Saturday, November 3, 9-4
Contact The Clearing for further information and/or to sign up (www.theclearing.org).
(There will be a book signing at The Clearing on each of these Saturdays from 4-6:00 p.m. The public is invited.)
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 4, Noon. Milwaukee Rotary Club. War Memorial Building. Limping Through Life.June 6, 7:00 p.m. Dane County Genealogy. One Room Country Schools.June 7, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Launch of LETTERS FROM HILLSIDE FARM and LIMPING THROUGH LIFE.June 8, 11:00 -3:00 Book signing, Tri-County Thresheree, Plainfield June 13, Writing Workshop, Fulcrum Publishing offices, Golden, CO.June 20, 7:00 p.m. Wisconsin Rapids Public Library.  Limping Through LifeJune 22, 9-4. Writing Workshop.  The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI.June 25, 8:30-10:00.  Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison.  Homeless Book Club. Limping Through  Life.June 29-30, Chicago. McCormick Place.  American Library Association Convention.  Letters From Hillside Farm.July 2, Boscobel Library, 10:00 a.m.July 13-20.  Writing Retreat, Rhinelander.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD
DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.

Garden Update

With the able assistance of Paul, Steve and Natasha, who did most of the work, the garden at Roshara is planted.  Our goal is to plant most of the garden—especially the more frost-fragile plants such as tomatoes around Memorial Day, and no earlier.
I usually try to have my potatoes in the ground by mid-April.  Not this year.  The garden was still snow-covered in April.  We planted them in early May and they are almost all up and growing well, all ten rows of them.  At that time I also planted radishes, onions, early sweet corn, lettuce, and beets.  All up and looking good.
Last Saturday we planted squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini, gourds, more sweet corn, some broom corn, and a half-row of sunflowers.  Got to add a little color to the project.
We set out the tomato plants I started back in April.  They look a bit small and scraggly but in a week or two, if all goes well, they will catch up with the fancy much taller, store-bought varieties.  We went overboard a bit this year setting out nearly 60 tomato plants.  Included in the 60 are 25 heirloom tomatoes—a special variety from the Isle of Man (Manx Marvel).  The seeds germinated well, the plants are vigorous,  but  I’ll withhold  saying more until I see and taste the tomatoes.  All told I think we have six different tomato varieties, with the hope that a least a couple of the varieties will produce well this year.
Saturday was also the day to set out the cabbage plants—both red and white—broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi plants, all purchased at the Co-op store in Wild Rose.
We mulch all the tomato plants with a few inches of straw.  It’s a slow tedious job.  Paul drew the short stick for the job this year and completed it without complaint.  We also mulch all of the cabbage, broccoli , etc. plants.  The mulch keeps the weeds down and the moisture in.  And for the tomatoes, the mulch provides a bed for the ripe fruit as I do not stake or put racks around all my tomato plants.
Now, like I have done for every year since growing a garden, I wait to see what does well, what does less well, and what fails.  I have turned it all over to Mother Nature,  who is largely in charge from this point forward.
THE OLD TIMER SAYS:  One of the most difficult things we face in life is learning how to come out from behind ourselves.
ANNOUNCEMENT:  Interested in learning how to write your own stories?  Sign up for one of my upcoming one-day workshops that I am teaching at The Clearing in Door County.
Saturday, June 22, 9-4 (A few openings still left)
Saturday, November 3, 9-4
Contact The Clearing for further information and/or to sign up (www.theclearing.org).
(There will be a book signing at The Clearing on each of these Saturdays from 4-6:00 p.m. The public is invited.)
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 4, Noon. Milwaukee Rotary Club. War Memorial Building. Limping Through Life.June 6, 7:00 p.m. Dane County Genealogy. One Room Country Schools.June 7, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Launch of LETTERS FROM HILLSIDE FARM and LIMPING THROUGH LIFE.June 8, 11:00 -3:00 Book signing, Tri-County Thresheree, Plainfield June 13, Writing Workshop, Fulcrum Publishing offices, Golden, CO.June 20, 7:00 p.m. Wisconsin Rapids Public Library.  Limping Through LifeJune 22, 9-4. Writing Workshop.  The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI.June 25, 8:30-10:00.  Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison.  Homeless Book Club. Limping Through  Life.June 29-30, Chicago. McCormick Place.  American Library Association Convention.  Letters From Hillside Farm.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD
DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.

Three Days and Spring

Three days make such a difference. Ruth and I set out last Tuesday morning for a three-day mini-book tour—Trempealeau library (early afternoon and evening, Tuesday), Magers and Quinn Bookstore, Minneapolis (Wednesday evening), Chapter Two Bookstore, Hudson (Thursday noon).
The previous weekend had been windy and chilly.  More than that.  Right down cold, even saw some snow flurries when we worked in the garden last Saturday.  When we left Madison on Tuesday morning, the weather person promised a warmer day, and still a warmer day on Wednesday.
The weather person outdid herself.  Perhaps even overdid it as the temp rose to the high nineties in the Twin Cities and remained warm.
Now to the point of this tale.  Mother Nature has been hiding spring, keeping it under wraps, afraid to turn it loose for fear it might stick its nose out and have it frozen off.  But for the three days we were gone, old Mother Nature said it was time.  And I might add, about time. 
When we left home the big maple trees in our backyard were only hinting at leaves.  No sign of crabapple blossoms, plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, and only a few dandelions.  But on Thursday night when we returned— Mother Nature had turned it on and let it go and we had spring with all of its glory and grandeur. Trees are leafed, blossoms are everywhere, the grass is green and the birds are signing.
 It may only last a few days before summer sets in, but at least we experienced a taste of what spring in Wisconsin could be like the past few days.
THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Old Mother Nature is a fickle one.
ANNOUNCEMENT:  Interested in learning how to write your own stories?  Sign up for one of my upcoming one-day workshops that I am teaching at The Clearing in Door County.
Saturday, June 22, 9-4
Saturday, November 3, 9-4
Contact The Clearing for further information and/or to sign up (www.theclearing.org).
(There will be a book signing at The Clearing on each of these Saturdays from 4-6:00 p.m.)
UPCOMING EVENTS:
May 23, Richfield Historical Society, 7:00 p.m. Stories from the land.June 4, Noon. Milwaukee Rotary Club. War Memorial Building. Limping Through Life.June 6, 7:00 p.m. Dane County Genealogy. One Room Country Schools.June 7, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Launch of LETTERS FROM HILLSIDE FARM and LIMPING THROUGH LIFE.June 8, 11:00 -3:00 Book signing, Tri-County Thresheree, Plainfield June 20, 7:00 p.m. Wisconsin Rapids Public Library.  Limping Through LifeJune 22, 9-4. Writing Workshop.  The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI.June 25, 8:30-10:00.  Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison.  Homeless Book Club. Limping Through  Life.June 29-30, Chicago.  American Library Association Convention.  Letters From Hillside Farm.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD
DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.