To The Surbiton Manor Born

All is not especially well here at Steepmeadow.  The Japanese beetles have been out in force, trying their best to destroy our fruit trees and raspberries, and generally being hideous to look upon.  We have had a near record run of 90 degree days (32 degrees Celsius, if you live in a civilized part of the world). 77,000 acres have burned (so far) in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and we have been choking on the fumes. I'm painfully aware of this because that was where I was supposed to be with my kid for our annual vacation this past weekend.  Instead of the BWCA, we went to Myre-Big Island State Park near Albert Lea near the Iowa border. It was lovely in many ways. Very, very hot (90's & humid). But the prairie is a gorgeous place, too. Many flowers. Many, many birds (including pelicans!). But there was Eurasian milfoil, coating the murky Albert Lea Lake.  Back on the home front, we lost our zucchini to irregular watering. Containers are apparently t...