The heartwarming story of a boy and his rat

July began with warnings that fireworks around the 4th might set us all ablaze because of the drought.

Since then we’ve gotten close to 6 inches of rain, but we’re still in the dry zone.

And sweltering.  It’s been one of the warmest Julys on record.

Temperatures in the 90s and upper 80s, along with high humidity, made for uncomfortable summer days that we’re not used to up here on the Tundra.  

Perfect weather for some homemade strawberry goats milk quarkscream!

Fans roaring away in the barn help keep the girls from baking.

The herd enjoys getting out on expeditions 

to mow down the lush greenery.  

Checking the mail on the way back to the barn.

Changes to the roster this month include the departure of Ceres for his new home in Wisconsin.  

The same trip included a visit with McKinsey to check up on the MeadowWild alumni in her herd, including the studly Ice

and especially to meet baby Oscar.

A subsequent visit included picking up Bhindi Masala for her return to MeadowWild.

Bhindi is a Channa baby from 2017.  She loved to climb all over mom

and enjoyed back rubs from dad Mojo.

The class of 2017 also included Monarch (from Chill and Reenie)

who grew into an impressive buck and a herd sire at a farm in Waseca.

Here are four of Monarch’s daughters at the recent Waseca county 4-H program showcase where one was named grand champion and another a reserve.   Congratulations to young goat mom Eliza!  (photo courtesy of Gretchen Sankovitz)

With the heat and rainstorms, a volunteer vine is growing wild and taking over Mount Compost.

We hope it didn’t originate from those mysterious Chinese seeds that have been mailed to Minnesota homes, including our neighbor Jackie’s.

Despite the dry summer, most of the apple trees are laden with fruit

promising another bumper harvest this fall.

Anticipating those apples, deer parade their fawns outside the study window

followed at night by momma raccoon and her babies.

They hang out together by the old apple tree.

Deer aren't even waiting for the apples to ripen.

Summer wouldn’t be complete without a bike pilgrimage to Willow River, birthplace of Ernie Nevers

and home to whatever this unlabeled, unidentified mystery statue represents.

We treated Dustin to a “Pet links Jeepers creepers Large kick-and-wrestle refillable catnip toy with tube of pure bliss organic catnip for refills.”

The ad promised “endless fun.”

Of course, Dustin ignored Rupert the Rat completely.

He prides himself on his perfect record of rejecting anything we buy for him that isn’t edible.

 “Most cats respond to catnip with a burst of energetic activity followed by a perfectly calm mellow period.”

Dustin skipped the energetic activity and went right into his usual mellow (not to say comatose) state.

Whenever we placed the rat next to him at his favorite hangouts

he just turned away

or scampered off 

and hid behind the curtains of the study window

abandoning poor Rupert to his lonesome.

We warned the ingrate Dustin that he can be replaced by a "designer cat "

genetically engineered to show some appreciation.

Compared to so many people, we have been barely inconvenienced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unlike the less fortunate, we have not gotten sick 

or lost jobs and health insurance 

or struggled to care for and educate young children in these disruptive times.

It seems petty and ungrateful, then – but maybe a little understandable – to regret a minor disappointment such as cancellation of the State Fair.

Parts of the Fair have been salvaged, kind of.

For example, “The sculpting of the 67th Princess Kay of the Milky Way will be livestreamed from a refrigerated butter booth on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, the Midwest dairy industry said this week, even though the fair itself has been canceled because of the coronavirus.”

And some fair foods will be available through a “drive-through experience”

which will involve staying in your car and ordering at various stations.

But pronto pups and mini donuts just wouldn’t taste the same without those huge crowds of diverse people we don’t get to mingle with up here on the homogeneous Tundra.

We would be tempted to attend only if the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild were to offer a similar “experience.”

We’ll have to settle for other excitement, such as a visit from the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, which will be “driving around Duluth on Monday, July 27, through Sunday, Aug. 9, spreading ‘miles of smiles.’"

Or maybe we’ll don our masks and go visit Halstad to see the world’s largest sugar beet.

Some fun!