Loading...
August 13, 1992 - Rainy Day Wonders, Past and PresentAugust 13, 1992 • The Suffolk Times • 7A Rainy Day Wonders, Past and Present By Paul Stoutenburah The weatherman had predicted a cloudy night with rain on Sunday and he couldn't have hit it more accurately. We came out of my wife's high school re- union just in time to see the moon dis- appear behind a huge sheet of clouds. From then on the prediction was Focus right on target. We awoke to on Nature raindrops which had us both scur- rying- out of bed to bring in the cushions and other paraphernalia that was out on the patio. From the hesitating sprinkles at dawn the rains came. In just an ordinary rain our home can pretty well take care of the runoff from the roof but when downpours occur there's always a possibility of flooding sometime in and around the window wells. Other times the water just seeps through the cement blocks, but I have a cure. I go out and channel the overflow from the downpours away from the house. Needless to say, our early morn- ing raindrops that turned into downpours found me with raincoat and boots out channeling away the water that had an eye on my cellar. Heavy rains always give me a chance to get out and wander about. Perhaps it goes back to when I was young and still later when our kids were young and we would all get bathing suits on or other `There's nothing more forlorn - looking than a wet chicken.' clothes that didn't matter and go out in the rain to wash the car down — and then, of course, we had fun just slopping around as the rains poured down. The rain came down so hard the air was white with water. There was no wind but the downpour that came soon puddled the lawn and had water stream- ing off the roof gutter like a broken Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh TIGER LILY —These handsome, rugged flowers are colorful late- summer bloomers. Once established, they bloom year after year with little care. water main. I had put on a pair of shorts knowing full well that long pants would soon be soaked but what I hadn't planned on was the water running off my rain jacket onto my legs and then down into my boots. Enough of that and I soon took the boots off and walked around in my bare feet. My channeling worked well and soon everything was under control but as long as I was out, why not take advantage and check out the chickens; the cows and the garden in the rain? Out at the barn the two cows were content inside, both chewing their cud as if the day was nothing special. The young calf was lying down as he munched away. He seemed so tiny be- low the huge cow standing above. The chickens looked a bit bedraggled as they took shelter under the eaves of the build- ing. There's nothing more forlom -look- ing than a wet chicken. I'm sure as soon as the rains let up both chickens and cows will be out, the cows grazing the wet pasture, the chickens looking for i wa%w i w.ML nAAL 78 Years Ago Aug. 15, 1914 Wild West Show: A rare treat is offered to our peo- ple on Monday, Aug. 17, when the world - famous Kit Car- son's Buffalo Ranch Wild West Show will exhibit here. Coming as they do on their own special trains of double - length cars, they are well equipped to carry everything needed to make their attraction rank as the world's foremost amusement enterprise. Unexcelled are their frontier fea- tures. Their cowboys and girls are culled from the very best riders and ropers of all the ranches in America. The Cos- sacks were imported from Russia after being selected from the Czar's finest cavalry. Mexican Rurales direct from the army of Mexico add to the artistic display of fancy riding. Middy Pro and Con: The virtues of the "Middy Blouse" are being discussed around South Ferry on Shelter Island. The feminines are enthusiastic as to their utility. The males refer to them as abbreviated "robes de nuit." 50 Years Ago Aug. 13, 1942 Chinese Labor on Shelter Island: Something unique in the farm labor situation occurred on Monday of this week when 14 Chinese arrived at Greenport from New York City. These Chinese farm hands were met by Sylvester Prime and taken to Shelter Island where they will worms and bugs that were forced out by the heavy rains. Bring On the Sun I headed toward the garden. The big birdbath was overflowing to the delight of the ferns that surround it. Ahead I could see my hollyhocks bent with the heavy rain. They were almost past by now, their big seed pods climbing up to the last small flower at the top of the stem. No country garden is complete without hollyhocks. By now the rain was letting up and I didn't have to blow the water off the end of my nose quite as often as when it was pouring down. The yellow daylilies had taken a beating and their battered heads were downcast, yet the rugged orange tiger lilies stood tall with raindrops clinging to each petal giving them a freshness that could almost be felt as the rain had stimu- lated everything about. My Jerusalem arti- chokes seemed to have added another six inches of new growth that made them tower seven to eight feet high. work on the Prime farm. About 200 Chinese from New York City have signed up with the Metropolitan Farm Placement Bureau as farm laborers. They have been promised three months' steady work and living quarters. Forced Landing: Orient Village had an exciting afternoon Friday when one of a group of planes of the 87th Squadron made a forced landing not far north of King's Highway. The Curtis P40, on a routine training flight from Rentschler Field, Hartford, Conn., was flying at about 6,000 feet when the motor stopped. The young pilot, Lt. W.F. Hamilton of Dayton, Ohio, made a remarkable landing without serious injury. He tried to land in a field south of the main road but was forced to jump the highway, passing under the electric wires between two poles, flying between two houses and ending up in the old sand pit on William Habermann's farm. 25 Years Ago Aug. 18, 1967 Book of Poems: Mrs. Sam Levene, whose original poems have from time to time been published in The Suf- folk Weekly Times much to the enjoyment of our readers, has published a book containing these poems. This book, entitled "I See From My Window," may be purchased from Mrs. Levene, who is donating all money received from the sale of these books to the Heart Fund. In an old iron pot portulaca grows and is usually a mass of spangled color ex- cept for now. The rain and clouds had closed its blossoms up. No matter. Let the sun come out and they'll burst open and once again glow in color. I'd pass the old tool shed that has shingles on its roof perhaps 40 years old or more. So old that they are a mass of greenish moss with tiny red lichens called British sol- diers in platoons scattered throughout. This wet weather is when they grow. When it's dry they become crisp and dormant. They live in spurts according to the weather. Alongside the tool shed is a big fig tree that was given to me years ago in a gallon bucket by a dear friend, Mrs. Wetmore. Today it has figs growing on it and has spread its green cover over that part of the garden. As I walked toward the orchard I real- ized the rain had almost stopped. The raspberries, heavy with rain water, hung in a hodgepodge of growth, the now green berries awaiting another week or more before ripening. Raspberries should be a part of everyone's garden, especially for those who have grand- children, for there's nothing they like better than picking fresh berries and eat- ing them on the spot. The rain had caused quite a few un- ripened peaches and apples to fall but upon examining them each had defects of one sort or another. It is as if the tree was saying I can't waste my energy on imperfect fruit and therefore I'll abort `The rain came down so hard the air was white with water.' them. Many of the apples on the ground showed signs of rabbits' nibbling. Evi- dently they don't mind the imperfec- tions. The beehives were quiet outside but by putting my head to the boxes I could hear the busyness of bees inside. What regulated and exacting builders and pro- ducers they are. As soon as the rains let up they will start out on their endless pursuit of nectar and pollen. Climbing on one of the boxes are the handsome red but very poisonous berries of the nightshade plant and I pulled it up. Too many grandchildren around to take any chances with it being mistaken for tasty morsels. It starts to rain again and the windmill first heads to the southwest, then to the southeast, then to the east and back again to the southwest. It's going to be an interesting day. I'd better head back to the warmth and dryness of the house. The wet ground brings back wonderful sensations and thoughts of years gone by. Perhaps those memories are why rainy days have never been dull or drea- ry days for me and what's more im- portant is that our kids of yesterday now watch their children romp around and enjoy a rainy day. CAUTION: subliminal advertisement follows: subscribe!