We always enjoy our trips to Lake Superior. We never grow tired of sitting on the rocks, watching the waves roll in. Or crash in…depending on the weather.
And I seem to always get caught up in looking at the rocks…large and small, that roll onto shore with the waves. I love how the rocks feel so smooth after years and years of tumbling in the water. I like their colors too.
Beautiful Lake Superior rocks.
For years we had a great spot, near a cabin we rented, where we could collect fairly large stones and brought them home; a few each year. We used them to line our back garden.
Lake Superior rocks lining our garden in the back.
I also have accumulated smaller rocks that I pocketed here and there. They were adding up so I started to place them around our front flowers, but due to some work we had done recently we had to remove them. I took the smooth stones and created a new apron for our shed.
Shed apron before….
The original shed apron was a conglomeration of pieces of limestone and other rocks I’ve found in the area. Over the years I just started putting them by the door of the shed and it eventually formed an apron. I liked the idea and decided to pull out all the old mismatched rocks and remake the apron with our pretty Lake Superior Rocks.
The new stone apron. This will grow larger as more rocks are collected!
It was a fun project and I was pleased with the result.
When we planned our mini-trip up north to visit my uncle in Brainerd we decided to swing by the “Lake” on the way home…Lake Superior that is. Yes, it was two hours away but it sounded like a good idea so we did it, and I’m glad.
I took this photo of the rocky shoreline of Lake Superior on Monday after most of the clouds lifted.
I knew of a resort on the lake not too far north of Duluth. We’ve thought about staying there before but it never worked, besides they had a two night minimum stay. But I called last minute to see if they would accept a one night stay and he said yes. And, he included an early check-in and a late check-out time. How nice is that?
A view of the cabin from the shore edge.
There was a full moon that night, but the forecast was for cloudy skies. On our drive over from Brainerd to Duluth we kept seeing peaks of sun through those clouds. I tried not to get too excited. Eventually the sky mostly cleared and we had a beautiful afternoon and saw a stunning moonrise over Lake Superior that night. I was excited!
This photo I took on Monday late afternoon showing beautiful tinges reflecting the sunset, although we were facing east.
Our cabin was right on the water. The cabins were originally built in 1932 so there were no zoning restrictions at that time. It was a cozy, one room log cabin with a wood burning fireplace and a bundle of wood included in the price.
Looking out the cabin’s patio door to deck and water below.
Fire wood arranged in fireplace…just light a match!
The patio door led to the deck overlooking the lake.
The deck. They use plexiglass for the railing so not to block the view.
One of my favorite moments was walking into the cabin and seeing a stuffed black bear sitting at the kitchen table, welcoming us. That whimsical touch warms my heart. I love it when people do things like that.
Our friendly greeter.
More whimsical art in the cabin.
The cloudy morning turned into a beautiful afternoon and we were in a lovely cabin right on the water… I was in my happy place. I brought soup for supper, and after dinner we lit a fire and watched the moon rise over Lake Superior.
The March full moon.
When we crawled into bed (all in one room) we moved the sofa so we could see the fire embers fade away as we fell asleep.
The wood-burning fireplace was in the corner so we could look out to view the moonrise while enjoying the fire.
I wondered if it would be clear in the morning to see a sunrise. That would be too good to be true. I didn’t set my alarm, although the sunrise was at 7:30. We were up in time and we did see a glorious sunrise over the lake.
March sunrise over Lake Superior.
We definitely got our “Lake Superior” fix….with everything falling into place and I’m grateful!
A little bit of dramatic winter ice on some rocks near the cabin.
Looking out over the expansive dark lake, at night Gazing at the full moon rising Reflecting a sparkling path on the water Streaming it’s light directly towards shore Guiding my eyes upward Resembling a cathedral between the trees. Behold, A moon cathedral, God-made, inviting praise for His beautiful creation.
We were blessed to have an opportunity to travel to the north shore a second time this fall, within two weeks of our first trip up to Lake Superior.
Yellow Birch and Aspens contrast with the dark evergreen trees that line the shores of Lake Superior and Highway 61.
The first week up on the north shore we had a great time with family and saw abundant fall colors. Our second trip to the north shore we enjoyed showing off one of our favorite places to our visiting friends from New Hampshire.
The forecast was dismal…rain was predicted for every day we were to be up north. And, on our first day – the drive up – it was misty rain all day.
The beauituful, brick Split Rock Lighthouse.
The Fog Signal Building next to the lighthouse.
But, even so, we stopped at the New Scenic Café for a delicious lunch, and then toured the impressive, historic, and iconic Split Rock Lighthouse, which opened in 1910 and was deactivated in 1969.
Looking out over Lake Superior from the platform of the lighthouse…where is the lake?
The spiral staircase in the Split Rock Lighthouse.
Looking out over the railing we could not see the big lake. It was fogged in and clouded over, but inside we climbed up the spiral staircase to the top to see the special lens. Click here to read more on this fascinating lens.
The special lens in the lighthouse, only used for special occasions now.
We also toured one of the lightkeeper houses. An antique oven was lit while bread dough was rising so it was very cozy in the house as we warmed up in the kitchen on a cold blistery day.
A docent showing off the antique oven in the light keeper’s house.
Even in the rain we stopped a few more places along the way to Tofte, where our friends had rented a condo.
A different view than I normally see of a Lake Superior sunrise.
Much to our surprise we saw the sun rise over Lake Superior the next two mornings. What a treat – what a delight! We were grateful!
The view from the deck of the condo.
For two days it did not rain, and was partly sunny…to mostly sunny.
Looking Up.
We took a another look on Oberg Mountain by hiking the trail for a second time in two weeks. The colors were fuller and even more vibrant than on our first hike two weeks prior.
From the top of Oberg Mountain.
It’s hard to capture the yellow trees closer to the lake which turn color later than the inland trees. Lake Superior is in right hand corner.
We meandered a long time at the top of Oberg, to enjoy God’s spectacular creation and amazing colors.
Another view off Oberg Mountain.
Near the mouth of Temperance River.
Along Temperance River.
We showed our friends a taste of the wonderful north shore: Temperance River, Grand Marais, Naniboujou Lodge, and we spent time on the rocks, had a bonfire, and drove one of the fall color tours on the back roads.
The skies clearing in Grand Marais.
The Grand Marais breakwaters, backlit with sunshine clearing from the west.
It brought us much joy to show off the beauty of Lake Superior. Time went by too quickly.
A stretch of Lake Superior shoreline.
Early in the morning, on the last day, our friends headed north – they were driving back home through Canada. We headed south – back to Northfield, once again basking in the glory of the north shore and grateful for a second look at it this year
I needed my two-year-old granddaughter to walk Honeymoon Trail with me. I wanted to go at her “stop and look at every thing” pace….only I would stop and take pictures.
But she had already gone back home when we drove on this dirt road one rainy afternoon up north. Even in the rain the colors were stunning.
However, the next day the rain had stopped so we decided to ride our bikes on Honeymoon Trail. This road is a segment of one of the suggested Fall Color Tours on the north shore.
We’ve been going up to this area for 30+ years so we know this road and have always enjoyed it in autumn. But we don’t always see it so colorful. It was amazing.
It’s easier to stop on a bike to take pictures than stopping in the truck. These photos are taken with my iPhone. I can’t imagine having a specialized camera and capturing more of the beauty.
I just couldn’t get enough of the fall colors and I couldn’t stop taking pictures. I guess it’s a good thing I wasn’t walking.
Our ride was great fun and it was a new adventure for us…riding our bikes one Honeymoon Trail.
While driving back to the cabin we saw a wolf cross the road. That was a first for us. I was not quick enough with the camera.
Walking at a two-year-old “I want to stop and look at everything pace” is a wonderful way to walk…it slows us down and opens our eyes to see things we might not notice while walking at our normal pace. We enjoyed several of these walks with our grand-daughter and her mom and dad while they were here with us on the north shore. It was delightful.
Early morning sunrise to begin the day.
After they went back home we continued our stay at the cabin for a few more days to enjoy more hiking and biking and relaxing. One trail we always hike is the Oberg Mountain Trail. It’s a rather short hike…2.2 miles round trip. You hike up, walk around a loop on top and witness great vistas of Lake Superior and of inland trees and Oberg Lake. It’s a favorite hike of ours.
We arrived at the trailhead early one morning and spent a good two hours meandering the top and sitting to enjoy the vistas – even stopping a couple of times to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and muffin we brought along. We were pleasantly surprised at all the fall colors. We were not expecting these colors so early in the season.
Gary taking a photo of Oberg Lake.
Here is a photo essay from our hike on the Oberg Trail.
Oberg Lake.
This is a vista point overlooking Lake Superior. It’s hard to photograph since it’s into the sun. The leaves have not changed along the shore of Lake Superior.One of our coffee stops overlooking Lake Superior on the left and Mt. LeVeaux.
Looking down on colorful treetops.
Mt. LeVeaux.
Such astounding beauty. It was breathtaking. Pictures, of course, do not do it justice. I am grateful for this opportunity to see this beautiful change of season, to feel it’s fresh air, and to smell the distinct fragrance of the fir trees, which also add the dark green contrast to the beautiful oranges and reds and yellows.
On our way to the north shore we always take the scenic drive instead of the expressway from Duluth to Two Harbors. It may be a slower route, but it is, as the name describes, a scenic route along Lake Superior. About half way between the two towns is a non-descript building that looks more like a house than a store. It was called Practicals, Collectibles & Antiques.
The nondescript building for a store.
We’ve been stopping at this unique store for years. We enjoyed browsing around and visiting with the owner who was always there. He was friendly and welcoming and recognized us. We knew he was a retired military guy who wintered in Texas but would spend his summers in his shop right across the road from beautiful Lake Superior.
A view of the lake.
The interior of the store was lined from floor to ceiling with thousands of used books and old vinyl record albums. Shelves outlined the perimeter of the store, which displayed antique dishes, collectibles and “practicals”. We always looked forward to stopping at this quaint shop. We would usually buy a couple of books at about $1-2 a piece.
One year we apologized for only spending $2 but he graciously said…the north shore gets a million visitors a year…if each one spends a $1 that works for me…however, I run this store because it’s fun…not for the money.
The For Sale sign for Practicals, Collectables, & Antiques.
This year at the turnoff we noticed the large hand-written “For Sale” sign in the yard. The building was locked and empty, and we were a bit sad. I guess we knew it was coming sooner or later but it was too soon for us.
While at the cabin we searched for additional information about the store. We found a local TV news program had interviewed the owner in Spring 2018. We learned the owner’s name is Ed Johnson and that he was loved by many (we were not surprised). We learned he ran this store for 26 years and at the time of the interview he was 76 years old.
If you look closely, you can see an outhouse in the back. There was no running water in this building. The public restroom was an outhouse.
One other fond memory I have of “Mr. Ed” is from years ago, before we got to know him a bit. My mom and I would occasionally take weekend trips together and I remember bringing her to his shop once. She was using a walker at that time and she required some extra care. He always welcomed people into his store. This time, when my mom and I left the store, he came to the door to say good- bye, and then he said to me, “thanks for taking such good care of your mom.” I don’t think any other person in the world ever told me that and it really meant a lot to me and brings tears to my eyes this day. A simple act of kindness.
“Cheers to Ed!” We trust he and his wife are enjoying their retirement.
As we prepare for our annual trek to the north shore I usually reread the psalm I wrote years ago. I’ve posted it before but am posting it again. It continues to capture my feelings about wonderful Lake Superior and the north shore.
A new day ~ our view of the sun rising over Lake Superior. (2017)
Lake Superior Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd I shall thank him. He allows me to come to Lake Superior And hear the calming waves. He restores my soul. He guides me on the trails of the Superior Forest And leads me along the rocky shores. Even when the waves are rough – even when the lake is calm, I look forward to coming, And He is with me. His creation and His majesty, they comfort me. He anoints me with many blessings My cup overflows and I am grateful. Surely I will praise him and follow him All the days of my life, I‘m grateful to dwell in His presence On the shores of Lake Superior.
“On this day the length of time with sunlight is the longest.”*
Sunrise over Lake Superior, 2016.
Here are some excerpts from, A Summer Blessing, from the book entitled The Circle of Life.*
Blessed are you, summer, season of long days and short nights, you pour forth light from your golden orb, energizing the earth and calling forth growth.
Blessed are you, summer, with your generous gift of heat. Your warm breath animates creation, encouraging all growing things to stretch towards the sun.
Blessed are you, summer, you call us into playfulness, encouraging us to pause from work. You renew our spirits.
Blessed are you, sacrament of summer, natures’ green season, sweet echo of spring. You speak to us in living color as you renew the earth with symbols of life for our bodies and souls.
Blessed are you, summer, with your firefly evenings you minister to the child in us. You feed our hunger for beauty.
* The Circle of Life by Joyce Rupp & Macrina Wiederkehr
The photo of a man’s head popping up, in what looked like Lake Superior, caught my attention. It was on the front page of the Variety section of the StarTribune, Sunday April 14, 2019. I recognized the north shore… I love the north shore, and Lake Superior and am always interested in reading stories about it.
StarTribune Variety Section, Sunday, April 14, 2019
The article told about Christian Dalbec, a photographer, who puts on a wet suit, swims out into Lake Superior and catches the waves…on camera! What a clever idea and a unique niche. He not only takes pictures of the waves but of sunrises and sunsets and shipwrecks and all kinds of scenes while in the waters of Lake Superior.
He’s a recovering alcoholic who became interested in photography, which aided his recovery. He came up with the idea of getting into the lake to take unique photographs. The article said this kind of photography is uncommon since the lake is cold and dangerous.
The four photos printed in the StarTribune.
There were four of his photographs of waves in the newspaper article and a link to his website which I’ve included here.
I was impressed by this unique way of taking photographs of Lake Superior.
