Early summer vs late summer

Remember when Indiana had all the flooding at the beginning of summer? The top photo was taken June 10 just a few days after the flooding. I don't remember ever seeing the water this high at Mansfield.

The bottom picture I took September 10--just a few days ago. This time, the water level in the creek is lower I ever remember seeing it.

From a loooong time ago...

I had no idea what I was going to post tonight, having spent the day running around in Terre Haute looking for some things Roger needed for something he was making. When we got home from there I started trying to make some decisions about taking a little mini vacation...we want to take off for a few days while our daughter is still here to babysit the dog and cats. We want to go north, so want to go before too much later.

Anyway, I spent some time on here checking about hotels, did some calling, and in the end we are heading to Mackinaw City towards the end of the week. I am planning on taking this laptop so if all goes well, I won't miss too many posts.

I was going through the photos on here and kept coming across things and messing with them for Paintbox Pictures. I finally decided it would be easier to scan some of my slides. It is a good thing most things are made idiot proof these days...I kept trying to scan the slides and it kept telling me...well, I can't remember the words but basically that something was set wrong and the driver was going to close down. I finally thought and opened the scanner. I had it set up for documents!

Anyway, these are some of the first slides I opened....they are from July of 1994. It is the one and only year that we had an apple crop failure in all the years I worked at the orchard. This is a farm not too far from the apple orchard. Or maybe I should say farms...the one that is just a field of wheat is out there but it is not the one being harvested. I sat and watched the one being harvested and on the other side of the road were the cows watching me watch the farmer.

Bare with me.....

I am in a mood as you can probably tell by the song playing as well as this poem I am showing you. I always get this way in the fall... Fall is just a time for thinking and remembering. So read and savor the pictures created in your mind.
WHEN THE FROST IS ON THE PUNKIN
by: James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)

HEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,

And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,

And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,

And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;

O, it's then's the times a feller is a-feelin' at his best,

With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,

As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.




They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere

When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here--

Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossums on the trees,

And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;

But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze

Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days

Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock--

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.



The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,

And the raspin' of the tangled leaves, as golden as the morn;

The stubble in the furries--kindo' lonesome-like, but still

A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;

The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;

The hosses in theyr stalls below--the clover over-head!--

O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!





Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps

Is poured around the celler-floor in red and yeller heaps;

And your cider-makin' 's over, and your wimmern-folks is through

With their mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and saussage, too! ...

I don't know how to tell it--but ef sich a thing could be

As the Angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me--

I'd want to 'commodate 'em--all the whole-indurin' flock--

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.