Hello, Rural Sprout readers, I wish you were here, my friend. It’s Saturday night and I’ve just returned home from a baseball game (Go Spikes! 12-3). I’ve got a glass of milk and a cookie next to my laptop as I write this and you couldn’t ask for a more perfect
summer evening.  The windows are open, and I can hear the katydids singing their song from every window in the house.  As I was pouring my milk, a screech owl joined the chorus.  They have such a mournful call. It’s beautiful.  I had planned to watch the Belgian Grand Prix qualifying when I got home from the game, write up my newsletter and head to bed. But I couldn’t possibly turn the TV on when Mother Nature is at her finest.  Longtime readers know that winter is my favorite season. But nights like these make me think summer isn’t so bad after all. I’ve been lucky to live with the soundtrack of the outdoors my entire life.   And summer always offers up the best nighttime music.  The katydids. (I still have no idea what exactly Katy did, but these bugs sure like to sing about it.)  The eerie screech
owl.  The lilting song of a whippoorwill.  The harum, harum of the bullfrogs down in the pond, mixed in with the chirping of the peepers.   Of course, it’s not all music to my ears.  Sometimes, summertime songs can be a little raucous. Like when I'm asleep and I’m suddenly awoken by the screeching of a harassed mother raccoon hollering at her rambunctious youngsters.  Or the soft, sharp yips of a pack of coyotes, calling to each other as they hunt in the woods outside my home.  Or the rasping bark of a fox I know is too near the chicken coop.  Those are the summer songs that make the
hair on the back of my neck stand up.  Yet, they, too, are beautiful in their own way.  That’s one thing summer has over winter, all this lovely nighttime music. The soundtrack of summer peters out in the fall, and in the winter, the only song is that of the wind outside my door.  I hope wherever you are, my friend, that the soft songs of summer reach you as we head into the final stretch of the season.Â
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If you garden long enough, you'll eventually experience the joy of waging war against a plant you…
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When you're growing vegetables, you rarely want your plants to get sick. We put a lot of work into…
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I used this method the other night, and I have to say it's much more effective than searching for them in the daylight. I found one in the afternoon and made a note to go back out in the evening with the UV flashlight and found eight more when I did! Â
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Tomato gardeners, I'd like to paint an all-too-familiar scene for you. You're out in the garden,…
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We're still dealing with the heat of summer, but chilly mornings promise fall is just around the…
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Make a few batches of tomato powder; this easy pantry staple is big on flavor but doesn't take up…
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Easily grow fuller and bushier vining houseplants with only a handful of hairpins. Trust me on this,…
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Sage is a favorite herb among gardeners, home DIYers, and home cooks alike. Not only is it an…
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When you think of the perfect summertime treat, I'll bet watermelon comes to mind. No barbecue,…
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Pruning. It's one of those garden chores that leaves many of us scratching our heads. What plants…
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Growing some shape or size of pumpkin is easy enough. Getting them to grow huge is another weight…
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Did you miss a newsletter or want to read a few for inspiration? Find past newsletters here. Don't forget to check out our Facebook page for daily updates. That's all for this week, Rural Sprout Readers. |
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