Minnesota – Page 33 – Valerie's Voice

The Solar Eclipse

What do you bring to a solar eclipse party?

and…

When we decided to celebrate the solar eclipse with a party around a bonfire I never thought we’d actually see the eclipse. The long- range forecast was cloudy, but we were going to celebrate the event anyways. Although we woke up Monday morning to rain, by 9 a.m. there was sunshine with a few clouds and we had some good viewing on top of a hill where our friend’s live.

We gathered together, sitting in the shade a little ways from the bonfire… the temperature was very warm outside and being by the fire made it warmer still, until the moon started covering the sun and then it cooled down. Hot dogs were available to roast, delicious salads ready to eat along with star-shaped cheese slices with crackers, the party-bag goodies, and an all-American apple pie.

A couple of solar eclipse boxes were made and to my delight a welder’s helmet was available to view the eclipse and it worked well. We took turns watching the different phases of the eclipse using the helmet. The eclipse peaked at 1:06 pm where we live in the universe, and at peaked at 85%. I did not take any photos of it.

We listened to old songs to: Moon Shadow, Sunshine On My Shoulders, Here Comes The Sun, You Are My Sunshine, Age of Aquarius, I Love The Flower Girl, It’s A Small Town Saturday Night… and about 1:06 p.m. we heard a little howling coming from somewhere near-by…

At about 1:08 p.m. the sun/moon was clouded over for the rest of the afternoon and we saw no more of the eclipse. We had a great time while it lasted.

A few photos from our camping trip

Pfeiffer Lake, near Ely, MN
The lake was like glass each morning.

We spent a couple of days camping up north near Ely, MN and then a couple more days on the north shore, near Tofte, MN. Since we were tent camping we did not have electricity to charge our phones…we could only charge them when we were in the car driving somewhere. Here are a few snippets from when I had my phone charged, and when I had my phone with me, and when the photos turned out; three big stipulations! Although it looks cloudy in several photos, we did have nice weather most of the time.

Wild rice growing in Rice Lake, near Ely, MN.

A rocky beach on Lake Superior. The big lake was calm and was also like glass this day.

Inviting Adirondack chairs at Naniboujou Lodge.

Off the pier at Grand Marais a schooner, the Hjordis, sails from the North House Folk School.
A couple of years ago we went for a ride on this sailboat.

The Laundromat

I went to a laundromat yesterday. We are getting ready for a camping trip and I had a large load I wanted to wash so I decided to do one load in a big machine.

Off I went to drop off the load. On the way I was thinking how thankful I am for my own washer and dry at home. I remembered the very first washer and dryer we purchased back in the late 70’s and the feeling of such luxury; to be able to do laundry in my own home. I am grateful to this day for that convenience, and even more so after visiting the laundromat.

After placing the laundry in the machine and figuring out how much it would cost, I discovered I didn’t have enough change. I needed 50 cents more. I checked the change in the glove compartment of our car but it had been depleted recently. I tried the change machine in the laundromat and, of course, it didn’t work. I noticed washing machines take credit cards now so I tried my VISA but that didn’t work either…at this point I was frustrated…knowing it was my own fault for not bringing enough change. I was on my way to an appointment and didn’t have time to go get change elsewhere before the appointment.

There was a woman sitting on the other side of the room so I asked if she had change for a dollar. She said no, but she said she would give me two quarters. So I gathered all my dimes and nickels and pennies, which totaled 43 cents, and gave them to her in exchange. I thanked her profusely.

I started the washing machine and headed to my appointment, planning to return afterward to pick up my clean laundry and bring it home to dry in my own dryer.

After I drove away a thought suddenly came to me: why didn’t I give the woman my dollar for her two quarters? That would have been the better way. I was so focused on getting the correct change for the machine that I didn’t think beyond that problem. Of course she was gone when I returned to collect my laundry.

May God bless that kind woman in the laundromat; and may I remember the lesson learned.

Vintage Bands and Meals

One of the smaller groups playing in the Vintage Band Festival.

The Vintage Band Festival came to Northfield so we went downtown to Bridge Square and listened to several of the bands play and entertain us. It was a wonderful Minnesota summer day with blue skies, low humidity and a cool breeze. We found a spot in the shade, set up our chairs, and had a delightful afternoon listening to good music.

A good turn out for the Vintage Band Festival.

Some people brought their own shade to the festival.

That evening, for dinner, we had a “vintage-style” meal. We dusted off our 1980’s bright yellow fondue pot, bought a can of sterno, cut up meat, and boiled chicken broth (a healthier alternative to the peanut oil we used to use). We questioned our good judgment since it had been a long time since we made fondue but the meal turned out well and we had a delightful evening, outside on the deck, enjoying a wonderful Minnesota summer evening.

Love-call

One of the few bird calls I recognize is the cardinal’s. I often hear their song outside my window during the summer. It is unique and I love it. Cardinals are a favorite of mine.

Last week I was up in northern Minnesota at a friend’s cabin on Daggett Lake and I heard the loons calling …another recognizable bird call I love to hear. Loons are a favorite too.

I thought about how we don’t hear the loons in town or cities and how wonderful it was to hear their song again, along with the flapping of their wings as they take off across the lake. It’s almost a guaranteed sound when you are up north.

Even though it might be great to hear the loon call all year ’round I am grateful to hear the beautiful cardinal’s song in the city and the unique song of the loon up in the North Country.

I was thinking these thoughts as I enjoyed sitting on the dock (a morning ritual) taking in the beauty of the lake and quietly listening to the sounds when I picked up my daily devotional book and read these words:

“As you listen to birds calling to one another, hear also my Love-call to you.”*

Whoa…how timely… and what a personal God we have!

*Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

Sunrise over Daggett Lake

This is what we woke up to one morning at the cabin. It looks like a watercolor painting to me.

Summer Solstice

It was my turn to host my book club this month and even though we met a week earlier than the summer solstice (today, June 21) I decided on a summer solstice theme to celebrate the day of the year with the most hours of daylight…something I’ve wanted to throw a party for, for a long time…so I took advantage of my captive audience!

The focus was light, of course, and I used a white lace tablecloth with a center white candle, clear glasses and white plates. I turned on the lights wrapped in the deck fence, and gathered lots of votive candles in clear glass to set around.

The weather was in our favor as it was a beautiful, Minnesota summer evening. We were able to sit on the deck until after dark, and then the mosquitoes joined the party.

I served a dessert with a fruit of summer – strawberries – and for a short time we stopped our discussion and read through “A Summer Prayer” from the book The Circle of Life by Joyce Rupp & Macrrina Wiederkehr. After each section we lit a candle and I placed the candles around the deck. It looked so festive and pretty especially as it got darker. (Celebrating the longest day of the year makes it hard to light up the dark with candles at 7 p.m.!)

Here are excerpts from the prayer:

“May the God of summer give us beauty.”

“May the God of summer give us rest.”

“May the God of summer give us joy.”

“May the God of summer give us inner light.”

“May the God of summer give us what we need for healing.”

“May the God of summer give us a sense of satisfaction in the work of our hands.”

“May the God of summer give us shelter when inner storms threaten our peace of mind and heart.”

“May the God of summer lead us to amazing discoveries as we travel the inner roads of our soul (as well.)”

Thank you fellow book clubbers for indulging me in my first summer solstice party…not to be the last!

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

As we started walking around the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum several days ago I looked up the word “teliodoscope” on my iPhone to find the definition and learn how to pronounce it. The word is not in the dictionary and must be the creation of the artist who had a wonderful exhibit “Gardens of Kaleidoscopes” on display at the arb (now through September 2017).

Brightly colored painted, steel structures hold big bowls of bright-colored, perky pansies with a few other spring flowers mixed in. According to the brochure, the annuals in the bowls will change monthly and vary by season. The bowls rotate and there are kaleidoscopes mounted on each stand (different heights for different folks) so as you look through the scope and spin the bowl (and/or the scope at the same time) it creates a wonderful “teliodoscope” of colors and patterns and fantastic designs. It’s very creative and such fun to locate them throughout the arboretum.

The brochure tells us the artist, Robert Anderson, spent his early life on a farm in south-central WI. This exposure to nature and mechanics would create the foundation for his life’s work of “living sculptures’ as he calls them.

I, for one, am a fan of his work! I love color, I love kaleidoscopes, I love flowers…what a combination.

We also discovered a new permanent addition to the arboretum called Bee and Pollinator Discovery Center. The center is beautifully built and opened last fall. We learned some fascinating facts about bees and want to go back to learn more.

And, of course, we enjoyed the wonderful landscape of the arboretum with some spring flowers in bloom… and there will be a whole new look in the coming days as more flowers bloom and grow.

Minnesota’s Finest Spring Days

Some people quip we Minnesotans live for these amazingly, perfect spring days. After our winters we relish in temperatures of 65-75* and amazing, sunny blue skies. We get out of our houses and enjoy the great, big, beautiful outdoors. These days are definitely dreamy!

Over the weekend we went from spring in the forest (Nerstrand Big Woods State Park) to spring in the city (a walk around Lake of the Isles near downtown Minneapolis). There are so many beautiful evidences of spring and so many photos I wanted to take, but couldn’t because of logistics, but they are in my mind’s eye.

All seasons, but especially spring, has many shades of green. I’m grateful for so many shades of green…I can’t imagine the world with one…only one… shade of green.

The string of beautiful days have been just right for doing almost anything. I spent several hours Saturday cleaning out my own garden.

On Sunday we walked around one of several beautiful city lakes in Minneapolis. Many people were outdoors with us…walking, running, biking, boating, sitting, reading…it was wonderful to see. My husband and I also enjoyed looking at the beautiful homes that surround the lake.

We ended our time in the city visiting our son and his wife and our two and a half-week-old grand-daughter. Another spring beauty!!!

Dwarf Trout Lily

Each year I get excited to see the Dwarf Trout Lily blooming in Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park, one of the only places in the world where it lives. It is a federally endangered forest wildflower found only with in 275 square mile area in Rice and Goodhue Counties, MN. Because it is found in only this small area the dwarf trout lily is considered a Minnesota “endemic” – i.e. a species that grows in Minnesota and nowhere else on earth.*

That is why I go looking for this flower each spring and why I get a thrill seeing it each year. I have found a spot where one blooms so I can find it easily even when the volunteer naturalists are not around.

The Dwarf Trout Lily are miniature…the flower is about the size of a little finger fingernail (therefore very hard to spot.) The common white trout lily is much bigger and is widespread throughout the park.

The forest floor had other spring flowers blooming…the trees were budding out and the colors can only be described as “spring greens” sprinkled with white, pale pinks and yellow. It’s so beautiful.

And then on campus I couldn’t help but notice these bold red tulips near a budding Red Bud.

Ah…spring flowers.

*Biological Report #18 of the MN Natural Heritage Program Section of Wildlife, MN dept. Of Natural Resources.