Happy Fourth of July to those of you in the USA. I hope you all stay safe.
My husband and I had planned on being in Northwood, Iowa today >>> but have put off our trip up there until later this year. I was all excited about visiting the place I consider to be “my hometown”, although it really isn’t. My father was in the Air Force, so we lived in several states, Spain, and Chile. Between every new assignment we would go visit my grandmother in Northwood, my father’s hometown. My grandmother and I developed an extremely close bond when my younger brother was born and I went to live with my grandparents for a while. As the story goes, when my grandparents dropped me off in Arlington, Virginia (after my stay with them) I was waiting in the car, ready (and wanting!) to “go home” with them.
My grandmother shared her enjoyment of reading with me. I credit her with my love for books. Of the four children in my family, I was the only one who developed this passion for reading, and I am truly grateful for her inspiration.
My husband and I were going to head to the upper Michigan area via Northwood to get some respite from our humid heat down here. Also, I have been wanting to visit Northwood for a while. (My last visit was fifteen years ago.) However, when I was taking a look at another town’s website in northern Iowa, I saw that they would be spraying for mosquitoes, which put the breaks on our trip. (I’m particularly attractive >>> to mosquitoes, that is! I can be outdoors with my husband for five minutes and he’s not affected, but when we go inside, I find I have three or four bites already >>> and that’s in San Antonio where mosquitoes are usually not much of a problem.) So we’re just postponing our trip until the mosquitoes are under control up there.
Well, I certainly had not planned on writing about our change of plans for the Fourth >>> I had only planned on writing to wish you all a Happy & Safe Fourth of July!
GaMtGrl says
I have a friend who is sensitive to bites like you. It is scary to see how quickly they swell up. And, yes, this year our San Antonio has an over-abundance of mosquitoes!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
GaMtGrl, I have to put on a jacket (Yes, I know >>> in this humid heat!) to change the water in the bird bath. I hope it takes more than 24 hours for mosquito eggs to hatch, since I only do it once a day. I can see a sort of film over the water which I am guessing has many of their eggs…
MARY says
Hi there… Love your Blog… I can understand about being dinner for the mosquitoes… I’m the same way… but fertilizer and insecticides send my sinuses reeling… Try Johnson & Johnson Creamy Baby Lotion… think it is in a green bottle/tube… that is if you’re not allergic… The mosquitoes don’t like it at all…
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary, thank you for the Johnson & Johnson’s suggestions. AND, I’m glad you enjoy the blog!
Anne says
Thank you! Thanks to all the wonderful work you do, my 4th is chock full of mysteries to read! Best to you and your family.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Anne, thank you for the best wishes. Although we didn’t go to Northwood, we had a very nice day.
Kathy from Andover MA USA says
I am a feast for mosquitoes as well! I will be watching the Boston fireworks from inside where it is mosquito proof. Thanks for all the work you put into so that we can read so many terrific copies! Happy 4th to you and your family.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathy/Andover, I wonder what it is in our bodies’ chemistries that make us so delicious to mosquitoes. I hope you enjoyed the Boston fireworks from inside.
Melody says
I enjoyed your reminiscences, thank you. I am enjoying a period of time in my life when mosquitoes are visiting everybody but me. I am enjoying it while it lasts. I hope you get to visit Northwood soon. It’s great you have such fond memories of your grandmother. Thank you.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Melody, lucky you for not feeding the mosquitoes! They sure are pesky. I have been meaning to get up to Northwood for a few years now so I’m determined to go sometime soon. I’m afraid that if I keep putting it off, I’ll end up not going. Best laid plans, and all that…
Melody says
Danna,
It is really to put things off too long. Sometimes I think I have all the time in the world and I don’t. Hope you have a skeeter free summer.
Nikki L says
This is interesting because we were in Cherokee, Iowa in June for a family memorial service. My husband’s family is from Iowa around Wall Lake and Cherokee. Small world. We didn’t have any mosquito problems. In fact it was lovely.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Nikki L, I had wanted to visit Albert Lea, and as soon as I went to their official website, I saw the information about mosquito spraying. Since I attract mosquitoes, my husband thought it would be better for us to wait. (It is a small world!)
Ellen says
My family can totally relate to this! We just got back from a trip to Montana, where my husband took us to the homestead where his late mother was born. She described it as “seventy-five miles northwest of nowhere,” and she couldn’t have been more right about the description. Nothing to see for hundreds of miles – except mosquitoes! My husband, like you, is total mosquito bait, and came away with a dozen bites. But what a way to spend some time around the 4th – marveling at what our ancestors went through to make a better life for their families in this country.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ellen, this is a prime example of lemons to lemonade! What a great idea to think about our ancestors enduring these types of hardships for us instead of thinking about what a drag mosquitoes are!
Joyce Ann Brown says
In Kansas, the chiggers like me. In Wisconsin, the mosquitos drink my blood. And farther north, the black flies won’t let me alone. I guess we’re just sweet. Have a happy Fourth, anyway!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joyce Ann, that must be it!
Stash Empress says
Hope you have/had a wonderful 4th! Yup, mosquitoes just LOVE me! Interestingly enough, they don’t ever bite my husband — and will actually fly around him to get to me!
And this just up on Amazon:
Be My Banshee, the first in the new Purple Door Detective Agency series by Joyce & James Lavene, coming Sept. 1st!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Stash, thanks! I kept searching for That’s My Banshee, so I’m glad you mentioned this.
PamB says
Happy day after July 4 to you. I wonder what your grandmother would think about your Cozy Mystery blogs, how many people follow you, and how many books we have in our TBR lists/stack. Hope soon you will be able to make your trip.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
PamB, what a lovely idea! I had never wondered about what my grandmother would have thought about the Cozy Mystery site. Thank you, I’m going to think about this >>> with a smile on my face.
Melissa says
I enjoyed reading of your grandmother. What a special woman.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Melissa, thank you. I wish my dad hadn’t been so old when he got around to having children so I could have enjoyed her for a longer amount of time. I’m very sorry that my children never met her.
Margaret M. says
We are still enjoying the wonderful Independence Day holiday here at home. I like to drag things out a bit, I guess, we are cooking outside tomarrow too.
But since it is our wonderful nation’s 239th birthday, I guess a four day celebration is okay.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO ALL AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Margaret M, it sounds like you’re having a great Fourth of July holiday!
Nicole says
Try putting baby oil on your exposed areas before going out. They don’t seem to like having to go through it to get to the skin.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Nicole, thanks for the suggestion. It sounds like it would be really messy, though. I would think the baby oil would rub off on everything you got close to…
Nicole says
It does; so it’s really kind of a last ditch effort. Good for gardening though.