It's 5:34 PM CDT

Yep- it's officially summer.

A Video for July and a 50-Year Memory

The summer before my senior year. 1965. Exploding onto the scene, this song took over the month of July- number one for virutally the whole month. It IS one of the great rock and roll songs. Looking at it today, I don't remember Jagger being that young- but did he know how to play to the camera. The power exudes even in the old black and white. No wonder our parents were afraid.

50 years later, it's still very real and still an almost perfect summer song!

It's Time for Summertime

11:38, Central Daylight Time
June 21, 2015

It's here!!!

A Biking Challenge

The National Bike Challenge starts Friday, May 1 and continues through September 30- the best 5 months of the year for many of us to bike. They are hoping to get 75,000 participants this year. The goal is 35 million miles in these months.
(This is only out-in-the-real-world rides, not trainers, stationary, etc.)

I'm not planning anything extraordinary for this year. I am hoping to ride more than I did last summer. I was really lax with only around 120 outdoor miles over the five months of nearly 400 total miles if you include stationary bikes. Maybe I can reverse those numbers this year and then some. Maybe even get in 500 outdoor miles. That's only 100/month or five 20 mile rides. Very much within the range of possibilities.

I think I am about to break through the early retirement uncertainties. It has been more of a struggle than I expected to overcome some of my innate laziness and desire to stay up late and sleep in. So, posting this here, I am setting a very public goal. If you see me, remind me. If I don't post any updates, hold me accountable.

If you want to sign up for the National Bike Challenge, the link is below.
-Link

Signs of Summer

Yesterday I posted some real snow pictures from last winter since I have not been able to get out on the snowshoes this year. That old PV (Polar Vortex) cold was too much when there was enough snow. We are now almost at the end of January and winter is getting to its overflow point. That means it's time to look for signs of summer.

Well, actually they are signs from summer to help us keep our levels of hope high.

That one above- Custer State Park in South Dakota, a wonderful summer road trip eight years ago this summer. You didn't have to tell me twice.

This one is from the Fourth of July-
the quintessential summer holiday. 

 Bicycling days along the Root River in Lanesboro. While coffee may be year-round, I don't get to this place when it's not warm.

All those lakes in Minneapolis and the Grand Rounds of biking (and other activity) trails.

No comment. But it does bring thoughts of 

open car windows and

music blaring from each.

Ah, yes, but probably the best sign of summer is 

out at the old ballgame!

In case you are wondering, it is 72 days until the Twins Home Opener on April 13. Tickets went on sale a week ago.

Not Yet Gone

Fall is in the air- and on the calendar- but summer just doesn't disappear into some season-sucking black hole. Not even in Minnesota. Last Saturday I had the chance for a lunchtime walk and found remnants of summer. Ever notice that one of the colors of late summer flowers is a variation of the royal color- purple?

Mid-Summer Days

When in need of more wilderness, I go to my favorite park just down the road- Whitewater State Park. As I have said before summer is usually thought of as a time of green- underbrush, trees, ferns. Greens are everywhere. But it is never boring. It all is on where you look.

Even the ferns are varied in color.

At Coyote Point the wondrous network of roots and trees growing right out of the rocks.

"Underbrush" that's three feet tall in a multitude of colors of green. This borders the path that is never the same from visit to visit.

After climbing through the dusky green of the woods it's out into the sunshine and the presence of flowers. Where there are flowers, there are bees.

In the prairie butterfly garden the colors are even more stunning than they were in spring.

And perhaps even more varied.

Then there are the butterflies.I am learning a little about the differences between butterflies and moths. I thought this was a moth, but it isn't. It's actually a Silver-spotted skipper.

The Backyard Harvest

The time is getting close for these first cherry tomatoes of the season
With a promise of more to come
Not to mention peppers	And the still flowering hen and chicks

Things With Wings

Whitewater State Park, like the rest of Southeastern Minnesota is settling in for summer. Lots and lots of green, especially since we seemed to be living in a rain forest the past month or so. Last week's visit to the park brought some pics of fauna and not as much flora. To be specific- here are pictures of

Things With Wings

We'll call this one The Pollinator

Ooops! Forgot these other things with wings- birds....

Small and Big

I made a short visit to my favorite park spot at Whitewater State Park last Sunday. The flies and bugs have been bad so I didn't get much chance to do a lot of walking. But I did get some pictures. As usual. This time I took the pictures and did some cropping so we could get up close and personal. The details of the small things can be amazing.

Sometimes its the little things left behind- like egg sacs.

Or loose cottonwood seeds.

Then you can climb into the flower and see the wonderful contrasting colors and shadows.

Not to mention the tiny "hairs" at the bottom. I must admit they surprised me when I looked at them on the computer screen.

Tiny "white" flowers show even more non-white color
when you dig in and explore.

Then there's the beauty of just the average, every-day looking clover.

Then the intricacy of the small things on nothing more than 5-lobed flowers.

A Perfect Night for Baseball

Perhaps the best evening to go to a ball game- the longest day of the year. Last Friday was the annual Trumpets at Twins event where 130 of us played the National Anthem at Target Field.

Good weather. Sun. Clouds. Fun.

And sunset was at:   

T C Bear and friends showed up on the scoreboard for the 7th Inning Stretch.

But it was in the 9th that things got a little out of hand. You see the Twins were ahead 4-2. Closer Glenn Perkins could not manage to hold the score 

and blew the save.

Score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 9th.

Up comes Brian Dozier.

Fuld and Escobar on base.

Look closely- this was taken just at the moment before the ball and bat connect.  

It's a good solid hit.

But there was also a good throw in to the catcher.

Base runner Escobar comes sliding head first.

Note the ball in the picture-

coming toward the catcher showing up in the space 

between the mitt and the runner.

A quick challenge to the call of "safe" at home was overruled.

Twins Win! 5-4. A great evening.

(Note: Posting of Trumpets at Twins at another time.)