Hiking

Terceira

We arrived on the island of Terceira a day before our official tour with OAT began.

We wanted to acclimate our body clocks, plus we wanted to get a hike in with our friends we travel with.

We had a good weather, a sunny day and an interesting hike up Mount Brasil.

Looking over a caldera, to the Atlantic Ocean.

The next day we met our OAT tour group. OAT promotes discoveries and experiences, so they bring the groups to small, local businesses and out of the way places, and even make unscheduled stops. One day we stopped at a farmer’s market and a fishing dock to talk with a local fisherman, neither one on the schedule for that day.

At the fishing dock, a local fisherman shows us the bait that has been assembled for the next round of fishing. These are fish heads/parts secured on a hook for a fishing line.

A few of the many experiences on the island of Terceira was a small winery tour, an organic coffee/banana plantation tour, seeing the dramatic tide pools, and having dinner with a local family. All were remarkable in their own way.

Buildings for the winery built from lava rock.

Several volcanic rock walls create an amazing vineyard.

The Materramenta Winery was interesting. The vineyards were enclosed, and divided, by volcanic rock walls making it picturesque,

Some grapevines were planted in rows in a small area.

Other vines were planted in deep volcanic rock holes – a special planting method. photo gb

plus adding a unique and great flavor to the wines apparently.

The olive tree in the corner is to detract birds from eating the grapes. photo gb

The lava rock walls were strategically put together to allow air flow.

After a tour of the vineyard, we were invited into a tasting room with a long, welcoming table.

Setting for our wine tasting at this small winery.

The coffee/banana plantation was so different from the winery, yet beautiful in a different way. It was very lush.

José, the owner of an organic coffee and banana plantation gives us a tour.

José, has expanded his small business into eco lodging and built a few small camping cabins in the midst of the plantation.

A nice camping cabin on the coffee plantation, complete with indoor plumbing!

The a-line cabins were inviting, and are creating more income for this family.

One of my favorite pictures at one of my favorite spots on our trip.

One of my two favorite activities on Terceira was going to the Biscoitos tide pools to watch the waves crash over the volcanic boulders along the shore.

Mini waterfalls created by waves crashing in.

It was mesmerizing. A fellow traveler commented with waterfalls the water flows down, but along the shore when the waves hit the rocks the water bursts up into the air.

Another favorite activity was a local home visit. One evening our big group was divided into three small groups and folks on the island invited us into their houses for a home-cooked dinner, and for a peek at how the islanders live. It was wonderful.

We were invited into this beautiful home for dinner. photo gb

Due to different circumstances, our host was on his own with all six of us, but his wife had the meal mostly prepared and he pulled it off flawlessly. He was a great host and his 17-year-old and 6-year-old joined us near the end of dinner. We had a delightful evening.

Roger, our home host, adding the final touches to dessert.

And that was not all (that we did on Terceira)…But it is enough…(for now).

The North Shore

We went up to the north shore to celebrate my birthday last week.

There was a beautiful sunrise the morning of my birthday, and the sun continued to shine all day long.

We wanted to do a little hiking. We had tried hiking at Gooseberry Falls the day before, but we had to turn back due to a very icy trail. Although there was no snow on the ground anywhere, the shaded trails in the woods still had ice cover making it difficult to hike on them.

When we stopped for a specialty coffee at Vanilla Bean in Two Harbors, another customer joined our conversation with the waitress about places to hike in the area that might not be icy. The stranger asked us about the Gitchi-Gami bike trail. And it was one of those ah-ha moments; “I can’t believe we didn’t think about the wonderful paved bike trail with sections all along the north shore.”

An portion of the Gitchi-Gami Bike trail along Lake Superior.

So we found our safe place to hike along Lake Superior, and it was lovely.

Besides the sparkling lake, we saw different images on two different hikes. Do you see what I see?

A bat…a sheet of ice still clinging to a large rock in Lake Superior, facing south (no sun to melt it).

The head of a wolf (right), and a deer lying down looking out (left) in the hollow of a tree.

Several little bear cubs climbing up the tree.

It was a fun birthday; with hiking, cabin time, and watching the waves roll in. A great beginning to another trip around the sun.

A Week Later…

Last week we had below zero temperatures.

This week…balmy temperatures…comparatively.

The Faribo Flyers Bike & Ski club have an annual winter picnic. This past Sunday was the day for this winter, and it was 50* outside. Instead of being bundled in all our winter gear and eating with our mittens on as per usual, we were wearing our spring jackets enjoying the unusually warm weather. What a difference a day makes.

This photo was taken in 2021. There was not that much snow on the ground at River Bend Nature Center this year.

After hiking almost 4 miles, we came back to a large bonfire in the oval fire ring…all ready for us to roast hot dogs and enjoy all the goodies everyone brought for the potluck portion. It was tasty – we think food always tastes better in the outdoors. Nobody was standing around the fire to keep warm. We were engaged in conversations and relaxing in the Sunday afternoon sunshine.

It’s easy to play outside in this kind of weather…

The goats were fun to watch at River Bend. 2/2/25

On another note…we have hiked at River Bend a few times this winter. Before the cold snap, there were goats penned in a large area to eat the invasive Buckthorn. They were fun to watch. Apparently there were 120 of them! They removed the goats due to the extreme cold temperatures last week, but plan to bring them back again this spring to let them munch in another location.

Frozen Falls

We went for a hike the other day, in 40* weather. We’ve had a few below zero days this winter, but last week we had a stretch of unusually warm weather for a typical January in Minnesota.

We have had only one measureable snowfall, and that was in December, so there is not much snow lying on the ground. As we hiked the trails through the bare trees in Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, we were walking on dirt. The sun was shining bright, with no clouds in the sky. The temperature climbed into the 50’s by afternoon.

When we arrived at the park, we noticed a group of hikers were just starting their journey on the trail we usually hike. So we decided to reverse directions and “start at the end of the trail.”

After a while we came to the creek, frozen over. As we crossed the bridge we took in the pretty sight of a smooth, sparkling white curve cutting through the brown landscape, with a blue sky overhead. It looked like an inviting trail, not a creek.

Gary walking on iced-over concrete blocks.

We continued on, crossing a frozen patch in the creek, covering the concrete block path that serves as a way across Prairie Creek normally.

We arrived at Hidden Falls. We wondered if there would be any water flowing and found it completely frozen over. It was like the White Witch of Narnia had cast her spell on these falls and the water froze instantly, in place.

Hidden Falls in Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.

It was beautiful…this blanket of white ice on this unusually warm day. Such a contrast between no snow on the ground, brown soil and trees, blue sky and lots of frozen water. It was such a great winter scene.

You can picture the water falling and splashing over the falls, now frozen in place.

We managed to sneak in a couple of photos before the other hikers descended upon us. They asked us to take their photo, and reciprocated and took ours. We found out they were a hiking club from the cities and they were identifying trees in winter. I think that would be difficult.

We continued on our fun hike…glad to be out of doors on such a winter’s day.

“Frosty outside, toasty inside.”

Those were the words I wrote in a cabin journal, inviting guests to leave comments about their experience at a camping cabin where we recently stayed for a couple of nights. These camping cabins have heat and electricity. They have large bunkbeds, built-in shelves, table with benches, but no indoor plumbing. There was water available close to the cabin.

The newly built cabins were well-made with pine siding, and the wonderful smell of pine permeated them. They have a screen porch (not useful in winter) and great views. It wasn’t really “glamping”, but coming in from the freezing temperatures outside, into the warm, cozy temperatures inside the cabin felt luxurious.

We scheduled a few days away at the cabin long before we knew there would be below zero temperatures. We brought along hand warmers and toe warmers and all our outdoor, winter gear we needed to be comfortable outside.

We were hoping to cross-country ski and snowshoe, but there was little snow on the ground so that didn’t happen. We managed to get in a couple hikes and have a camp fire to grill hotdogs.

The sun glistening on the snow-covered lake and the golden prairie grass along the trails showed off the beauty of a Minnesota winter.

The full moon in January is called the wolf moon.

There was an added bonus of the full January wolf moon. Getting up in the middle of the night to walk outside to the restroom was made tolerable because of the moon shining down, casting a charming spell on the landscape. We didn’t even need a flashlight to light our way to the heated, shower house. It made walking in the below zero temperatures a little less painful. 😉

It was a fun get away, and most definitely…frosty outside and toasty inside.

Color and Light, Morning to Night

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.  
                                                                                                Psalm 118:24

7:03 am on 10/1/24… the moment of sunrise.

A couple hours later we trekked up Oberg Mountain and saw more beautiful colors of a different kind. Once again, I was grateful to be able to hike this trail, and was thankful to have the opportunity to do so.

10:15 am on 10/1/24…a view out to Lake Superior on the Oberg Trail.

10:30 am on 10/1/24… one of seven outlooks on the Oberg Trail.

And back at the cabin…the lovely, wispy clouds.

The sky was constantly changing, but the waves continue to roll in, year after year, reminding me of God’s faithfulness.

7:43 pm on 10/1/24… the cabin backlit by the early evening light.

8:30 pm on 10/1/24 …the end of our day, fire light on the rocks and a stunning display of stars overhead in the night sky.

Amen.

A Gift of Water

A writing assignment was to answer this question… Has a stranger ever helped you at a difficult time? The answer is yes, and here’s the story.

Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. photo vb

In 2015 we visited our son and his wife and our first grand-baby, Zoey, in Mozambique, Africa. We planned a side trip to Cape Town, South Africa as a chance to see another part of the continent. One of our most exciting, but challenging adventures there was to climb Table Mountain.

Photo by Robert Huczek on Unsplash (free internet photos)

Table Mountain is a beautiful sight overlooking Cape Town, and from a distance it looks like a table, thus the name.

A view of Cape Town off one side of Table Mountain. photo vb

Gary and I are used to hiking and have done a lot over the years. We’ve hiked some difficult terrains. Table Mountain ended up being one of the harder hikes I’ve done, but I didn’t know that when we started out. We donned our hiking boots and hats, and filled our water bottles and started up the steep path. There were several other hikers on this trail. It was hot, it was rocky, and it was pretty much straight up.

On our way up the rocky trail to the top of Table Mountain. photo gb

We were struggling. About two-thirds the way up there was an outcropping that provided a shady area, so we stopped to rest. A fit, young man came from behind us and noticed I was overheated. He asked if we had water. Yes, we did, thank you. Then he said to me, hold out your hat. I did as he said, and he poured HIS water into my hat and told me to tip it over my head. I did, and it felt so incredibly good to drench my hot self with the cool water.

After that, the young man continued on his merry way, and I was so grateful for his random act of kindness, and soon we continued our trek upward.

Note the cable car coming down from the station at the top of Table Mountain. photo vb

We rejoiced when we arrived at the top. We joined many folks enjoying the stunning vistas on this beautiful, sunny day (reaching the top by cable car or on foot). Then, as was our plan, we took the cable car down the mountain.

From the window of the rotating cable car, going down Table Mountain. photo vb

I was grateful for this young man’s random act of kindness that day on Table Mountain. What a delight to be treated so kindly… on a mountain trail… in a foreign country.

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

On my drive out to Nerstrand state park, I was thinking about our Minnesota State Parks. They are definitely a valuable resource and I’m thankful they have been established so that I/everyone can get outside in nature, and explore.

I haven’t been to all 65 of the state parks, but we have visited many of them over the years. We did a lot of camping in earlier days.

There are seven state parks along the north shore of Lake Superior that are scenic and connect to the “big lake” somehow. The others, scattered throughout the state, are inviting too. Nerstrand Big Woods State Park is about a 20-minute drive from our house. Maybe because I frequent it so often all year long, it has become one of my favorite state parks. A place to hike, to picnic, to camp…a place of beauty and rejuvenation… and so close to home.

As I starting walking down a familiar trail and saw the lime, spring-green leaves overhead (unique to this season), breathed in the fresh air, and heard birds singing, I sighed; this is exactly what I needed. I was happy to be here.

I was a little late to see some of the more familiar spring ephermals in bloom…the dwarf trout lily (found only in a few places in the world) being one of them…but there were other spring flowers blooming and it was fun to walk along and identify them.

Many of the parks, especially along the north shore, have water falls, as does Nerstrand. Hidden Falls is smaller, but still lovely. The recent rains made for a full spilling over. I sat and watched the mesmerizing water flow.

This beautiful bloom hangs under the large leaf of the mayapple plant. You need to look for it.

There were many mayapples with hidden blooms underneath their umbrella leaves.

I always feel safe walking the trails by myself in this park.

It was a great way to start my day.

Painting Rocks

On our recent trip to visit our son and his family in North Carolina, I brought along my rock painting materials. I had collected several smooth stones for the grandkids to paint, and I prepared them ahead of time by painting the background black.

We set up our work area by placing a cheap, plastic table cloth over the kitchen island. We put on old t-shirts to protect our clothing.

We took out the paints and put a few drops of paint in each indention of the little palettes I brought along. We set out our paint brushes, and a glass of water in a plastic glass to clean our brushes in-between colors. Then we sat down to paint.

We each painted about 6-8 rocks with non-toxic acrylic paints. We painted some designs but mostly words (and some design with words). Our intent was to bring them on our next hike and place each stone strategically along a path for others to find the painted rocks.

The kids loved that idea, although they did want to keep a couple rocks for themselves. I sprayed lacquer, to set the paint color, on the two they wanted to keep.

The next day we went to the near-by nature preserve, which we visit often. On our hike we stopped occassionally, to place a painted rock on the ground next to the trail, hoping someone would enjoy finding these special treasures.

I know I always enjoy finding positive messages in unexpected places. A good time was had by all, and hopefully for those who find the rocks.

The grandkids have gone home and the Christmas decorations and beautiful Christmas tree have been taken down, and it feels too quiet in the house.

A brochure with a map was at one entrance to the trail.

Nature always offers healing energy and is good for the soul, so we have done some hiking to help move on and to take advantage of this mild December/January weather (and no ice).

Over the past few days, we have hiked at Big Woods Nerstrand State Park, walked the Dundas Trail and on paved paths in the north section of town, and hiked in the lower Carleton arb with the Faribo Flyers bike club. There is a lot of evidence of beaver activity along the river in the lower arb…well over 50 trees taken down.

Swirls of white snow and ice make pretty pattern on Heath Creek.

We also hiked on a trail in the St. Olaf College Natural lands. There is a well-defined, wooded trail that meanders along Heath Creek, and it is a hidden gem. The winter landscape is pretty for this time of year; there is light snow and ice forming patterns around the rocks in the creek, the forest floor is full of brown oak leaves. The water is flowing strong and you can hear the sound of the babbling brook as you walk along side it.

There are many mature oak trees on the trail, and some with unusual characteristics that is noticeable without its foliage. One has a branch growing straight out from the trunk, another tree has six sturdy trunks coming from one lone trunk. A very huge oak tree has fallen over the river…the enormous root system upended on one side of the creek, the trunk laying across the creek, and the upper part of the tree with its large branches on the other side of the creek…it almost could be a bridge across. (I couldn’t capture it on photo).

This oak tree has a branch growing out at a perpendicular level.

We had hiked this trail before, maybe a year ago, but now that we’ve rediscovered it, I think we will be hiking it more often.

I didn’t recognize this reddish tree. My app told me it was a red cedar.

It’s nice to have so many green spaces (natural spaces – as they are not so green in the winter) to access within such a short distance of Northfield. Each hike this week was enjoyable in its own way, and rejuvenating.

Good medicine for the soul.