First Lake Superior Summeer Sunset of the Year

Thanks so much to my friends, Sharon and Jon, for inviting me to the first summer sunset beach fire of the year. For a change the wind was calm and the temperatures moderate -- it was a great and much needed break.

There are still a few piles of rocks on the beach left over from melted shore ice.

We could tell an hour before sunset that it was worth staying on the beach.

The photo below shows virga. According to Wiki, "In meteorology, a virga is an observable streak or shaft of precipitation falling from a cloud that evaporates or sublimates before reaching the ground. A shaft of precipitation that does not evaporate before reaching the ground is a precipitation shaft. At high altitudes the precipitation falls mainly as ice crystals before melting and finally evaporating; this is often due to compressional heating, because the air pressure increases closer to the ground. It is very common in deserts and temperate climates. In North America, it is commonly seen in the Western United States and the Canadian Prairies. It is also very common in the Middle East, Australia, and North Africa.

Virgae can cause varying weather effects, because as rain is changed from liquid to vapor form, it removes significant amounts of heat from the air due to water's high heat of vaporization. Precipitation falling into these cooling down drafts may eventually reach the ground. In some instances these pockets of colder air can descend rapidly, creating a wet or dry microburst which can be extremely hazardous to aviation. Conversely, precipitation evaporating at high altitude can compressionally heat as it falls, and result in a gusty downburst which may substantially and rapidly warm the surface temperature. This fairly rare phenomenon, a heat burst, also tends to be of exceedingly dry air.

Here comes the sun....

Headwater of the Mississippi River

While in Minnesota, my friend, Sharon Smith, drove us north of Brainerd to visit the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The headwaters flow from Lake Itasca at  Itasca State Park. Depending on which list you consult, the Mississippi River is either the third or fourth longest river on our planet.

The photo below shows the stepping stones, which unfortunately were covered with cold, fast flowing water. I did not give it a try to cross -- nor did anyone else.

Loon....

There was still snow in the parking lot.

MN gravel pit and more

I arrived home from my MN trip a couple of days ago. I went to do a book signing plus I attended the Brainerd show to buy agates for the museum's gift shop. I forgot to take photos at the show -- sorry.

The day after the show, friends took me northeast of Brainerd. We went agate hunting in two gravel pits -- both of which we had permission to enter and the keys to the gates. I found a dozen or so agates, but nothing worth showing until I clean them up. Thanks to Sharon and Click! Here are a few photos of the gravel pits.

When we arrived back to my friend's house, we noticed a helicopter flying just over the trees. When it came around, we noticed it had one of those big water buckets. The helicopter was picking up water at a near-by lake and dumping it on a fire on the neighbor's property!  In total the fire burned 11 acres, but no one was hurt and there were no structures lost. With 45 mph winds, a camp fire that was not totally put out re-kindled. Thankfully the authorities jumped on the fire right away.

A spotter plane also circled the area to monitor this fire ass well as to watch for others.

Rock Shop Progress

 Yesterday my contractor installed the third new door on the west wall and carefully removed the huge barn door slider.