Mother Nature is upset once again. As usual, we just never know what to expect from her. She has been acting out — delivering storms, rain, high winds and dramatic changes in temperatures.
Last weekend, after many pleasant days, weather affected the last Port Austin Farmer’s Market. Attending were the usual group of shoppers, despite the bad weather. Of great interest were the kids and adults strolling around in Halloween costumes. Vendors and shoppers alike were very entertained. he weather could not put a damper on the “Shari Babcock Etzel Ultimate Extreme Micro Spoof Run for the Splash Pad.” The weekend event provided great activities and entertainment for youngsters and a commitment to provide a Splash Pad at Veterans Park for their continued enjoyment.
As the nasty weather continued to butt in, The United Protestant Church in Port Austin hosted a dinner celebrating its 70th anniversary. Members and guests dodged raindrops to attend and they enjoyed the feast and fellowship. Later that night, ugly weather continued to plague the area as fans tuned in to watch the MSU game in Minnesota. They learned the stadium had to be evacuated and the game delayed due to lightning. Eventually, that game got underway, but it continued to be a soggy event and many fans could not make it to the final (which occurred past their bedtimes).
As I see it, none of the weather forecasters are able to predict what Mother Nature is going to deliver. She continues to outsmart them at every turn. As we all begin our day and tune in wondering how to dress, we often get the wrong message and head out either overdressed or in need of a jacket or umbrella.
The sad thing about the high winds is the fact our colorful fall leaves are being ripped off the trees early robbing us of our color tours. Fortunately, the displays of pumpkins everywhere have not begun to roll out on the roadways. The harvest of them sure is plentiful as almost every mile along the way is filled with displays.
Another harvest that seems to be moving along smoothly in our area is the annual gathering of sugar beets. Despite recent rains, the roads have not experienced heavy mud from trucks traveling with their loads and the piles are growing at the usual sites. I learned for the first time ever that Michigan Sugar is offering behind-the-scenes tours of their factory in Bay City. You can learn exactly how the beets are turned into sugar and meet, “Pete the Beet.” Should be fun.
Because of the temperatures bouncing up and down, our thoughts are turning to preparations for the cold weather. Vehicle tune ups, battery checks with anti-freeze applications. Boaters will need to winterize their engines and campers with motorhomes will want to ensure their rigs are protected.
Did we actually already experience “Indian Summer?” I’m not sure if those few really warm days, when everyone ran out in their tee shirts and shorts, could have been it. The weather gurus define Indian Summer as a time when days are sunny and clear with above normal temperatures, occurring from late September to mid-November.
It’s not mid-November so don’t pack those shorts away just yet — we still may have a few really warm days in our future.