Glad the work has been going well. Suppose the rain and rest period are both welcome. Looks like the dogs enjoyed their outing.

I am sure the crops in N.Y. are just waiting for warm weather to show their faces. Still see a few planting here, but most are done with corn and soybeans. Some mega operators still planting and raising lots of dust.

Western Ohio has had warm, clear and dry weather for the past week. Starting to get pretty dry, could use a good rain. Been perfect hay making weather with light winds and low humidity. Two day drying has been the norm. Mowed my hay last Thursday and baled it on Saturday. Did a small custom job down the road that I mowed on Friday and baled on Sunday. Had a ready buyer for all of it, so it is sold and in his barn.

Soybeans are doing well despite the dry weather. The weeds are starting to grow, so need to spray them soon. My sprayer pump had a leak and bad bearings, so I ordered a repair kit for it that should be here tomorrow. Grass is growing faster in the fields than it is in the lawn. Mares tail weeds are fast becoming a problem here. I have them in the fields on both sides of me, so today I mixed some 2-4-d, banvel and roundup and sprayed the field borders on both sides of me to try to get a good early start on them. Also did the outer edges of the soybean fields with roundup. Did all this with my 15 gallon lawn sprayer and J.D. 210 mower tractor. Like to do the fields this way so I don't miss anything with the field sprayer and don't have to worry about overspraying the lawn and airstrip.

First tractor show of the year is this weekend at Wapakoneta, Ohio. Plan to take one tractor to show. Will take the tractor over tomorrow and spend Friday there and maybe Saturday morning. Don't have much time to spend at this show as my high school alumni banquet is Saturday night. Get to reacquaint with a lot of the former students and have a great meal.

Gene

I cut a little hay this week too Gene The three inch rain has us all shut down since Monday night but we did get one sunny day for me to cut the long over grown grass and dandelions in my yard with the little John Deere. I tried to harrow a small field yesterday. Every low spot was either holding water or too wet to drag the harrows through without spinning ruts which is not good for the seeded wheat. The fields are really packed from the heavy rain and even the heavy tine harrows did not do a really smooth job as they normally would. Culverts and creeks are running harder now than they did in April spring thaw. At least the early potatoes are up and survived the near miss with frost a few nights ago. On the positive side today's rain should be good for the peas and beans planted yesterday in the garden.  Its been backwards progress most of this spring it seems.

[video=youtube_share;lhi9dyeXOmY]http://youtu.be/lhi9dyeXOmY[/video]

Our lilacs are long gone and the peonies have finished too. Both 2 to 3 weeks ahead of time. Haven't had to mow for a coule weeks due to the lack of rain and high heat. Had 97 degrees on Saturday and 98 on Sunday and looks like the same for tomorrow, then a cold front coming through on Tuesday with a chance of showers and highs in the 70's. Sunday night at midnight it was still 80 degrees.

Filled the field sprayer yesterday morning and watered the sweet corn patch. Hoed the weeds this morning beforeit gets too hot. Have nice moisture now. Have been having trouble with ants in the lawn and all my grass, so yesterday I broadcsat Lorsban on all the grass. Needs water to activate it so I again filled the field sprayer and spraye all the open areas I could get to with it, then used the 15 gallon lawn sprayer to water the rest of it. A little rain would sure help to make it work better.

Will be leaving in a few minutes to visit my parents and other family members at the Fairview Cemetery. Have a lot of our family members there. Nice quiet place for the souls to rest.

Hope everyone takes the chance to honor our veterans, both living and deceased. I plan to do the same.

Gene

You are taking the grass down pretty good with the John Deere, Ralph. I noticed you passed up your shadow one time.  I was due to mow on Friday, but held off until Saturday so it would look a little better for the holiday today.  I do not know if any passersby noticed or not.  Our ground is quite dry and hard now but still can not go more than a week between cuttings so there is some moisture underneath.  We moved two tractors, two cars, and the 20' trailer yesterday to mow those areas.  Not attractive to see tall weeds growing up around things.  Still have several more to go, but had to lay low today.  We were to 92 deg. yesterday but made 94 today, so it is a little warm out there.  beautiful evening now though.  After the activity of the last few days I have a shoulder, hip, and knee that are a little more than ugly so some time off is in order.  

It sounds like you have been hard at it in Ohio, Gene.  I have an ant population piling dirt on my patio blocks.  I got rid of one colony by putting Borax on their dirt piles for a few days.  About that time they popped up in another area with a bigger amount of dirt piles.  I had to get more Borax and have been sprinkling faithfully.  I have them slowed down but still have a few eruptions.  I do not use pesticides in there because of the dog.  The weeds between the blocks were getting so thick that I did hit them with Roundup  for the first time a couple of weeks ago.  At least with that we were able to keep the dog away until it completely dried.  

Charlie V.

Had a nice slow 3/4 inch rain yesterday and turned cool, so the water will not evaporate. Had a teasing shower this evening, not enough to measure, but it all helps. High temps last 2 days has been in the mid 50's, 45 degrees colder than last weekend.

I mowed my grass Thursday. Ground was very dry and rough. The ants had made fist size mounds of dirt everywhere and the lawn is as rough as if cattle had run in it. Really bounced me around and took a toll on my back. Don't see any new activity from the ants, so hopefully the Lorsban has done the job. It has a 24 hour re-entry tme for animals and humans, so kept the dog in the house except when he had to go out, then kept him on the sidewalk and driveway to his favorite field. It was very hot, so was not a problem keeping him in the house.

Local crops are looking good, in spite of the dry conditions and very hot temps last week. Later planted crops are off to a slow start germinating in the dry soils. some are emerging pretty spotty, but the rain should help them now. Still saw several planters running on Monday on my trip to the cemetery.

Charlie, in the past I have had good luck spraying ant mounds with Malathion. It is safe for dogs and people with no re-entry minimum time. It is labeled as a flea treatment for dogs and I have used it for that in the past.

Gave Bandy his yearly haircut on Thursday. He is sure a different dog now. Much more active now and a lot cooler.

I will be attending George Willer's viewing on Monday afternoon. Will be several of the A.T.I.S. members to honor him. Will be a very big empty spot with his passing.

Gene

Wishing you a good and safe drive to the service today, Gene.  Do we have rain?  We sure do.  I dumped 7/8" from the gauge late last week, another 1" on the weekend, and there is probably another inch in it now.  I foresee no grass cutting before late this week at best.  Mostly in the 50's and 60's steady now.  Rain is forecast with at least 50% probability through Thursday so the week will be pretty much a wash out.  We did take a ride about late last week.  Most of the worked fields now have little rows of corn, corn, and more corn.  Some will go to feed wagons for dairy cattle and some may be sweet corn contracted to the canning factory. but the rest must be really counting on a high price this fall.  Saw a couple of fields of soybeans and a little oats, but the corn is big time.

Thanks for the tip on the Malathion, Gene.  I may even have some of that here as well as Seven.  The problem is that these colonies are under the patio blocks and mound up in the cracks between the blocks. (see photo)  Because of that it is about impossible to get spray under the blocks to the colonies.  They just keep popping up in another area long term.  The theory with 20 Mule Team Borax is that the critters track it back into the colonies and not only wipe out the population, but also the larvae. It does work but it is necessary to be diligent for up to a week, each day as a few new little mounds appear.

Ant mound:

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My read headed girl friend:

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Charlie V.

Boy, it has been one busy week (or two) for me. Early mornings and short nights but I have finished seeding and worked most of the ground that will be summerfallow. Ground dried up surprisingly fast and I was able to do a fair job of seeding. Canola needs to be sprayed but rain is forecast for tomorrow. The lilacs are sure blooming nice this year and seem to be lasting a longer time than usual. You can see a little of them in  this video. And check out the surprise animal sighting at about the 1:24 minute mark.
[video=youtube;Jx49nOCM9E0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx49nOCM9E0&feature=youtu.be[/video]

Ralph, glad to hear you have finished seeding. Seems to have been a long planting season for you. Still a few stragglers planting a few soybeans here and some replanting because of the dry conditions. Late planted crops just laying in the ground waiting for the rain. Promise is for rain on Monday and Tuesday and everyone has their fingers crossed. Hope to at least get enough to fill the cracks in the ground. Last 2 rains were only teasers but anything we get is welcome.

Charlie must be getting the rain that has been missing us for the past 2 weeks. Hoping this week is our turn for a little relief.

Heading out for breakfast in the airplane. Need to take advantage of this beautiful morning.

Gene

It seems we are into a cool and rainy spell here which is making crop spraying difficult. Field conditions are better than last year (so far) but windy , damp days have kept my sprayer parked while the crops and weeds grow bigger.
On the positive side, those early potatoes I planted the first week of April are looking great and actually blooming. Must be the earliest I have ever had.

Your early potatoes are looking pretty happy, Ralph.  As near as I can tell from your photo, you have them hilled well so they will not get sunburn.  I am thinking they will make good eating pretty soon.  Maybe a nice kettle full of salt potatoes.

Gene has it right about where the rain is falling.  We have just about enough to share with everybody.  I have dumped three inches from the gauge in the last week.  We are heading into the 90's today and for the next two days so it is a good time to hide behind the AC.

As can be seen in the attached photo, with all of the water and hot sunshine, green growth abounds.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]625[/ATTACH]

Nice friendly looking cat you have there Charlie. Mine are a bunch of independent creatures that wont' give me the time of day unless I am carrying cat food.
No,those potatoes were not hilled in the picture but three rows of them are now. While waiting on the weather to make up it's mind I kept busy yesterday with the hoe.
Our weather is a direct contrast with yours. With a high of 60 degrees yesterday I was quite comfortable with coveralls and insulated shirt while working in the garden. Somehow everything is growing even without the heat.
I sure wouldn't enjoy those 90 degree temps you are having.

Now at 2:45 PM, Ralph, We have two thermometers in the shade both saying 95. something.  The weather guy claims the "discomfort index" is something over 100 F and the air quality is bad.  For me it feels like 74 degrees.  That is where the air conditioners are set.  I am indoors and staying here until evening.  I sure do appreciate electricity

.Charlie V.

Just to make you envious Charlie, it is 67 degrees in the house and I have no air conditioning. I don't ever see a need for it in this country although I know some people that have it ..Its heating up out there , going to push the 70 mark today I think . Thunderstorm weather with hot sun causing daytime heating and possible storms. Like this one from last summer over Lipton. It never touched down but was a definite funnel cloud.

Been hot here in Ohio too. Highs every day in the mid 90's. Had a light rain over the weekend on Sunday of about 3/4 inch. It was a help, but need much more. My soybeans are faring alright but needing rain.

Last Saturday we had high hopes of a rain. It all dumped in one area about 10 miles west of us and we didn't get a drop. There was one area about 5 miles square that got up to 2.6 inches in less than one hour and lots of standing water when I flew over it on Sunday evening. Outside that 5 mile square area had nothing. Must have a good church there? Forecast for cooler weather by this weekend.

Been preparing the airplane for annual inspection tomorrow. Been pretty warm working on it, but at least I am in the shade in the barn and have had a nice breeze blowing. Should be able to finish it by this weekend.

Gene

Ralph,

67 degrees in the house, my Wife would want the thermostat set to make the furnace run.  

Gene,

Getting a plane ready for inspection is quite a deal, isn't it.  I remember when my former neighbor used to do that with his 1947 Piper Cub.  I had my '95 truck inspected yesterday and that is enough for me here in NY.  It really needed nothing except to be checked so it cost only $21.00.  Naturally we are required to pay the emissions fee even when the vehicle is pre 1996 so a computer hook up cannot be done.  Grabbing$$$$ is SOP in NY.

Our three day heat wave is over, so we are back to cool and comfortable for the moment.  We did the lawn last night.  With less rain we might get by longer than a week this time.  On the other hand, clover is coming on so a lot of blossoms will be showing in a few days.  My daughter in Delaware O. shares your dry conditions, Gene.