Another mostly dry week.  More and larger patches of dry crunchy grass in lawns, pastures, hay fields, and wooded areas.  Gravel roads and trails were dusty.  The creek was mostly dry with little mud, few stray murky pools of water remained.  The springs were not adding enough water to keep trickles running between pools.  Ponds and other creeks and small rivers in this area were lower than usual for this time of year.  Corn seems to be hanging on, silks were drying.  Only in spots were there a few stalks with pointed leaves.  The soybeans on sand or gravel areas were wilted most evenings.  They still were revived on foggy mornings.  Pods didn't have seeds forming yet.  Many oats fields were combined.  There are few oats fields planted in this area anymore.  The test weigh was below average but the yield was above average.  The stems were long, some areas at 5 feet tall, above average for this area.  It is possible that the spring rains had plenty of water in the ground for the roots to reach.  There were sandhill cranes foraging on the combined oats fields many days, usually only adult pairs.  An eagle was seen on a branch of a dead tree watching one nearby field, likely for small rodents running between rows of straw and stems and crop trash.  Some apples fell from the trees, more than usual for this time of year.  The trees in the pasture woods had fewer apples on than the ones in the yards.  The earliest apple varieties here had a few ripe apples.  Most apples were mixed colors.  Apples that fell in the pasture woods didn't lay on the ground long, likely eaten by critters.  Deer and cattle both like apples as well as many varmints.  A hen turkey was seen at the roads edge with a clutch of small poults, only a couple of weeks old.  Another flock was seen on a combined field, about a dozen and all adults.  Wild blackberry brush had some small ripe berries but the leaves were wilted.  Some wild perennial plants had wilted leaves many days.  Tansy was past peak bloom.  Goldenrod had flower heads but none had open flowers yet by the end of the week.  Wildfire danger was slightly elevated with dry grasses and ripening crops.  Some green growing crops had dry leaves near the ground.  A few poplar trees with a south or west exposure had a few yellow leaves.  A few stray oak trees were dropping green leaves.  Some mushrooms were growing, partridge of the woods and oysters that I can name.  Many animals likely stayed near water.  Pastured animals walked to water tanks multiple times each day and night since water holes and grasses were dry.  Feed needed to be supplemented, not uncommon for this time of year.  Most people in this area would like some measurable rain so the crops can fill out and ripen.  Gardeners were getting tired of watering vegetables, fruits, and flowers.  Most people right around here don't water lawns so mowing lawns has been less than usual.