The Superior Express -

Is this really the middle of July in Jewell County? My calendar says it is but it certainly does not look that way along the country side. It is the end of wheat harvest and even though the daytime temperatures have reached well up into the 90s, the landscapes and crops look lush and green.

The usual mid July country side would look mostly dry with the pasture grasses short and grazed. The pasture ponds would show some shrinkage and with the hot summer weather, and some of the fall crops would have their leaves folding by mid day.

Thankfully, rains have been coming fairly regular and have provided the needed moisture. Though it has meant more yard mowing, weed pulling and spraying, there has been less watering of vegetable and flower gardens. It means that the cattle can remain in the same pasture longer and not have to be moved to another pasture. It also means less irrigating of the fall crops and hopes for a good yielding harvest.

The rains mean more hay available to feed the cattle over the winter months and hopefully ponds will remain full through the fall months.

The wildflowers are blooming along the roadways and in pastures making for a colorful landscape. There are the wild prairie coneflowers, the gay feathers, the yarrows, Fox Glove, Butterfly Milkweed and the Indian Blanket. The elderberries are blooming showing they will yield plenty of berries towards fall. The sweet fragrance of blooming alfalfa fields awaits the farmer to swath and bale for hay. The yellow clover scent is also in the air.

As in the song from the musical Oklahoma, “the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye,” and the soybeans are growing and filling the fields not leaving any empty spots.

The creeks are showing off the rich green leaves of the many tree and bush varieties along their banks. Because of the rains, the waters are flowing making a relaxing sound.

A trip to view the countryside is called for. Enjoy the sights and sounds. It’s beautiful!