The Rains Came

At this time of year, the corn cobs should be visible about 1/3 of the way up the stalk but this year many stalks show no signs of actual cobs or the cobs are very small.  The soybean harvest will probably be about what it was in years past.   

The farmers make out like bandits because of federal insurance so the politicians are trying to rewrite the US Farm Bill. 
 
Then last Thursday through Sunday we received over 8" of rain, so much rain, the Lions Ear (12 ' high) and the Purple Moonflowers   keeled over.  Old panty hose came to the rescue as Ed and I tied the sorry plants to the fence. 



We were afraid we would have a repeat of September 14th three years ago when we had 6" of rain in the lower level because the sump pump became over loaded. Water moved quickly throughout the unfinished section over to the newly finished part.   Ed and I do not care for finished "basements" but because there was not a drop of moisture in 9 years, we decided to finish half of the area for the Signy, Roslyn, Liesl and their parents.   Good move!  Except for the flood. 

Fortunately, the Township made some changes in a huge pipe that takes water under the street into a nearby lake.  Plus we hired back our contractor who did the original pipe work and he added what is called a check-valve.