It’s been hot across the Midwest and to add to the heat, there have been successive days of air quality warnings.
This week’s sign offering is a tie.
a local sign spied on the main east-west road in Wheaton, IL July 16, 2026 at 3:11 PM CDT
I ran into this sign on the way home from an outing on Friday, Ottawa, IL July 17, 2026 at 3:57 PM CDT
I am tickled by both. But they don’t make it any cooler.
Thursday evening’s sunset looked like I was looking through those eclipse glasses from 2024.
photo at normal magnification… 1X
photo at zoomed magnification… 2X
photo at zoomed magnification… 5X
Yesterday, I drove to Dwight, Illinois – a town southwest of home to see the Big Boy locomotive stop as it traveled back to it’s base in Wyoming after touring the USA for America’s 250th Independence Celebration.
The Big Boy travelled through Wheaton in early June and I was at the lake. I’ll write more later on this… but the skies were clear and hardly any smoke south of here.
the Big Boy in Dwight
blue skies and puffy clouds south of home
blue skies and big thunder clouds close to home, haze had left
This morning (Saturday), it’s hazy and we still e an air quality warning until midnight but the temperatures are slowly dropping. My regular Saturday morning gig – the food pantry – is closed and was closed Thursday as well due to the air quality. Hopefully, we’ll be back Monday.
I’ll be happy to wave goodbye to the heat, too.Β
I head back to the lake for the annual canoe race next weekend. It’s going to be a family weekend with the my son and his family (the grandies) coming to enjoy a long weekend at the lake. I am looking forward to it.
I’ve been working on this post for a bit too long – so I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Today is going to be an amazing day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, even. when it takes a couple of days to finish a post.
Do you ever get distracted and lose ‘steam’ on a post?
W^2 or W squared for Wordless Wednesday, June 17, 2026
a thunderstorm is heading our way – view of South Bay – Grayling, MI, June 16, 2026 3:35 PM CDT
It is that time of the year when late spring storms cross the Midwest. Yes it is still celestial spring for a few more days. Β Last week’s storms spawned 11 tornadoes in Chicagoland.
Yesterday afternoon thunderstorms popped up by the lake in the afternoon and again in the evening. Neither of the storms were severe, but we did get rain and some hail and a lot booms which scared Fern.
Today severe storms will pass south of us at the lake, but will pass through home. We are keeping your fingers crossed.
a black and white version of the above photo
My brother’s visit was success and we had cool temps and very windy weather which kept us off the lake, but it was wonderful to visit and catch up in person.
There is always something to do and I have been going back in time on the blog and finding things which need fixing. When I started blogging in 2010, I was learning blogging and using WordPress. In the sixteen years since I wrote those posts, much has changed on the internet. I’ve discovered many of the images on MtDC’s older posts are not visible because the link has changed or some other reason, so I’ve been going back to restore the images and update each post – it’s time consuming, but fun to go back and realize how far I’ve come with MtDC.
When I began, I wanted to practice writing and put my words into action. One of first blog projects, after going to France with my step-mother and brothers in early June, was blogging while I was at summer camp with my son and his Boy Scout troop. I posted daily and sent an e-mail home to share. Blogging from camp Β was a hit and I continued for the following two summer camps. Β A form of it still happens on the troop’s website.
When I go back, I cringe at the writing, and I see how I’ve grown. Β I also can see where WordPress has evolved as well.
It is also amazing to realize who far those scouts have grown, too.
Time moves quickly, especially when it is summer. Today is day nineteen of this year’s summer break and in a lot of ways I have made the days count, and in others I could have done better.
So make every minute count, jump up, jump in, and seize the day, And letβs make sure that in every single possible way, Today is gonna be a great day!
While I was writing Wednesday’s W^2 post, I was sipping coffee at a Starbuck’s because a thunderstorm had knocked our power out. I figured I could charge my devices, create an overdue post, and maybe collect my thoughts from an already busy week.
I finished my post and my coffee, then stopped to grab dinner and head home.
The power had not been restored; fortunately the storm brought relief from the heat and humidity, so sleeping without power came quickly.
the culprit, a large branch had snapped and taken out the electric lines when it crashed to the ground…
The power was still out when I awakened Thursday morning. I checked with the power company – the update stated that they planned to have power restored by Saturday at 3:00 PM! I knew that our outrage was relatively small – only a 100 customers. According to the power company, they had more than 200,000 customers without power, so I understood the three-day timeline.
No power meant no coffee. So, I left the house to grab a cup of coffee. I had a lot to think about.
Thursday’s forecast called for two more waves of severe storms, with the latter being the strongest.
Besides the power being out, I planned to be at Β lake the following day , but I couldn’t leave the house without power including a full refrigerator and freezer. I had a lot to think about and do.
My first thought was to get a generator, which I quickly realized made little sense. Then it shifted to empty both freezer and refrigerator, clean them, and restock later when the power was restored. Finally, it dawned on me I could donate the salvage the frozen food and donate them to the food pantry, while tossing the what couldn’t. To do the salvage and donate, I needed to borrow a cooler from my son, so I left the house to pick it up and passed the cause of the power outage where I discovered two power company repair trucks parked and waiting. So maybe, power might be restored after all. I got the cooler, anyway, and was back a half-hour later.
a large branch had been cut here….
the damage…
the street is is ready and the lineman haven’t started , yet..
and the cut, created an opportunity for animals to create the hollow that weakened the limb…
When I returned, the power company was starting to stage the repair by closing off the two lane road before beginning the repair.
I took a walk to inspect, and be nosey. I took a few photos, too. On the way back I ran onto a few neighbors and I shared what I had learned.
So, I waited. I took a short nap.
The first wave of thunderstorms rolled through, then power came back on. We had been without power for twenty-three hours.
We still had one more wave of weather to roll through and it would be the most severe of the week, possibly the season. But I was relieved and I could start thinking, again.
The last line of storms passed through with the worst of the storms passing south of our home. And the electricity stayed on.
Friday morning, I drove to the lake, stopping along the way to visit my brother and his wife at their campsite in Holland, Michigan. Yesterday, they joined us at the lake for a visit and dinner. Today, we hope to take a ride on the lake and finish the day with dinner.
Until then, I need to get moving and jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Today is going to be a great day. Making the Days COUNT, one day at a time, slowing down to restart thinking.
W^2 or W squared for Wordless Wednesday, June 10, 2026
A double rainbow, Aurora, IL May 4, 2026 5:12 PM CST
I took these photos five weeks ago and I have every Wednesday since go by without posting them. Until today.
I captured the images after a brief thunderstorm passed through Aurora, Illinois while I was volunteering at Loaves and Fishes.
Once the thunderstorm passed through, the skies opened, the temperature dropped, and we were able to finish serving our clients for the evening.
I have never seen a double rainbow despite the fact that they arenβt considered rare, according to a quick Google search – a one in five chance!
Another view of the double rainbow, same place, same time, moments later
Rainbows are exciting to see and a double rainbow even more so, even if itβs not a rare thing.
Itβs Day 12 of Summer Break and Iβve been, errr, I mean weβve been, busy. We were at the lake last week and drove home Sunday afternoon.
I had scheduled some appointments this week and I had planned to carve away at a few of those βthings I am going to doβ¦β But really, the appointments and taking of the house and yard were the big things we needed to accomplish this week.
The biggest thing was the making the decision to retire from teaching and yesterday, I put in my notice with my school district. The effective date seems far away, but Iβve had my eye on the date – June 30, 2030 – for almost three years. There were lots of factor that went in two making the decision, but this year was my 27th year of teaching. Four more years will get me close to full retirement of 35 years, and itβs time.
I am excited, and nervous, and giddy at the idea of being able to take a long weekend and explore places without sneaking a day off or writing sub plans.
Last summer, my youngest brother retired. Yes, I was envious. Before he retired he and his wife purchased an RV and have been traveling on the weekends and short vacations in Texas and a few of the western states.
This spring he called and let me know they were planning to visit the Midwest and planned to stop and visit with us at the lake for a couple of days. Last Monday, they left their home in southeast Texas and headed north. Their plan was to do a giant loop around two of the Great Lakes – Michigan and Superior before winding their way back home through Michiganβs upper peninsula, then Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma before getting back home.
I am excited to see them.
Somewhere over the rainbow Skies are blue And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true
Saturday will be here before I know it and I have a few a lot more to doβs and a couple more appointments before they arrive, so Iβd better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count one day at a time, because thatβs how it works.
It is Friday after school and it has been a week of weather. Storms, wind, sunshine, hail, tornados, flurries, and shirt-sleeve weather for an afternoon.
Scullenβs sign – we need spring vibes, please!
I took the photo above last Friday after finishing my morning bus duty shepherding parents as they dropped their children off for school. It is fun duty and I have struck up a friendship with a former studentβs dog who always is along for the morning ride. At first, the dog parked at me, but now she (or he) just looks at me and makes eye contact with me as they drive past into the circle drive.
I figured I would have time last weekend to put together a βSign of the Weekβ post, but somehow the time slipped through my fingers and here I am a week later writing that post.
We all go through storms and somehow we end up on the other side of the storm in a better place and maybe a little stronger for the experience.
The past few months Iβve been chasing my tail and trying to keep up. I never seem to catch up, but here I am.
Last Friday afternoon, I stayed late to grade papers and sort through the study guides I had collected and review the data from the summative assessment (teacher word for final exam) I had given in science classes. My students did well and I was impressed, I had been worried that the February slump weβd all fallen into had taken a toll on their learning, but their scores showed they had recovered. My persistence, stubbornness, and belief they had learned the content was rewarded. And so were they.
It had been a stormy Friday. When I walked out, the storms had passed and the setting sun was making an appearance as the storm clouds moved out the area. It was the perfect moment and a rainbow was visible.
Friday evening after the storm passed through Scullen Middle School, Naperville, IL March 6, 2026 5:41 PM CST
It was stunning.
Really itβs been a stormy week from last Fridayβs thunderstorms to Tuesdayβs violent thunderstorms with a reported F3 tornado a little south of us to the windstorm that plowed through last night, it has been a week of weather.
In some ways that is life, we roll with it make the best of what comes at us. We make the best of what we get, because what we get sometimes is not within our control. We Make the Days Count, one day at a time, sometimes fighting a wind, or sometimes catching the wind.
How are you handling the weather this year?
NOTE: I am leaving the βsnowβ on until April. The forecast calls for snow Monday morning and we are really never out of woods for the possibility of snow until Motherβs Day in May. Really.
This week’s sign of the week was supposed to have been taken before Thanksgiving Break, but I never took the photo and left for a nine day break away from school.
It was needed.
Last Saturday the snow began to fall and it didn’t stop until Sunday morning; It was the largest single day snowfall we’ve had in more than a decade.
before break, I noticed the sign had changed and chuckled. It is fun to play along with the students and their language development. My generation had cool, groovy, and a few others that are cringeworthy to say out loud today!
Every Thursday and Friday I have bus duty at the corner for the carline. I’ve been doing carline duty for several years and I enjoy seeing the kids walking to school and the parents dropping tier kiddos off for a day of learning, I have even befriended (well maybe) a dog or two. The past few years I’ve had a partner at the corner, but she’s been out this year and I am looking forward to seeing her back next year – true, bruh.
I take my wireless speaker out with me and I play tunes as the kids cross the street and I wave the cars in for the drop off. I share a few high fives and a bunch smiles. When I finish, I am able to encourage the hallway stragglers to make it to call before the 8 o’clock bell. But this week the carline has been brutal and the carline has persisted past the first period bell.
Office Hedge is our school resource officer and he’ll will join me when he’s at our school. Thursday we took care of the line and had it clear by 8:02, with time enough to take the photo below. It was cold and it took my fingers twenty minutes to warm up when I went inside. Friday I was back at it again, but without Hedge.
We’ve got snow forecast for tonight into tomorrow morning with a couple more inches to add to the snow pack.
We have two more weeks before winter break and I am sure the kiddos have visions of sun plum fairies dancing in their heads. I know the teachers do, too.
It’s Saturday and today is always a busy day for me. I am off to Loaves and Fishes to serve others and get love in return. The rest of the afternoon are afternoon chores and maybe, just maybe I’ll get to enjoy a college football game by the hearth. Today’s going to be an amazing day so I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, having a little fun and sharing joy with others.
This week’s sign is from the ice cream shop I pass on the way to the lake and along the way home. Friday night it was well past closing time when I stopped to admire the message.
Summer season is the high season along the lake and there are few folks on the lane this weekend. Yesterday, I saw a few walkers and a neighbor couple, both of whom I watched grow up, are here with their newborn – their first. It’s hard to believe, but I am the first of three generations that come here now.
I didn’t make it to that ice cream shop this year, maybe I will next year. It all depends on if I get there in time or if the line isn’t too long and I can spare a stop along my way.
It’s Sunday and I’ll be looking for a new sign today but there are signs all around that fall is in full bloom, the weather has a chill in the air and the forecast promises sunshine later in the day. So, I’d better jump up, jump in and seize the day. Making the days Count, one day at a time, making time to take in the season.
W^2 or W squared for Wordless Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Happy Wednesday! Our heat wave has broken and it is a bit cooler this morning. Last night thunderstorms rolled through dropping almost an inch (2.54 cm) of rain overnight.
Normally on summer morning, Iβd be out at the βsummer officeβ listening to the birds and feeling the gentle breeze as the world around me awakens, but the βofficeβ is wet and damp, so Iβll wait for another morning, or late evening to enjoy the backyard.
Sadly these Dahliaβs went north to lake with my wife yesterdayβ¦..
β¦. But I am left with these kindβs of viewsβ¦ a house finch enjoys the sunflower seed feeder
I am going to enjoy the inside office of the breakfast table and my office desk in the basement for today and maybe the βsummer officeβ will be available tomorrow. Who knows? But today could possible be the best day ever, so Iβd better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the days COUNT, one day at a time, getting things done wherever I work.
Does your workspace vary? Where do you find yourself working today?Β
W^2 orΒ W squaredΒ for Wordless Wednesday, March 6, 2024
It appears Spring has sprung, but the Spring Equinox is a little less than a fortnight away. This year, the vernal equinox is Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at 10:06β―PM.
“The first blooms of spring always make my heart sing.” β S. Brown
According to the meteorologists, it is spring. We had a mild winter here in the upper Midwest. I read a report that this past winter was one of the five mildest winters on record for the Chicagoland area. We hardly had any snow and only a very brief cold snap where temperatures went below zero (Fahrenheit). We did however have two bad weather days where I could teach from home, some folks mike call that ‘good weather.’
Daffodils blooming on March afternoon. Is it spring or winter? Wednesday March 6, 2024, 5:17 PM
This morning I awoke to a fog enshrouded lake, yesterday it was rainy. Β Later today, it will be sunny. We get it all here.
in homage to the last two blogposts, black and white with a pinch of color…
This morning when I first looked out, I could see as far as the speedboat β about a hundred yards, but a couple of hours later we could make out the opposite shore, barely.
I didn’t see this web until I was walking back to shore…..
the opposite shore is starting to be visible
the speed boat looks lonely
spider webs are so difficult to photograph…
I walked to the end of the dock and captured a few images, a dozen or so, before the fog lifted. Iβll let the images tell the story. Continue reading a foggy Sunday dozen→
