Category Archives: Wisconsin

Weather alert

November 9, 2020Columns, Weather, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

We’ve been reaching record high temperatures the last few days in Wisconsin. It was a great time to be outside without coats, hats, and mittens.

Well, November will soon be going back to normal, after a rainy day temps will head down to the 40s. Ugh.

This column was from 1985 and showed the cold changes predicted that November, too.

Such is life. Weather goes up and down. This is Wisconsin after all.

Hats and coats have not gone far. Soon I’ll be dressing in layers again and dreaming of spring 2021.

Country people wave

October 23, 2020Odds and ends, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

Walk down a country road. A car passes. You wave your hand. It doesn’t matter who is in the vehicle.

Waving is just in our nature.

I know a city boy who asked to drive down country roads. He liked to wave and he knew there people would wave back.

If you are driving on country roads, don’t be surprised when people wave at you. Be a good sport and wave back. It’s the right thing to do.

Falling leaves

October 11, 2020animals, Weather, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

I looked out the window and saw a blizzard of leaves falling to the ground from the basswood tree.

Of course, when I brought out my camera, the leaves only trickled down.

In this short video you can hear the southerly wind blowing and cats circling my feet begging for food.

After taking this short video, I waited to see if another blizzard of leaves would flow. It didn’t so I went inside to start putting together food for all my critters–cats don’t talk with their mouths full.

Canada Geese in the sky

October 9, 2020nature, wildlife, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

It’s always a good show each spring and fall when Canada geese fly through the sky. One day, when a few flocks merged and flew over Seymour, people came out of shops and homes to watch.

Everyone had their heads craned skyward as the geese honked past. I was amazed at how many people came outside. They were quite a sight, too.

Here’s my video of a column I wrote in 1981.

Things really don’t change.

Sometimes I’m stuck in the kitchen waiting for something to finish baking when there’s a sight to see outside. Foos can get burnt when this happens.

I’ve been taking photos of sunsets. The shortened time to this daily event can catch me off guard. I almost missed one this week because it came so soon, or at least seemed to come early. My seat by the kitchen window doesn’t always mean I’m attentive to what is happening outside.

May you experience the beauty of the changing seasons today.

A Surprise Parade!

May 24, 2020fun, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

I was getting ready to open the door to the chicken coop when I heard the chugging sound of an old tractor.

I turned toward the road and saw one, then two tractors, one pulling a wagon with people waving a flag. The best part there was more coming down our country road.

I ran to the house to get my camera.