The Never-ending Summer (I wish)

I don't know what my problem is.  Usually I can't wait for Fall to get here.  Summer is my least favorite season.  But for some reason this year, I don't want summer to end.  I love lying around reading Janet Evanovich novels.  They're hilarious!  I like having my mind clear of schedules, busyness, grading papers, getting Darcie to her activities, etc.  I think that's part of it.   I've hauled around chilluns' for twenty seven years now, and I'm tired.  I want to learn to paint and such; things that take concentration and chunks of time.  
But I have a ten-year-old; at least I will tomorrow.  I have to do for her what I did for the other ones.  I can't in good conscience put her in school.  So I'm going to have to buck up and suck it up.  SO.................
How to get myself in the mood for Fall?  Finish the J. Evanovich book I'm reading and don't read her again until the next holiday.  Put away all my summer clothes and get out my fall ones.  I NEVER, repeat NEVER, wear white after Labor Day.  My Mama raised me right!  Make myself go through Darcie's school books and start planning.  Cook pumpkin bread, apple bread, and soups.  Any other ideas?

Grouse butts

It takes deep snow to show them up sometimes. Marching up the hillside, like little stitches in white linen, a line of grouse butts - small stone, wood and turf constructions that provide cover for the waiting guns, as the birds are driven towards the butts by lines of beaters. On the inappropriately named 'Glorious Twelfth' (the opening of the grouse shooting season on 12 August), thousands of birds may be shot each year.

I prefer the butts covered in snow, and silent.

Superior Waterfall

This evening I headed in to Grand Marais to photograph the sunset. The clouds looked good in Grand Portage so I was hoping they would stay nice until I got to GM. Indeed they did and not only that, but the wind was INSANE. I got VERY cold shooting this evening, even though the air temp was a relatively balmy (for January) 26 degrees. I also had a difficult time keeping my lens dry. The wind was so strong and the waves were so big that spray from the waves was constantly blowing around in the air and landing on my camera. I had to try and wipe the lens off between each shot that I took. Every now and then, a particularly big wave would hit the rocky point where I was shooting and would wash right over the top of the rocks, making a temporary waterfall. I was lucky enough to capture one such wave and waterfall, but unfortunately my lens and ND filter had already gotten wet again and as a result there were several light flares on the image caused by the water droplets. I cleaned out the flares as best I could using Lightroom, but some of them are still there. I don't think they necessarily detract from the image, however. So, enjoy this photo of a rarely seen waterfall right along the shoreline of Lake Superior!

Tournaments

Thursday was the golfing tournament. Before heading to the golf course, I went out for a short bike ride. First things I noticed was the computer was not working right. Someway, the wheel size got messed up. Tried to get it working, but no luck. Well, I had forgotten to wear my heart monitor, too. So, it was a short, easy ride. For logging purposes, think it was about 7 miles.
I went to the golf course to take photos of the group and tee-offs. Found out they had planned having me riding one of the carts. OK, will do that for a hole or two.
Well, by then, it was too far to walk back to the club house. So, rode the cart and shot some photos for the 9 holes the group played. Besides of the heat, I had a cart driver that smokes. Another year, if I ride with the golfers, will request a non-smoking cart-mate.
Didn't do much of anything else that day. Visited in the hospitality room. For "dinner", it was the "guys night out". We sent to the local VFW post for tacos. Was a pretty uneventful evening (except for getting lost). We caravaned to the Post. The lead vehicle did not wait for following vehicles that were caught at the light. Add to the confusion with conflicting directions - I was about to say "screw it" and head back to the hotel.
At the VFW, were were herded into the banquet hall. A couple of our group commented that we felt we were being segregated. So, was a early return to the hotel.
Played some dominoes (chicken foot), and started thinking of re-packing the room.

Friday was the shooting tournament. I thought about taking a bicycle ride before the group heads to the ranch. But, it is just too hot. I was not excited for standing around watching the guys (and gals) shoot, so just took a group photo in front of the hotel.
Another "do nothing" day. With the heat and humidity (heat index about 105) was just too hot to ride (even in the morning). Not really feeling like doing anything. Visited in the hospitality room. Wanted to do some computer work, but the internet was down here at the hotel. Word was that a power surge hit, and everything needed to be reset. It was finally restored late in the evening.
Alert: If for some reason you are thinking of visiting N. Myrtle Beach, I recommend the you stay away from staying at the Hampton Inn Harbourgate. We just had way too many problems with this hotel.
Later in the evening, grabbed the last bags out of the car to start re-packing for the return trip. Did more of that re-packing early this morning.

The fishermen (and women) were up early for breakfast. Visited with them, had breakfast, and took the group photo.
Three photos in this morning's posting: Top - Golfers, Middle - Shooters, Bottom - Fishermen (and women).

Our Cherry Tree

This tree is amazing!  Our whole family anticipates it's annual blooming.  I don't know the exact name for it, only that it's an ornamental Japanese cherry tree.
When the petals start to fall, the whole ground turns pink.  I love to stand under it when the wind blows and have the petals swirl all around and over me.  It's like being in a snowstorm of pink!  Fabulous, fabulous tree!  It  makes me happy!
P.S.  Those are seashells we collected last summer on the picnic table.  I don't want to throw them away but don't know what to do with them, so for now they're here.

Autumn Brilliance

With snow in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow, today I'm choosing to share a photo of what may very well be the last bit of vibrant fall color in Grand Portage for this year. This photo was taken yesterday along the Mt. Josephine grade of Highway 61 overlooking the Susie Islands and Isle Royale National Park. The last 6 miles of Highway 61 approaching Canada still has some nice golden orange color today, but it probably won't last through the weather front that is supposed to be passing through over the next 24 hours. Luckily, we have cameras to record these scenes so we can look back at them and enjoy them whenever we like!

So do I laugh or cry?

It's isn't as if I've done a lot of organised rides this year, and given the abandon in the 600k, it's not as if I have much of a track record. Saturday's 100k should have been a more straightforward affair, and in truth it probably was. It was the moment of the taking of the above picture that complicated things. Ordinarily when I take a picture, it's done in about 30 seconds (assuming I don't also take the moment to apply sunscreen or eat).
What complicated this incident was that three other riders* also decided to take the same picture. Immediately south at Murwillumbah, the four of us (and I'm as responsible as anyone, although nobody bothered to check the route slip). Consequently, we took a wrong turn, and while we ended up riding the same distance and the same route, we did the Murwillumbah/Uki/Stokers Siding loop in reverse, which meant a disqualification for the four of us. Ironically, I managed to grab a much better shot of the morning mist at Mt Warning further south...

... Not to mention the earlier views from Tomewin...

... Or the wildflowers there...

... Or even the sunrise on the way to the start...

On the other hand, it gave us all a chance to visit the Uki Cafe (which is still the best in Northern New South Wales), and more importantly I dished out some serious ownage to the climb of Bilambil with which I seem to be engaged in a permanent battle. I hit it with three attacks before the third one finally stuck. I actually suffered a bit on the final coastal strip at the finish, but that's less important, I'd really stuck it to Bilambil this time.
* Note: I am not going to attempt to recount everybody's name, because I'm not very good at remembering names, and omitting anyone may cause offence. Suffice to say that I managed to play a part in the National Treasurer or Audax Australia suffering a disqualification on a ride. I don't know whether or not I should be proud of that.

Cross the Bridge

Celebrate the grand opening of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. The festivities will take place on Sunday, September 28th.
Here are the details, per the Council Bluffs Parks & Recreation web site:

Free Event! Everyone Welcome!

• 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Playland Park in Council Bluffs (2 N. 40th Street)

• Free children's activities, with inflatables, face painters, magicians, and more!

• Performances by Monticello's Regiment from Thomas Jefferson High School and Omaha Central Eagles Marching Band

• Ribbon cutting with Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan and Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey

• Food and beverage concessions available.

• Free parking!

• From 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. free wristbands will be placed on the wrists of interested participants in the park. A drawing will be held just prior to the ribbon cutting to determine who will get to be the first person on the Bridge!

I understand there will also be information booth(s) for local cycling, walking, and running clubs.
See you there...

Dirt On My Hands

February, March, and April are prime gardening months in Georgia. After that, It'll be too hot to garden except before sunrise and after sunset. Even then I'll be dripping wet when I come back inside because of our high humidity.
So every spare minute I have, I'm in the garden weeding, moving seedlings, planting, remaking walkways, etc.
I love gardening! I'm determined this year to have a fabulous garden. I want gardens so wonderful that people gasp when they drive by. I want our cottage to be rose covered and have full, blowsy borders of colorful flowers.
When I laid out our gardens in .., I thought I'd finish and that'd be it. Ha! They're higher maintenance than a house full of kids! You have to keep at it everyday or they'll just be mediocre; which is what I've had for the last twenty-two years.
Well, this is the year that I go for fabulous! Breathtaking! Stupendous! I'll keep you posted...

Monarch on Milkweed

A Monarch butterfly resting on a clump of Asclepias californica.

The lake in solid state

After two weeks of frigid weather, the air temperatures returned to the 30s and we considered paddling on Lake Michigan, ice permitting.

Our enthusiasm exceeded our opportunities. Here are a few images from our trip to scout launching and landing sites:



The North Avenue beach house behind waves of ice and snow.





Snow fumaroles.



Curtains from ice drape over the North Avenue jetty.





A snow fence does its best to keep the ice out.





A lonely snowman guards the beach.





There was some open water, but no safe access to reach it.