Happy Saturday morning:

“Soccer is a metaphor for life; no goal” ~ Conan O’Brian

After a few weeks in the North Woods, this Thursday it finally turned into a perfect symphony of the three ‘musts’ of the summer season; sun, blue sky, and quickly warming waters.

OK, some Mosquitoes are managing to hang in and occasionally a tiny Black Fly succeeds in taking a bite. But, it’s excellent enough to enjoy my steaming morning coffee outdoors in the cool morning air. Remember, by “outdoors” I mean enjoy the coffee at the very edge of the lake—eat your heart out!

Don’t know what to think of this; is it good or bad? This week the ‘Mockingbird’, Carly Simon, turned 69. Good in that I am standing to see it and that I still remember her songs, or bad that the celebrities I grew up with and I are now septuagenarians?

Passing the time – Our cabin neighbors arrived for the Canada Day celebrations. In short order a lot of the catching up had taken place. So, it was back to our normal routine—campfires.

My dinner was finished by 6:30 – white spaghetti, heavy on the onions, mushrooms, garlic, and then a bit extra as I put in a liberal dose of Sambal Oelek (red curry-n-peppers), plus I did not forget to carefully place a soft egg on top (Korean Bim Bop style). I then toyed with the thought of taking the Kayak out for a run.

Well the Kayak thought stayed at that, just a thought. Somehow the news-junkie in me got sidetracked. Fifteen minutes of listening to the now nearly an even dozen of scandals and the advancing implosion of our current administration and that was all just too depressing. I turned the old XM-radio off.

Now, here I was passing time till everyone was ready to gather at the fire pit. What to do? Easy, I cranked up the amp, plugged in Leon Russell and Ray Wylie Hubbard and started listening to great stuff such as; Funny How Time Slips Away, Henhouse, and Count my Blessings. Oh, and I can’t forget Brittney from Alabama Shakes and her amazing rendition of Rise to the Sun.

I came close to missing the fire-circle.

Water Hose – Rigging something to resemble that is nothing in the city becomes a major point of satisfaction.

To avoid unnecessarily using filtered water things such as plant watering and vehicle washing have required dipping a bucked in the lake – that’s no more!

A five-gallon bucket, a ‘dirty-water’ sump pump, some fittings, and a garden hose and the problem was solved.

The bucket was drilled with a series of 3/8” holes, pump inserted, hose attached, and all placed into the lake at the water’s edge. Now there is running water for all those little chores. Good stuff!

Fish Fry – none of us have ever gone to the famous monthly fish fry held at the Legion Hall in T-town.

So, last evening at 5:30 seven of us set out to try the fish fry. Arriving at 6:00 the town was dead. Streets empty and stores closed. This is, until we turned into the little side street where the Legion Hall was located – the street and parking areas were jam-packed with cars.

People were coming and going and soon we were in the food line. Around us were a hundred or so folk sitting on both sides of two very long tables. Then we waited.

And we waited.

The serving table had pickles, baked potatoes, freshly made coleslaw, and bins of fresh and crisp fish came streaming out. The fish bins emptied in seconds.

The fryers could not keep up. And so we waited.

Finally we were eating. Happy chatter all around. Much of it on the fact that none of us had eaten such fine Whitefish, fish so hot, fresh, and delicious. All this bounty hauled in from Lake Huron only two blocks away.

Desert was a dish of ice cream. It was only then that neighbor Bob-the-forester spoke up in a still voice. Quietly he informed that the fish, in fact, was Atlantic Haddock.

Animal Planet – We have NO bats.

I know that I’ve written over the past couple of years about efforts to secure Northern Comfort from roosting bats; even going so far as to build them a nearby bat-motel.

This year we have no bats. Don’t know whether or not it’s been the long and very cold winter or the white nose disease in their over wintering areas of West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Bur we have no bats.

We do have lots of very happy Mosquitoes.

Fini – A. & T. along with Vai and Villi have reported in from Tonga and are having a really great time. Plus, grandma Lupe is delighted.

Last weekend we went to an all-day music fest held in the nearby Town of Iron Bridge. Great time and especially enjoyed a young trio from Sault Ste. Marie.

Anyway, the attached photo will show you what a “mosh-pit” looks like in these parts.

Wishing everyone a Happy Canada Day and a Happy Independence Day, make it a great week everyone, stay safe.

Cheers.

Dirk