Sunday, July 3, 2022

July in Minnesota

 Far Guy says that half the summer is over when we get past the 4th of July.   I suppose that is true for people and kids that go back to school in mid August. 

Our weather has been wonderful the past few days, in the 70's during the day and cools off into the 50's at night.  

I can carve wood, I tried one of the Christmas ornaments yesterday.  My thumb was/is sore but I can do it.  Not sure how much I can help with the carving this year.  So I went off on my lawn tractor to kill poison ivy...great entertainment!  I was so thankful not to see the skunk family that she who sees robins first saw in her driveway.   The poison ivy is very tall this year...some of it is three feet tall. 

Town is a mess...tourists all over the place. One grocery store was out of mustard, peanut butter and soy sauce.  People are just nuts with their aggressive driving...a motorcycle passed us on a curve and I was going the speed limit. 

So far the lake people are quiet with fireworks.  Usually we hear fireworks every night the week before the 4th and the week after the 4th.  Maybe the skeeters are making life miserable for them too! 

I made potato salad yesterday one of my favorite summer foods.   Far Guy has not lost his cooking mojo...he made spaghetti:) 


Bunting over at my baby brother and his bride's home.  They celebrated 44 years of marriage this week.

Far Side

22 comments:

Val Ewing said...

I don't think I have any close neighbors that do fireworks. The folks at the top of the hill used to do them every 4th and it was fun.

So it will be fairly quiet except for fireworks in the distance which still bother Charlie. Quiet is okay.
We will have beans and weenies -- my magic cooking mojo! LOL! I did get some strawberry pie and other goodies from the farmer's market, so we will have fresh leaf lettuce salads too!

Congrats to your baby brother and his wife!
:)

Jenn Jilks said...

Happy July 4th!
That's quite the poison ivy. OUrs doesn't get that big. Thankfully.
(ツ) from Jenn Jilks , ON, Canada!

Cynthia said...

Potato salad is so traditional in my family for the Fourth of July, which always was a picnic somewhere. You’ve inspired me — I think I will start some potatoes boiling!

Sara said...

Summer is MN when I was growing up was wonderful. Potato salad, fresh tomatoes from the garden, swimming at the town pool, riding my bike all over town, picking strawberries & raspberries with my grandma - just endless memories!

Have a lovely relaxing holiday weekend.

Maebeme said...

Congratulations to your baby brother and his wife on their anniversary.

I've been fortunate to avoid poison ivy all my life. I guess if it is 3 feet tall, it's easier to find and spray. Glad you didn't have to tangle with the skunks too.

The Feminine Energy said...

My mother used to say that summer was half over by 4th of July...so that must have been a common idea back then. It kind of is, I suppose, with the whole school idea as you said. That's some huge poison ivy. Sheesh!! ~Andrea xoxo

Dawn said...

Poison ivy is everywhere. I try to just avoid it, but if you're into getting rid of it, we have plenty when you run out over there! :) Happy 4th to you all. Potato salad. Hm......maybe I should make some of that. Thing is, by the time I cook the potatoes and eggs and chop everything up and mix it up I get ticked off when in the morning it's gone because some potato salad monster I'm married to has eaten it all overnight! :0

Sandra said...

I have neighbors behind us down the hill that set off fireworks that usually only municipalities have. They were at it last night at 11:00 pm and they'll be doing it tonight and tomorrow. Of course they aren't legal in MN, but that isn't a problem. You made me think about making potato salad, I have a rack of ribs I'm going to grill. Thanks for reminding me about potato salad!

Rita said...

Yes, I have been hearing fireworks here in town!
The weather has been just perfect!
Please, don't overdo with your precious hand. At least you can enjoy killing poison ivy--lol!

Betsy said...

Wow! That's some poison ivy. I'm terribly allergic to that stuff. All I have to do is be downwind of it and I'm covered in it. It was so bad when I was a kid that I had to get shots weekly. The rash would even get in my eyes.
I hope the two of you have a wonderful 4th of July. The weather sounds perfect there but I don't envy you the tourists. Fireworks are ridiculous around here. Cherry bombs and all kinds of stuff. It starts early in the day and keeps going until 2 or 3 a.m.
Happy Anniversary to the "newlyweds!"
Blessings,
Betsy

Pauline Persing said...

Just got back from London,UK and Paris. Never expected to go to either place. Now I just have to download all the photos. Hoping to get back to blogging.

Red said...

Great summer weather makes for a very pleasant time.

The Great Ethan Allen said...

Ah the double edge sword of tourism... You need their business and sometimes enjoy their company. But they usually end up trashing your peaceful quiet place during the best times of the year.

You don't like skunks? They are cute! And keep vermin down, along with some of your vegetables and slugs. I guess they can smell a bit, but so did my Uncle Joe... And people still invited him to family reunions.

The weather has been pleasant along the Lake (Michigan) Lake effect weather is something worth keeping. I'm sure northern Minn. is similar... during the Summer, that is..

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Fireworks are awesome but are illegal here for the average person

Galla Creek said...

I hate fireworks because it scares the poor dogs. I guess it hurts their ears.

Miss Merry said...

Hot, hot, hot here. It will be in the 90's for the two hour parade here. We are staying home. Steaks tonight with fat tomato slices. It sounded like a war zone here yesterday with the firecrackers, but nothing in the sky. I don't understand the point of spending all that money on something that just goes boom. My daughter had some in her residential neighborhood that looked like buildings exploding. I hope they don't burn down any houses!

diane in northern wis said...

Congrats to your brother and his wife on their anniversary. I do love that patriotic bunting! We are full of tourists around here too! We're staying in for the most part and just relaxing. Will we grill out tomorrow? Time will tell. There are storms in the forecast starting tonight thru tomorrow. Happy 4th to you and Far Guy! Potato salad sounds mighty good and so does spaghetti!

At Home In New Zealand said...

Hope you manage to have a peaceful and pleasant weekend, regardless of all the tourists. Potato salad sounds yum :)

Granny Marigold said...

I sure hope summer isn't half over for us; it has barely begun after a very late spring. Temperatures in the 70's are perfect. One still feels like doing something other than sitting in the shade.
Good news that your thumb has healed and you can once again carve.
We live so close to the border so no doubt we'll hear the fireworks being set off. Too bad the forecast is for rain. That will put a damper on the celebrations.

DJan said...

Here in the PNW people say that summer starts on July 5th, and this year they are right: 60°F today, chilly and overcast. :-)

aurora said...

I don't think I would enjoy living in/near a tourist town. You must live in a beautiful area, if people are flocking to it :)

It is easy to lose cooking mojo in the summer. Enjoy your nice weather. We are back to hot, humid & stormy. Natures fireworks.

Victoria Zigler said...

Glad there's improvement in your thumb, even if you won't be up to doing much ornament carving this year.