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Hope that everyone is having a cooler day today.

Going to have rain today.

Make sure you if you use sugar (one part)to (four parts water) & boil that the sugar be from cane sugar like C & H or Domino not from sugar beets.Keep your feeder clean of aunts & change often.

David, why not beet sugar? Thanks!

Well folks we are in space once again! They lifted off this morning around 10:40 am.

This message was sent to me via email, by Barb V....thanks, Barb!

Hi, All I know is that I read that we are killing the Hummingbirds with kindness. And my good friend Russ in MI., who has alot of knowledge on all birds also told me this. Also it's not good to use Koolaid to make it red.

Boiling the sugar and water kills bacteria. There is no need to add coloring to the water. They also like their feeders in a safe place not in the middle of the lawn but by trees or bushes.

My family & I will be back in the Keweenaw for a vacation for the first time since 2000, and as you might expect, we're counting the days until our flight arrives on August 5.

We have a seven year old son, who has outgrown most of his winter clothes. Since we live in Texas, we think that the selection of winter clothes would be a lot better in Houghton, Calumet, etc.

Could anyone suggest where we should look? I know there's a Walmart & K-Mart on M-26, but perhaps we could find better quality elsewhere. The yellow pages of an old phone book only lists Gartner's in Hancock under children's clothing.

Also, are there any places selling used ice skates? He's got a nice pair of Bauers for the moment, but it seems he's changing shoe sizes a couple times per year, so I'm a little reluctant to spend the money for a new pair that's only going to last him for a few months anyway.

Thank you for your help, Bill

I checked at a couple of on-line resources. They indicated that beet sugar contains more impurities then cane sugar. The pure sucrose was needed for energy and other nutrients are obtained through the birds other diet components.
Mary's and Cheryl's comments were also supported in these resources. Recommended that no dyes or commercial necters be used.

Bill: The K-Mart in Houghton was closed a couple of years ago. But, there is a Pamida in Calumet, quite a few resale stores that have quality items such as Northwoods, St Vinnies in Hancock, and a new one on the main street of Hancock but I am not sure of what that is called. I have shopped for boys clothing at Gartners and Shopko. Good luck!

David Hiltunen (Davidcorrytontn):
"Keep your feeder clean of aunts & change often."
No aunts, but uncles are OK?
And you gotta keep it clean of change too --
what, the li'l hummers leave tips (change)?

Bill,
Your idea of getting your son's winter gear in the UP reminded me of when my daughter was young...and we would get her moccasins from the UP. Come to think of it, she never wore 'regular shoes' besides snow boots, until she started school.
We started her on moccasins when she first started walking, because when I put those infamous white high top first walking shoes on her, they looked so uncomfortable and heavy.
At one time, we had to resort to putting bells through the moccasin laces,in order to keep track of her, because you couldn't hear her as she walked, because of the soft soles.
For the longest time, child related trips across the Mighty Mac, to 'gettin toos'. ;)

I usually get all my winter gear from Surplus Outlet in houghton, really good stuff!

One really nice thing about key's living is the weather never gets to freezing---no need for winter clothes. We have occasional lows but rarely does it get below the 50 degree mark. Still,warmth is relative. Here it can be fifty and we complain about the cold. IN Michigan 50 in the winter is a nice,balmy day. Wouldn't mind a cool down now and I will bet most people in the midwest would welcome it too. Tonight the sunset is supposed to be influenced by the sands from the Sahara . It should be very pretty.

Yipes Mary i didn't expect to see my pic here,i was having trouble getting it into my Profile.

OOPS...sorry Dave, I misunderstood! I deleted your picture from this page for you! :->

Very funny FRNash, aunts and change. Today I watched the interplay of a very large bee or wasp and a hummingbird. The bee being very aggressive toward the hummingbird trying to keep it from the feeder and likewise with the hummingbird chasing it off.

Just testing this registration process. Wah! I sure messed it up the first time!

Thank you, Mary Drew, for your help and for your patience!! I really appreciate it!!

Well, the sunset wasn't as promised---not as vivid as I thought it would be----but still a pretty one. Maybe tomorrow night the sand will effect the sunset a little more. Wonder what it was like in Miami.

FRNash PHX AZ.Great sense of humor.I was wondering if anyone would catch my ant's mistake.I wish i could empty the change out often.I took the Preview off in Profile in options now that we have a choice.Maybe i should put it back on.
Happy to see the Hummingbird issue got taken care of.That was a another mistake my me.And here i am putting this on the What's Up page.Just has not been my day.

Dave H:
No, you are the one with the great sense of humor if you can appreciate my twisted sense of humor without taking offense! Some folks don't appreciate punishment!