By all accounts, it’s been an unusual autumn. We had summer-like weather into late September, then a cold front dipped down from Canada and turned our thermometers past fall and straight to winter and over four inches of snow. After a hard freeze many of us were afraid there would be no autumn color. Although it isn’t as prevalent as usual, there are some brilliant golden colors in the landscape. Yesterday I drove along the St. Croix River, north of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. I was treated to a brilliant display of gold and yellow as the road hugged the side of the river. The sun was setting the leaves aglow — one final hurrah for fall before the white of winter settles in.
landscapes
Dawn on the Mississippi River
We spent some time this past weekend driving south along the Mississippi River. On a beautiful fall day we drove to Wabasha and helped some friends with their grape harvest. With the warm sun, the smell of grapes on our hands, beautiful scenery, and good friends and conversation we picked Marquette grapes for about seven hours. After a delicious dinner-feast (coupled with the best wine!), we drove further south to Winona and spent the night. I got out of bed early, anxious to explore a town I hadn’t been to before. As the sun rose on a beautiful morning, the old bridge crossing the Mississippi River was silhouetted against the clouds that were streaming across the sky. After a couple of hours the clouds increased, the sun disappeared, the wind came up, and it started to rain. Luckily we had indoor activities planned – a visit to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum (a hidden gem, worth a good 2+ hour visit) and the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. It was a busy weekend, but one filled with new sights, good conversation, great company, and new adventures.
Water and sky
One of the joys of living in the upper Midwest is the ability to see “forever.” The sky is large and the vistas can go on forever. And in Minnesota (land of 10,000+ lakes), we have the wonderful opportunity to see the sky reflected in our beautiful lakes. Last week we put our canoe in one of the local lakes. It had been a day of thunderstorms and rain, but the clouds seemed to part and go around the lake. A warm summer’s evening, a bit of dinner, and a paddle on the lake is a great way to relax. Then add to that a beautiful sky, and summer is wonderful!
A picture-perfect sailing regatta
The 2009 Inter-Lake Regatta was held this weekend on White Bear Lake, with eight participating yacht clubs. This event dates back to the late 1800’s with a challenge regatta between the White Bear Yacht Club and the Minnetonka Yacht Club. The weather for Saturday’s races was cool and windy with wind gusts between 25 to 30 mph, with clouds and intermittent sun. We had the good fortune to be welcomed onto a pontoon boat owned by Peggy & Craig, who are both avid sailors and who were very generous in sharing their knowledge and information about the regatta. Plus, they were able to position their boat by the finish line, giving us a perfect perspective to see the maneuvering that took place right at the end. The clouds in the sky and the sun glistening off the lake and illuminating the sails made for some wonderful photographs. My thanks again to Peggy & Craig for their White Bear Lake hospitality!
Up north to the lake
“Up north to the lake” is the common weekend occurrence here, whether it’s a small lake or a big lake. And the biggest lake is Lake Superior. We spent the weekend in Ashland, Wisconsin, along the southern shore of Lake Superior. It was a perfect summer weekend — warm daytime temperatures, cooler nighttime temps, the lake close by, along with a special 4th of July celebration. We were treated to beautiful sunsets with calm waters that reflected the boats in the marina as well as the fireworks that were set off after dark. A perfect dose of summer relaxation!
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