Hub City Times

Top Menu

  • Contact Us
  • E-Editions
  • Subscribe

Main Menu

  • Home
  • News
    • Around the County
    • Arts & Ent
    • Education
    • Government
    • Local
    • Police / Sheriff Calls
  • Covid 19
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • Sports News
    • High School Sports Scores
    • Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
  • Coming Events
  • Business
  • Obits
  • Classifieds
  • Military Photos
  • Contact Us
  • E-Editions
  • Subscribe

logo

Hub City Times

  • Home
  • News
    • Around the County
    • Arts & Ent
    • Education
    • Government
    • Local
    • Police / Sheriff Calls
  • Covid 19
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • Sports News
    • High School Sports Scores
    • Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
  • Coming Events
  • Business
  • Obits
  • Classifieds
  • Military Photos
Opinion
Home›Opinion›Fun in the mud

Fun in the mud

By Hub City Times
March 21, 2015
910
1
Share:
Blume

The delight of the changing seasons in Wisconsin


By Theresa Blume

Featured Columnist

I remember springtime in the Texas hill country was beautiful with bright sunshine, warm southerly winds, and bluebonnets popping up over the countryside. I wanted to take those flowers home with me when I came back to my muddy Wisconsin.

I love Wisconsin and its four seasons because of the variety. With our changing weather extremes, you never know what to wear sometimes. You would think after having weathered the winter, we would have nothing to worry about, but when warm weather comes along and the snow melts, dealing with mud becomes a whole new adventure.

It is not so bad now that I live in town with concrete sidewalks and parking lots. But if you live in the country, muddy fields are a major obstacle.

When I was a young girl, our family farm was in a strategic spot for weather-related events. The house was on a hill, which for whatever reason attracted lightning.

Our lightning storms were amazing and dangerous, even knocking my brother right off the couch one night, leaving bruises on his legs. The field where our big garden was located sloped low like a valley, which is why we called our place “Lightning Valley.”

Some years melting snow and spring rains would cover the garden and sit there like a man-made pool. Many a tractor got stuck in that deep mud until we acquired what we called “The Steel Wheel Tractor.” That tractor, with its exposed steel wheels and protruding metal points, could go anywhere.

We lived in what was locally known as the “sand country,” but the garden was pitch black dirt. That dirt produced thick, gooey, knee-deep, organic mud. We grew delicious sweet corn and pickles in large quantities so we had extra to sell, but it all depended on how soon we could plant. In the meantime we kids took advantage of our natural swimming hole.

Sometimes I would get a foot stuck so deep that I could not pull it out without nearly dislocating a hip. We were not really supposed to get wet, but that was like telling kids they could wade in the swimming pool but not jump in.

I could hardly wait for each rain to pass before I was off running through the garden to see how far I could get before the mud and water were too deep for my short legs. I even remember rainbows rising over the garden like beautiful apologies after severe storms.

It was an exciting time to be a kid with scary lightning storms and muddy gardens embraced by rainbows. I am glad my parents were not so concerned about getting dirty so we could have these unique memories.

My young granddaughter just got a new pair of rain boots last week and finds great delight in stepping in water puddles. I know just how she feels.

TagsFeaturedfeatured columnistlightningmudopinionrainbowsseasonsspringtheresatheresa blumeweather
Previous Article

Mineral Point ends great season for Auburndale ...

Next Article

Marshfield, March 1898: The birth of Hotel ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Related articles More from author

  • marshfield tigers logo
    Sports

    Video: Tigers football routs Oshkosh West

    September 20, 2014
    By Hub City Times
  • GovernmentLocal

    Letter to the Editor: Readers support Kremer in Wood County District 8

    March 27, 2018
    By Hub City Times
  • Mary Carney
    EducationLocal

    Carney discouraged from reading ‘concerning’ resignation letter of district staff member

    June 30, 2016
    By Hub City Times
  • Sports

    Auburndale rallies to upend Spencer in a WIAA Division 3 volleyball regional final

    October 27, 2014
    By Hub City Times
  • George Klemmer Sylvia Oberle Dianne Genz Ruth Sommers ice age trail hike walk wisconsin book
    Arts & EntertainmentOutdoors

    Ten thousand years in the making

    September 29, 2015
    By Hub City Times
  • Arts & Entertainment

    Concert to benefit resident clinical research

    December 7, 2016
    By Hub City Times

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

About Us


Hub City Times is published by Multi Media Channels LLC, N2919 County Road QQ Waupaca, WI 54981.

Timeline

  • January 16, 2021

    From the Wood County Health Department: COVID-19 Vaccine Phase Update

  • January 15, 2021

    Main Street hosts virtual Downtown Awards Bash

  • January 14, 2021

    New Marshfield utility facility gets green light

  • January 13, 2021

    Marshfield honors district AP Scholars

  • January 13, 2021

    Judge asks for more evidence in Gramza case

Find us on Facebook

Copyright © 2020 Multi Media Channels, All Rights Reserved. Designed by MMC Team Awesome
×