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Post by Kapitan on Jul 9, 2020 11:21:25 GMT
When we get hot, humid days in summer, inevitably that's tornado and serious thunderstorm weather in Minnesota. Overnight at least two tornadoes ripped through west-central Minnesota (about 150 miles northwest of here). There was one fatality and a few injuries.
Thankfully it was just a thunderstorm here.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
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Post by bellbottoms on Jul 9, 2020 12:30:49 GMT
Things took an unexpected turn here yesterday when suddenly a wind over the lake started churning. The result was a localized thunderstorm with tornado watch! It's a little scary how that seems to be happening more often now. A tornado never formed, but the storm did drop a significant amount of rain in a short time, only in the south western part of the city, resulting in some flash flooding there and a number of trees blew down. I'm further north and saw literally none of it, apart from a briefly overcast sky. Weather is wacky.
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Post by Kapitan on Jul 12, 2020 13:07:21 GMT
I awoke to 64 degrees, medium humidity, and a sunny sky. Now this is a summer weekend morning! We'll get back into the mid 80s later, which is fine. So long as it cools off overnight and the days begin moderate, I'm a happy man!
That said, I am a little sore: yesterday I visited my parents in rural MN and (as they're getting up there and my dad is still recovering from assorted things that limit his mobility) got recruited to do some yardwork and other heavy chores for them. So the extent of my enjoying the beautiful day might be limited to the likes of sitting on the patio with a book and a beer as opposed to anything too ambitious.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 13, 2020 11:26:00 GMT
Sometimes "celebrity" deaths or unfortunate happenings are truly sad and can bring you down.
The Naya Rivera story has been in the news for almost a week now. Very sad, especially for her four year-old son. Then I read where Lisa Marie Presley's son, or Elvis Presley's grandson, Benjamin Keough, committed suicide at age 27. And, then this morning I read that John Travolta's wife, Kelly Preston, passed away after a two-year battle with breast cancer. She was only 57 and was survived by two children, Ella (20) and Benjamin (9).
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 16, 2020 23:26:55 GMT
I caught an interesting interview with Casual Historian, Grant Hurst, on The Kapitan's New Areopagus Twitter site. It appears Grant and Kapitan both have healthy approaches to others' diverse thoughts and opinions on religion and politics. I'll try to OWN mine, too, Kap!
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Post by Kapitan on Jul 17, 2020 11:54:36 GMT
I'm pleased to report that my little garden is finally (literally) bearing fruit: the tomato and pepper plants all have fruits on them. Though nothing is ripe yet, some of them could really be ready within a few days, especially considering our forecasts of 80s and 90s, humidity, and some rain serving as superchargers.
The herbs of course have been producing all along, which is already great. But fresh tomatoes and hot peppers are really exciting!
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Post by Kapitan on Jul 19, 2020 14:56:21 GMT
I have nothing to say. I just wanted to get the spambot off the homepage as the latest post in this forum. Now let's all just dance with Brian.
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Post by Kapitan on Jul 20, 2020 12:26:46 GMT
Bumping the spam.
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Post by kds on Jul 21, 2020 12:31:19 GMT
I heard a conversation on the radio today about cotton candy grapes.
I always felt like cotton candy was always on the verge of becoming the "flavor of summer" much like pumpkin spice dominates fall. Over the years, I've seen cotton candy vodka, cupcakes, ice cream, and Oreos among other things, but it's never really taken a strangehold of summer the way pumpkin spice has with fall.
I'm a sucker for cotton candy flavored stuff since it conjures up memories of summers past, going to carnivals and Boardwalks and such. Oddly enough, while I enjoy the flavor, I really don't eat cotton candy itself.
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Post by Kapitan on Jul 24, 2020 13:09:59 GMT
This morning I'm a little bummed out, as I've spent the past several days on vacation in a cabin on the edge of the woods in hilly southeastern Minnesota. While the cabin has wifi and full, modern accommodations--I'm not roughing it, here--it is scenic and miles from anything. A pair of horses pasture on the property, and I've enjoyed seeing deer in my early-morning hikes (and just when they creep into the pasture to say hello), to say nothing of hearing the diversity of wildlife. (Loon calls, especially, can be quite eerie...) I finished a couple of books. I spent more time than a normal person would admit just staring into the woods, or into the fire, or at the sky, or at the horses feeding on the grass.
But within a couple hours I'll be in the car heading back to reality. Monday I'll jump right back into work. Every time I take vacations like this, I think "I could really live this way..."
Then I remember that a person requires an income. And for most of us, that requires work.
Hmpf.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
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Post by bellbottoms on Jul 24, 2020 13:31:07 GMT
I very much relate to your post, Kap, as I’m finding myself in a similar situation. We got back from camping a couple of days ago. Usually our camping trips are to parks with electrical and water, and comfort stations with flush toilets and showers. But this time, we went a little off the grid and did “eco-camping” which had none of those things. What we did have was a 2 minute walk to the outhouses (too far when you’re drinking) and a 10 minute hike in from the car park.
Describing it makes it sound like it wasn’t awesome, but it actually ended up being the best camping trip ever. Being awakened by various bird noises in the mornings, including loons. Going to the beach and swimming in the perfect water. Lazing in the hammock. Drinking and playing ukulele around the campfire. Preparing epic camping feasts. Dancing around at our “silent disco” (it was a radio-free zone, but camping without music is unthinkable, so we got around that by creating a group spotify playlist, putting on our headphones, and hitting PLAY at the same time on our phones. We never got 100% in sync with each other but that ended up being part of the fun).
Oh, and there was that harrowing few hours when the rain storm we were expecting turned into a torrential downpour with insane thunder and lightning, as well as a hail and tornado warning that kept buzzing on our phones. That part was scary… running for cover in our tents, and wondering whether it was safer to stay put or to make the 10 minute trek to the cars. We hunkered down, and the storm passed after 3 hours, leaving us soaked and muddy, but unscathed.
Now I find myself back at home, doing my best to savour this gorgeous Friday and the weekend ahead. But Monday and the workweek looms large.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 24, 2020 15:25:06 GMT
While I don't have the money or energy necessary to purchase and maintain a cabin in the woods, I often think it would be neat to have one to escape to a few times throughout the year.
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Post by Kapitan on Jul 24, 2020 21:07:15 GMT
While I don't have the money or energy necessary to purchase and maintain a cabin in the woods, I often think it would be neat to have one to escape to a few times throughout the year. Cabins are extremely common in Minnesota and Wisconsin. A LOT of working-to-middle class families have one, usually small and unimpressive cabins shared among a bigger family, often going back a couple of generations. I think a lot of people bought them cheaply in the 50s and 60s and have just kept them in the families. Some are REALLY rustic (no electricity or indoor plumbing) and are just used for hunters/fishermen in season, but of course they go all the way to palaces!
Nobody in my extended family had one, as far as I know. But every now and again I'll rent one for a while through AirBnB or something similar. It's a really nice experience. While I can't imagine myself doing upkeep on one even if I could afford it, I get the appeal for sure.
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Post by Kapitan on Jul 24, 2020 21:10:08 GMT
By the way, the one I stayed at the past few days is in Amish country. It's quite a different feeling for me to drive through those rolling hills and see small, hilly farms being worked with 150-year-old technology; people driving wagons along the roads; the more rustic farm properties; and of course the shops in the small towns there where they sell various merchandise like produce, jams, furniture, etc.
I grew up in farm country, but 100 miles or so west of there, where it is flat prairie divided up into mammoth, now often corporate-owned farms. Totally different way of life.
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Post by Kapitan on Jul 27, 2020 11:35:04 GMT
Well, I am officially off vacation and back to work this morning.
However, I have to say "back to work" after a vacation in the pandemic is better than in normal times: the shock to the system is limited, as there's no getting dressed up or heading to the office involved! It's more easing into it, a smaller leap to make in the transition. Granted, I've got a lot to do, work-wise, but I think I'll live through it!
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