June 2022

Planting season is in full swing, and I have had several questions about soil amending and composting. Compost is truly the best amendment for your garden beds, and even a great addition for your outdoor pots and homemade potting soil mixes when done correctly. It adds macro and microorganisms to the soil which work to convert nitrogen and other nutrients that plants can then utilize. It can be used as a mulching layer in your garden beds to help suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature and moisture, and provide a balanced source of nutrients. Composting is something all of us can do with a few slight changes in our everyday routines. It takes little space depending on the method, and for the multiple benefits it can provide, it seems silly it isn’t more of a normal practice anywhere food is served.

Our own backyard. This spring we have heard a lot about our local waterfalls.

Gideon Kristiansen from Qaanaaq feeding his dogs seal 22 years ago. Submitted by Lonnie Dupre .

Young children love to play, but did you know playing is extremely important in their development? As Maria Montessori put it so perfectly, “play is the work of the child.” As children develop in the first five years, brain development is best supported through hands-on experiences and self-discovery. The young brain is designed to grow through exploration and involvement, and these experiences benefit social, emotional, physical and cognitive development.

Ore boat passing by group of rocks known as the “Three Sisters” on its way to dock in Two Harbors. Can you identify this boat gliding through the ethereal fog? Contact us if you know at: (218)830-3250 or send an email to info@lakecountypress.news. Photo by Becky Norlien

Hello Summertime. Deer everywhere, birds, wild rabbits, one bear sighting so far that I know of.

Every month I am reminded that there are bills to be paid. And every month they seem to come quicker and quicker. Now I have not gotten in the habit of paying bills online or using a debit card, and so it was off to the post office where I always try to get the latest releasees of stamps. Now it is not that I am unpatriotic but to me the flag stamps are getting a bit tiring. So, as I was looking over the many choices, my eyes went to a stamp with an African American woman. Her name was Maya Angelou. I had heard the name but nothing special registered at the time. But I asked for a sheet of her stamps, paid the clerk, left the post office and went home.

VA Veterans Pension The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Pension program provides monthly payments to wartime Veterans who meet certain age or disability requirements, and who have income and net worth within certain limits. The program provides a benefit for wartime Veterans with an income below the congressionally defined Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR).