Well, it’s probably time for a water report for the southern Rutland area. Water has been backing up on the south side of town and yesterday it was about to go over the top of Cooper Street/County #3, just east of Main Street. Taking quick action, the City Council asked to have the drain cleared and last night there was Calvin with the Track-Hoe clearing out the drains. This morning the water had receded and the water from town headed south two miles to connect to the Wild Rice River. The Wild Rice itself has been rising and falling, changing daily. The new County culverts are holding steady while various township roads have fallen to the mighty force of water and some days the road is passable and the next day it may be submerged. It’s not the time to take a late night cruise ’cause one never knows which road will get you home.
Category: Nature
Worm Your Way to Rutland!
That sounds like a pretty good new slogan for Rutland doesn’t it? We grow those worms pretty big around here as discovered by Herbie Donaldson yesterday. He was making his morning rounds when he saw something in the road and got out to look. It was a large earthworm on the road, unfortunately already driven over, but none-the-less it proves we grow ’em big around here. Pam Maloney happened by and helped measure the worm — which was 60 inches long. Rutland is already known for it’s largest flipped hamburger and maybe now we’ll have a chance at another world record! KFGO ran the story so Rutland made the news too.
A recent visitor
Today, during the brief snow flurries – which foretell what is to come tonight — we had a visitor on our windowsill. As it occasionally happens, a bird flew into our window and needed to sit on the ledge for a while. It was a strange looking visitor for this former City girl. Luckily it perched long enough for me to find my camera (on the other end of the house of course). I took a few photos and then spent some time investigating to determine what strange creature had appeared in our yard. It looked like a bird of prey so we started there to seek out photos. We eliminated the owl family and moved on to researching hawks and to our surprise what we have here is a falcon — The American Kestrel falcon to be exact. Many may know this creature as a sparrow hawk and it supposedly is a very common falcon. This was my first opportunity to view one up and personal. He (yes, it’s a male) took an interest in us as well before he flew off to perch on top of a pine tree. If you want to check for more on this creature, click this link to the Chipper Woods Bird Observatory.
Water Report
Well, I’m glad to report that the Wild Rice River has stopped running over our township road. The change in the water flow is due to the fact that a portion of County Road 10 here South of Rutland collapsed on Wednesday. Yesterday a portion of the westside lane fell into the Wild Rice near the culvert. This morning the rest of that portion over the culvert collapsed. We are lucky in that we can get to town easy but I pity those who live south of that culvert because now they have a bigger challenge of getting into Rutland to enjoy the amenities it offers!
Water Power
It has been a while since I’ve blogged. I didn’t mention the snowstorms or freezing weather of another long winter. Those have come and gone. The big issue throughout the State — mainly Fargo and surrounding communities to the north and south — is the force of nature in the form of water. Rutland and its area is not immune. There are “holding ponds” in Rutland proper. We’ve got a wonderful view of the water on the westside preventing us from getting on the blacktop (Hwy 10) leading to Rutland. The water from the Wild Rice River is slowly receding but it is a force not to be reckoned with. Hopefully we won’t have to sandbag this time like we did two years ago (and in 1997!).
Tomato – or chicken?
Yesterday, I picked the latest ripe tomatoes in my garden. Several have the sam
e problem as others — spots and blossom end rot and a few odd shaped ones. This time, however, I think I got one that’s a little different. I’m wondering if the chickens got into the garden but since we don’t have any that’s not the case. This one does not seem as much a tomato as it resembles a baby chicken – with an eye, a (broken) wing, and even a small beak! If there was a way to preserve this as is I’d probably do it. Is it slaughter if I chop off the head of the chick? Do we let this one survive only to rot? Do I let it loose? It can’t run far! I think we’ll try to keep it a bit longer but it will most likely find the same fate as the other tomatoes. Maybe it would sell on E-Bay!
rutlandramblings 