…and it didn’t seem to mind sharing. Nobody croaked.
Sweaty bunkie work, and an oil leak in the truck. But still time for a row and a swim, so not much complaining. Warm, humid, and what would be sunny if not for smoke.
"I like camping," said Tom intently.
…for a Windride. Day started out clear but increasingly hazy in the afternoon. Southeast wind, so smoke blowing back from Pittsburg?
Above, my favorite Tom Swift book. The books were intended to make kids like science and engineering. Successful, pretty much. But adverbs were over used, hence the Swiftly puns.
"We have no oranges," Tom said fruitlessly.
"I'm a lot taller than I was yesterday," said Tom gruesomely.
"I only have diamonds, clubs and spades," said Tom heartlessly.
"Don't you know my name?" asked Tom swiftly.
…in just over 10 hours. Heavy smoke at outset, but mostly clear by Escanaba on a south west wind.
Katy asked me if I was a Swifty. It turns out I am—not a Taylor Swifty but a Tom Swifty. For example:
"This boat is leaking," said Tom balefully.
"I have to keep this fire alight," Tom bellowed.
…to Minocqua. Smoke very bad in southern Wisconsin (and northern Illinois) but better here, at our stopover, on the way back to Manitoulin.
…and she is a slugger.
A short but intense downpour last night after I had checked out—so perhaps the pattern is changing. Lots of wind and a few light showers today. Cooler.
Above, gooseberries beginning to ripen. Tart but tasty. Usually not here for a harvest.
…at Antler Circle. Perfect get together on a hot, dry, summer day.
…here for a brief visit.
And here’s a shot taken by Katy (nest found in redbud in backyard).
I’m not good with droughts.
Mostly yard work—weeding, trimming, watering, etc. But always going slow and trying to keep to the shade.
In photo one, above, tree tags and water bags at the Arboretum. Keeping all the new plantings hydrated must be a real chore. I appreciate those who are doing it.
In photo two, a bumper crop of serviceberries on the big bush alongside the south wall. Very tasty.
Up at latitude 46 it doesn’t get dark this time of year (solstice) until about 10:30 pm, and the birds start singing shortly after 4 am. Not much dark. Here in Whitewater, at latitude 42.75 not so much.
But still a long day. Today in the car was also a long day, but we made the transition from one latitude and time zone to another.
Not the best year for windmills or sailboats. And, oddly enough, not a single thunderstorm in the past six weeks. But good for flowers.
Photo by Mimi
Bright, warm, windless. Assistance to neighbors with waterline issues and poison ivy eradication.
During yesterday’s cruise on Heliotrope the strap attaching the head of the genoa to the halyard furling drum parted. A gust of wind, a bang, and then the big sail dropped about a foot. We furled immediately so no further damage done to the sail, and we were able to reach, reefed, back to the marina, so no problem.
This morning the sail came off but the halyard furling drum remained stuck at the masthead. Sue volunteered to ride the bosun’s chair up the mast, but after a few feet of winching I came to my senses and belayed that plan.
We left word with warfinger Jim that we were looking to hire an agile, smallish person with no fear of heights.
Later in the afternoon, Jim called to let us know that another boater in the marina had volunteered two recently purchased 15 foot extension poles—and they, when taped to our boat hook, were able to reach high enough.
So the halyard is retrieved, the sail is being repaired, and very soon the genoa will be back up where it belongs.
Back home we went for a row and observed what looked like a yawl very slowing drifting across the bay in a flat calm, apparently heading for the marina.
After dinner we will check it out.
Update: not a yawl—rather a ketch, and a big, beautiful one at that. Anchored out, so no chat.
… with Bob and Wendy.
Beautiful evening.
…or at least it feels like it. Warmer, nice west wind, not too much smoke. Out nearly to Gooseberry on the Windrider, then back to Sandy Beach, and then a lazy run close to shore back to the marina.
Last night’s Chicken Milanese.
I forgot to mention breakfast at Mum’s. Surprisingly good.
…then…
…time spent listening to rain on the roof, rain on the trees, rain on the bay, rain on the rocks. Quite a nice rain, enjoyed by flora, fauna, and me.
…set up, launched, and taken on a shakedown sail. Mission accomplished, but it’s always a bit more fiddle-faddle than we anticipate. Next time we will have the protocol memorized.
…pulling boat, dinghies, kayaks. Quite a bit of water, but bailing is not that bad—not like shoveling gravel or washing walls.
And, the water level seems to be up, though certainly not enough precipitation to cause that.
Trip to the dump today, and earlier, victory in the battle with the VPN (I had to give up on tech support and figure it out for myself).
Cloudy most of the day, but bright blue by cocktail time. No smoke.
First real rain in a long time. Light to moderate but all day, and supposedly helping extinguish the wildfires. Also departure day—the Minocqua crew on the way home after a wonderful week.
…very light now, but more forecast. Ab and kids hiked to the top of Cup and Saucer.
Local resident