RIPPIN' THRU ROSHOLT

Every year in the fall season, our little nearby community of 500 (Rosholt) hosts a tractor pull right on main street. The tractors are hooked up with a heavy chain to a heavy sled that has a weight that moves forward once the tractor has begun its pull. At one point the tractor is unable to move anymore because the weight pushing on the rubber treads causes too much friction to pull.

The tractor pull goes on all day with antique tractors followed by the big boys and ending up with the "common" tractors that farmers use in their daily work.

Beer and sandwiches are served to the visitors who sit on makeshift chairs or grandstands. It's an event to see (at least once in your lifetime).

WATCH THE OLIVER PULL

HERE'S A LITTLE FORD

Andrew and the kids came over and invited Karol to go with them. I took a couple of pictures and videos and then went to the property to get some mulch to David and bring back a load of wood.

From the left:  Joshua, Andrew, Kaitlyn, Karol, and Rachel

The tractor pull is a good time to visit with friends.

They'll all have their turn to pull the sled.

I took a load of wood mulch to the property and David helped me load the wood that I cut for my downstairs wood stove. We don't use that stove real often, but when it's very cold, it helps keep the house warm.

Karol has been nursing this pot of moss roses all summer. As you can see, it paid off!

 

AUTUMN: THE BEAUTY OF MAPLE LEAVES

You don't have to travel far these days to see the changing colors of the maple trees. In fact, it is very interesting that from day to day, you can notice the difference.

Enjoy some of the sights that I've seen over the past few days.

AUTUMN: SHADES OF SUMAC

There are many shades to sumac as we move into the fall season. While it is not particularly a plant that people want - it grows anywhere - it does show off many colors in the fall. This blog is dedicated to the sumac (belonging to the rhus family - of which there are 35 some varieties). Enjoy the shades of color.

And the treat of the afternoon was to see this bald eagle perching on a dead tree overlooking his next meal at Jordan Park.

AUTUMN'S HARVEST

They say it's going to be big this year...the corn and bean harvest this year. Predictions are for a record crop.

The frost has nipped the tops of the corn.

Looks to me to be a great harvest!

 

 

 

 

 

Every morning I look under this apple tree for some breakfast fruit. Sweet and tangy. I find some if the deer don't get them during the night.

One area farmhoiuse (a log home) has decorated.

Still lots of changing trees.

AUTUMN SHINES GOD'S GLORY

You can't beat the colors of autumn. From the brightness of the reds to the canary of the yellow all the way to the rich bronzes of the later oaks, it is a fabulous time. While on my Meals on Wheels run today, I stopped to take more pictures.

Across the highway from our property sits Tomek's Tavern. He's also got nice trees.

Large crabapples ripen in order to provide for migrating birds.

Sumac even provides visual variety.

Along Interstate 39; a view of the backwaters of the Wisconsin River.

You can't help but stop to marvel at the colors of the maple trees.

On one of the backroads that I traverse for my "Meal" route.

I envy anyone who has dry wood in 8 ft. lengths almost ready for a wood burning stove.

You can look, but do not touch. In the spring, poison ivy has a dark green smooth sheen, but in fall the same plant turns to an inviting orange.

AUTUMN ARRIVES

We begin a beautiful season today. I hope that the pictures that I post in the next few days will reflect the magnificent hand of God in our created world. For one, I think that the autumn season comes close to being the number one season (although the scale for me tips a bit for spring).

Karol picking apples from the bed of the truck. They were all high. We made dried apples today.

The neighbor brings us visions of autumn each fall season with his pumpkins for sale.

I hope this video brings at least a little smile.

THE SYMPHONY OF THE FLIES

The asters blend right in with the vegetation.

The roadside blends into a field of corn harvested and in the background, alfalfa put up for the winter.

In our area, it is common to see the Polish heritage with memorials to Mary or Jesus.

The milkweed has given up it's green foliage that was enjoyed by the monarch butterfly caterpillar.

Who knows what these stragglers might be....

MATTHEW AND ISAAC VISIT

It was enjoyable to have Matthew and Isaac visit us for the past four days. Matthew did lots of work around the homestead, the most major of which was a picket fence around the lower garden.

Isaac enjoyed playing with toys that were new to him, riding with me on the John Deere lawn tractor, riding hot wheels and little battery powered jeeps, and feeding the fish in our pond. They left on several Delta flights to return to Pittsburgh this afternoon.

The prelude to the story. My semi-dwarf honey crisp apple produced ONE fruit this year. We saved it for Isaac to pick believing that by this time it would be crunchy and sweet (we were right on the crunchy, but woefully wrong on the sweet).

Karol held Isaac as he tried to pick the apple, but alas it was too tightly attached to the tree, and the water on the leaves began to shower Karol.

So grandpa gave it a shot holding Isaac while he finally, with two hands, pulled the apple from the tree. Sweet success. Now we made the trip to the house to hear Karol share the story.

KAROL TELLS THE STORY

Catching fish for our supper (down in our pond).

There's always got to be some time set aside for a magic show.

IMMATURE GREAT BLUE HERON

Two days ago, I walked into my office to see right outside of my window a young great blue heron just lolling about. We watched it for a while as I tried to get a couple of pictures. Who knows, it may have been raised at our neighbors pond.

Then, a day later, a huge flock of grackles moved through, traveling from tree to tree, and finally a large number of them settling on a grassy spot.

Pictures also of the newly picketed garden and Karol and Isaac (Matthew and Angie) feeding the fish.

Grackles galore.

Under the apple tree.

Matthew had lots of energy as we began. We are both tired out now that the job is complete.

The old fence on this garden has many posts that had rotted off and the side poles were losing it quickly. We thought a picket fence would be unique. So Matthew and I set to work yesterday.

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Matthew hard at work drilling screws to hold it together. In the background is the auger that we FORTUNATELY rented.

Matthew making the final inspection. Proved to be a great job!

I don't know if Isaac was more interested in feeding the fish or in sneaking bites of the bread.

He ended up loving the feeding of the bread to the fish.