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Monday - Summer on Harrison has returned.

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 My morning glories are volunteers this summer.  Last year I planted them.  The year before, too.  They never amounted to much - but this year.  OMG.  They flourish! They trail over all the trellises, the forgotten day lily flower stalks, the weeds, the ground.  And, of course, into the fence row.  Most are dark, dark purple - called something like Grandpa Ott.  I should look that up*.  But, also, some of these light blue beauties. *I did.  That's it!
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Friday's Love Song.... from The Smiths

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 Thanks to Alexa - which is playing this for me this afternoon....."to die by your side, is such a heavenly way to die..."
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Wednesday Zooop! Black Bean Brownies

1 can drianed and rinsed black beans 2 T strong brewed coffee 1/2 c canola oil or grapeseed oil 2 eggs 2 t pure vanilla extract 3/4 c cocoa powder (I like dark chocolate) 3/4 c brown sugar 1/2 t baking soda 1/4 t kosher salt 3 oz chocolate chiops (I, again, like dark chocolate) Blend the beans, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla Add to the dry ingredients including 1/2 of the chips.   Pour into an 8x8inch greased pan, top with the second half of the chocolate chips and bake for 25 minutes at 325F. The brownie should bounce back from the touch of your finger.  It should not scream or poke back.
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Tuesday Travels: Wisconsin Dells

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  Wisconsin Dells originally made my list thanks to the Duck Tours of the dells - WW2 amphibious vehicles that would drive a while then drive into the water and boat a while.  I thought Zupe would REALLY like that.  Unfortunately, the Canadian smoke was really bad and we thought it prudent to spend less time breathing it.  The good news - there was still the Museum of Root Beer! As you might expect, displays about the history of root beer - it is VERY old - as they say - "Older than Coke".  Root Beers were made by the founders of our country.  Mr. Hires and Mr. Barq.  OK.  Not them. The other ones. Lots of root beer cans. Recipes for root beer. Root beer ads.  Root beer as it appears in popular culture.  Remember, it was a favorite of the flying ace fighting the Red Baron.  At the end you get a (one, 1!!, only 1!!!!) small 5oz sample of one of the flavors they have on tap.  Kevin tried something a bit exotic - I think it was mi...
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Monday, Again. The photo that has now made me question my knees

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Lincoln Home National Historic Sight - but that was obvious, wasn't it? August 2026  
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Tuesday Travels: To Denver(ish) by way of Chicago and Yellowstone National Park

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I guess I didn't really take to heart that mathematical truth that the shortest distance between to points is a straight line.  I think our final distance was something like 5,300 miles.  I understand that is greater than a round trip between here and Los Angeles (2,178 miles).  See that?  I fact checked myself.  (Now, I'm wondering if fact check should be hyphonated and, while I'm at it, is round trip a compound word?  Sigh.  The work of Google is never ending.)  The trip is composed of three parts: To camp, While camp is camping, From camp. As She-Who-Plans-The -Road-Trips, it was on me to plan the road trip.  Ready? TO CAMP Indiana Dunes National Park Chicago - Field Museum Chicago - Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells - Duck Tour and Museum of Root Beer (but the tour got canned due to Canadian smoke) Austin, MN - Spam Museum Blue Earth, MN - Jolly Green Giant Pipestone National Monument, MN Sioux Falls, SD Marshall, SD:  Corn Palace Cha...
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Wednesday Zooop!

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  Chicago Field Museum, 2026
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