| July 1st |
Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and one can become drunk with the belief that "all's right with the world".
-- Ada Louise Huxtable Ada was an architecture critic and a writer on architecture (she died in 2013). I don't know when or in what context she penned those lovely words, but they are so true. By the way, look to the West at sunset tonight to see a nice conjunction of Jupiter and Venus. |
| July 2nd | 239 years ago today, the Continental Congress adopted the resolution which severed our ties with Great Britian and made us an independent country. As a result, some people maintain that today should be the Birthday of our country. But since the formal Declaration of Independence was not signed until two days later, most agree that it should be July 4th. |
| July 3rd | As usual, the Angsts will begin arriving today for their 16th annual July 4th week get-away at LBLR. By the time they're all here there will be 24 of them (which includes Deb). In addition, Kelly & Sam S (and family) will occupy cabin 5 for the week. |
| July 4th | Click HERE to see a copy of the July 4, 1944 edition of Stars and Stripes which was published in France for our Armed Forces during WW II. |
| July 5th | Last week one of the LBLR guests was mumbling something to herself for quite awhile. When asked, she explained that she had something on her mind that she was fretting about. After a short time she seemed more relaxed and explained that there was something she needed to "tell herself" but after thinking about it for a long time she came to the conclusion that she wasn't ready to hear it yet, so she decided to put it off until later. And that's the truth, by the way. |
| July 6th | Click HERE. |
| July 7th | Another nice "one day" sojourn in Canada during July 4th week ......it almost sounds like this could be a tradition. |
| July 8th | It appears that the Angst clan is having as many fires in a week as the "firebug" Carlsons, but they don't stay out nearly as late so their "total fire pit hours" are much much less. |
| July 9th | Today we painted 36 windows and about 20 storm windows. Thanks to the entire Angst clan, especially to Teri & Steff, Tracie & Jeff, Tammy & Jim, Holly & Jason, and Deb for their scraping/painting, and to Darlene and Tom for their supervision/assistance. |
| July 10th | To see our annual July 4th week Family Dinner, click HERE. Everybody is present except for Deb (the photographer). |
| July 11th | So long to everyone who was here this week for the annual Angst get-together, and hello to Iowa Terry and Carl, to Amanda and Ryan (and family), and to Peter and Mary K who are here for the first time. Of course Sam, Kelly, and family are here for a couple more weeks. |
| July 12th | If you're interested in Minnesota Loons, how they were affected by the 2010 Gulf Oil spill, and what's happening in Minnesota as a result, click HERE. It's an article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.......it's fairly long, but it's interesting. (Thanks for pointing it out Gary.) |
| July 13th | This looks like Papa Duck and all his Little Ducklings. Click HERE. |
| July 14th | An anonymous donor has offered a $1 million reward for credible information leading to the pair of ruby slippers stolen from the Judy Garland Museum here in Grand Rapids ten years ago next month. The reward offer requires the exact location of the slippers and the perpetrator’s name. At the time of their disappearance they were insured for $1 million but experts say they could be worth $2 million to $3 million now. By the way, a detective agency who reopened the case back in 2013 was convinced that they were still in Minnesota. Click HERE. |
| July 15th | Click HERE.......or read this: Alaska is the only state that can be typed on one row of keys. |
| July 16th |
This is a nice picture of a Mom (or Dad) feeding their baby who has grown a lot over the last three weeks. Click HERE. Thanks to Mary K for taking the picture. Note added later: I have been informed that Peter actually took the picture, not Mary. Sorry Peter. |
| July 17th | Bloody Marys on the front porch in the morning (but not too early in the morning)......Deb, Judy, and Janet. Click HERE. |
| July 18th | Nice Northern Pike Carl (click HERE). By the way, it was caught and released. |
| July 19th | A few mornings ago our resident Loon family was visited for a short time by 11 other Loons. Why do they do that, I'm wondering. Did they all come over to "ooh and aah" about the new baby? Were they doing some early planning for their trip down south this fall? |
| July 20th | This was "Today's Picture" a week or so ago, but it's too good of a picture to be lost, so click HERE to see it again. |
| July 21st | Here's a fun thing to do if one is of a mind to: Put some kayaks (or a canoe) in the water at the boat landing in Little Jay Gould Lake. Then paddle through that lake into Big Jay Gould Lake, then through Big Jay Gould Lake into the Mississippi River, then down stream to the dam on Highway 2 where you can have someone pick you up. Although the distance traveled (as the crow flies) is only 2.1 miles, the trip by water is just a bit less than 7 miles and can be done in 4 hours or less at a leisurely pace. Deb and I did it a week ago and it was Great Phun! |
| July 22nd | John Steinbeck coined the term The Hour of the Pearl. He described it as: "The interval between day and night when time stops and examines itself. It's a time of great peace, a deserted time, a little era of rest when the streets are silent of business. It's a fleeting 'time of magic' in which nothing matters but the moment at hand." To me, 6:30 AM on a beautiful summer morning on the front porch with a cup of coffee in my hand is The Hour of the Pearl. It's the best!!!!! So why am I always the only one out there?!?!?!? Click HERE. |
| July 23rd | Yesterday's little dissertation was inspired by John Steinbeck's Cannery Row. I suggest that you read it. If you've already read it, read it again. Read it slowly and savor every line. If you don't have a copy, let me know and I'll lend you mine. |
| July 24th | This is one of David W's catches from when he and his wife Sandy were here a week ago. Click HERE. |
| July 25th | To those in the Virgin Islands: Happy "Hurricane Supplication Day" which sounds like a nice holiday. Today I'll drink a rum in honor of your holiday, and I'll pray that you will remain safe from all hurricanes in the future. |
| July 26th | Hello to Jamie and group in cabins 1, 2, and 3 for the 16th consecutive year, to Michelle & Jeff in cabin 4 for the 3rd consecutive year, to Bob & Sharon & Teresa in cabin 5 for the many-eth consecutive year, and to Deb's sister and brother-in-law (Sandie & Guy) in cabin 6 who have been here several times before but not at any regular intervals. They all arrived yesterday. |
| July 27th | Hot, hot, weather (compared to the rest of this year anyway) hence, virtually everyone in the resort is either in the water or sitting under the big pine trees. Both are delightful ways to pass the time on a day like this. |
| July 28th | Click HERE.......or read this: If Casey Stengel was alive today, he'd be 125 years old. |
| July 29th | Wow! Three people here this week have borrowed my copy of "Cannery Row". (See the July 23rd entry above.) |
| July 30th | Where did these come from? (Click HERE.) Anyone who has stayed in cabin # 1 in the last few years should know. |
| July 31st |
Here are two of the fish that were caught yesterday by Bob and Teresa F, and you'll notice that the Walleye is bigger than the Northern. Click HERE. By the way, they were NOT caught on LBL. PS: There is a Blue Moon tonight. PPS: This was the shortest July on record.......ever!!!!! |
