We went out last night for the first time in a week. We’ve been sick at home. We were greeted with a spectacular sky and sunset.
Praise God for this amazing evening greeting.
Sunset
Tag: Minnesota
The Upper Arb
On these glorious mornings, Gary and I are walking on trails we’ve recently re-discovered.
We park outside the Oaklawn Cemetery and pass through the gate to Carleton College’s Cowling Arboretum…the upper arb. (The lower arb has nice trails too…it goes along the Cannon River and through the woods. The entry point is at a different section of campus.)
From the entrance we use for the upper arb, you can choose to go to the right or left. The right leads down to the prairie, the left takes you through an heavily wooded area of oak trees, and all the trails connect.
A posted sign offers information on how the different sports have worked-out on the upper arb over the years.
Carleton’s cross-country teams (men’s began in 1938 – women’s in 1970), practice on the trails and hold track meets. In the early 1990’s, Runner’s Magazine voted the upper arb the best place in Minnesota to run.
Carleton College started grooming the trails for cross-country skiing in 1978, and continues to open the trails to all skiers. We have skied and snow-shoed in the upper-arb during winter.
I enjoyed learning that in the 1930’s there was a Saddle Club, and horse and riders were permitted to jaunt on the trails. An equestrian center was also built on the upper arb, but was shut down in 1964. It would be fun to ride horseback on the trails, although it is no longer permitted.
We have done a bit of walking on the trails in the upper arb in previous years, but not during this time of year when the prairie is in bloom. It is so pretty!
It feels like we’ve discovered a whole new trail. We pass very few folks out on our morning hike. We have the trails mostly to ourselves.
The sun shines on our path. The sky is blue. It is so peaceful.
We’re grateful Carleton Colleges maintains the trails, and opens them up to the public.
Northfield’s Popcorn Wagon
Northfield’s beloved popcorn wagon has been in Northfield since 1979. It sits on Bridge Square every summer and is run by 27 “kernels” (volunteers) who make popcorn and sell it. I recently attended a history talk about the popcorn wagon by Susan Hvistendahl, at FiftyNorth, Northfield’s Senior Center.
The popcorn wagon was built in 1918 at C. Cretors & Company in Wood Dale, IL. C. Cretors & Co. is a five-generation family-run business that is still in business today. They have a museum in Wood Dale, IL, which would be fun to see. The popcorn wagons were first introduced at Chicago’s World’s fair in 1893, along with many famous inventions that year: the Ferris Wheel, and Cracker Jack’s, even Hershey Chocolate had its beginnings at that fair.
Northfield’s popcorn wagon is a Model C and there are fewer than 22 remaining. The Model C’s were “designed for success”, and advertised to be “an ornament to any town”. Indeed, Northfield’s popcorn wagon is a town icon.
Initially there was a doll figure called Tosty Rosty, that manually turned the tumbler inside the wagon, making the popcorn pop, of course. Northfield’s Tosty Rosty has stopped working, but there are hopes it will be revived.
In May 1979 Vera Johansen bought the wagon and started the business of making popcorn. Apparently she became known as the unofficial hostess of Northfield. It is told that at one time ducks came up from the river to eat dropped popcorn. I wonder if that still happens? Another time, a fan was purchased to blow the aroma of freshly popped popcorn out into the air, drawing people to come purchase the delicious treat.
In 1988 Vera Johansen sold the popcorn wagon to the Sherwin family. It became available again in 1994, and Northfield collected contributions for its senior citizens to buy the wagon. It was brought up to code and returned to Bridge Square in May 1995, when the Senior Center volunteers took over the care of the wagon. Believe it or not, this little popcorn wagon is a money maker for our FiftyNorth Senior Center.
Recently a new door, new window frames and window panes, and interior shelving have been restored to the wagon. Currently there is a fundraiser to raise enough money to finish renovating the outside by stripping, sandblasting and repainting it, and adding new wheels. (Originally it was horse-drawn.) The goal is $50,000. They have raised $5,000, and a family foundation recently gave a generous gift of $25,000.
At the end of Susan’s talk, a singing duo and a guitarist sang a lively rendition called “Buttered Popcorn.” It was a delightful evening at FiftyNorth.
A Poem
On our recent trip up north, with our sons and their families, I thought about this poem I wrote back in 1998, in the midst of raising children, working, and extended family activities. It rings true today, but maybe I’d add some grandchildren to the scene. 😉
There's No Place I'd Rather Be There’s no place I would rather be Than by the shore or on the sea. For at this place my heart’s alive My body’s at rest, my soul’s revived. There’s time to reflect, to think, to pray And time to watch nature at play. These retreats are made o-so-fair As different sounds fill the air. Rushing water or gentle waves Is what my body and soul craves. The songbird always sings its song And gulls or loons may join along. Creatures dare to come close you see When I’m quietly sitting with just me. Through it all my Creator speaks And I’d like to be there every week. My world slows down and I rejoice To be on shore or sea is my choice.
I Jumped In
My love language is quality time. So as I looked around at our two sons, their wives, and our four adorable grandchildren, gathered together “up north” at a house on Leech Lake, my heart was full. It was a blessing for me and Gary to have all ten of us together in the same place for a few days!
It was fun seeing the four cousins together (ages 8, 7, 6, and 3). They immediately connected and had a blast playing with each other: running around, creating secret forts, playing games, digging in the dirt and, of course, time on the boat; swimming and fishing.
We enjoyed fires, one in an indoor fireplace the first night, and others outside in a fire-pit.
We were able to take several pontoon boat rides; this was one of my favorite things to do. I love being on the water. The kids fished off the pontoon boat and Gary, the biggest kid, caught the biggest fish.
We anchored the boat in a spot for swimming. And I jumped into the lake! I’m not sure when the last time I jumped out of a boat and into water. Jumping into the lake was a pretty common activity for me during my growing up years…but not so much now.
But I did it so I could go swimming with the grandkids. They were a great incentive, and it was fun!
Gathering around a big table each night, and eating dinner, was very special. What a wonderful thing to do, to set apart time and all sit down and eat good food together.
I will cherish the memories we created up north. I am so grateful for this undivided time we had together.
Tour de SAVE
On Saturday Gary and I rode a 25-mile bike loop for Tour de SAVE. SAVE is an acronym for Suicide Awareness Voices of Education. The ride was a fundraiser for this organization.
After you registered, you could fill out a pennant to wear, naming a person or persons you were riding in memory of. Both Gary and I have personal connections to people who have taken their own lives, but there were a lot of folks riding for the sake of bringing awareness to suicide.
SAVE hosts several types of events, including 5K walk/runs, throughout Minnesota and the US. Click here for a link to their website.
We had a beautiful morning to ride. The hot and humid weather moved out and cool, dry air moved in. The rural route took us on backroads, past fields and farms. The blue sky boasted white wispy clouds.
After the ride we met friends for lunch, and then walked to Bridge Square in Northfield to listen to some good band music, put on by the Vintage Band Festival, an annual outdoor music event in Northfield.
And, of course, we had a dish of ice cream to wrap up a delightful, summer day.
We were grateful for these wonderful organized events; yet we continue to mourn the loss of loved ones lost to suicide.
Fairy Doors
On the shores of Lake Superior, I noticed something unusual in the woods near the cabin. There were wooden, painted fairy doors leaning on the base of three different trees.
The working doors had hinges and a small door knob. I was intrigued. I went to each one and opened the door, but there was nothing behind any of the three doors. I was disappointed.
I went into the cabin, found a piece of paper and a pen, and wrote out three short encouraging messages. I folded the paper in two, and placed one behind each fairy door so the next person to open the door will find a treasure.
Lake Superior Venture
We just returned from an amazing time on the north shore of Lake Superior. As I’ve written before, it is one of my all-time favorite places to be. When we arrive at the cabin we rent, I sigh a happy sigh when I walk through the door and see the lake through the floor to ceiling windows. It is a marvelous and breathtaking sight that I never grow tired of. I literally feel a calm come over me. I miss it when I’m not there.
During our time at the cabin, we did what we normally do…we enjoy God’s bountiful creation. We bike and hike, drink our morning coffee on the deck, watch the sunrise, have a bon fire on the rocks, relax, read good books, eat delicious food overlooking the lake, and just sit and look at the lake.
I had good intentions of cleaning up my computer files, or deleting photos off my phone, do a little writing, but none of that happened. The lake is alluring and mesmerizing, and we can just sit and do nothing but enjoy the vista for hours…and so we do, and we do not worry about getting anything accomplished. I believe we are being rejuvenated from the inside out.
We traditionally go up to the north shore in September but this year we had reservations in July. The weather was cooler than normal for July, the sunrise is earlier in July…5:20ish…and different kinds of flowers are blooming in July…like beautiful lupines, perky daisies and bright yellow bird’s-foot trefoil.
A photo exposition follows:
I’m so grateful for our time on the shore of Lake Superior.
Spring Lake Park Reserve
The other day we rode a new-to-us bike trail, beginning at the west end of the Spring Lake Park Reserve, near Hastings.
This beautiful trail meanders along with a prairie on one side (complete with bison), and the Mississippi River on the other. It was hilly, but fun… and is now one of my new favorite trails.
The prairie wild flowers were in full bloom, bountiful, and showing off. That was a perk, as was having the Mississippi River, on the other side of the trail.
But the biggest bonus, and surprise, was at the trailhead where we planned to eat our picnic lunch. There is a bison paddock there where eight bison were brought here to live in a very large, penned-in area.
On this day, we were fortunate to see all eight of them, plus four calves, up close sitting right in front of us as we ate our lunch. Locals told us it was unusual to see them so close.
The Bison are being reintroduced to this area where they once lived. They seem to draw a lot of interest. We were told when the project started last fall, they acquired eight females, and four of them were pregnant. Several signs offered different interesting facts about bison.
The bison were all lying down when we first saw them. And then they would get up and move around. They were fun to watch. A couple hours later when we got back from our bike ride, all twelve were gone, and nowhere to be seen.
The space where they are corralled is a vast prairie land where they can roam, and are often hidden from view. The beginning mile, or so, of the bike trail is along this paddock.
Seeing the bison, and the river, and the wildflowers, created a great impression for our first ride on this trail. The temperatures had cooled off too, with low dew points. It was awesome.
I took time on our way back to stop and take pictures of the gorgeous flowers. Often there were butterflies or bees on the flowers.
There were so many different species, and colors, shapes and sizes. I decided to take only a few pictures since I had to keep getting on and off my bike. 😉
This trail is one we will ride again and again, I’m sure. It will be interesting to see how often we see the bison herd, and to see how the landscape changes throughout the seasons.
A Hedgehog and A Firefly
A flicker of light~ Twinkling and twirling around... Fireflies at night.
While in Minnesota, our Ukrainian friends saw fireflies for the first time. They were excited. We were with them one evening, and the fireflies were dancing all around us. We all enjoyed seeing the fireflies, as well as our friend’s excitement.
I told them the one and only time I saw a hedgehog was in Ukraine, and it was exciting to see it. We walked to a village after class one day, to an interpreter’s home, and we saw a cute, little hedgehog tucked away on the side of the path.
God is creative!
“God made the animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the crates that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:24