We celebrated summer this week with baseball – three nights of it, to be exact.  The Twin Cities was host to the US tradition of the MLB All Star Game and Home Run Derby.  Target Field sits in downtown Minneapolis, with the skyline looming beyond the outfield.  The stands were filled with Minnesotans and baseball fans from across the country, totaling over 41,000 people.  The setting was festive, the fans were all in great spirits, the players were enjoying the traditions, and the baseball was memorable.  The following night we took in a Minnesota tradition – a town ball game in Miesville.  Jack Ruhr stadium sits off a county road with the beauty of a mid-western sunset over the cornfields as its backdrop.  The Miesville Mudhens played well, but were not a match for the Austin Greyhounds on this night.  The crowd of about 100 locals enjoyed both the evening and the baseball.  Two contrasts – each with their own sense of grandeur and traditions.