Category Archives: Weather

Bombs away!

August 28, 2019Bob, gardening, Weather, wildlifesusanmanzke

The apples on our trees are coming down. A wicked wind in hurrying them off the trees.

Bob wants to mow the grass under the trees, but he can’t. The apples are in his way.

What to do? Pick them up.

Bob can not pick up off the ground, so he uses his grabber. I just lean over and pick up as many as I can.

We both had to watch for falling apples. A healthy wind was bombing us with the fruit. Good thing the apples are rather small this year. These don’t hurt so much when they drop on our heads.

Hopefully, we’ll get some good apples off the trees before they all blow down.

Wonder what we do with the apples that have fallen? We take them down the lane and toss them in an unplanted area where we just happen to have our critter cam set up. It isn’t our fault that deer and other critters come and eat some of the discarded fruit.

From wet to windy

August 18, 2019crafts, Family, Weather, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

We had the opportunity to go to a Farmer’s Market for free this morning.

We left home under clouds. It started to rain about a mile from the Tractor Supply parking lot where we were to set up.

We waited an hour and after the rain stopped we set up our canopy alongside some other sellers.

There were a few shoppers but had hoped for more.

When the wind picked up we took down the canopy and sat by our tables hoping the wind wouldn’t tip them over and break my painted tiles.

At least it got us out of the house and we also got treated to lunch by Rebecca and Andy–thanks for the take-down help you too and for the yummy lunch. Glad we were close to your home.

Enough already

August 8, 2019Farming, fun, Weather, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

Yesterday I blogged about all the water down our lane. Well, you can double that and more.

If I hadn’t dumped out our rain gauge, the water would have flowed over the top.

We will not be able to get down our lane for quite a while. Unless Bob goes with the tractor to rescue it, we will not be able to check our critter cam.

Of course, just like the last storm, we ended our day with a rainbow.

Just before dark.

In between bouts of rain, I had to rush out to save 2 hens. The door had shut with a gust of wind. All the others had made it inside, except these two old girls. They were soaked, but managed to join the others after I opened the door for them. Poor things. I then had to wait for the rain to slow again before I could get back to the house.

We’ve already doubled our average rain for August and it’s only the 8th. Ugh!

Storm Alert!

August 5, 2019Columns, Product review, Weathersusanmanzke

I was sitting by my desk, finishing my next column, when a sharp tone emitted from our weather alert. The radio happens to be within 4 feet of my desk and I almost jumped out of my chair when it went off.

This alert gave me plenty of time to park my car inside the barn before the thunderstorm arrived.

I have to say that last Saturday’s alert almost didn’t come soon enough for Bob and me. We had been inside, out of the heat, when the alert sounded. Bob went to put the cart in and I quickly parked my car inside the barn as hail was a possibility, just like today.

We weren’t outside long and just got back inside the house when the storm hit. That really surprised us. Usually, we are given at least a half-hour’s warning, like we were today.

It used to be that one alert would come after another as a storm worked its way through the area. On the new weather alert radio we just set our county and only when our county is included in the warning or watch do we hear any piercing alert.

I recommend everyone have a weather alert radio. You don’t want to be caught up short if it’s time to take cover–it’s great to know that some cell phones send out bad weather alerts, too. On a trip, you may need more time to find shelter.

Preparations begin

July 24, 2019Family, food, Memories, Weathersusanmanzke

The coming weekend is our annual Camp Manzke on Sunnybook Farm. All our children and grandchildren will be here at one time or another.

Last year we had cool wet weather. This year we hope for better days and nights.

We hope to have a good turnout again in 2019, but will be missing one or two relatives from Illinois. Hoping to see them later this summer.

Now food and needed stuff are being parceled out so we don’t have tons of one thing and not enough of another–a friend went to a potluck picnic once where everyone brought baked beans.

I can’t wait for everyone to arrive. It will be a wild and crazy weekend. I will let you know how it all turns out, eventually.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person