4th Annual Bag Toss for the Red Cross

For local readers of this blog I have some news for you. The South Central Minnesota Chapter of the American Red Cross will be holding it's 4th Annual Bag Toss event on Saturday, June 2nd. We are limiting the event to 128 teams and registrations are now being accepted. You can register several ways. You may call the Red Cross office at 507-387-6664...or you can follow this link to find a registration form. Besides great fun and food, we will have hundreds and hundreds of dollars in prizes. The event will be held at Ray Erlandson Park near Victory and Main in Mankato. Here is a link to the Facebook page that gets updated on a regular basis...in fact, almost daily.

The Lake Soon?

I start way to many blog posts with "It has been a long time....". True, very true.
The weather here in Minnesota has been cooperative this Spring. In fact, the weather cooperated all winter. Basically, we did not have one. Our friends to the South, the Iowans, had more snow than we did.
Out here at Coyote Ridge, we had less than 20 inches of snow compared to almost 100 inches last winter.
In the temperature department it was also mild, temps were wayyyyyy above average. I didn't use a fraction of the propane I usually consume.
Our attentions are turning now to the lake.
I am thinking we will venture down there this weekend and enjoy a couple of sunsets like this one we experienced last summer.

The lake opening is always fun. Get the water turned on, electric flowing the the fridge filled. Of course a beer or two as a reward helps get the job done.

The Records Continue to be Smashed

I think that everyone who hates winter can thank me for the mild or almost non existent winter this year.
I bought a new John Deere tractor and blower that apparently scared away winter. You are welcome.
So far this month we have smashed record temperatures almost every day.
We have been beating records by over 20 degrees many days, not the usual degree or two.
The trees and plants are blooming a full six weeks early this year. What this means....I don't know. 80 degrees in Minnesota in March! I am not complaining!

Winter Never Happened

I am happy to report several things.....
Winter never happened in Minnesota this year. Very little snow and not much cold. We are into the 70's for about a week and a half straight.
Also....75 days smoke free and doing VERY well. I think it "took" this time!

Turning Over a New Leaf

The headline sounds rather serious. Well I guess it is.
Sue and I decided that it was time to get healthy and cut out a bad habit that was sure to kill us eventually.
Yup, we quit smoking and have been smoke free now for 38 days. I will say that it has been easier that I thought it would, considering we did it cold turkey.
Part of the "new leaf" thing is to get into better shape as well.
So, I am running. Yes, you read that right, I am running.
Now, I have always HATED running, but for some reason, I am really enjoying it now. Our two fine sons and their beautiful wives are all runners so I think their "habit" has rubbed off on me.
I am going about this in an entirely different way. I am not out to be competitive or break any records. I just plug away and go at my own speed.
I am using an app on my iPhone called Ease into 5k. A voice comes through the phone telling you just what to do and for how long. It starts out with walking and running and increases the amount of running bit by bit until you are running the entire time. GPS is built in so you can see how far you have gone and how much time it took. It works out well. I listen to my favorite tunes and when the app needs to tell me something it mutes the music.
My time per mile is very slow, but I am able to go the distance without resting or falling over.
At the end of eight weeks I should be running the entire time as opposed to the run-walk routine that I know follow.

A Bit Cooler than Planned

OK, we live in Minnesota and should expect these things to happen. It got cooler than forecast last night.

That temp along with the wind brought the feels like temp down to -39.
I am almost embarrassed to say this, but I will. It wasn't that bad. At least it was a dry cold!

Winter is Here

It took it's own sweet time, but it appears that winter is finally here, at least the cold weather part.
We have been blessed with temperatures well above average all season and snowfall amounts well below average.
In the snow department, we have only had 8 inches all season. Last year, we had over 60 inches by now.
Back to the temperatures. Here is what we have in store for us tomorrow morning.

Looks like a couple of extra logs on the fire tonight at Coyote Ridge.