With the continued onset of hot, dry weather, and much more ahead, it was time to augment soil moisture.
We filled a stock tank and dragged it around to give some plants a drink. We drained about 750 gallons from our wqter collecting tank.
The blackberries are vigourous this year, so they received some, in addition to the tomatoes and peppers.
A local music group is sponsoring a student summer music concert. Martin’s jazz band was invited to play.
Martin stood out in the band, because he forgot to tell us the dress code for the concert – black and white, while Martin showed up in shorts and a shirt!
Along with one other young woman from her school, Emma was selected to attend Girl’s State by Marshalltown Legion Auxiliary Unit #46. The unit pays for Emma’s week there and we thank them for the opportunity they gave Emma to help learn and practice government and leadership. Girls state is basically an election cycle in a week – girls run for office, discuss issues and pass legislation.
Emma deep in study as she readies to give a campaign speech or speak to legislative issues. Emma was elected to her city council and county board of supervisors.
Here’s Emma with some of her peeps for the week – some members of her town.
The inauguration features all the girls in a mass choral performance. Can you find Emma?
How about now?
The girls caused quite a spectacle when they crossed Lincoln Way in Ames on the way to the inauguration.
What seems like years ago, the leftovers of a pile of sand from some project was a favorite place for a toddler to play. Now, years later, the sandbox has made a comeback! It was renovated by digging up all the grass and weeds that had found a home there.
Here, the boys wait for the volcano and waterfall to fill the empty river channel and lake with water. Sand has been sculpted, the hose has been split into two and buried to provide the energy for the volcano and the waterfall.
Success! The waterfall and volcano have both done their jobs and the river and lake fill with water.
I still remember one day in the sandbox. I was kindergarten or younger and a friend and I decided to see why would happen if we kept shoving the hose down into the ground with the water running. It kept going down, further and further, we imaged the surprise the people in China would see when it went all through the earth. However we had the surprise when the water stopped coming up and the hose was stuck in the each – no amount of wiggling, water, and digging would free the hose. Dad wasn’t to happy losing a good portion of his hose and fitting!
First, from Ryan Adams’ new album, the opening lyrics to “Dirty Rain.”
Last time I was here it was raining,
It ain’t raining anymore,
Streets were drowning, the water’s laming
All the ruins washed ashore
Now I’m just looking through the rubble
Try to find out who we were
Last time I was here it was raining
It ain’t raining anymore
The previous two shots were the approach to the bridge at Jay Cooke, where we drove a couple weeks ago – ground level and aerial. This all hits pretty close to home, so to speak. We are fresh off a visit to many of the places that were hit, Duluth is my hometown, and I still have many friends and family in the area.
Here’s the town (Moose Lake) about 40 miles south of Duluth where I gassed up the camp 15 passenger van for canoe and bike trips.
The paddle and boat up to gas stations and ATMs never gets old!
Here’s a wonderful old, historic swinging bridge in Jay Cooke State park.
This link shows many photos of the bridge in calmer times.
Photo Credits (in order of appearance)
MN Dept of homeland security
Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Duluth News-Tribune
Bobby Wright