Snow Angels
All bundled up
Almost unrecognizable
Skipping down the snowy sidewalk
Stopping to take it all in
Noticing squirrels
And planes, and dogs
Squealing with delight
Then falling into the snow
Beautiful snow angels
Disguised as Grandchildren
01/2019 vb
Snow angels helping grandpa shovel.
Snow angels chasing each other.
The snow angels in their snow fort.
…having tea in their snow fort.
Snow angels sliding down a snow mound without sleds.
We took a drive down to Faribault MN to see Faribault Frosty. Even though we do not have any snow on the ground Faribault’s Frosty still came to be – and is a wonder for us all to see.
Frosty is an oversized Snowman and one that has been created every year for 17 years by a wonderful family giving this gift to their community in Faribault. Employees from Shattuck- St. Mary School’s ice rink shaved ice with their Zamboni for this family’s tradition to carry on in spite of the fact there are no students at the school practicing their hockey skills or ice skating.
We took our grandchildren to see Frosty standing tall. As we drove up the master creator was on a ladder tying Frosty’s red scarf around his neck. He told us we came just in time – that the kids could help him patch up Frosty by adding snow to some holes in Frosty’s body. The kids had a great time doing so.
This is a great tradition this Faribault family has built. Frosty’s creator, was so kind to our grandhildren and he made their day.
And mine too…every little act of kindness these days really means a lot.
We trapped another squirrel…number 15! So off we went to transport it to the Squirrel Resort, 12 miles from our house.
Then we continued on, driving the back roads to Hastings, Minnesota for a walk.
A beautiful and clever sandstone city sign near the beginning of the River Walk.
Hastings has designed a lovely, paved trail along the Mississippi River. It provides benches, interesting informational signage, and a large picnic pavilion. The trail leads right up to Lock & Dam No. 2.
Sign at the entrance.
Saturday was sunny, and not too windy or cold, so we decided to take our daily walk in Hastings. We parked in a lot near the pavilion which provides ample, free parking.
One entrance to the river walk, with steps down to the paved trail.
The trail begins at the pavilion, close to an old working railroad lift bridge that “lifts” to let large boats float underneath, when needed.
River traffic near the railroad bridge, lifted up.
We walked about 1.5 miles to the Lock & Dam and were fortunate enough to be there as they were bringing a large barge through, in two separate maneuvers. We’ve watched this kind of operation before and it is always fascinating.
Looking across the Mississippi River to beautiful houses on the cliffs, with barges in the forground.
The lock and dam gates opening.
A different perspective of first 6 barges. There were 12 in this grouping.
There was river traffic…besides the barges there were boats with fishermen fishing, and a couple of tug boats. There was both pedestrian and bicycle traffic along the paved River Walk trail, and two trains rambled by across the river on the tracks. There was a lot of activity to watch…which is cheap entertainment in this time of pandemic.
A view of the beautiful Hastings bridge, opened November 2013Boat traffic going under the high vehicle bridge.
Hastings is a county seat with a historic downtown and about 38 miles from Northfield if you drive the direct route (which is also picturesque). We drove through downtown and noticed several antique stores were open but we didn’t stop this time. We did stop however, to get a hot, caramel mocha for our ride back home! Yum.
We’ve always enjoyed going for drives in the country and exploring small towns…I’m sure we’ll be going for a lot more this fall and winter.
A marker for flood levels…looks like 1965 is the record. (photo taken June 2020)
The historic river inn in Northfield caught on fire last night, about 5 o’clock. This morning fire trucks continue to pour water on the building and smoke still billows in the air.
A landmark in Northfield MN: The Archer House. Photo taken morning of 11/13/20.
Fire damage to the treasured river inn in Northfield. Photo taken 11/13/20.
What a tragic loss for our town…the beloved Archer House, opened 1877.
We have enjoyed unusual November temperatures – in the 70’s – these past few days and they have been stunning. It has been great for working in the yard – raking up the leaves that were covered under eight inches of snow that fell in mid-October.
One pile of leaves in the back yard.
We live on a corner lot, downwind it seems. Along with our own leaves, a lot of our neighbor’s leaves are blown into our yard, and stop there. Most of the snow has melted so it was time to rake them up. It’s a big job.
We used these black buckets as scoops to load the pick-up truck.
We took six loads to the compost site in Northfield. Four times we filled the pickup bed to the max.
Filled to the brim.
We also filled 30 big black bags and two garbage cans full of leaves. That took another two trips to the landfill.
I decided to shovel two small, leftover snow piles to get to the leaves underneath! A comic twist.
Last fall (2019) our grandchildren were visiting and enjoyed jumping in piles of leaves.
But I’m grateful…for the beautiful weather to be working outside, for our health to be able do the work, for trees to enjoy, and a good night’s sleep!
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.
The Oberg Mountain trail is one of our favorite hikes on the north shore. It’s a fairly easy 2.2 mile hike…climbing up and circling around the summit. There are eight fantastic overlooks along the loop trail. Some places look out over Lake Superior….
Leveaux Mountain from the top of Oberg.
…other areas view the inland forest and Oberg Lake. It’s a hike that never disappoints and is always enjoyable.
Looking inland towards Oberg Lake with the colorful maples past peak.
This year as we approached the top I saw a sign posted that looked like it could be another Story Walk – like the one we discovered at Forestville State Park a few weeks ago.
However, the sign project on top of Oberg was not a storybook walk. It was referred to as a themed hike.
Along the trail several signs were posted near trees to identify them and talk about their characteristics, or tell stories about their species. The United States Department of Agriculture logo was listed on each sign so I assume it was their project, in collaboration with the Forest Service.
I’ve often thought, while hiking through the forest, that it would be helpful if all the trees and flowers and bushes and plants in the forest could all have little signs identifying themselves – so I liked the concept of this themed hike.
Although I can identify a lot of the common trees there are many more trees I do not know.
I’ve noticed these sweet, little seedlings growing next to the trail. They are soft and elegant.
I was happy to learn about these precious, little pine trees I have seen lining the hiking trails. Sign number 10 identified them as Princess Pine…a fitting title I think.
Over all there were eleven trees highlighted on this trail: White Cedar, Mountain Maple, Quaking Aspen, Beaked Hazelnut, Sugar Maple, Red Pine, Black Ash, Balsam Fir, White Spruce, Princess Pine and Paper Birch.
According to the last sign they plan to create another themed hike about a different topic…hopefully next year.
I’m thankful for these intentional ways different organizations are helping the public learn about nature, out in nature.
Here are some photos from our time up on the north shore of Lake Superior. Some stories (and more photos) will follow later, but for now I want to share some pictures of the various sunrises and some of the spectacular colors we enjoyed while up north. The beauty is indescribable.
The sunrise on the first day.
The sunrise on the second day.
Some colorful foliage along the shore.From the top of Oberg Mountain overlooking the lake with yellows from the birch/aspens in contrast with the evergreen trees.
A lone tree in it’s glory against the fall blue sky.
Another view of the yellow and dark green combination.The awesome Lake Superior.Beauty along the roads close to the lake. There are maple trees inland but their colorful leaves had been blown off the trees.
Except there was an occasional maple tree in full color near the lake.
Sunrise on the third day; the sun clouded over but soon broke through.Tamarack trees, also know as larch trees; they are deciduous trees with needles that turn yellow in autumn and fall off.
Tall red pines, mistakenly called Norway pines by the immigrants from Norway because they resembled trees back in Norway.
Dramatic morning light as it get closer to sunrise.Finally, the sun pops up…and it melted the clouds away that morning, making way for another clear and beautiful day on the north shore.
