After a two month hiatus I am returning to the monthly wrap-ups with the July 2021 edition. This month will include a comparison of prices as well as a summary of events. Even though the book reviews are fewer, the gardening and travel offer plenty to discuss.
Covid-19 and Summer Travel
Without a deep dive into the numbers, it is hard to correlate the media reports of new Covid-19 outbreaks with observation. In the last six weeks I have put 5000 miles on my Subaru Outback crossing the country. Thirteen states in all. People are travelling everywhere. In addition to a few examples of gas shortages, hotel rooms along interstate highways are also in high demand.
I still prefer to pack food along in a cooler. But to be honest this habit developed pre-pandemic. At the end of a long day of travel, often the last thing I want to do is find a restaurant. Picnic lunches at rest areas also hold an attraction over fast food.
July 2021 Travel
The longest trip in July took me all the way to Florida for the Celebrating Life event honoring my Mom. The much needed closure allowed me to see family that I was separated from during the Covid-19 pandemic. I truly hope this pandemic will run its course and does not get repeated in my lifetime.
I took a slight detour through Texas Hill Country on the return trip. It has been more than a decade since my last visit. This is a beautiful part of the country. And worth leaving the Interstate system to visit. Rural areas suddenly turn into small (and not so small cities) and vice versa. Fair warning, the torrential downpours still occur almost daily. Of course that makes for good grazing. I saw plenty of herds on my trip including the infamous longhorns. But no white Cadillacs with the horns on front. Most likely an iconic image of the past.
July 2021 In The Garden
The toughest part of travel in the summer is the neglect to the garden. Fortunately, the Raised Row technique I use keeps the Big Garden relatively free of weeds. However, a few cucumbers grew so big that they became food for my niece’s chickens. I did have enough of the right size to turn into six pints of pickles. The canning season is just getting started.
The first of the potatoes and the last of the garlic have also been harvested. Green beans, eggplant and tomatoes are all starring in the garden. Unfortunately, there have been casualties as well. Neither the artichoke nor the avocado were able to survive the neglect.
We are fortunate the rains continue. The most recent storm dropped over an inch. Plenty to help with the veggies which seem to prefer natural water over human supplied. The rain also helps keep the utility bill in check.
Overgrown Cucumbers
Fair Time
It is county fair time on the High Plains. Last year many of the fairs were cancelled or mere shadows of previous years. This year should be a return to normal. For those of you in major cities, many counties here have been without a case in months while the more populated counties average one every week or ten days. Thus it is hard for inhabitants to want to maintain isolation.
County fairs in this part of the country focus on the 4-H kids. They also offer rodeos and parades. The fairs are community events. Most of the county high schools have all school reunions in election years. That was skipped last year. A lost year. All school reunions are possible because average class sizes hover in the dozens-or fewer.
Price Comparisons in July 2021
My travel in July 2021 allowed me a glimpse at prices across the country. Gasoline has been the most intriguing. While it is $2.79 in my home town, a high of $3.65 was spotted in both Colorado and Tennessee.
I did some grocery shopping in Florida. The comparisons were quite interesting. Twenty pounds of rice in Florida is almost half what I pay. But the beef prices were much, much higher. I chalk that up to transportation costs.
Thus, the timing for the Inflation Check Challenge is perfect. The current quarter price comparison follows.
Inflation Check Challenge
| Item | Amount | January Price | April Price | July Price | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planet Oat Extra Creamy Original Oat Milk | 52 Oz | $3.49 | $3.99 | $2.99 | July Price on sale Regular price $3.99 |
| Small Bag Signature Select Sugar | 4 Lbs | $2.99 | $1.99 | $2.99 | April Price on Sale Regular Price $2.99 |
| Signature Select Cream Style Corn | 14.75 Oz | $0.69 | $0.79 | $0.79 | |
| Fleischmanns Active Dry Yeast | 4 Oz | $6.99 | $6.99 | $7.19 | July Price Increase of $0.20 |
| Bananas | 1 Lb. | $0.59 | $0.55 | $0.59 | A return to January prices after a April dip. |
| Kraft Real Mayo | 30 OZ | $3.79/$4.99 | $3.99/$4.99 | $3.79/$4.99 | A return to the January Sale Price |
| Meow Mix | 6.3 Lbs | $7.78 | $7.78 | $7.78 | |
| Morton Salt | 26 Oz | $0.94/$1.19 | $0.99/$$1.19 | $0.99/$1.19 | |
| Crest Pro Health Toothpaste | 4.6 Oz | $4.99/$5.99 | $3.99/$5.49 | $3.49/$3.99 | A continued decline in price |
| Align Probiotics | 28 Count | $26.58 | $26.58 | $26.58 | |
| Tide Botanical Rain Detergent | 92 Oz | $11.97 | $11.97 | $11.97 | |
| Kerr Regular Mouth Canning Lids | 12 Count | $3.18 | $2.88 | $2.28 | Sold Out in Both April and July |
| 3M Ad. Allergy Furnace Filter | 1 | $15.88 | $15.88 | $15.88 | Sold Out in July |
| Dunkin Donut-Boston Cream | 1 | $0.99 | $1.09 | $1.17 | |
| Regular Unleaded Gasoline | 1 Gal | $2.36 | $2.79 | $2.79 | In January and April prices were within a few cents. July prices had a twenty cent range in town. |
I am wondering why you select oat milk … as opposed to soy, or almond. I have not tasted it yet, but you might convince me to try it.
Good question. We have found oats to naturally lower bad cholesterol, the LDL, and so we have oatmeal five or six days a week and use oat milk in our lunchtime smoothies. A good resource is this article from the Mayo clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/cholesterol/art-20045192