Mid-Way Through July
By Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (56953)
Canada
July 18, 2026 11:51am CST
Mid way through the month already.
I am just wrapping up my first week of 2026's vacation time. I ihave another week the end of August/early September, and then another week the end of November/early December.
This morning I was able to go outside without a mask. The winds have blown the smoke plume away from our region. Even the heat and humidity seem like they are gone now.
The sky still has an odd dark overcast look to it. And if you stop and look closely you can see dark plumes at various levels of the atmosphere, drifting on by. I pray for those who reside in the vicinities of the burning.
The cost of gasoline is up again. It jumped .15 over night a few nights ago. We made our weekend pilgrimage out to the reservation to fill up the tank. It was .25/L cheaper there and the highest blend of Canadian gasoline.
We also had to stop at the butcher and get some ground beef. They use the ticket system, where you pull a number and wait your turn to be called. We were not buying fresh meat today, only frozen bricks of lean ground beef. We made our way up to the front counter and waited about 10 minutes and cashed out. They were still 20 numbers before ours would be called.
At the gas pumps, they were lined up 3-4 cars deep. There was 1 pump with no car at it. And it was on the correct side for where our tank gets filled from. No line up for us. We did that running around as well as a couple of other stops in town in just over an hour's time. We did well today.
Those dark clouds outside are making me sleepy, I always nap better on a rainy day, and the clouds are just as good for the way I feel today. Son, an after 20 minute nap is on my horizon, what is on your horizon for this afternoon?
~Photo is mine
8 people like this
8 responses
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
19 Jul
We needed some ground beef and yesterday we drove out to the abattoir and then to the reservation as we can purchase gasoline for .25 a L less than in town due to the taxes that they do not charge out there.
It was nice to take a ride out in the country, we saw that the farmers are combining the wheat. I love to drive by the fields with the freshly baled straw. Miss seeing that on my way to and from town when we lived in Pain Court.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
19 Jul
@LadyDuck I remember as a child I would sometimes ride my bike out to the field if my Dad was combining on my birthday. I always wanted to see him, and would bring a mason jar with milk in it and a cheese sandwich and some radishes, pickles and some cookies for him to eat while he visited with me.
It was always that third week in July that the wheat would be fit for harvesting.
It is a bit later this year because of the cool and wet spring that we had.
Commercial corn comes off in late October, sweet corn is ready now, but we do not like the sweet corn to be too young, it will be fine in a week's time for us.
The soya beans are harvested in late September in our region.
Once they begin to combine, the field mice and rabbits and other small animals that live in the fields will begin to scatter.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (504921)
• Italy
19 Jul
@Juliaacv - Farmers harvest the wheat in June here in Italy. I am pretty sure that this year they will harvest the corn early in September, because it has been so hot. I did not go out this morning. I had a difficult night, I have enough for today, I go shopping tomorrow morning.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (137632)
• Marion, Ohio
18 Jul
I got my gladiolus bulbs transplanted and now am enjoying a thunderstorm
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
18 Jul
@wolfgirl569 We're playing ping pong with those dark skies.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (137632)
• Marion, Ohio
18 Jul
@Juliaacv They expect the smoke back here in a couple of days.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
18 Jul
Thank you.
On the first night of my trip for work, once we arrived in the banquet hall, they had carts and carts of fresh flowers (we're not used to that here in April) and all of the ladies were invited to gather some flowers, choose a vase and make ourselves a bouquet for our room.
It was a nice gesture.
I am just sitting here pondering what I will create for supper. I am thinking of stir frying chicken, broccoli, mushrooms and peppers and make some bruschetta to have on the side.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (210888)
• United States
18 Jul
You've packed a lot into your vacay so far. I hope you get to chill. I just got back from lunch at restaurant on the water. Very hot out there, but cool in the house and I don't even have the AC on although probably will need it later. I have laundry to do, but that will probably be later.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (210888)
• United States
18 Jul
@Juliaacv Unless he was severely jet lagged!
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
18 Jul
I kept busy for a staycation.
I just got a little nap in today for the first time.
Normally when I am on a staycation I nap almost every day.
I texted a nephew last week to wish him and his wife a happy anniversary (I didn't get them a card) and he didn't reply, which I thought odd, but the next morning he texted me and told me that they are celebrating this year in Rome. He must not have replied because of the time difference. He and his wife and their 2 sons went to Italy for a vacation. I doubt that he is napping on his trip.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
18 Jul
@rebelann Thanks, the winds have shifted again we have the polluted air back here again.
It is quite windy outside, maybe another storm will roll in, it is hard to tell as the sun is hiding behind the clouds right now.
A nice gentle rain would be nice, it will bring on the sweet corn a little better.
The season is just about to start.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (123396)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
19 Jul
I was working on sharing a news story and competing surveys today.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56953)
• Canada
19 Jul
No, they have actually brought the count up to 955 burning in the entire country.
I wasn't able to find a number for our province only.
I think that the 'talk' has quieted a bit as the winds have shifted.
But the actual wildfire season will not end until late September/early October.
1 person likes this
