This wraps up my series on our trip to Norway. However, other stories may pop up in the future.
In Norway, being close to the sea every day, surrounded by amazing beauty, was an incredible gift.
A scene off the western coast of Norway.
I felt so at home. I felt I belonged.
By the sea, and lovin’ it!
In Minnesota, my happy place is on the shores of Lake Superior. I felt the same feelings in Norway, as I do when I’m up on the north shore.
The shores of Lake Superior.
I’ve been told my Grandmother Elizabeth loved being up on the north shore too. It reminded her of the homeland she left behind in Norway, when she was a young woman. I like to think about our connection. She died when I was ten years old.
I love my rich Norwegian heritage, and am proud of it!
I am wearing my American cousin’s Norwegian bunad. It represents the Hardangerfjord, the area where my relatives live in Norway. I borrowed this costume to wear to work in 2011, when Norway’s King Harald V visited St. Olaf College.
I was grateful that Gary made so many travel arrangements to make this trip happen. And that he embraced my relatives, and they embraced him.
Gary and me.
And, of course, I’m grateful to all my many relatives in Norway for the marvelous and abundant hospitality shown to us.
My heart is full, yet part of it was left behind Norway.
We were in Florida last week, on the gulf side, close to Clearwater Beach. It was beautiful. Sunny… every day, temperatures in the 80’s…every day.
Sunset over Clearwater Beach.
We spent time near the water, and submerged ourselves in the water once. It felt wonderful. We walked along beaches and enjoyed the fine, white, sugar sand, and seeing the awesome shades of turquoise water, beautiful blue skies, shore birds, sea shells, sail boats. We “soaked” it all in…sun, waves, sea air, warm temps.
We didn’t know the name of these interesting shorebirds.
Usually when I am on the water’s edge I look for sea shells…(or rocks if I’m on Lake Superior’s rocky shore). I can’t help myself. As I walked along looking for shells I thought about a poem I wrote several years ago. I looked it up after we returned home and am sharing it below.
Shells found along the sea in Florida.
Along the Sea (2010)
Here I go again...
Walking along the beach,
Tides go out, tides come in,
I’m open to what it’ll teach.
Water rolling over the toes,
Sun sparkling across the sea,
The gentle sound of waves,
All soothes the core of me.
I walk along and sing psalms
As the pulsing waves repeat,
I feel a sense of calm
As my eyes draw to my feet.
I reach down for a token
From the bounty of the sea.
And check to see if it’s broken,
If so, I toss it back quickly.
I can’t resist, so I pick up more
Searching for one without mars,
Noting what likeness to people they bore,
Broken, wounded, with scars.
So, I start being less selective
And find new beauty in these...
My mind gently corrected
As I choose shells along the sea.
I always thought it would be fun to be at safely tucked into a cabin on Lake Superior during a November gale. At a previous cabin we rented years ago, the owners had recorded, on VHS, a November storm that we could watch while staying at the cabin. It was always intriguing to see how incredibly high those waves came slamming into the cliffs at that resort.
Snow falling on our rented cabin on Lake Superior.
A touch of sunshine the first day.
We just came back from a couple days on the north shore, safely tucked into a cabin on Lake Superior during a March snowstorm. The waves came slamming into the rocky shore sending up sprays of water into the air.
The lake was full of white caps and the waves coming to shore were huge. Not like a November gale, but still a memorable snowstorm for us.
We managed to get in a hike that morning before the predicted storm. It was fun to walk along the lake, through trees, and we were delighted to find little gnomes along the trail. Three times we came upon these little trolls, cheering us on.
Once back in our cabin we settled in for the rest of the day, and the storm. It was cozy. The snow started falling and the wind was whipping and churning up the lake as we sat indoors, by a nice crackling fire and watched it unfold through the large patio doors overlooking the lake. The amount of snow that fell was not what was predicted, but the wind was wicked, and the lake turbulent.
The warm, crackling fire.
Last year when were we up at this same resort on the north shore in March, the temperatures were in the 50’s and 60’s. This year the temps were in the 30’s with wind chill temps even lower. But no matter what, Lake Superior is my happy place and it was great to be on the shore once again.
Snow falling on an old, picturesque, fishing hut along the shore of Lake Superior.
We often go up to the cabin we rent on Lake Superior in the fall. One never knows what kind of color autumn will have painted on the trees and foliage when we arrive.
On Oberg Mountain 2021
The leaves usually change up there in late September/early October. The last couple of years we have seen some good color up on the north shore, even though our dates staying up at the cabin have varied – a lot.
Oberg Lake 2021
This year, the day we went for our annual hike up Oberg Mountain, was one of those perfect fall days…bright sunshine, a vibrant, bold, blue, autumn sky, great temperature…it was stunning.
And the vistas from the seven lookouts on top were very colorful.
A lot of people were on the trail, and a lot of people were up north in general…more so than usual… evident with traffic and full parking lots. However, back at the cabin all was peaceful.
The Oberg Mountain trail. 2021
On another hike, in Tettegouche State Park, we spotted an unusual mushroom. It was golden…it looked like it was spray painted but it was far enough off the trail to know that was unlikely.
Zoomed in on this golden mushroom.
I tried to identify this mushroom with a quick internet search, but was unsuccessful. We saw other fun fungi on that same trail.
As wonderful as our hiking and biking and fall color drives were, the time spent with our son and daughter-in-love, and our two grandchildren, up north, at the cabin on Lake Superior, was the best!
One of my favorite things to do on our annual trek to the north shore is to watch the sunrise over Lake Superior. I set my alarm – just in case – so I don’t miss it.
Thursday morning…
I love sitting silently, waiting for the sun to come up. It is such a tranquil and quiet time…a beautiful time of enjoying God’s magnificent creation, a wonderful gift. There is a unique sunrise for each unique day…and it can change within minutes.
Friday early morning light. (6:52)
Then Friday’s early morning light filling the sky. (6:53)
Friday’s sunrise. (6:53)
Still Friday Morning… (7:36)
We don’t see sunsets from the location of our cabin, although sometimes we can see some color in the western skies at sunset, creating silhouettes of the trees and rocky shoreline near-by.
Towards the western sky Wednesday evening…sunset silhouettes.
Saturday morning’s sunrise.
In a previous post I showed photos of the moonrise we sometimes see over the lake. We are grateful for those spectacular views too.
Sunday Morning Sunrise.
The sun on Sunday rising through the clouds…
“The heavens declare the glory of the Lord!”
Words cannot describe the feelings evoked witnessing the wonders of the sky.
Monday morning sunrise.
I’m grateful for the sun that rises faithfully every morning, and to see it rise over Lake Superior is a special treat!
On Wednesday afternoon, we arrived at our beloved cabin we rent on Lake Superior, two days/nights after the full moon. I always love to see the full moon over Lake Superior but we do not plan our trips around it…however, a lot of times the dates do work out and we’ve seen the moon rise over the lake many times…I love it!
Since the full moon was only two nights ago we planned our campfire on the rocks to coincide with the moonrise. And…at precisely, 8:01 pm, as posted on the meteorological site predicting sunrises and sunsets, moonrise and moonsets, it, indeed, rose.
Almost full moon September 22, 2021
However, the unique thing about this evening’s moon rise was we saw it rise two times! It came over the horizon at 8:01 and was gorgeous, a huge orange ball…we saw it come up in its entirety.
However, there was a low cloud in the sky, on the horizon, and the moon went behind that cloud and we could not see it for a few minutes…then lo and behold, we saw it rise again over the cloud for a second moonrise, and this time the moon shone bright and white.
The moon over Lake Superior, September 22, 2021.
What a gift. What a blessing. What an amazing time to be sitting on the rocks on Lake Superior, in front of a campfire, watching the moonrise, twice!
Our mini getaway to Minnesota’s north shore happened to fall over unusual and spectacular days in March… temperatures were in the high 50’s with bright sunshine and clear blue skies on one of the days.
The sunrise on the first day.
We did what we normally do up on the north shore…walk the rocks, hike, relax at the cabin, and enjoy the outdoors.
A row of cabins along the lake.
I read a story about someone claiming a large, old beautiful tree in his backyard sent him a silent sermon, or a blessing, each time he looked at the tree. I feel Lake Superior sends me a silent sermon each time I look at it. Lake Superior blesses me each time I stand in awe looking at it. I am drawn to it, and it blesses me.
From our cabin deck…the line in the corner of the photo is plexiglass…used for the deck railing. It is a wonderful feature of the cabin that sits so near the water’s edge.
Happy to be up at the cabin on the shore of Lake Superior.
This 58 degrees day in March also blessed me. It was unusual to have such wonderful weather this time of year. It was a gift. Our time was short, but sweet. Here are a few more photos.
The fun fishing hut we discovered.
An inland trail we hiked. It was a very pleasant walk through the snowy woods.
Towards sunset off Stony Point Road.
At dusk.Beautiful lighting as we looked out from the deck towards evening. First morning light the second day.
There was some snow on the edge of the lake in places…not many places though.
Ice shards in the Duluth Harbor.This bear greeted us as we entered the cabin. Such a whimsical touch. I loved it.
Our recent trip to the north shore was short but sweet. We rented a cabin for two nights and made the most of it. Arriving early afternoon, we unpacked, made some hot chocolate and enjoyed settling in. Next, we went for a walk on a scenic drive near the cabin. This area of the north shore is fairly new to us…we haven’t explored much of the Two Harbors area until recently, so there is a lot to discover. The first, for this trip, being a small fishing hut on the shores of Lake Superior. Our host told us to look for it when I mentioned we were going to go for a walk.
Our first glimpse of the fishing hut.
As we walked along the curvy, Stony Point Road we crested a hill and there it was. The all- encompassing, exquisite scene of a fishing hut between pine trees and along the water’s edge – immediately reminding us both of Norway! It was picturesque, charming and old-world. Our host told us this old fishing house, built extremely well and tight, was used by fishermen to store their fishing nets and supplies.
I loved this little hut on the shores of Lake Superior.
Many Scandinavian immigrants made a living by fishing Lake Superior in those early years. There is a North Shore Fishing Museum in Tofte, MN that shares stories and the history of commerical fishing on the north shore. I will plan to revisit that museum next fall.
A picture taken the next day, on a crystal-clear winter day.
We were delighted to see this lone hut sitting on the shores of the great Gichi-Gami (Ojibwe for great sea). From now on, this may become a short jaunt off our usual route when we drive up Highway 61 along the north shore.
Back at the cabin…
Exploring new areas is fun, especially when one has a warm and cozy cabin to return to!
An unusual jet vapor trail, or a cloud? Either way…it was fun to watch.
My husband says it a jet vapor trail, I say it’s a cloud, but whatever it is, it made for beautiful sky art this morning over Lake Superior.
A sliver of the moon is visible too, but not captured on camera. Actually at 5 am I woke up and the yellow/orange sliver was shining brightly and reflecting on the waters of Lake Superior.
The sunrise from our deck, on this Monday morning in March, at our cozy cabin on Lake Superior. A high of 48 degrees today.
We had a great weekend up in northern Minnesota with only one disappointment…but there could have been more.
We could have been disappointed when our camping reservations, made long before Covid was on the scene, had to be changed… because of Covid. A Jay Cooke State Park ranger called and told us they had to cancel one night of our stay in the camper cabins to let the cleaned cabin “rest” between renters.
Looking up at the Two Harbors lighthouse from the shore.
But that led us to making reservations at the Two Harbors Lighthouse B&B which usually requires a two-night stay but the innkeeper let us stay for just one night. So the cancellation of a night’s stay at a camping cabin turned into an exciting addition of staying in a historic lighthouse!
We could have been disappointed with the unusual cold weather spell for late October… the highs were only in the 20’s, but the sun was out and we had warm clothes.
From a wam & charming B&B to a cute, snow-covered but toasty warm camper cabin. Photo by gb
With warm places to sleep – the lighthouse was cozy and our camping cabins were toasty warm – we went with the mantra: “no bad weather, just bad clothing.” We brought sufficient jackets, boots, hat, scarfs and mittens and stayed warm while hiking and enjoying the great outdoors.
The lower falls at Baptism River in Gooseberry State Park.
We hiked at Gooseberry State Park and Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, and in Two Harbors itself.
Hiking in the Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.
Our first night, from the Two Harbors Lighthouse B&B, we saw a ship in the night right off shore. It had left the harbor and was all lit up, sailing under an almost full moon.
A ship in the night.
Our camping cabin was in Jay Cooke State Park where there are a lot of wonderful views of vast wilderness areas and of the rocky and rugged St. Louis River. We had great meals and campfires and hiked over seventeen miles in four days.
The St. Louis River flowing through Jay Cooke State Park.
What, then, was our disappointment?
Our exciting lighthouse reservation was at the Two Harbors Lighthouse B&B overlooking Lake Superior’s Agate Bay.
The back side of the lighthouse.
Agate Bay light show.
The lighthouse was charming and beautifully appointed with antiques and we loved the idea of staying in this historic home.
A wall in the kitchen of the B&B.
The dining room.
The claw foot bath tub.
The website says it is the oldest operating lighthouse in Minnesota. It began operation in 1892.
However, there was no light illuminating its special code out over the dark waters from the tower that night. Why? We didn’t know, and we were disappointed.
The original Fresnel lens on display in the dining room. The Fresnel lens consists of mirrored prisms that rotated around a fixed flame supplied by oil…until 1921 when the lighthouse started using electricity.
The next day we talked with the innkeeper and she said they are waiting on a new LED bulb for the lighthouse so the lighthouse is not operating at this time.
According to the website “the Two Harbors Light Station is designated as an active aid to navigation and is on navigational charts, as well as being a museum.” Apparently it’s not crucial for a light to be shining 24/7 these days, although usually it is on.
The light in the tower of the Two Harbors lighthouse is currently not lit.
We had been all excited to be “Keepers of the Lighthouse” but alas, it was not to be. We had a wonderful time anyway, and we wouldn’t change a thing – except the light bulb!
Lake Superior, an amazing blue color this fall day.
