9th Annual River Road - Hwy 87 Ramble Saturday September 27th

Margo and I just got back from putting out the blue and yellow signs along Hwy 87 and the River Road north of St Croix Falls for the 9th time the Sterling Eureka and Laketown Historical Society invites everyone to enjoy the beautiful fall color and have some fun at local stops along the way. 

Back when I was writing the River Road Ramblings Column--9 years ago, we had one of those falls where the maples turn red and orange instead of just yellow.  Driving Hwy 87 and the River Road between Grantsburg and St Croix was really spectacular (as this year promises to be).  

So, I decided to invite my readers to a River Road Ramble--a self tour following a guide I put in the newspaper column.  The Sterling Eureka and Laketown Historical Society jumped in and said we should have a few historic stops along the way, a few open houses and maybe a few garage sales.  So, we drummed up some local support and 9 years ago started the tour. 

Each year we think might be our last one, as we worry that we haven't got many stops; the weather may be cold or rainy; maybe no one will participate with a stop or no one will show up.  But each year after we are done, we find we have had a good time; had enough folks come along and visit and enjoy the color and whatever we have prepared so we do it again.  

This year our pumpkin and squash garden was a complete failure.  It is in a low area that flooded so often this spring we got a very late start; most of our seeds didn't sprout, and those that did got drowned and later dried and then again drowned out.  Our apples faired a little better with some trees setting fruit even with the cold spring, but then a few weeks ago a storm came along knocking over a couple of our best trees and dumping about half of the apples on the ground before they were ripe.  

That said, we do have some left and we had a decent maple syrup yield and quality, so instead of having the sale at the farm Margo is headed to Eureka to join some others at the town meeting hall to sell syrup and apples there.  The Eureka farmer's market collapsed at the end of last year, but some of the folks are coming to Eureka for sort of a reunion sale.  The Wilsons, who sold honey aren't coming because they didn't get any honey this year, so it others had some troubles too. 

Way up on the north end of the ramble -- West on Oeltjen Road off the River Road just into Burnett County a mile or two out in the barrens, we put some signs up at a big garage sale where the folks had some giant pumpkins for sale.  I think the sand didn't drown out this year like our clay gardens.   Down a couple of miles at Steve's garage sale and sawmill demonstration, he said his son-in-law or maybe grandson was bringing in some pumpkins too. 


In Cushing there was a sign selling acorn squash, so someone has some of those for sale.  Usually people want buttercup, but ours didn't grow this year. 

Nephew Bryce is getting married at 2 pm up Hwy 87 at Trade River, so we will take a break from the Ramble and catch the wedding.  It is important to have some Uncles and Aunts present as witnesses so if pressure is needed in later years we can remind them we heard them say they were going to love, honor and obey each other!

Will there be at 10th annual River Road - Hwy 87 Ramble?  Well, if you turn out and take the tour and enjoy yourselves, we might just try it again.  

Ears of corn from the sand fields along the River Road -- last corn field before 10 miles of jackpines and scrub oaks along the St Croix River West.   Not too bad this year!

Another Autumn Arrives

The Haralson is loaded this year, one of the few trees to hang on to its apples through the big storm

We soon say goodbye to the vivid greens of the past 5 months

Leaves on a lawn of diversity

Red squirrel -- got into the bathroom through the vent and raced around until I captured him by clapping the laundry basket over him in the bath tub.  I released him outside and screened the hole. 

Dewy Redtop grass on Hwy N headed to Luck from Cushing. 

The white tubes are around 25 Siberian Crab seedlings planted to give a pretty spring bloom.  If the deer let them alone this winter and they grow another year, I will graft normal apple scions on to half of them for a new orchard start.   Behind the trees is Bass Lake, just below the hill.  It drains to the west into the swamp and down through our 40 acres on to Wolf Creek and then the St Croix River.  

Maples are Spectacular this Year

Sugar maples are red and orange this year along with some yellows.  Many years they are just yellow. 

Thou blossom bright with autumn dew,
And colored with the heaven's own blue,
That openest when the quiet light
Succeeds the keen and frosty night.
William Cullen Bryant  (He wrote this about the fringed gentian, a cousin to the bottle gentian here that never opens) 

Brother Marv's River Road field -- little and big Bluestem prairie grass.  The sand barrens were prairie in the pre-settlement days. The prairie grasses come back given a chance.  Marv did not seed this, it is just naturally occurring.  

Margo's seed geraniums, planted in February, are hanging in there even though the deer want to eat off the blooms. 

The old cow pasture has grown up to partridge berry in the lowlands.  A bear hangs out in these thickets with two cubs. 

Enough rain came in August to fill the woodland ponds for winter. The frogs should be happy for winter quarters that are water rather than mud. 

Sumac is coloring.  Sumac clumps spread out almost like topiary sculptures as the young plants blend into the tall ones in the middle.  Just north of the Farm behind Bass Lake

9th Annual River Road - Hwy 87 Ramble Sept 27

It's that time of the year again!  Took a drive Friday to Burnett

2013 mid October.  Haven't taken
a photo this fall at the lake.  

Dairy to stock up on cheese ends and bits (low cost way to get aged cheddar and other good cheese) and on the Hwy 87, Hwy 70 tour from Cushing north saw many pretty colored soft maples.  Even the sugar maples at the lake are coloring fast.  

Nine years ago, while in the first year of a newspaper column I wrote called "River Road Ramblings," I thought the color along Hwy 87 and the old River Road between St Croix Falls and Grantsburg was just too spectacular to not invite some of my readers to take a loop tour on the two parallel roads along the St Croix River. 

Nine years later, we are still inviting folks to take the tour and providing some local history, local sales, and market stops along the way as well as open houses.  

The Ramble map this year, thanks to Justin Swanson, is next along with the text key to the stops.  You can see the whole thing at our website:  RambleStops   

Margo is headed back to Mayo this week to see why her shot in the back to ease leg pain from a pinched nerve only lasted 2 weeks.  Hopefully she will get something to make it easier to walk without the sharp pains.  She plans to be back to have a maple syrup and apples booth on the Ramble at the Eureka stop-- town hall.  I plan to be in the museum in the morning at Cushing and break for nephew Bryce's wedding in the afternoon.  

I stopped fixing on the barn for a week.  I bought a couple dozen 2x6s (16 footers) to scab to the existing studs on the barn wall, tossed them into the haymow and have had 3 days of shoulder pain since.  Those days of tossing lumber around seem to be fraught with side effects!   When the shoulder gives up on its sharp pains with movement, it will be back to work. 

2014   9^th Annual

River Road – Hwy 87 Ramble

Historic Stops And

Ramble Guide

Sponsored by the

Sterling Eureka and Laketown Historical Society

www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wiselhs

                                                 

A Spangler's Landing -located on the River Road; watch for Nat'l Riverway signs

The Spangler family settled right on the river and provided a stopping place for travelers heading north on the River Road from St. Croix Falls, It is said the there was a pause in the rapids on the river at this spot, so boats trying to run the rapids could rest too. The rapids have been gone for 100 years since the power dam in St. Croix Falls flooded them all the way to Wolf Creek.

B Nevers Dam -located on the River Road; watch for National Riverway signs

There is access to the wild river at this spot. You may be able to see some remaining parts of the Nevers Dam that once stood here.  In 1890, Charlie Nevers had a stopping place along the river.  Loggers sent millions of logs down the St. Croix and found them getting jammed on the rapids, especially at St. Croix Falls.  To solve the problem, they build a huge wooden dam where Charlie had lived.  They stopped the logs there, built up a great head of water and then let them go with a rush that took them all the way through St. Croix Falls, and sped them on their way to the sawmills at Stillwater.

C Wolf Creek Methodist Church and Cemetery -2417  River Road

This is the site of the first  Wolf Creek School that was built in 1882.  The school burned down in 1922 and was replaced by the current building that is now used as the Methodist Church.  Wolf Creek was an early Indian trading post by 1831, and as loggers moved through, farmers and other settlers followed them and Wolf Creek became a “blooming community.”  By 1860 there was a dam and mill on Wolf Creek, a Post Office, General Store [the proprietor's records are at the SEL HS Memory Room] Doctors office, a school and church congregation.  With the Homestead Law of 1862 allowing people to claim up to 160 acres of US land and get it for free after 5 years of improving it, settlers rushed in.  Take a walk through the cemetery, there are family graves dating back to 1859 or earlier.

D Ivers Stopping Place/Pioneer Cemetery -a few miles North of Wolf Creek

Site of one of many stopping places used by the early settlers who traveled along the “road to the pineries.”  The oxen in the woods at the logging camps could live on wild hay, but the horses used by the settlers traveling up the River Road, needed better food.  Creating the necessity for stopping places along the way.

E Bush Bakke/Settlers Cemetery -Evergreen Ave. west of the River Road

This cemetery was used 1880-1920.  There are many families that settled in the 400 acres of Sterling Township forest on the barrens that are buried here.  The church built in 1879 was constructed of logs with white pine boards covering it. Today a memorial church stands on the original site.  Some of the grave sites have raised rectangles of dirt around them, some grave markers are partially hidden, and there are also depressions where the pine boxes have given way.  This past spring new landscaping was done around the flag pole and the Memorial Chapel by a handful of Sterling Homemakers [HCE] and one male volunteer. [not really sure if he volunteered]  Plants purchased at Sunshine Gardens.

F Trade River -you will cross this river several times while traveling the “loop”

This river was used by the logging camps in the 1850's.  Huge white pine floated down river to the St. Croix.  The Trade, however, was much too small to get logs all the way, so a series of dams were built. In the spring the logs and water built up behind one dam, which  was then released, and the logs roared on to the next, until they reached the St. Croix.

G Grettum Flowage -cross over the Trade River and Head north into Burnett Co.

Hwy 87 and the River Road both cross the Trade River.  At one time two roads joined together at the river and headed north as one.  Take the River Road  north until it seems to dead end in a lake.  This is the Grettum Flowage.

H & I Trade River and Trade River School -a town located on one of the dam sites.

Turn east off Hwy 87 at the new Trade River Evangelical Church, and you will enter what was once the thriving community of Trade River.  Stores, mill, telephone and electrical company, old church, sawmill, furniture factory...all that remains is the cemetery and a few houses.  The Trade River School, with a merry-go-round in the yard, was closed in the 1940's.

J Orr School -another “county School” along Hwy 87 located at 285th

This is the 4th Orr School, it was closed in 1950 and remodeled into a home

K Bass Lake School -near Wolf Lake on the east and the beginning of Wolf Creek.

Just west of Hwy 87.  This stone school house was closed in the 1940's.  A large collection of photographs, school records, class pictures and lots of  information about all the Country Schools are on display in the SEL HS Memory Room in Cushing, located in the Community Center.

K Bass Lake School

Near Wolf Lake on the east and the beginning of Wolf Creek.  Just west of Hwy 87 this stone school, now a residence, was closed in the 1940'.   It is being restored and is open for a sale and visit in 2014

L Cushing

Cushing was named after an eastern speculator, Caleb Cushing, who bought thousands of acres of land nearby and then sold it to the settlers. The Cushing area was settled by Danes to the East, Swedes to the

West, Norwegians to the North and  Yankees to the South.  Cushing had a church and a Post Office in the 1870's but did not have a store or other businesses until 1890.  Then it rapidly grew and thrived through the 60's. 

Check out the stories of Dr. Squirt and pick-up an old fashion post card when you  stop at  the SEL HS Memory Room, located on the 2nd floor of the Community Center, former school that was built when the one room school west of town was closed  in the 50's. There you will find many pictures and memorabilia from Cushing and the surrounding area on display.  Relax, read, share your memories and stories.

M Brenholt Memorial Park-Cty Rd N East side of Cushing

Located across the street from the First Lutheran Church, Brenholt Park has a shelter with 12 picnic tables, a refrigerator and water.  A shuffle board court is available and lots of lawn for other games.  The park can be reserved for family reunions or other group events. Call Mark Johnson 715-648-5213

N Cushing Cemetery – Cty Rd N East  side of Cushing

Located across the street from the First Lutheran Church, the Cemetery sits on the hill on the southeast corner of Cushing adjacent to the Park.  It was started in the 1870's by  Danish immigrants who built their first Church there, a small log building, in1881.  There are over 750 burials there.

O Eureka Center -Hwy and 210th

Eureka Center has almost disappeared.  In the early 1900's there was a population to support and enjoy a grocery mercantile, a barbershop and blacksmith, two service garages, four gas stations, a creamery and a church.  When Hwy 87 was widened many years ago, it took out several  businesses at the crossroads.

P New Home Cemetery -2252 220th Ave.

The cemetery was established on Dec. 4th  1877 and the first burial was in 1879.  This cemetery was founded as a community Cemetery by members of the surrounding churches. Recent information on the cemetery will be available on sight.  Go 1 mile East of Eureka on 210th  then left on 230th  and right on 220

Q Pleasant Hill Cemetery/Harper Methodist Church

Also known as Harper's Cemetery because of its close proximity to the Harper's Methodist Church[now a home] to the south of the cemetery. Besides services school as also held there known as Harper School #1.  Sites go back to a Tuttle in 1849 and Mary E.Thomas in 1858. The Cemetery Association was founded in 1877, there were 25 lot owner at a cost of $5 per lot with a $1 a year upkeep fee.

R -Lone Maple School - 235th St.

This country school was built in 1912 and was closed in 1942 and celebrating 100 years.  It was purchased for $1.00 from the school district in the early 50's by a Community Club until 2011 and is currently owned by Elroy and Arlys Petzel.

S St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Visitor Center – 401 Hamilton St. Croix Falls

The St. Croix scenic riverway is150 miles. Flowing from Gordon WI to its confluence with the Mississippi River System.  It is one of the last undisturbed, large floodplain rivers in the upper Midwest.  The river is an unrivaled combination of exceptional natural and cultural recourses and scenic, aesthetic and recreational value.  The Visitors Center is open daily from 8am to 4:30pm. A large variety of brochures and maps are available.

T Festival Theatre – 210 Washington Street, St. Croix Falls

In the late 1880's St. Croix Falls was a bustling river town, and as it continued to grow, citizens interested in cultural endeavors wanted to build an auditorium.  Construction began in 1916 and continued throughout the year and in 1917 , while WWI raged overseas, citizens of St. Croix Falls gathered to the silent film – The Battle Cry of Peace.  The history of the building is very interesting.  Originally designed to have a civic community center on the first floor and auditorium on the second floor, which was changed to a movie theater.  Read all about the changed and growth of this remarkable building and the people who have kept theatre in the valley for over 90 years.  www.festivaltheatre.org

1. Treasure Hunt Sale 235th St.

Stop in and check out the Old One Room School and Pick-up a Treasure or two at this GREAT Sale. Items are to numerous to list.

2. Eureka Center – Hwy 87    MAP PICK-UP SITE

          K.J.'s  EUREKA TAVERN

          EUREKA BAPTIST CHURCH

TOWNHALL -SCHOOL- Open house at this beautifully restored school house.  Interesting display of Eureka History, picture, aritfacts, stories and farm memorabilia including antique tractors.  Hosted by  the Anderson and Swanson families.

RAMBLE FARMERS/FLEA MARKET – located at the townhall grounds.

Penny Lane- odds 'n' ends-bites 'n' pieces – bric 'a' brac  and PUMPKINS

Ron  & Christine Wilson – Honey – Bee's Wax candles

June Dagestad – AVON

Shirley Ziefiner –  Great Home Baked Goods- Breads. Pies, rolls, etc.

Deb Anderson & Cindy Chilson – Avon-31 Bags- Jewelry- Hats- and more

Hanson Family – Maple Syrup and apples

3. Cushing- 240th Ave, Cty Rd N  Choose any of the three exits.

“The Small Town With a Big Heart” MAP SITE PICK-UP

SEL HS Historical “Memory Room” and Museum- Located at the Cushing Community Center 2nd floor  on east side of the building {follow Yellow signs}. Large collection of area photos and info.  Displays include Post Office items,church and school materials, farming items, everyday living items. SELHS PUBLICATIONS OF RURAL HISTORY ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE HERE!

Whats in Cushing?

 US Post Office, US Bank, Cushing Cooperative,Cushing Laundry & Car Wash, First Lutheran Church, Jensens Garage, Holiday Station, It's a Blast Fireworks & Cushing Heating and Air Conditioning, Suzy Q's Snowshoe Tavern, Dugout Bar & Grill, Street Creations & Auto, Gene's Jump Start Day Care, Porky's Pooper Pumper, Hot Rod Graphics, Rachel's Hair & Nail Studio, Talmadge Auto and Light Truck Repair and Paulson Auto Repair.

4. Multi Family Sale. Take Cty Road N East – 2505 Pickerel Lane

Furniture, Household Antiques, wall furance, lawnmowers for parts, Bikes, Kittens, Bunnies, Ponys.  PRICED TO SELL MOST ITEMS 25cents.

5. Garage Sale – 2494 250th Ave.

Battery powered InvaCare Wheelchair-Everest Jennings Shower Chair- Bed Trapeze- Bathroom Shelves- Wicker lamp tables-Glassware/ Household and misc..

6. Open House and Sale!!  2509 270th St.

Where you a student at Bass Lake School or just always wondered what it was like inside? The school is being restored.  Stop by the Open House during the RRR and come inside. We want to hear your stories and memories!!  Also having a sale, antiques, household goods, dishes, construction items, retro clothes and misc.  COME LOOK!!

7. Holmes Lake Orchard 20338 Range Line Rd.

U-Pick/self serve apple orchard.  Several varieties, BEST price around. Nine miles south of Grantsburg on Hwy 87, then one mile east on Co. Rd. Z

8. Garage Sale 2973 River Road  Friday thu Sunday MAP PICK-UP SITE

Friday & Sat 8-5 Sunday 9-3

Antiques from local estate sales such as library tables, phonograph, cocks, glassware, hand tools, saws, draw knife, scythe, broad axe, old barn boards and hand hewn beams, barn wall tin panels, rough sawn birch & pine lumber.  Chairs, tables, bed frames, old toys, oil cans, etc. Lots of primitive farm tools, wrenches, horse drawn hay rake, saddles and horse tack, fisher fire place insert, traps, guns, hunting supplies and clothes.  Boys clothes ,  men’s blue jeans and insulated pants. 5th wheel camper, toys, used roof tin and misc. Pumpkins

SAW MILL DEMONSTRATION

Sat. only during the River Road Ramble we will have saw mill demos at 11am,1pm and 3pm.  As a child I spent hours watching Earl Davidsavor and his family lumber at the farm in the sand Barrens west of Cushing.  I have always enjoyed sawing and working with wood.  My family and I dedicate our efforts on this saw mill to my friend and mentor Earl, a hardworking, honest and kind man.

9. Craft and Yard Sale- 20556 Bucktail Dr.

Sale Saturday only- Pumpkins-Squash- Household items- Womems clothes.

10. Garage Sale 2912 River Road

Cleaning House. Stop and check us out!!

11. Sunshine Gardens-2747 Evergreen Ave.

Rain or Shine Garage and Plant Sale

TIME FOR FALL PLANTING!

Ornamental Shrubs for $5-10 each! Perennials $4 each or 3/$10! Water plants 50% off or more.

Organic Fertilizer and Aquatic Fertilzer on sale- Best Garden  Gloves $5 each.  We  will also have a Garage Sale in the greenhouse – John Deere riding mower w/rear bagger, Portable fish house, aluminum boat and antique Evinrude motor, student desk, end table, coffee table, Two recliners in nice shape, Casio cash register [like new]  10” table saw w/new motor, 6” jointer, Drill press with 5/8” chuck, Brand new smoker, Wagon Seat, Shelving, Womems & Teen Girl clothing, Plenty of miscellaneous.

12. Equestrian Paradise-2586 River Rd.

Not your usual garage sale. Lots of horse tack[riding and driving]. And misc.

Weather permitting we will have our restored cutters, sleighs, surreys and buggies on display.

13. Garage Sale- 2481 Sunny Acres Lane

Household and glassware items. Fishing poles, pictures, puzzles, tools and lots of Odds 'n' Ends.

14. Wolf Creek Methodist Church-2417 River Rd. MAP PICK-UP SITE

Bake and Rummage Sale

Coffee and cookies starting at 8am  Lunch starts serving at 10am

Rummage  Sale FREE will unless Marked.

15. River Roads Wolf Creek Bar-2387 River Rd.

Famous Wolf Creek Bar has continuously served liquor to locals and travelers since 1832. Photos and History of area on display. Mention the “RAMBLE” to receive a discount of $1.00 off Basket price w/Beverage Purchase.

Wolf Creek Methodist Church-Wolf Creek Bar-Riverside Auto

Barn Again

    Got started on the south end of the 100 year old barn.  The sill is rotted, the studs rotted at the bottom, and the siding coming off. The insurance salesman said "Fix it if you want insurance."   

   Well, I wasn't as concerned about the insurance as I was about the responsibility of letting a barn fall down on my watch.  So, after studying it for months, thinking about it for months, and getting a load of lumber into the haymow -- jackpine we had sawed 25 years ago and used on our house at Pine Island (left over 2x8, 2x6 and 2x4 rough sawn) got started this morning.  

Cleared off the remains of the roof on the silo room below and put a treated 3/4 sheet of plywood across as a platform to stand on and cut out a door opening in the haymow to get to it as well as cleared out the south end of the barn haymow -- lots of old loose and broken bales so decent access to the barn. 

   The sills have to be replaced above the 1-foot deep cinder blocks.  The vertical studs have to be partially replaced and new ones nailed side of the old ones that are rotten.  They were above the silo door and silo chute and the moisture from 100 years of cows breathing out -- all going up the wall was not very good on the lumber!

Silo was made in two stages.  Originally a wood stave over pit, then blocks and later more blocks.  Between the silo and the barn is the silo room and above it was a wooden silo chute going to the top of the silo.  Moisture from the barn went into the silo room and up the chute, rotting the barn on that end. 

Doesn't look too good!

Cut a door opening along the end to get to the flat platform on top of the old silo room.  A place to stand. 

The blue cinder blocks are 1 foot deep and sound.  Dad and his brothers and the Fors "boys" cut out the original wood walls and put in the blocks in 1950 or 1951--doing a section at a time.  I remember 1/2 of one side of the barn open to the air, propped up on tamarack poles inserted with screw jacks to lift the haymow.  

Scott and I raised one beam holding the hay mow an inch up with our handyman jack and a 4x4 ash post.  This gives us room to tear out the rotten sill and insert a new treated one, that as Dad would have said, "should do me out."  Note the haymow floor joists are actually old logs from the original 1880s barn that was dismantled and used in the new barn.  Most houses and barns in our area were built in the 1914-1920 range when farmers got decent prices for their crops due to WWI. 

Looking up - the ends of the haymow floor boards are rotted off too.  This is the sill and joist above the door into the silo room--both need replacing.  

Looking into the barn from the silo room.  The pipes are the vacuum line and the round item is the vacuum gauge.  We ran at 15 lbs vacuum as I remember. 

Log joists strengthened by a barn swallow nest

Stored away in the junk in the barn is the Honda 55 scrambler that was so fond of melting a hole in the piston if run for very far.  Had to carry chewing gum to patch it on the road.

 

Silo from the inside.  Dad and uncle Ralph laid the first layer above the pit shortly after he bought the farm in 1941.  The second addition was a few years later.   

The silo pit was about 7 feet deep originally.  Every fall we put a hose and pump into the pit and pumped out the water from summer to get ready for the silo filling crew.  Grandpa would come with his Rumely Oil Pull, carefully level the filler next to the silo, Uncle Chan would climb the silo and we would pull up the metal pipes and rope them solid.  Then careful backing into the belt to get everything lined up and the Rumely started running for the day as the neighbors brought their hay racks and pitched corn bundles onto the loads and pulled into the filler where it fed into the whirling blades and was blown into the silo.  My first job was to level and tromp the silage inside the silo as it game in.  

In the pit, the acid silages and gradually eaten away the cement.  Last filled in about 1986, nature is taking over the pit earthen floor.  

Stormy Days

Margo's father has adjusted well to the assisted care facility and Margo returned to Pine Island a few weeks ago with severe leg pains that turned out to be from a cyst and disk pressing on the spinal cord from a back problem.  She has had back problems for many years, but probably did something to aggravate it helping with her father and was left barely able to walk with so much pain in the leg.   She spent some time at Mayo and got a steroid shot in the back and things are calming down again and she is mobile and getting back to snow-shovel ready again.  I think we will see her at Cushing by the weekend.  The house will have to go from bachelor style--mostly meaning I have every table covered with computer stuff in various stages of repair or disrepair.  

I spent several days in Pine Island too, and while there tried to fix a rear tire on the WD Allis Chalmers that was shot.  Got some used replacement tires and and a new tube and put it together twice, but still leaks.  It appears that the valve stem was not properly put into the new tube and even with a patch it is still leaking--where the round stem is vulcanized into the tube.  

   Back to Cushing where I arrived just in time for a storm to come through last night and knock over some trees and make a small mess of the yard and gardens.    I think Margo will be up to Cushing for a couple of weeks after having been away since April with her Dad. She will see the pretty yard flowers after the storm flattened them rather than standing upright!

An old large Macintosh apple tree came down.  Rotten at the core. 

A pond where no pond existed in the neighbors corn field.  Lots of corn and hay flattened

Next to Jensen's garage in Cushing

West of Cushing two huge trees down in a yard 

Storm clouds gathering can be pretty, but destructive when they arrive. 

The garden did not fare well

Some home-sawn jackpine to fix the barn wall on the south and the old rotten tractor tire to be used for a fire ring (in a brush pile maybe).  

The south end of the 100 year old barn is pushing out.  Needs some work before the insurance man will insure it this year.  I think it is highly cosmetic and some structural work.  Will pull in the studs, nail new ones next to them and then try to nail the siding back in place (or maybe just cover the whole thing with red tin!)  Note the blue cinder blocks -- I remember in 1950 or 51 when Dad had the wood bottom of the barn removed and the blocks put in new.  He, his brothers and the Fors carpenter crew did the work a section at a time.

Yesterday with the Macintosh apple tree the big spreading one on the left.  Below--this morning. 

Gave a tour to some Polk County Endeavor's folks yesterday at the Cushing Museum.  We all had a great time.