About Brainerd's Nisswa

August 1-3, 2008 will be an exciting time in Duluth, Minnesota as three tall ships will be sailing into port. Visitors can take on-board tours of these fascinating replicas of historic vessels. The ships will be in port in the Duluth harbor as part of the Duluth Maritime Festival, celebrating the state's Sesquicentennial ( even harder to say than type).

The ships are the: U.S. Niagara which is 198 feet long and the schooner, Pride of Baltimore II at only 157 feet. Both of these are replicas of the warships that took part in the War of 1912 against Great Britain. The third ship is a demure Madeline at a delicate 92 feet, which is a replica of an 1840s schooner used as a commercial vessel.

Tours of the ships are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday. To buy tickets, go to www.decc.org and link to Ticketmaster.

For information on visiting Duluth, including hotel rooms cqll 800-4-Duluth or go to www.visitduluth.com.

We are now in our fourth month in a row of below average temperatures. It is still entirely possible that we may even get more snow. There are still a few banks of snow left and some patches in low areas in the heavily forested regions around the Brainerd Lakes. At least, the lakes had no ice remaining for our Governor's fishing opener.

I am taking a week off soon to go warm up in Florida, enough is enough. I will be bringing my staging partner back with me, after another long year of college in the sunny state.

For help preparing your home for this competitive market call Re$ale Design & Home Staging. Why leave money on the table?

Now if you are baking a ham or just ready to try something different for a side complement or even as a breakfast brunch dish - this is the one. Of course, you have to be a pineapple lover and we at the Lordbock house are. Our favorite pizza is sausage and pineapple. It is delicious and I found the recipe in our local newspaper.

1 large can crushed pineapple, drained, save the juice

1 cup milk

1 stick butter

2 cups sugar

8 to 10 slices fresh bread, cubed

2 eggs

Cube bread;put in a 9x13 inch pan. Slice one stick of butter into small pieces and layer over bread. Combine the milk. sugar and eggs. Pour over bread. Cover with drained pineapple. Drizzle 2 tablespoons juice over the top. Refrigerate overnight and baked the next day at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until the eggs are set.