Category Archives: Wisconsin

Lightning strikes!

Weather, Wisconsin

Thunderstorms dropped large hail south of Sunnybook Farm, but not one ice crystal came here.

A different thunderstorm problem popped up instead. Listen, watch, and find out what happened.

I could smell the ozone, but it wasn’t until Wednesday that I really had a chance to look around and discover how close the lightning came.

Definitely too close for comfort.

Happily, this bolt took just the tree and not me.

Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved

Thunderstorm

Weather, Wisconsin

When the weather alert sounded that a severe thunderstorm was heading toward Seymour, I had time to put the car in the shed.

This look at the storm clouds was a bit earlier, before the alert when I took Sunny out for his morning constitutional.

The worst of the storms went south of here, lucky for me but not for the people who had large hail drop from the sky.

I was sitting in the living room when lightning struck somewhere near. I jumped, so did my dog and cats. The lightning was close enough to leave the odor of O-zone in the air.

When I could, I walked outside to look for damage. Trees were standing as usual, as were the farm buildings, but I continue to feel nervous. That was too close for comfort.

Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved

Gravel road changes

Columns, Wisconsin

A gravel road can have many issues: dust, holes, bumps, and loose gravel that sends a bicycle flying. After years of living on such a road, you get used to it.

This column is about big changes that took place to Gardner Road starting in 1986.

Eventually, the greenery returned but tree replacements took many more years of growth.

Still, for the Manzke family, there were many memories that started with gravel.

Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved

A Minute with mosquitoes!

Susan, wildlife, Wisconsin

I took canned-air outside to clean off my bug zapper.

It quickly does the trick, but not quick enough as my blood was being sucked by the live ones.

This zapper is away from the house to draw the mosquitoes away. It works, but can not keep up with the onslaught this year.

I thought that I could do this video without being harassed by the mosquitoes as it had started to rain.

They didn’t care.

Swat! Wave! Run for the house! And safety.

Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved

Ten seconds of sandhill cranes

wildlife, Wisconsin

They fly through the sky, greeting the Wisconsin sunrise.

Sandhill cranes wake up the countryside.

I know some don’t appreciate their bugle calls, thinking them grating.

The sounds that greeted me today made me smile.

Catching a bit of their flight and calls brightened my day.

Saving Wisconsin wildlife shows how birds on the brink of extinction can come back and add to daily entertainment.

Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved