I have just returned from a week’s vacation to my previous home state of Washington. Accompanied by unusually cool temperatures and a handful of my dear friends I was able to walk and hike my way through old stomping grounds, and even explore some new ones. After a 5-mile Rampart Ridge hike at Mount Rainier we found the perfect way to relax — beers on the porch of the National Park Inn with a view up the valley to the mountain. A few days later I was walking along a 2-mile boardwalk over the Nisqually River delta while the tide was returning. That was followed by exploring the Lavender Festival and various artist’s studios while in Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula. And my final “hike” was an urban one around Green Lake in Seattle, followed by a great seafood dinner. My rainy and cool trip to the Pacific Northwest ended with a late-night flight back to the heat and humidity that’s gripping the midwest. Traveling east we flew past the mountains and across the plains, leaving the pinks of the sunset behind us. And with towering thunder clouds and lightning storms off to the north, we landed into the bright lights of the Twin Cities. A quick trip filled with shared conversations, laughs, great food, abundant memories, and a bevy of best friends!
landscapes
Savoring summer
Although Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes that is actually quite modest as there are thousands more. The advantage for those of us in urban areas in the state is that we are never very far from a wonderful lake. Within a 10-mile radius of our home are a dozen plus lakes to enjoy. On a calm summer’s evening earlier this week, we launched our canoe for a leisurely paddle. We took along a light dinner to enjoy, a transistor radio to listen to the baseball game, and good attitudes to relax and appreciate the beauty of summer in Minnesota. The colors of the sky and sunset reflected in the quiet waters of the lake. In this photo you can see the power lines and electrical towers of the city, but you can’t see the interstate highway that is just on the other side of the far tree line. On this evening there was no noise audible from the traffic, and we were serenaded by the call of a loon that was residing somewhere on the lake. Except for the power lines, we could have easily been miles away from our urban life. We were out on the lake for only a couple of hours but this short respite from the hustle and bustle, the noise and cacophony of the city life was a wonderful way to appreciate and savor the best of the summer season.
Wisconsin’s wild lupine
We ventured north this weekend to the shores of Lake Superior. After a miserably cold and rainy week the weather cleared in perfect time for the weekend, and with little to no winds and mild temperatures it was a wonderful time to explore new areas. We wandered the highways and county roads of northern Wisconsin and even went to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After the wet and late spring we’ve had, the roadsides are now in full bloom. We were first treated to the white daisies and orange hawk weed that were abundant throughout the central part of Wisconsin. Then as we reached the south shore of Lake Superior and continued to the north in Bayfield County, the lupine were in their prime. I had seen photos of the wild lupine in the Bayfield area before, but they appeared to be in a large garden area. I was not prepared for the plethora of blooms that were gracing the sides of the highways. This photo was taken along the side of Highway 13 just north of Washburn. With their blue, purple, pink, and white spikes they were a treat to the eyes and a reminder of how much we appreciate the colors of spring that replace the white of our winter season.
On Big Rice Lake
Due to my recent broken arm and tendon surgery I was not ready to participate in the traditional fishing opener here in Minnesota. I was close but not completely operational a few weeks ago. But thanks to my physical therapy (and a late spring) it was time to test my hand and my fishing skills. We headed north yesterday to a beautiful lake in Cass County, Big Rice Lake. The weather was iffy – possible showers, possible storms, possible sun (in other words, nobody could really predict what it would be). We loaded up the canoe with layers of jackets and rain coats, sunscreen, rods, reels, and good humor. What we were greeted with could not have been expected — a wonderfully calm day with hardly a ripple across the surface of the lake. We were enveloped by a beautiful sky which seemed even more immense as it was reflected in the still lake surface. The clouds danced on the water as we drifted along. A few hours later we’d seen red-winged blackbirds protecting their nests, heard the call of loons from various corners of the lake, gotten a little bit sunburned, and caught our limit of northerns. And after we’d packed up our gear and fish, loaded the canoe back onto the car, and left the boat landing the rain began to come down.
The smell of lilacs
One of the most anticipated events of spring is the blooming of lilacs. Although their bloom time is short it is one that is noticeable throughout our area. All along the alleys, highways, and even interstates, lilacs are used as buffers to noise. They can grow to be huge bushes, towering way over the houses, with their blooms stretching upwards into the sky. We took our canoe out for a short paddle and fishing adventure one evening this past week. By the time we returned to the house the sun had set and the night had become very still. The air temperature was warm and moist from the rains of earlier in the day. As we unloaded our canoe and gear we were surrounded by the sweet smell of the lilacs that was lingering in the night air. It was delightful and memorable, and I made a point to cut some of the lilacs to bring into the house, trying to extend the time and appreciation of their short-lived spring scent.
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