Potato Picking

It's time to dig my potatoes--the four long rows I have in my garden. I remember when I was a kid we had 20 acres of spuds on the home farm. Pa dug them with a six-tine fork and my brothers, Don and Darrel and I picked them by hand. It would take us most of two weeks to do the task.

In those days, our country school in Waushara County Wisconsin had a two-week "potato vacation" so all the kids could pick potatoes. Some vacation.


The Old Timer says: "When the horse dies, it's time to climb off."

Coming events:

Cobb Public Library, Oct 2, 6:00 p.m.
New Berlin Public Library, Oct 3, 6:30
Midwest Booksellers , Minneapolis, Oct. 6
Westfield Historical Society, Oct. 8, 6:30
Barnes and Noble, Bayshore (Milwaukee) Oct. 9, 6:30

Slowing Down

Fall is creeping up, and what a beautiful time it is. The trees are beginning to turn color--the maples are some of the first to showoff. The woodbine is a brilliant red--it's an all but invisible vine that crawls up trees in summer, and in fall shouts its presence. The pungent, earthy smells of fall surround us we walk in the woods. And soon, very soon, we'll hear the call of wild geese winging high overhead, on their way south for the winter.

Remember, the songbirds are beginning to migrate. Keep your bird feeder filled.

It's a time to slow down and listen, look, smell, feel, and taste too, as you sink your teeth into a a freshly picked apple.

The Old Timer says: "Take time to: watch the sunset, find humor when nothing seems funny, do something extra for the special person in your life, walk in the rain, and occasionally do nothing--and enjoy it."

Reminder: The launch for my new novel, IN A PICKLE, is Thursday Sept. 27, 7:00 p.m. at Barnes and Noble West in Madison. We're planning a pickle counting contest, pickle pins for all, pickle snacks--and a reading.

Telling Our Stories

We each have a story to tell. And the obligation to tell it. If we don't tell our stories, no one else will. It's never too late to start. Write about your growing-up years. About your school memories, first job, first love, and people who made a difference in your life. Tell about where you lived when you were ten years old, your special toy (mine was a home-made Teddy bear), your favorite aunt (assuming you had one).

If writing is not your thing, tape record your stories. Give the stories to your children and grandchildren for Christmas presents. They will be forever grateful to you.

The Old Timer Says: "Hey, sit down and rest for a minute, I've got a story to tell you."

Cool, Clear Days of Early Fall

Those wonderful cool, clear days of fall have returned. It's time to look for the sweaters and jackets, harvest the squash and dig the potatoes.

The cucumbers having given up for the year, as have the green beans, and zucchini--yes even the over productive zucchini are calling it quits for another season.


The Old Timer says: "Doin' something that is especially hard gets a lot harder if you do too much thinkin' about it."

Boundary Waters Canoe Area

My son, Steve and I just returned from a week in Northern Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Wilderness camping, paddling, fishing--and doing a little writing with loon music in the background. And lots of reading, too.

Survived a 4-5 inch rain with loud thunder and lightning. Never quite so close to nature than sleeping in a tent with rain beating on the canvas.


The Old Timer says:

"Slow down on dark, rainy days. Dawdle over a second cup of coffee. Read parts of the newspaper you usually skip. Listen to classical music on the public radio station. A rainy morning is nature's way of interrupting the headlong rush that seems to be the fate for most of us."

In a Pickle Appearances

Scratch down the following dates on your calendar, if you would like to hear me (I hope you would) talk about, cucumber growing, small family farms, and my new book, IN A PICKLE: A FAMILY FARM STORY.

September 13: Apple Blossom Books, Oshkosh. 11:30-2:00 p.m.

September 27: Barnes and Noble West, Madison. 7:00 p.m.

I'll share more dates and places as they come a bit closer.

The Old Timer says: "Watch out for them fellas that use a lot of big words. Like as not if they knew what they were talkin' about, they wouldn't do that."