Crop report

Spring edition

I had forgotten about these Columbine and discovered them while looking to see if the berries on the other side of the house had fruit.

During the summers I spent at my grandparents’ house in southwestern Michigan, I would occasionally watch the midday news from one of the South Bend TV stations. (The nearest Michigan stations were too far away for even the enormous antenna on their small house. South Bend is about 25 miles, give or take. Chicago superstation signals carried the 90 miles.) Those noon newscasts included a farm report, with soy bean and corn prices, I imagine, and perhaps an occasional guest. My uncle was farming at the time, so I had a basic understanding of most of what was being said.

I know enough to know I can’t turn this yard into a real garden. The soil isn’t the best, and the best sun is in the front. Plus, I’m lazy and don’t eat much.

But I do enjoy a few flowers and a bit of fruit, and I’m trying to keep up the place. So this afternoon I took a stroll around to further inspect after yesterday’s rain, which brought down a small branch from the water oak, tearing a hole in the screen in the cat porch. The torn screen doesn’t worry me, since I’m not using the cat porch for my cat, but I just had the tree trimmed and am concerned this may mean it’s not in good health. Now I’m faced with moving up the tree’s demise. If I’m going to remove it, no sense in keeping it through hurricane season.

This is the fallen branch, which seems to have snapped at the joint. I haven’t measured it, but it’s at least 20 feet long. Its host tree is a good 5 to 6 feet across at its base.

I’ll sleep on that decision. Looks like I need to get after whatever is leaving frass in the back of the shed sooner than later. And call the handyman about fixing the roof (of the shed, not the house).

The first cornflower of the season.

Another reminder of work to do: I have yet to fill the hole that last year’s carpenter bee made in a post on the porch. It was always too warm or too cold. Now it’s too late.