Early Autumn

We got about 0.3 inches of rain last week. The lake level continues to drop from the early July highs.

It was enough rain to drop the "Fire Danger" to low. Those of us that were putting off bigger campfires knew it was time to act.

The shrinking lake had several days of good flatness that warmed the hearts of local skiers. The skiers needed those warm hearts to endure the 12°F drop in lake temperature over the last week.

Thursday was the opening day of Rib Fest.

There were 5 powerful rib houses fighting for the coveted yet purely ceremonial knottlane rib nod. Pigtails Barbeque was very good but not the best. Pigtails, a second place finish is nothing to cry in your coleslaw about.

Texas Outlaw's offerings were the worst. It turns out that "tough and boring" is not the path to the knottlane nod. Fifth place..

The two knottlane judges were split on 3rd and 4th place. I felt that Pigfoot earned a third place finish. Another ribologist called them the 4th place winner. In retrospect, these ribs followed the leathery offerings of Texas Outlaw's. That may have made them seem better than they were.

Hog Wild Barbeque won a fourth place or third place finish depending on who you believe.

Butch's was the best of the lot. Tender and tasty, these fall-off-the-bone pigsicles are the winner of this year's knottlane nod.

Back at the lake, half of the wood for next year's maple syrup season is cut, split and drying.

It seems that someone manually choked the season for too long and now Summer is flooded. Instead of cruising into Fall riding high 70's and low 80's°F we're sputtering toward the equinox. Another issue with this year's Summer is the rain. We got good amounts early, but it's been quite dry as of late. Goodly amounts of rain are predicted for this week and I hope we get it. Just not on next Thursday (August 8th). That's the start of the Humungus Fungus Fest. We are so there.

-Nemo doesn't want to look at another rib for at least a month

Early Autumn

July 30th through August 5th, 2013