When the people of the North go NORTH

We head to the UP=Upper Peninsula of Michigan

where the bear, moose, cougars n wolves run wild

where nature is protected

and life SLOWS DOWN -

Rain Showers

Finally after over a month of no real rain 

it has rained a bit this week - 

and its raining again today -

This makes everything SMILE!!

Thankfully I pushed thru the dust and dirt 

and got everything mowed, edged and push mowed yesterday - 

 SO BIG

 The sunflowers the grounds squirrels planted are thriving

 some of the plants that survived have blooms

 the grass is greener

 Before the rain sunset over Lake Leelanau

Look what I found today

Had to run to Northport today so had lunch

in Omena - this was the view... 

Katie and I ate outside even though it wasn't cool 

by any means there was a breeze 

and with this view who could complain!

 Then when we got home and I was 

watering everything (again) 

I found these little beauties - 

at least we get to nibble a few grapes 

in our harvest this year - 

there have been a few red raspberries too

but just a few

MISS THIS BOY (and his family too of course)

Feels like LATE August!

With all this HOT Humid Weather and no rain for weeks

gardens etc. are about 4 weeks ahead of schedule

even the ones that have sweet corn say it will be ready 

next week?   Scary - 

Makes us wonder what kind of winter we are in for?

On July 1st I heard the Cicadas - we never hear them till

middle August?   Farms Almanac says if you hear them 

then there is only 6 weeks left of summer ;-( 

Say it isn't so...

I am not winning on my efforts  against the ground squirrels

to save the garden 

only a few brave plants have survived... 

BUT we will be lucky if we get to harvest anything off of them before frost - 

as they had to keep starting over!

This week I discovered that our front lawn has been 

roto-tilled by Skunks looking for grubs... 

they have rooted it up just like pigs would? 

That is one critter I will NEVER like and will always wonder 

at their purpose??

So it looks like I will be on lawn damage... 

Most times I try to be positive and upbeat 

but

I feel so defeated in all my efforts this year 

... when I see all my hard work being destroyed

I told Bruce yesterday as a few tears drops managed to leak out - 

Days like these make me wish for a condo with a view!!

Our Value

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, who would like this $20 bill?

Hands started going up. He said, I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.

He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up. He then asked, who still wants it?

Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, what if I do this? And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. Now who still wants it?

Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value.

It is still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value: dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you.