The summer is half over. The good news is that there is still half left. There is still time to make plans before the kids go off to college, school starting, and the end of Summer Fridays. The Reinwald's family always summered at Lake Panamoka and pretty much stayed put until Labor Day.

     I remember other families at the lake getting visitors from far away- Chicago, Texas and even California.  We heard the stories of traveling these great distances. The journey was more important than the destination: at least from this youngster's perception. My brother and I called it the Romance of the Road.

      I have to interject a little history here. In 1956, President Eisenhower signed the Interstate Defense Highway Act. The promise of a safe seamless highway system would become a reality. The result has been called the largest public works project since the Pyramids. This project became a part of the public consciousness. I remember watching the Walt Disney show showing the ease of cross country travel and of course the tag line "all roads lead to Disneyland". There would be articles in newspapers and magazines. The war time newsreels were replaced with ones depicting cross country car travel. We envied the station wagons with all the stickers attached.

    As a result, somewhere in the late 50's and early 60's, my parents would load us up in the car and take a 3-6 day road trip. Niagara Falls, Washington, D.C., and colonial Williamsburg were some of the destinations. We were ecstatic.

     My brother Andy is retired and last week embarked on a road trip across the country. He's then headed to Alaska before returning home sometime in the fall. Andy is calling it the Great Adventure. Technology has enabled the entire family to keep up with him via email. We are getting perceptive descriptions and photos. (see below) It brings me back to my youth and the stories from others.

All of us have half a summer left. How are you going to use it?

Enjoy your days, BE ADVENTUROUS! 

A short note on Mother Nature. The bakery uses a lot of fresh agricultural products. We are at the mercy of Mother Nature.This year the free-stone peach crop was very late. We normally get peaches in around Father's Day. This year it was the week after July 4th. Customers are asking when are we starting to make plum cakes. I am not being rude when I say "when they come in". Usually that is around the middle of August. Plum cake is one of my favorites so as soon as possible, the bakery will have them.

Some good news from Mother Nature. Last year's cherry crop, due to a bloom freeze, was only 20% of normal yield. Michigan, producer of 80% of Montgomercy "pie" cherries was dramatically impacted. The entire fruit growing region in the Great lakes suffered economically. No fruit, no jobs, no money. This year's crop is being harvested right now and appears to be bountiful. As last year's hurricane exhibited; we can't control Mother Nature, rather she controls us in many ways.