Sinclair Lewis Days Parade is Done; Next Comes the Stears County Fair

Sunday, July 27, 2014. It got into the mid-70s today, rained a bit, punctuated with sunshine. Or maybe it was sunny punctuated by rain. Either way, it's been a pleasant day: not exactly typical for July, but this is Minnesota. Our climate has personality.

Stearns County Fair is coming up, starting Wednesday. The Knights of Columbus Bingo booth will start up sooner than we have in past years. I'm not sure why: apparently the Fair board told us that we would, and we're complying.

I've got quite a few photos of the Sinclair Lewis Days parade left. It's one of my favorite annual events here.


Sinclair Lewis Days parade: Some units fit on a small flatbed trailer.... July 19, 2014.


... others don't July 19, 2014.


Flowers in someone's front yard, and a small park. July 25, 2014.


Friday was more July-like. That sign is new since I moved to Sauk Centre: but it's not exactly new. July 25, 2014.

Thanks to the new schedule, I've got a different shift at the K. of C. Bingo booth. Since I'm retired, that's not a problem: can't say that I miss being locked into a nine-to-five routine.

Sinclair Lewis Days Parade, 2014

Sunday, July 20, 2014. It's been a unusual week here. My son had surgery done: which went well. At the moment, the living room is doubling as a bedroom.

Sinclair Lewis Days was this weekend: including the Saturday evening parade.

I've been watching NASA's replay of video from the July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landing. They're running it online, at www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/.

I used my webcam to get pictures of the parade this year: except for the one taken from across the street, of course.


Folks getting ready for the parade. July 19, 2014.


About 15 minutes before the parade started. July 19, 2014.


Sinclair Lewis Days parade begins. July 19, 2014.


Quite a few watercraft: including this one, on a trailer behind one of Sauk Centre's rescue trucks. July 19, 2014.


Farm machinery, too. July 19, 2014.

I'll probably share more photos from the parade next week. Right now, I want to get back to reliving the first Moon landing.

Two Transitions: Pizza Hut, Father Statz

Sunday, July 13, 2014. Last week's Sauk Centre Herald had articles about two major transitions on the front page.

The Pizza Hut on south Main closing was news to me. Looks like their last day of operation was June 25. The paper said that the company that owned this Pizza Hut, Sky Ventures, filed for bankruptcy. Misery doesn't really love company, I've found: but nine other Pizza Huts had been closed earlier this year.

I'm not a big pizza person: but I'll miss knowing that the Pizza Hut is there. My kids and I celebrated by going there a few times.


Two transitions in last week's paper. July 3, 2014.

I wrote about Father Statz in A Catholic Citizen in America. (June 29, 2014)

On a brighter note: it's been a beautifully sunny day.

Mostly Photos

Sunday, July 6, 2014. I mentioned the Sauk Herald's "Mural project to spruce up corner on Main Street" article back on May 25, 2014. As I said then, I like the red-on-white paint job that the Belmont building has been sporting lately: but the mural could look good, too.


The 'umbrella fountain' at Sinclair Lewis Park. June 30, 2014.


Downtown Sauk Centre. June 30, 2003.


"Let's Get The Red OUT!" June 30, 2010.


The park by the Sinclair Lewis Museum. June 30, 2003.


Fireworks being sold from a truck. June 30, 2003.


North Dakota sky. July 4, 2003.

"North Dakota?" There's an explanation for that. My wife, son, and #3 daughter went to North Dakota over the weekend to visit #2 daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. Elizabeth was fascinated by what was going on across the room when I had a camera handy: so I got a picture of her left ear.


Our granddaughter, Elizabeth. July 22, 2010.

That's it for now: but I'm pretty sure that there'll be something to show again next week.