How often is it that one starts to go to point A, makes a wrong turn, finds point B, and discovers something unexpected and remarkable? One late afternoon this past week, I was headed north out of Saint Paul to meet a friend. With an extra 25 to 30 minutes to spare, I got off the interstate to wander to a side highway. Fortunately (?) I missed the turn and continued east, and stumbled into the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area. My GPS showed lakes and sloughs on either side of me. As I wandered down an unpaved road I came to a dike. The sun was low in the sky and bathed the gold and red leaves in a warm evening light, offering up this late fall color, accompanied by the sounds of geese honking overhead. All this beauty of nature was unexpectedly waiting for me on the outskirts of the city, yet it transported me to a wild and natural area far removed from the day’s hustle and bustle.
landscapes
Autumn carpet
This may have been our last weekend for fall color here in the Twin Cities. As the past week progressed we had cooler temps, rain, and more wind, culminating in yet another early snowfall on Friday. With all these conditions the leaves have been falling much more regularly, carpeting the lawns, sidewalks, and streets. I took a walk along the Mississippi River Road on the Saint Paul side of the River. The temps were mild and there were many people enjoying the sights and smells of autumn. Along the path I saw a small grouping of trees that had lost all their red leaves. At first I was disappointed that I hadn’t seen their vibrant display a few days earlier, and then I realized that the leaves were still just as stunning except that they were carpeting the ground. By lying down on this lush carpet (and confusing many of the passers-by), I was able to focus on the covering of red and gold and remind myself that sometimes the beauty of fall isn’t just at eye level and on the trees, but is often spread out before us at our feet.
Golden autumn colors
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.
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!
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