After record-breaking heat this past week we finally cooled down a bit yesterday. And with a Saturday evening with nothing to do we loaded the canoe on the car, grabbed our fishing rods, and headed out for some lake-time. As we put in to the water the winds died down, and as sunset approached we knew we were in for a treat. Our paddles whispered as they entered the water, the dragonflies were dancing over the surface, and we could glide over the lily pads in quiet. I would fish, then stop and photograph. I’d then put my camera away convinced that the sunset couldn’t get any better, only to pull it back out again. It was a wonderful way to end the day – the quiet of the lake and a mess of sunfish and crappies. And when this morning dawned with quiet and calm too, I headed out early on my bicycle for a quick ride. Like last night there was a great magic in the early hours. The birds were awakening, there was little traffic, the wildflowers were blooming by the sides of the road, and my bike tires sailed smoothly across the pavement. These truly are the “magic hours” and they make me appreciate all that is wonderful about this time and this place.
Minnesota
Garlic harvest
We’re trying some new things in our vegetable garden this year, one of which is garlic. Last November we planted a variety of different bulbs, covered them, and waited for the spring to see if they survived the winter. They shot up through the ground and just this weekend we were able to begin a harvest of a couple of the earlier types. It was a treat to dig up the bulbs from the ground and see their size and color. This particular variety is called Xian and has these beautiful reddish-purple stripes to it. They’ll now hang to dry, and soon I’ll be able to report on their taste. But if their flavor is as good as their photo-worthiness we should be in great shape!
Bel Air red and gold
For the past 39 years the Minnesota Street Rod Association has held its Back to the 50’s Weekend here in Saint Paul. What started with just a few friends has now grown to over 13,000 members worldwide. For three days our neighborhood by the state fairgrounds has been graced with the most beautiful classic cars cruising down the streets. This weekend brought more than 11,000 custom cars, street rods, and classics that all date from 1964 and before; there was certainly something to excite everyone. I spent a few hours walking the streets today and admiring the cars. On a sunny and warm day the brilliant paint all buffed to a shine was picking up reflections from all around. This wonderful rear fin on a red Bel Air was reflecting the golden colors of the car just next to it. Instantly this whole panel came alive in brightness. It would have been impossible to not smile at these colors of summer so beautifully displayed.
Kilian Donahue clematis
We have had an unusually wet spring with over nine inches of rain during the month of May alone. Although that has been a challenge in trying to schedule training miles for our upcoming bicycle ride, one of the wonderful benefits of all the moisture is that our vegetation and yards are gorgeously green and verdant. We’re fortunate to have a large variety of clematis gracing our yard, and this has to be one of the very best years to enjoy their beautiful blooms. Our Kilian Donahue clematis is in full bloom – lush with blossoms. The blooms of this particular clematis actually change colors from a light pink to a deep fuchsia to a pale lavender. It is a treat to be in the yard and see all the clematis colors, from the pinks to the purples, the reds, the whites, and the palest of lavenders.
Back on the bike
I’m pleased to say that with rest and medication my back is strong again. But after having taken a week to recuperate I was worried about the loss of training for our long bicycle ride that’s fast approaching. I did a test ride a few days ago and things seemed fine, so this weekend we were “cramming” our rides: 30 miles on Saturday, 40 miles on Sunday, and 50 miles today. I’m happy to say we succeeded (and we’re still standing too!). But our weekend brought a little bit of everything. The last half of our Saturday ride was finished in a torrential downpour. Although we waited out the thunder and lightning in a Subway store, we couldn’t wait out the rain and we arrived home looking like the proverbial “drowned rats”. Sunday’s ride was in 90 degree temps with high humidity and a 25 mph headwind. And today’s ride started with a 10 mph headwind and temps in the 70’s, but we turned the headwind into a great tailwind on the return. We’re fortunate to have access to some wonderful bicycling trails here in Minnesota. Sunday we rode on a segment of the Gateway Trail which originates in Saint Paul. Today we started our ride in Faribault and rode the Sakatah Singing Hills Trail through the woods and pasture-lands of the central area of the Minnesota. This area was once part of the “Big Woods” of the state and provided some welcome shade and beautiful surroundings. Being able to experience the landscape and surroundings on a bicycle is one of the best ways to see an area, and this week we’ve seen a lot!
lindastaatsphoto.com 