What a HOT week!

Hot freaking week! I was SOAKED during my runs this week.  The humidity was more of a problem than the heat actually, but Summer was a trooper and loved coming along for the pre-lunch runs. We tried getting them done as early as possible.

Helped run some errands for a friend and I got to do it on my motorcycle, so that was pretty awesome.

Summer and I are big fans of Moana.... and Maui.

We played in the water yesterday and I taught her how to pick red tomatoes.  She is not a fan of eating them, but she loved picking them.  She loves ALL fruits and vegetables, except tomatoes. 

Another HOT day today, then some relief coming. 

A few more days with temps near 90 then some milder temps next week. Isolated showers and storms possible today, mainly to the southwest with a Marginal Risk for severe weather. Slight Risk for severe storms on Saturday followed by a few isolated showers and storms lingering Sunday. Best chance of rain for the weekend will likely be later Saturday into Saturday night. We start drying out Monday and cooling off a little. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Marcus is back from Bulgaria!!!

It was a crazy week last week.  I felt like I never had a chance to just stop and relax.  So when Friday came I was ready for a fun weekend.  Friday evening we stayed in Columbus and got some "weekend stuff" done like laundry and running around.

Saturday we went back to my parents' family farm. Marcus is back from his year in Bulgaria, so we hung out with him all weekend.  He REALLY wanted a hammock while in Europe and kept asking me about mine. We brought him a gift for the family reunion. After he kept asking to buy mine I told him to open his gift and it was a double 1000 lbs limit hammock. He was so excited for when he goes back. He said when he does his backpacking trips he will be all set now.

Then the farm down the street had a helicopter crop duster so I rode the moped down to watch.

Then we played 9 holes of golf. Lots of fun.

My parents had some downed limbs from recent storms and a couple trees that were cut down so we had a bonfire.  Notice the hammocks still up.  We tried sleeping in them.  I could not find blankets in the house.  Apparently they were in a dresser... I didn't look there.  So I went out and fell asleep, but Marcus came out later after finding the blankets.  Well... I tossed a water bottle in the side pouch and flipped it over the hammock.  No bugs can get in! BUT... my backside is only a couple millimeters from the exposed cool air. I got too cold and went inside and jumped in bed with my wife at 3:30AM. She said I was FREEZING. The bottom of you gets really cold in a hammock so you need a blanket under you more than on top. Note to self. ;)

Up early for a 6AM run with my brother Clark.  He is training for a triathlon in a month and a half.  We ran 12 miles to the local town and back. It was nice to spend some time with him chatting away 12 miles at a pretty good pace.

This is one of my new favorite photos. I loving being back at the farm and running endless miles on straight country roads surrounded by fields of corn. Call me weird. ❤️✌🏼🏃🏼

It’s always a great sight to see my parents farm among the fields of crops after a humid run. 

It was such a blessing getting together with the entire family and it very well may have been the first time in nearly a decade that we all stayed the night at my parents.  My grandpa came up as well with my Aunt Jane.  I am not sure where he was for the photo.

Warm temps to start the week then heating up for the end of the week. Today we could see a few isolated showers and storms in the afternoon and early evening followed same tomorrow, but rain will be less likely Tuesday. Mostly sunny Wednesday then heating up with pop-up rain possible for the rest of the week and weekend. Have a good one!

Andrew Buck Michael, Meteorologist.

Adult weekend, stormy week ahead

Summer is living it large with my parents.  My mom and dad wanted to spend some time with her so they took her last Thursday to my brother's then back to the family farm.  As spoiled as you could imagine.  Pool time, Disney movies, ice cream, anything the wants... But... very polite.  My sister sent me a video of my mom giving her cucumbers and Summer kept saying "Thanks" for each cucumber.

So Dawn and I hit the town.  Friday we hit up our favorite college bar and met up with a former professor.  Saturday we had breakfast then ran some errands followed by washing the cars then pool time with friends then casino with more friends. So yea... a jam packed Saturday.

Sunday I went running with the Columbus Westside Running Club.

It was a pretty solid 12 mile run. 

Then we went out to meet more friends for the Clippers game.

It was great getting time to spend with just the two of us... but I miss Summer.  Can't wait to pick her up later today.  

Get ready for the heat and humidity to return! Humidity will slowly climb through your Monday with scattered showers and storms as temps climb into the mid 80s. A Slight Risk for severe storms for Monday for the Northern half of Ohio. More scattered showers and storms for Tuesday with temps back in the mid 80s. A very slight chance of rain on Wednesday as temps climb into the low 90s. More rain Thursday which will bring slightly cooler temps for the end of the week and next weekend. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Independence running & rain on the way

For Independence Day I was independent since Dawn and Summer were in Cleveland for her mother's birthday.  So I took to the trails.

I was recommended to check out the Highbanks Metro Park because of the hills and it did not disappoint for hill training.  It was warm, it was packed, and it was a good training run.

I did spend Monday and Tuesday with some good friends enjoying grilled food and pool time.  Classic for Independence Day, right?!

Dawn and Summer were back yesterday and Summer snapped this photo during the cool down after an easy run around the neighborhood. 

Scattered showers and storms today with the heaviest rain across the Southern half of Ohio. Temps will be a little cooler today with more clouds. Clouds and rain will start clearing out this evening and mostly clear tonight with patchy fog possible by early Friday. Slight risk for severe storms on Friday with a cold front moving through bringing cooler air for the weekend. Gusty winds will be main threat for Friday. Milder and dry for the weekend then heating back up next week. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Summer time, motorcycle time, water time...

I often get most of my time with Summer while Dawn is at home working or after she gets off work.  I don't get a lot of time where it is just the two of us at home together. However, I did get to hang with Summer alone while Dawn grabbed dinner with her cousin last Thursday. Summer has a different personality when it is just me. When Dawn is home she can run to Dawn and get whatever she wants, but when it is just me then she is doesn't leave my side.  We had a lot of fun playing in the backyard and then enjoyed some ice cream counting cars driving by the house.

We went north to visit Dawn's family this weekend.  My mother-in-laws birthday is tomorrow so Dawn is staying through the holiday for that, but I had to come back for work.  So, in order to save on gas, I rode the motorcycle up. The ride up was GREAT!  Very little wind and everyone was paying attention to the road since there were police everywhere.  The ride back was a little windy. 

Yesterday we grabbed breakfast yesterday with friends in Lakewood and we went to the park along the lake afterward.  I could stare at that view for a LONG time! For me, seeing water and sky as far as the eye can see is a stress reliever. I feel so much at peace.

A mix of sun and clouds for the week ahead with warm temps, high humidity, and isolated showers/storms. Keep the rain gear handy for some isolated rain from time to time this week. The best chance of rain will be Monday then Thursday and Friday with just a slight chance of rain Tuesday and Wednesday. Temps will be topping out in the upper 80s for the week. By the weekend we have dry air returning with highs near 80. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Time with friends & Summer... and deep thoughts

Hot temps last week meant play time in the water in the backyard.  We have a couple sprinklers, but Summer loves her water table.  She would fill up a bucket and pour it on the garden plants.

Saturday morning Summer and I went for a run.  This is a new record for longest stroller run.  The wind was against us at first and that stroller is like a sailboat.

We had some friends come up to visit on Saturday night.  We had a lot of fun.The other two guys are my good friends from high school

Sunday was a great day for grilling... with the exception for the wind.  We went to visit more friends back near Dayton and we could watch the airshow a couple miles away.

Lot of sun to start yesterday and I challenged myself by adding another camera to my augmented reality live shots.  The other big challenge is the sun and taking the reflector on the far left and aiming at the spot I will be standing and setting both cameras to the right lighting setting since I was shooting the video all by myself.

The Good Day Garden is doing FANTASTIC! Tomatoes are getting big and so are the two zucchini plants.  Hopefully the beans come up soon and are not destroyed by the geese.  I do not think we will be able to get cucumbers because they keep killing those.

I’ve done a lot of reflective thinking lately. Instead of spending spare time on two wheels, I’ve spent more of it on two tethers or in my two running shoes. I’ve toyed with the idea of selling my motorcycle. I’ve been very careful to observe the driving habits of other drivers and noticing more and more distracted drivers. Especially in urban traffic. It only takes one person not paying attention and that could end my life or someone else trying to enjoy a ride. So instead of getting a ride in lately, I take Summer for a run, spend as much time as I can with Dawn, and learning to relax. I’ve reflected on the health and blessings I have and those around me have. Laying in the hammock is one of my new “happy places.” Maybe it’s because I see Summer’s eyes light up when she watches me get it out of the closet to go hang up. Anyway… Look twice for those out on two wheels…motorcycle or bike. We live in a digital age and our attention span is so short today, but longer today than it will be tomorrow.

Lots of sun today with a few clouds and a very, very slight chance of rain popping up later today, but most of Central Ohio will likely stay dry. More clear skies tonight and tomorrow with clouds building later in the day with warmer temps. Continuing to warm with some isolated showers and storms possible Thursday and Friday with a better chance of rain on Saturday. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Darke County visit, Columbus Pride, Gardening

I went back to Darke County last week with Summer.  We had a GREAT storm when entering the county.  I miss watching storms roll in over the farms.

Summer got to see her great grandma.  We hung out with my grandma for a while and it was great catching up with her. 

Friday I watered the garden since the rain was likely going to hold off until Sunday and some of the plants were looking dry.

Saturday we walked in the Pride Parade with the station.  So many happy people.  It was toasty, so we didn't hang out at the festival too long.

We stopped and got some Mexican food in the air conditioning.  Summer was loving the salsa.

I ended up watering the garden Saturday night as well.  I staked up all the plants as well and it was good that I did that because we had some gusty storms late Sunday and Monday. 

Speaking of Fathers' Day... I got a treat! A relaxing day with strawberry shortcake! YUM!

Lots of sun today with a few clouds later with comfortable temps and low humidity. A slight chance for rain tonight and Wednesday with isolated showers and storms. Temps heat up on Thursday with partly cloudy skies. Scattered showers and storms on Friday and Friday night that may linger into Saturday. Another round of rain possible Sunday. Cooler temps return next week. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Summer's 2nd birthday

Summer turned 2 on Saturday and her birthday party was a big success. My grandpa came up as well and it was great to have all the friends and family together.

She didn't understand why everyone was singing at her, but she did ask for some help to blow out the candle.

The ice cream and cake went over better this year and she LOVED the sugar.

AND!!! She started wearing sunglasses.  She would always play with our sunglasses and she was given a new pair that fit her and she loved them.

We went to the zoo on Sunday and the breeze was very nice since it was 90° and humid.

More scattered showers and storms today with a Marginal Risk for some gusty storms to become severe. Temperatures will climb to near 90 again today and humidity will stay high as well. Isolated rain will linger overnight then more scattered showers and storms on Thursday. A brief break in the rain for Friday for most of us, however more scattered showers and storms for the weekend and staying muggy. Slightly cooler temps return next week with highs in the lower 80s. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael