Never mind that Sunday was one month and Monday another. A flip of the calendar does not necessarily mean we went from summer to fall, except in 2025.
Take Sunday…what a beautiful day on the lake. There were people on pontoons, swimming parties in the middle of the lake, jet skis being as annoying as ever (personal opinion, they are loud and obnoxious), and across the bay near Government Bay there was a cascading line of salmon fishing boats. The temperature hovered around 80, and for anyone who wasn’t a sailor, did I mention there wasn’t any wind, it was a great day.
Off we went with 4 grandkids full of energy for our favorite bay, nick named Sailboat Bay on Mallard Island. Today we used the diesel sail (yep, the motor) on our 27 foot Cal sailboat to power our journey of about 7 miles.
Once we arrive we tie the boat to shore, unload the kayak, put on the swim trunks and grab the goggles, it’s time to hit the water. My grandkids range in age from 14 to 5. As I turned around the oldest, Carter, was headed across the bay. He had swum across this same bay last summer. But hey, today he is followed close behind by his younger brother Charlie.
Grandma and BePa (short for Grandpa) sit nervously on the edge of their seats. Being a former lifeguard, I start to empty pockets on my shorts just in case I am headed out to assist Charlie. In a few minutes it became pretty evident that grandson number 2 was going to prove that he, too, could swim across the bay and back. When he hit the other shore he received a rousing round of applause from Grandma and BePa.
Soon headed out into the bay was Granddaughter Addely. She assured me that she was completely in control of the kayak and not to worry. Well OK, we’ll buy that you have learned to maneuver the kayak, but as grandparents we get paid to worry, it’s part of the job, right?
Last, but certainly not least, was 5 year old Silas. Although he was wearing a life jacket, he too swam across the once daunted Mallard Bay. It was at least 2 hours of fun in the sun, maybe more.
Then it was lunch time. Boy, can those kids go through the lunch! Summer sausage sandwiches, grapes, apples, peaches, veggie straws (we ran out), and just about anything and everything we packed for lunch was under attack. One more time in the kayak and walking the sandy beach and we were on our way back.
Today was the day that we had hoped to give Carter sailing lesson 101…but there just wasn’t a whole lot of wind. Instead, he was able to take the wheel and drive (tough words for a sailor to say) the boat back to the marina. Between Grandma and BePa the sailing rhetoric never quit. I’ll just say “nice job Carter. Hopefully next time we have enough wind to sail Celebration.
How does a perfect day at Fort Stevenson end? Well of course, with a campfire and a round of S’mores, well and then another round of S’mores and well finally, we are out of chocolate bars. The fire went on for another hour or so, and the sun, which used to set after 9:45 PM in July, is painting a beautiful orange sky around 8:45 PM. Soon the sky was filled with stars and we begin to find the Big Dipper, The North Star and Scorpio. The mosquitoes would end the evening, as everyone retreated to the cabin.
So, what’s this about Labor Day being the first day of fall? Well folks, we started our Labor Day sail with perfect winds, dressed in sweatshirts to keep warm. Fall has a distinctive wind pattern, pretty much a steady wind from one direction, Labor Day it was from the Southeast. But fall didn’t last too long. By afternoon we were down to shorts and t-shirts. The ice cream line at the marina store was long as boats lined up for one last summer scoop.
Whether it’s the end of summer, or fall, it means the same thing. Soon the sailboat will be trailered, winterized (there it is, that nasty “w” word) and our days on the lake will end. We had a great family weekend, and really, isn’t that what is most important?
No More Denying- Our garden expert at Northern Prairie Farms, Anne, sent us a photo of pumpkins picked from her garden this week. Ok, maybe it is fall.
Just a heads up for those who are looking for North Prairie Farmer’s Market. They’ve just relocated on the south side of the Trinity West parking lot. This week I hear that there will be: tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, several kinds of squash, cucumbers, zucchini, cauliflower, potatoes and of course pumpkins.
The Fall Festival Is Next Week!
Downtown Minot will be celebrating our Fall Festival on Saturday, September 13th. It’s not a secret, in fact we want you to come downtown for the MSU Homecoming Parade and stay through a great day of vendors, food trucks, kids game, a petting zoo, pony rides and much more….
Today’s Chuckle
The difference between a conviction and a prejudice is that you can explain a conviction without getting angry.
