Highest Low, and Paving

It's hot: officially. All of southern and part of central Minnesota is under a Heat Advisory until midnight tonight, and the rest of the week won't be much of an improvement. Not unless the forecasts are radically wrong.

Although the Twin Cities tied a record 'highest low temperature.' A low of 80 degrees seems to be rather popular. Minnesota's Metro reported that for a low in:

• August 10, 1944
• August 2, 1955
• August 22, 1968
• August 6, 2001
• August 25, 2013
• August 26, 2013

It looks like the Metro is heating up.

Maybe central North America's climate is warming, maybe more paving is near the thermometer now, or maybe something else. I've discussed this, none too seriously, in another blog:

• "Lemming Tracks: Global Warming Solution: Air Conditioned Parking Lots"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (August 14, 2013)

Here's what I saw on a 'weather' website's radar last night, about 10:00 p.m..
(From Wunderground.com, used w/o permission.)

Heat Advisory, Fun Factory, and Fairs

Sunday, August 25, 2013. There's a heat advisory on for quite a bit of Minnesota. When I noticed it on Friday, Stearns county was on the north edge of the advisory area. The edge has moved northwards since then:

"Heat Advisory"
Statement as of 11:22 AM CDT on August 25, 2013

Minnesota counties involved in the heat advisory, Sunday morning. August 25, 2013.

I've been to the Minnesota State Fair a few times, but this year I'm glad I stayed home:

Dozens Treated For Heat Illness At Minn. State Fair
Stephen Tellier, KSTP.com (August 25, 2013)

"...Regions Hospital officials said there were a few dozen cases of heat-related illness at the fair on Saturday, and at least six people were transported to the hospital as a result...."

The article says that folks who got dizzy, felt faint, or otherwise needed medical attention had something in common. They hadn't brought water, or didn't get around to staying hydrated. I hope the hospitalized folks are okay.

It's about 90° F as I'm writing this, 5:00 p.m. - which isn't all that warm. The problem this week was that the nights weren't particularly cool. It was 64° at 7:00 Monday morning, and 49° at Friday morning, but we didn't have much of a chance to cool of the other nights.

Enough about the weather. The Fun Factory and the 'tractor' part of a semitrailer are all that's left of the portable portions of Stearns County Fair.


Leftover from the Stearns County Fair. August 25, 2013.

I've spent the week inside, staying cool, so the only other photo this week shows sun baked grass and some trees.


Blue sky, a few trees, and tan grass. Those buildings are on Main Street. August 25, 2013.

The heat advisory ends midnight, Tuesday. Not that it'll be particularly cool after that.

Brookdale Cemetery, and Soybeans

Sunday, August 18, 2013. #1 daughter and I went to Brookdale Cemetery this afternoon.


Brookdale Cemetery, northeast of Sauk Centre, Minnesota. August 18, 2013.

Fourteen folks or more are buried there: mostly babies and possibly a few young mothers from the old reform school. Grave markers were removed when the state abandoned Brookdale, years ago. Some members of the local Knights of Columbus started mowing the grass recently, and are trying to reconstruct burial records.

The Sauk Centre Herald wrote about Brookdale in June:

"...The reformatory school for girls opened in 1911. Pregnant girls were often brought in by train so they could give birth at the reformatory with the agreement that the baby would become property of the state and then put up for adoption...."
(Bryan Zollman, Sauk Centre Herald (June 19, 2013))

On a happier note, soybeans in the nearby field are lush and green: and a few have small purple flowers. I think they're soybeans, anyway.


Soybeans, I think. August 18, 2013.

Next week I'll either have more to say, and some photos: or not.

A Quiet Week

Sunday, August 11, 2013. It's been a cool summer: not good news for farmers, since crops aren't growing as fast as usual: and may not yield as much when it's time for harvest.

On the other hand, we've had some beautiful days.


("The Original") Main Street, near the Interstate. August 9, 2013.


A nice, quiet Friday afternoon. August 9, 2013.

I took those photos Friday afternoon, riding along with my son as he practiced for his first driving test. Being able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the view while someone else drove was a treat.

Stearns County Fair, Mostly

Sunday, August 4, 2013. 'Tis the season for fundraisers. Holy Family School's Casino Night is next Tuesday, The Knights of Columbus and other groups have their booths at the Stearns County Fair, and households have rummage sales.


This used to be at Gerard's here in Sauk Centre, but since that place closed they're holding it in the Greenwald Pub. July 29, 2013.


I talked with Ryan, the young man who opened this shop near Our Lady of Angels church: and learned that longboards are sort of like long, wide skateboards. Also that longboards aren't used for stunts. August 1, 2013.


Rummage sale: there's always seems to be at least one going on in town during summer. August 2, 2013.


I enjoy seeing the Orient Express ride each summer at the Stearns County Fair. August 2, 2013.


Stearns County Fair midway. August 2, 2013.

Ice cream, cheese, and not a bit of tofu in sight. August 2, 2013.


Beer, Bingo, and - I think - brats: brought to the fair by the American Legion, Knights of Columbus, and Eagles, respectively. August 2, 2013.

I think this is the first time since moving to Sauk Centre that I missed my turn at calling numbers for the Knights of Columbus Bingo games. I arrived just a little too late. Embarrassing, but happily they had enough men there to keep things going. Next year I'll set off earlier.