Casa Blanca: Fighting off ennui

Ennui: It is easy to become depressed, fatigued, and defeatist in the Trump era. But we do not have that luxury. Democracy and our fellow Americans, especially the most vulnerable, depend on our resilience and fortitude. Falling prey to cynicism (all politicians are alike), pessimism (voters are permanently unreachable), and depression (I cannot do everything so therefore I will do nothing) emboldens authoritarians’ will.

To counteract ennui, one must take time for joyful activities, family, and friends. Staying in the fight requires keeping up one’s mental and physical health and recharging periodically. Doing as much rather than worrying or doom-scrolling invariably buoys one’s spirits. This blog will be about the activities we continue to engaged in to recharge our spirits.

In May, Rusty and I drove to KC to spend time with Olivia’s family, which is always a lot of fun!

My kind and handsome grandsons, Pierce & Reece.

Olivia made a delicious cake for Maddy’s (Chris's daughter) birthday. We couldn’t stop laughing when the cake slid right off the plate.

Olivia gave us a very informative tour of her new medical building. She is a brave and adventurous entrepreneur !
We had fun playing Oh Hell! (Rusty and Reece cheated.) Ha Ha

We were treated to an elegant farm-to-table dinner.

Back in Ely: One of Ely’s fun events is “Dancing With the Stars.”

The big lift secured first prize for this couple.

In April I had new cabinetry added to the corner of our kitchen.

This has doubled the storage space in our kitchen. I love it!

We hired the cabinet instillation, but there was plenty of trim work for Rusty to do.

Our neighbor, Brad, built a toy replica of the DeHavilland Beaver airplane used at our local seaplane station. It is now installed at Puddle Jumper Park where kids can play on it.

Puddle Jumper Park

And speaking of planes... our neighbor's daughter married a pilot. They flew in with their very young daughter and landed on the lake to join the dock party.

Bria and Tule

Everybody wanted to hold the baby, even Rusty.

My friends and I stopped at a local watering hole for some fun with Elvis.

I had a 10 x 10 space turned into a deer-proof garden.

I grew zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes. bell peppers, pole beans, onions, broccoli, brussel sprouts and basil.

In June I visited the Caviezel family in Philadelphia. Felicia took me to Morning Glory for breakfast.

I love the vibe of this place!

I got to hear Ruby play the euphonium at her end-of-the-year recital.

Ruby gives GiGi some makeup tips.

Sam, Ruby, Felicia, Di

I was fortunate to see Ruby's "moving up" (to high school) ceremony.

I had a once-in-a-lifetime experience attending Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde" opera with the Philadelphia Orchestra. It's a 3-hour performance and I was captivated the entire time.

In mid-June I rode the Tour of Minnesota Ride with several of my friends from Lincoln.

Most of the ride was on the Mesabi Trail between Grand Rapids and Ely.

Annette liked the lupine, which were in full bloom.

Many places featured tours and information about the mining done on the Range. This giant scoop was once used in mining ore.

...and then there was the largest hockey stick in the world.

We toured the Hibbing High School, which was completed in 1922. The cost was $3,900,000; today it would cost over $50 million to replace. It has hand molded ceilings done by Irish craftsman, an art that is no longer done. It has brass doorknobs and chandeliers of cut glass from Czechoslovakia.

The Hull-Rust-Mahoning mine made this gorgeous building possible.

Part of the Hull-Rust mine.

Hibbing is also home the the Greyhound Bus museum.

...and the birthplace of Bob Dylan.

We attended a fundraiser for Northwoods Partners (a 5013c that helps people as they age). There were lots of fun costumes.

Rusty and I celebrated 17 years of marriage at the very elegant Burntside Lodge.

This man makes me incredibly happy!

The Fourth of July has something for everyone, including...

mattress races

lots of free candy

the accordian man on a skateboard

and a huge parade

In mid July I did a 3-day bike/camping trip with other women.

We have such a fun time!

The quality of Ely's productions such as this one is truly astonishing!

...and this one was a hoot!

On July 23rd we had a REALLY heavy rain.

One of my greatest joys is that I get to spend regular time (virtually) with both of my daughters.

They helped me celebrate my birthday in August.

Annette and Pete (from Lincoln) joined us on this year's Boundary Waters trip.

We had gorgeous weather, fish every night, a pair of loons on our bay that sang day and night, eagles, and four swans.

Pretty sunset.

My neighborhood bookclub meets regularly. Nearly half of these ladies are in their 80's, and the rest of us are in our 70's. We always have a lively discussion. We read The Midnight Bakery by Emma Davies.