Busy summer - great weather

Ahh - the flowers are blooming and the vegetable garden area is slowly coming up.  My husband and I built a new little patio in our backyard to spend more time outside.  Last night was an example of multiple activities going on in Lakeside and it was tough to choose what to attend.

Whether you choose to chill out in your backyard, read a book, walk your dog on longer walks, or go to special summer events it's all up to you.  We have Duluth's beautiful rivers/creeks and lovely Lake Superior to enjoy.

Here is an event July 23 - a Sunday later in July to take an opportunity to visit 5 garden/yards in Lakeside -Lester Park.  Here is a flyer for the event.  Please share with others.

Capture some of your favorite activities this summer by taking a photo.  Submit photos, announcement and news to wendyupnorth@yahoo.com.
The next deadline is July 14.  It's time for me to interview another person and dig into more local history.  

Wendy
www.wendyupnorth.com
www.LookAtLakeside.com

Summer Gatherings

Let's face it - the summers are short.  Take advantage of the nice weather days (or parts of days) and head out to the lake shore or even to your backyard.  We love our deck.  It overlooks a vegetable garden that has been slow.  I also have a "super weed" growing.  It has yellow flowers and is taller than me.  I'd like to know what it is.  Could I have planted it?   The zucchini plants have had a growth spurt and it's fun to snap off a piece of kale to munch on. 

If you like to hike and go for walks perhaps you'd like to join me on Aug 9 at 8:30AM for a walk starting at the first pull off area on Skyline Parkway from Glenwood St.    With so much of my work week sitting indoors I look for opportunities to stand and move (This winter's pounds haven't left me yet so I'm working on that...)

It's fun to put together each issue of Look at Lakeside.  I learn as I go along.  Yes, there are some late nights and some advertisers that said yes but never submitted an ad but that's what goes with publishing something, I guess.   This is the start of the 3rd year for the newsletter.  I appreciate the readers' comments and feel that the newsletter is serving as a connecting point.  Something that Lakeside can 'have' every couple of months to share news and announcements. 

I have more distribution to do with this issue but the subscribers have had it delivered to their home or sent in the mail.   I happened to have one of the art fairs that I organize yesterday - it was the 6th year for Woman-Made and my 37th local art fair I've organized.  Since I had the new Aug/Sept issue I put them out at the 'reception/cookie' table and over 50 went throughout the day.   More people get to know about what's happening here.   Don't forget to try and answer the little questions throughout the issue and mark your calendar for the events.  Support the advertisers who are supporting this publication.  If anyone is interested in placing an ad the ad rates are at www.LookAtLakeside.com. 

Yards - Extensions of our home

This picture is from last year but it's not doubt the deer are around and ready to munch in flower gardens and vegetable gardens.  What do you do to save your plants?  Send in a photo for the next Look at Lakeside with your super fences, dangling device tricks, and strategies for keeping plants in your yard. 

I hope you've had a chance to look at the June/July 2014 issue.  This issue marks the completion of 2 years for this publication (total of 12 issues).  I've done by best to include bits on current local happenings, introducing people who live here, and a bit about the past.  I plan to include more quizzes and field trips (let me know if you'd like to attend the tour of St. Michael's School building on June 13 at 8:30 a.m. - there are a limited number of spots available, please RSVP), and coming this fall a service opportunity for LAL readers.  It's fun to see how quickly the newsletters are picked up at places and I love when one issue gets read by multiple people such as in a waiting room.

Today was a drenching rain day and the Altrusa Club of Duluth had their plant sale in the parking lot of the Joe Golcz State Farm Insurance in Lakeside.  All funds raised go to support community organizations.  You'll find Altrusa at assorted events this fall selling things to again raise funds. 
Adding more perennial native plants are good to provide food for the bees and insects.  You also don't need to mow them.  This year our yard garden area is extending to the other side of the sidewalk on to the easement next to the street.  It's the sunniest spot of all.  I planted plants from the Altrusa sale and a mix of native plant seeds.  More to plant in the backyard vegetable garden as we enter June.

Thanks for reading the Look at Lakeside newsletter.  I would love to have a youth submit a short 'report' on a neighborhood topic.  How about that for a summer project?  The next deadline is July 15.  Maybe a drawing of something in Lakeside.  I appreciate local art and people 'stretching' themselves to try new things.   Check out in Superior the artwork beside storm drains.  You'll be hearing in the news soon how six artists have painted beside the drains.  A bit of color and fun as a tool to educate about helping keep Lake Superior clean through preventing stormwater pollution.   Lakeside, downtown Duluth, Superior, Two Harbors and other communities sit beside Lake Superior and are potential contributors to pollution. 

Back to a plant topic - I am on the 'hunt' for where the banana plant went from the Lester Park Greenhouse.  It's not at Glensheen; it's not at the UMD Greenhouse.  I hear it is at a Senior Apartment complex and am trying to find out which one.  Anyone know?

Happy summer days.  Yeah for wearing shorts and sitting out on the deck.