I think I had better start treating our weatherman a little better. It is a little too difficult to blame him for our bad weather when we have had nothing but beautiful weather this past week. Even the wind has forgotten to blow! This year, that has to be a miracle. The crops are all looking very good. In fact, the corn has grown a lot. It makes me wonder if the person who said he could see the corn grow was right, although I have never seen it grow but have heard it! I can’t believe how tall the corn is. If I had to walk through the field I would think I was walking in a grove of trees! All the crops look good. Let’s hope for a late Fall so they will mature. As you know, farmers do not have a guaranteed income. They have to depend on Mother Nature. However, I have never seen a farmer who didn’t have a good attitude on life. Even if it is a bad year they always say, "It will be better next year. Larry Sandstede and his wife, Nancy, San Diego, Calif., came Friday afternoon to visit in the home of his mother, Florence Sandstede. They also came to visit his wife’s father, Richard Billilh who is a patient at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls.Attending the Dick and Laura Aukes reunion on Saturday at the Pipestone Park from the Steen area were Laura Paulsen, Shirley Longnecker, Mt. Dora, Fla., Orrin and Bernice Aukes and son Jeff, Warren and Loretta Baker, Melvin and JoAnn Paulsen, Mary and Clair Crawford, Verla Baker and Donna Mae Paulsen. Others coming from various places were Gary and Marie Aukes, Beaver Creek. Gail Rust entertained family and friends of Edwina Rust, Luverne, at a noon luncheon in honor of her birthday on July 13 at their farm home near Adrian. I am not sure if Steen had a ballgame this week. However, next week on July 20, Hills Indees play Steen in Steen. Let’s support our team.Marlin and Linda Elbers, Jeremy and Sonya, spent last week vacationing at Branson, Mo. Steen Reformed Church had a potluck all-church picnic Sunday. Games were played in the city park following dinner. An afternoon worship service was at 2:30. There was no Sunday School and no evening service due to the picnic.Henry Esselink remains a patient at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls for treatment. He hopes to be released sometime this week. Those attending camp at Inspiration Hills this week are Tammy Ackerman and Heather Esselink. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Jess family on the sudden death of Karie Johnson’s father, Darald Johnson, who was killed in a motorcycle accident near Sioux Falls on Monday, July 16. Karie is the future daughter-in-law of Chuck and Ann Jess. It definitely does not seem like it’s the time of year for the county fair. The fair used to be always in August. Now the fair can sometimes be in late July, depending on how the calendar runs. Everyone said there would be nothing to exhibit from our gardens as nothing would be ready by then. I am not sure what happened but the growing season must have been shorter as there were all kinds of vegetables as well as flowers. They can change the growing season and the dates for the fair but I am still having a problem thinking it is time for the county fair. When I was growing up, the county fair was the biggest event of the year. It was more like a vacation. Mother always packed a big dinner for us and most of the other families did the same. We had potato salad, fried chicken and all the trimmings. Our dinner would sit in the car all morning with the hot sun shining on the windows. It was a wonder none of us got sick!The most fun I had at the fair happened because my dad was a ticket taker and also helped parking the cars. So, all I had to do was to say who my dad was and I didn’t have to pay to get in the gate. And I could ride any and all of the rides for free! I was too young to exhibit anything but my mother always made fancy cupcakes every year and I think she won a blue ribbon with them just about every year. I loved the entertainment at the grandstand and vowed I was going to do that when I grew up. The nearest I got was managing the 4-H food stand at the Luverne County Fair for the county 4-H clubs for 11 years. I also loved the car race and there was always a dance at night that made my day complete. Listening to what the programs are going to be this year at the county fair doesn’t sound like there has been much change in them through the years. Managing the food stand at the fair didn’t make my dream of being an entertainer at the grandstand come true. That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind as I longed to be one of the grandstand entertainers. These memories are of days gone by and we all know we just can’t have everything.I still enjoy going to the fair, not only for the exhibits, but also for the memories that come back to me.See you at the fair!