<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[&#039;Homecoming&#039; Blog]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[sueannbowlingauthor]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/author/sueannbowlingauthor/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[North Pole Weather&nbsp;7/14/14]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>The sun rose this morning at 3:49, and will set 20 hours 15 minutes later, a minute after midnight tomorrow morning. It’s still rainy: 4.58” (well over twice the July normal) as of July 12, with more yesterday and even more predicted for next week. If this keeps up we could set a record for July as well as June.</p>
<p>The raised beds with herbs and mint are riotously green, and the mints especially are crowding each other out. The delphiniums were a little beaten down by all the rain, but they are now tied up. The tallest are close to 12’ high, and the flowers are just starting to open. I don’t actually grow peonies but they are one of the few commercial crops up here and are starting to show up at the Farmers’ Market. Seems that the blooming period here, in July, is at a time when there are very few parts of the world peonies are in bloom. Result? Several people are growing them for the international cut flower market.</p>
<p>My hair finally grew back from chemo to the point that I got a haircut. I thought all the curl would be cut off, but a little wave still remains. I’ve included some before and after shots, which you can compare with the ones last fall.</p>
<p>
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		<div data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":12927556,"permalink":"https:\/\/homecomingbook.wordpress.com\/2014\/07\/14\/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1\/"}' id='gallery-9725-2' class='gallery galleryid-9725 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>
			<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/before-cutting-back/'><img width="138" height="150" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting-back.jpg?w=138&#038;h=150" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-9725-2-9731" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting-back.jpg?w=138 138w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting-back.jpg?w=276 276w" sizes="(max-width: 138px) 100vw, 138px" data-attachment-id="9731" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/before-cutting-back/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting-back.jpg" data-orig-size="1855,2010" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1404986415&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.04&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="before cutting, back" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Before my haircut&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting-back.jpg?w=277" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting-back.jpg?w=945" /></a>
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				Before my haircut
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			<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/before-cutting/'><img width="135" height="150" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting.jpg?w=135&#038;h=150" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-9725-2-9730" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting.jpg?w=135 135w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting.jpg?w=270 270w" sizes="(max-width: 135px) 100vw, 135px" data-attachment-id="9730" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/before-cutting/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting.jpg" data-orig-size="1204,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1404986395&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="before cutting" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Another shot of my curls after chemotherapy&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting.jpg?w=271" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-cutting.jpg?w=925" /></a>
			</dt>
				<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-9725-2-9730'>
				Another shot of my curls after chemotherapy
				</dd></dl><dl class='gallery-item'>
			<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/after-cutting-back/'><img width="135" height="150" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting-back.jpg?w=135&#038;h=150" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-9725-2-9729" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting-back.jpg?w=135 135w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting-back.jpg?w=270 270w" sizes="(max-width: 135px) 100vw, 135px" data-attachment-id="9729" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/after-cutting-back/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting-back.jpg" data-orig-size="1992,2215" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1404989709&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="after cutting, back" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Still a little wavy after cutting&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting-back.jpg?w=270" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting-back.jpg?w=921" /></a>
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				Still a little wavy after cutting
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			<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/after-cutting/'><img width="132" height="150" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting.jpg?w=132&#038;h=150" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-9725-2-9728" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting.jpg?w=132 132w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting.jpg?w=264 264w" sizes="(max-width: 132px) 100vw, 132px" data-attachment-id="9728" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/after-cutting/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting.jpg" data-orig-size="1245,1416" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1404989775&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="after cutting" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;But I&#8217;m looking more like myself.&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting.jpg?w=264" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-cutting.jpg?w=900" /></a>
			</dt>
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				But I&#8217;m looking more like myself.
				</dd></dl><dl class='gallery-item'>
			<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/peony-colors/'><img width="133" height="150" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/peony-colors.jpg?w=133&#038;h=150" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-9725-2-9727" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/peony-colors.jpg?w=133 133w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/peony-colors.jpg?w=266 266w" sizes="(max-width: 133px) 100vw, 133px" data-attachment-id="9727" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/peony-colors/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/peony-colors.jpg" data-orig-size="1937,2188" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1405172233&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Peony colors" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;These are the most common colors for the local peonies.&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/peony-colors.jpg?w=266" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/peony-colors.jpg?w=907" /></a>
			</dt>
				<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-9725-2-9727'>
				These are the most common colors for the local peonies.
				</dd></dl><dl class='gallery-item'>
			<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<a href='https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/white-peony/'><img width="150" height="132" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/white-peony.jpg?w=150&#038;h=132" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-9725-2-9726" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/white-peony.jpg?w=150 150w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/white-peony.jpg?w=300 300w" sizes="(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" data-attachment-id="9726" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/north-pole-weather-71414-ian1/white-peony/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/white-peony.jpg" data-orig-size="2724,2400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1405172257&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.004&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="White Peony" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;And some are pure white.&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/white-peony.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/white-peony.jpg?w=1024" /></a>
			</dt>
				<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-9725-2-9726'>
				And some are pure white.
				</dd></dl><br style="clear: both" />
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