Photo dump to get caught up

Since it's been mentioned in the comments, and when I looked at my camera there were pictures there to prove it, I will go ahead and mention that Saturday was my birthday.  It was as nice a day as it could be, and I have photos to prove it.  Not great quality photos, but worth archiving on the blog.

I don't know where TJ was, but he was around somewhere.  See previous blog post.  Next up --yesterday I took a bike ride after supper -- something I haven't done for a decade or more.  Turns out it's a nice time of day to ride a bike but a bad time of day to visit the state park.  A mellow summer evening brings out the crowds.  As usual, we didn't enter the park, but found a spot at the end of the channel to watch the parade of boats coming in from the Wednesday night races.  There was an interesting sky.  This was about 8:00 pm, sunset is a little after 9 at this point.

Proof of bike.  And since a bike is approximately 6 feet long, proof of social distance from the next closest person.

We had considered getting ice cream on the return trip, but there were huge lines and crowds at the General Store ice cream window.  So we rode home and had cherry pie on LH's deck.  (I counted it as a fruit.)  Cherry season is officially over as of the end of this week.  All photos taken by my little red camera.

Winding down July

Nothing to see here folks.  As mentioned on the other blog written by my brother, it's normal for it to be hot and humid in July.  It is what it is.

It was too hot over this past weekend to eat in the garage, though on Saturday we ate out by the deck.  Chinese food was ordered and picked up, OSLO brought cake.  Sunday was brutally hot and humid, so we ate our pizza in what the girl calls the nook.  The young people swam both days, OSLO swam Saturday.  I waded out into the water for a while myself on Saturday.  It was a nice weekend and we managed to spend time together without too many compromises.

I've biked twice since my last blog post, I think.  Saturday and today. I took no pictures.  I think I am going to adopt GZ's practice of a mid ride sit down, and see if that makes the recovery process any shorter.  I do walk at least once a day, and that counts.   Anyway, nothing to report here, and that's probably good enough for now.

Late edit:

Sunset tonight was obscured by clouds.  Taken from the empty association deck by LH's house.

Maple

I knew that the big old maple tree on the edge of our dune, that gives us shade every afternoon, had a problem.  Too many dead branches, all on the same side of the tree. Until the arborist came by and checked it out yesterday I held out hope that it might be treatable, but no such luck.  It has a root fungus and presents a moderate risk of falling into either our house or the one next door.  It will only get worse, so arrangements will be made to have it removed.  The news made me very, very sad.  I know, getting emotional over a tree isn't entirely rational, but it is what it is.  The other trees on our property are all healthy he said, and aside from needing some trimming and perhaps some feeding, are in good shape.  My next door neighbor, whose father planted the tree, was philosophical about it, saying that it has been a lovely tree for a long time.

Worse from the angle shown below.

Today I knew I needed a bike ride, and as usual had a hard time getting started.  By around 11 I had loaded the bike in the car and driven to Ransom Park -- since the PSPS is apparently too far away for me to get to from here, I started closer.

So a 16 mile ride became less than 12 miles.  But there was a diet red pop with caffeine in their refrigerated section, making it worth the effort.  It's been a long time since I've had one.

Face coverings are required inside the PSPS, as they are everywhere these days.  My insurance company sent me one that matches my Liquigas shirt.  I didn't wear the mask while biking, and my helmet straps were fastened while I was riding.  As often happens, the bike ride altered my brain chemistry a notch and the world looks a little less grim.  But damn, I am going to miss that tree.

Blues and flowers

It had been a week since my last bike ride -- I'm sure there was a reason or seven.  The weekend was rainy and gusty, I do remember that.  Yesterday I almost got out, then when attempting to close the garage door, it refused to close.  After several attempts to make it work, all futile, I gave up on the ride and went back inside to call the garage door repair people.  They arrived bright and early this morning and my car is back in the garage.  With that drama behind me, I finally got in a ride today.  About an hour, not too hot, not too windy.  Mostly sunny.  It was basically a tour de blueberry fields ride.  Here's how the bushes along Quincy look at this point.

I like how the close up setting works on my little red camera.  And, no, I have not as yet purchased any blueberries.  Much of my diet remains inappropriate, though some progress has been made.  A few bananas here and there, breakfast is back to my standard breakfast over the last several years.  That sort of thing.

LH says that this is called a star gazer lily.  It grows near my mailbox and blooms in late July every year.  The plant was originally a gift from OSLO several years ago, and I look forward to seeing it every year.

Watching comet Neowise

Last night was predicted to be the best viewing around here of the comet Neowise, and if we missed it, it would be another 8,000 years or so before it swung around again.  My Florida neighbors (who also live here) had seen the comet Hale Bopp several years ago, and they (well, he) were eager to see Neowise.   We gathered on the deck around 9:00 pm, sunset was about 9:20.  The deck accommodates 3 people at a social distance with no problem.  We all had masks, but with a breeze off the water, mostly didn't wear them much.

Not a spectacular sunset, but a mostly clear sky, which was what we'd hoped for.  The comet became visible about an hour or so later, as the sky off to the northwest became darker.  I have a nice telescope, but without more advance warning, I didn't get it set up.  I am kind of sad about that.  I don't have a camera that works in that light, either.   Images are available on the internet.  The evening turned a bit chilly and really, the comet didn't do anything except be visible.  It was a late night, but I'm glad I stayed up to see it.  I have my doubts about seeing it the next time it swings around.  I'd planned a bike ride today but without a good night's sleep I am a bit of a zombie, and took a walk in Keppel Forest with my camera instead.  A few photos from my point and shoot red camera.

Walking around with my camera.  Good enough.

Ramblings

My bike log says I took a bike ride on Saturday morning with LH and GG.  We rode a dozen miles, a standard distance for me at this point in the year.  It was unplanned, so we didn't get started until 10:00 am and missed the shady part of the morning on about half the bike paths.  Fortunately (!?) we had a headwind on the return leg.  No photos were taken.  That makes just 4 bike rides so far this month, I would like to do better than that.  An old friend described outdoor exercise as a way for her to be "in the moment" -- and has heard it described as a form of meditation.  I've described it mostly as therapeutic, but I also like her description.  Later in the day the Grands arrived to spend a few hours here -- there were small craft advisories on the lake, so we/they skipped swimming.  Wise, as the lake took its sacrifice from South Haven this time around.  The number of drownings in the big lake this year -- we've lost more swimmers in our county these last two months than we have Covid-19 victims.  Harsh realities.

Unknown type of flowers, photo taken on a walk last night just at Sunset.

Yesterday the Grands returned for a garage style spaghetti supper.  Yes, we could eat on the deck, but all three of us enjoy the garage setting, and we're already all set up in there with a card table and three lawn chairs.  An earlier stop was made at Captain Sundae's, as a way of checking off summer traditions.  And consuming ice cream.  So yes, it was before supper -- their mother was unhappy as she (rightly) claimed that I never allowed her to eat her dessert first.  But the thing is, the ice cream shop is a fairly risky spot -- lots of people, few masks, hard to keep a decent distance.  Mid afternoon is much less busy.  Though everyone in my bubble keeps hand sanitizer in their cars and uses it immediately.  (GG keeps Clorox wipes in a sandwich bag in her bicycle bag.  They get used on every ride I've taken with her this summer.  I'm going to add them to my bike bag -- they do an admirable job of removing bicycle grease from hands and legs.)

Pain au chocolate.  Actually, faux pain au chocolate.  These may show up on the food blog soon.  I've made them a couple of times now, and they make a pretty good substitute for the real thing.  Crescent rolls and chocolate candy bar squares.  The Grands say they remind them of London.  They also go okay with garage spaghetti, though they're not as good a match as garlic toast.

A different July -- another very hot one, as I recall.  Not far from the intersection of FF and U.

Thursday early

The heat wave continues here too.  Getting out on my bike early is the only possible way to get in a ride for me.  Dew point 71, so the air is pretty thick today. 

Shady helps.  This almost looks like a light at the end of the tunnel picture.  Taken along Quincy.

It's the season for chicory, apparently.  It all worked out okay and I was home before it got too hot. 

Benches for Jimi

Remember when we used to do themes on our blogs?  One of them, if I remember right, was benches.  And TT was a regular contributor to that theme.  That thought crossed my mind  this morning when I stopped for a rest at Ransom Park on my early morning bike ride.  8ish is early, right?

"All the spaces, big and small, that he occupies in my life."  The Prairie Princess

The Grands were here for the 4th of July fireworks -- the seawall makes for decent seating, though I'd rather it was covered with sand.  Mother Nature bats last.  So many spaces.  Jetties for John.

May the Fourth be with you....

Routines make life smoother, and I haven't gotten into a routine with my blog.  So this will be another post with photos and vague descriptions of where I was when I took them.  Not my best work, but here goes.

Wednesday evening we wanted to watch the big sailboats come in the channel at the state park from the Wednesday night races.  Park and walk a long ways to avoid the crowds as much as possible.  Too many people, should have ridden our bikes, maybe next time.  Mother Nature continues on with her cycle of life, an encouraging sign.  Plus ducklings are soooo cute.

We didn't go into the state park itself -- people were pretty well behaved, but we picked a less popular vantage point to have more space to ourselves, and still got some pretty nice views of the big sailboats coming in past the lighthouse.  Speaking of the lighthouse, pretty much the only fireworks in west Michigan tonight will be off the shore near the lighthouse, put on by one of our local billionaires.  Since it's private, it can only be viewed from the state park, the water and the shoreline along Lake Michigan.  The Grands will be here, and some of our neighbors will be watching from our beach as well.  I'm expecting an interesting people watching event.  Private firework displays have already begun, quite a few were set off along the beach last night, in fact.  It will be good to have the Grands here today, the lake water is warm enough to swim (I have been in twice this week on 90 degree days) and we plan to have a taco picnic on the deck then hang out on the deck until the fireworks.  It should be a good time.