We had a wonderful time in California visiting our son and his family. I understand why people love the weather there. We flew back to a “turtle-paced” spring in Minnesota, and it has been difficult to readjust to the cold.
The harbor at Santa Barbara.
During our flight to Santa Barbara, I was captivated by the cloud formations outside the plane windows. I wanted to jump out of the plane and fall into their puffy softness.
Fluffy clouds outside the window of the plane.
On our first day, there were some lingering, beautiful clouds at sunset, but they eventually blew away and we had sunshine and blue skies for the rest of our trip. So much for more cloud pictures.
Beautiful cloud art over the Pacific Ocean.
Our days were full of activity, and our evenings were relaxing. Some evenings we sat around the firepit gazing at the stars,
A lovely place to sit and relax.
and other evenings we walked along the ocean to watch the harbor light up. The reflections of the boat lights on the still, calm water were truly enchanting. I enjoyed taking pictures of the harbor.
Walking towards the Santa Barbara harbor at dusk.
Boats and lights reflecting on the calm water at dusk.
Calm and serene.
A lighted palm tree. It looks really awesome in person…not so much in the picture.
One day we went on a whale-watching excursion hoping to see, and take pictures of, migrating Gray and Humpback whales, but alas – we did not see any.
Much to our surprise, Condor Express gave us a “whale-check” coupon for a future excursion. We will plan to use it the next time we’re in Santa Barbara.
Out on the side deck.
Although we didn’t see any whales, we really enjoyed our three-hour cruise on the water.
Looking towards the coast from our boat.
We enjoyed seeing flowers blooming everywhere, but I didn’t focus on taking pictures of them. The fun, diving pelicans and iconic seagulls were everywhere too, but I only took these three bird pictures below:
A Sandpiper on the shore.
A Bird-of-Paradise. HAHA 😉
Cormorants with California sea lions.
The week flew by while we soaked up the sunshine and enjoyed quality time with family amidst the delightful charm of Santa Barbara.
On our trip to the north shore, once again we were blessed with beautiful sunrises…always a highlight when we are up at the cabin…looking out over the great expanse of water, Lake Superior. I never tire of seeing the orange ball.
7:12 am March 23, 2026
We did have unseasonably warm weather while up north. On our first day we drove into a park looking for cross-country skiing. The weather had been too warm, so there was none to be found. I asked the ranger if there were any clear paved paths to walk or hike on, and her customer chimed in that he had been looking all around the area and hadn’t found any. It is that in-between season in Minnesota, a lot of slushy-icy-melting snow cover.
The pier at Agate Bay.
It was a beautiful sunny day and since we couldn’t ski we drove into Two Harbors and parked at Agate Bay to walk out on the pier. The path was clear and it is always fun to walk out “on the water.” Along the pier we saw the gentleman I had talked to earlier at the park. He recognized me and said, “looks like we both found some clear pavement to walk on.” And we laughed.
The beacon at the end of the long pier. We saw its warning beam at night.
Soon we were almost to the beacon at the end of the pier. There was a fisherman along the side and he looked like he was struggling to hold onto his pole. Then, I heard him ask the guy (our new friend) who was walking in front of us if he would help him pull in a fish. Now that’s an unusual request.
A net helped to catch this Lake Trout.
The guy willingly hopped down on the ledge and grabbed the large net, ready to swoop in and capture the fish. It took a while…the fisherman kept reeling in the line, and then letting out a little slack to keep the line from snapping…and it took several minutes of alternating between the two. Gary and I stopped to watch the process and take some photos.
It took two people to catch this fish.
After several minutes we could see the fish on the line, in the water, near the surface and it was a big one! A really big one. The guy on the pier with the net went into action and caught the fish in the net. It was exciting. The fish measured 24-30″, from the fisherman’s mid-thigh to the ground.
One big Lake Trout.
I asked the fisherman what kind of fish it was…he said a “Lake Trout”. Nobody guessed the weight, but everyone (a few others had gathered to watch) realized it was unusually large. I took some pictures and the fisherman gave me his text number. I sent the photos on to him and thanked him for “the show.” And we merrily walked back towards shore.
We ended our day by sitting around a bon fire outside the cabin.
Fiery orange in the morning, fiery orange at night, and a serendipity in-between…how splendid.
Several years ago, a new beach opened up to the public near Silver Bay, Minnesota. It’s called Black Beach.
Black Beach on Lake Superior.
It’s along the shores of Lake Superior and it’s made up of small black pebbles…so it looks like a black sand beach, thus the name. This is unusual for this area of Lake Superior. We’re used to seeing rocky shores and colored rocks, so this is a fun addition.
The icy shoreline of Black Beach.
We’ve never spent a lot of time on Black Beach…we just stop by on our way up the north shore. There is parking lot with vault toilets, the path leading to the beach and some picnic tables set back from the water. It is pretty, so it’s a fun stop.
Ice boulders.
So, when we were staying up at a cabin near Two Harbors recently, we took a drive one morning, up Scenic Hwy. 61 and decided to stop at Black Beach to see if there was any white snow left on the black beach.
This shows perspective on the size of these ice drifts.
Wow! Were we surprised! There were humungous ice drifts settled on the beach.
A path through the ice formations.
As we walked out closer to the lake, we realized how large these ice drifts… ice chunks… ice boulders were.
Are we still in Minnesota? This is another view of the path through the ice formations
It was fun and amazing to walk up to the ice formations, and walk through a row of them. I can only imagine what it was like earlier this winter. This is March and they were melting in the 38* weather…icicles were forming on the bottoms of the masses, dripping water back into the lake.
The icicles forming as they drip back into the lake.
In a small way, it reminded me of the sea caves we walked to several years ago near Bayfield, Wisconsin, when the DNR created a path on the frozen Lake Superior so folks could walk out to see the sea caves, usually only seen by kayakers on the open water.
Gary walking towards the lake. The photo is deceiving. There is a big drop off to the beach at the edge of the ice, with ice packs below, lining the shore.
We are continually amazed at the variety of adventures we find on our trips to the north shore of Lake Superior…my happy place!
Tuesday, November 11, 2025 (Ford Street, Northfield)
It’s not often one gets to see the northern lights, especially in town, and in southern Minnesota, but the last two nights there were wonderful displays right outside our front door. A neighbor sent a photo in a text alerting me to check out the spectacular show on Tuesday evening.
Tuesday, November 11, 2025 (Ford Street, Northfield)
I have seen the northern lights a couple times in my life. Once with the naked eye from a parking lot at our church. That was many years ago – at that time I did not have an ever-ready camera (cell phone) to look at them through the lens that illuminates them. I remember faintly seeing green streaks in the northern sky.
May 2024, outside Northfield.
However, in May 2024, having heard on the news the northern lights may be visible, I drove a mile out-of-town to watch for them. There were several of us folks who had driven away from the city lights to look for them. There was excitement in the air as we did witness a spectacular light show.
May 2024, outside Northfield.
In May 2024 the colors were purple and green, with some yellow and red.
Tuesday, November 11, 2025 (Ford Street, Northfield)
Tuesday night the colors were dramatic reds and greens…(maybe because Christmas is coming? HA)
Wednesday, 11/12/25 Ford Street, Northfield.
We didn’t see as much activity on Wednesday night…at least the times when we checked, but we did catch on fabulous green streak with purple hues.
What an awesome, glorious, “free event”, put on by the Father of Lights.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
The entrance to St. Olaf College, off Hwy. 19, usually has the best color in town. 10/17/25
And St. Olaf has the best potted plants…
And the best mum gardens too (at St. Olaf).
I love it when the trees have multi colors…
New to me this year…I saw this very large (probably 10 ft diameter), happy, inflatable pumpkin.
Heath Creek Trail., in Northfield. 10/17/25
Very few wildflowers in bloom…this hairy aster is a hold out.
Heath creek, Northfield. 10/17/25
Lime-green mossy log.
Another gorgeous tree. 10/17/25
A friendly ghost and large, inflatable black cat. Fun holiday decorations.
Bright red-oranges and yellows…down our street. 10/20/25
Evening glow over downtown Northfield. 10/20/25
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Psalm 96: 11-12
Rain was predicted for our time up on the north shore, but we ended up with stunning weather; clear, fall-blue skies and warmer-than-usual temperatures every single day. What a gift.
A gull enjoying a flight over the water near Gooseberry Falls.
We’ve been going up north once or twice a year for forty years. We are always refreshed and rejuvenated by the magnificent Lake Superior.
The lovely blue water of Lake Superior – photo taken off the deck of the cabin where we stayed.
A practice I started years ago was to check the time for sunrise. It is so precise! If it states the sun will rise at 6:56 you can count on seeing the orange ball pop up over the horizon at 6:56.
7:15 am sunrise on Tuesday, 10/7.
I make sure I’m up to witness this event, and will set my alarm if need be – that is determined by the time of year. It is awesome to see the sun rise over the big lake. I have hundreds of stunning pictures of a Lake Superior Sunrise.
I first saw the moon rising at 6:38 pm on Tuesday 10/7.
This year however, for the first time in forty years, we saw the moon rise over the lake. We have often seen a full moon shining on the lake (and a few times soon after it rose over the lake), but we’ve never seen it rising.
I knew we would be up north for October’s Harvest, or Hunter’s, supermoon, but I wasn’t expecting the event to happen until later in the evening.
Moon shimmering over the water, 7:36 pm Tuesday 10/7.
But I happened to walk out onto the deck and looked east and there, larger than I’ve ever seen it, was the moon already half way above the horizon. I continued to watch it (and videoed it). I was so giddy to see this stunning site. It was huge, and it was rising, and it only took about 30 seconds to come into full view.
It was another amazing gift.
This photo was taken the next day… as the sun is shimmers on the calm lake in almost the same place as the moon was at 7:40 the night before (10/7). This photo was taken at 9:40 am on 10/8.
Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights— His faithful love endures forever. the sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever. and the moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love endures forever.
When I was younger, I wrote a letter to Pan Am Airlines (a viable airline at the time) asking to be put on their waitlist to go to the moon. They wrote back (I was amazed), and told me the list was full!
I guess I’ve always been fascinated by the moon. I do enjoy the moon, and especially a full moon. Seeing the moon’s reflection on the water is always spectacular. But, crescent moons are sweet too…like a wink, or smile from heaven.
Full moon over Lake Superior, Minnesota 2020.
So, when I saw on Idaho’s map, Craters of the Moon National Monument, I added it to my list of places to see in Idaho. It is a 750,000 acre park. According to the internet, the difference between national park and national monument are:
“...are their establishment [1] method, [2] primary purpose, and [3] scope of preservation. National parks are created by an Act of Congress to preserve a broader scope of natural and recreational values, while national monuments are designated by the President under the Antiquities Act to protect a singular, significant natural or natural object.”
It was a sunny, but chilly day when we visited the Craters of the Moon National Monument. It features vast lava fields deposited from volcanic eruption of deep fissures years ago. At the Visitor’s Center we picked up a map of a seven-mile driving loop through the park. There were designated stops along the way to get out for a scenic overlook, or take a hike. We did both.
The short hike through Devil’s Orchard was level, and paved, and I felt like we were walking through a strange botanical garden. Although we missed the peak for wildflowers in the park, there is amazingly diverse plant life in these lava fields. Most common is the sagebrush.
Walking through the Devil’s Orchard.
Dwarf buckwheat is an interesting plant…they look like white spots dotted almost evenly on the black lava rocks…
Dwarf Buckwheat
Dwarf Buckwheat growing like polka dots on the dark terrain.
There are numerous mini volcano formations known as spatter cones and cinder cones. We hiked up a cinder cone named Inferno Cone.
Climbing up Inferno Cone, 6181′.
A cinder cone is formed from the accumulation of gas-charged volcanic fragments (cinders) ejected from a single vent.
On top of Inferno Cone…the top is level, but the cinder line on this photo is where the steep conical sides meet at the top.
The hike was a steep climb, but worth the view at the top.
At the top on Inferno Cone.
It’s so hard to show depth in a photo. This tree is hanging over the edge of the cinder cone.
From the Craters of the Moon brochure, “astronauts confirmed that most lunar craters resulted from meteorite impacts, not volcanism. The craters of Craters of the Moon however, are definitely of volcanic origin…. from a series of deep fissures known collectively as the Great Rift that cross the Snake River Plain.”
I may not have gone to the moon with Pan Am, but I think I am satisfied with seeing Craters of the Moon and its diverse landscape. When you enter the park and drive through this amazing area, it sure looks like you are on the moon!
It was a great adventure.
Although not related to the moon adventure, we visited another site in the Idaho wilderness worth mentioning.
A barrack and the mess hall at Minidoka Internment camp.
The Minidoka National Historic Site is remnants of a Japanese Internment camp. We drove miles into the desert to find the visitor’s center and the remains of a few camp buildings. During World War II this camp held over 13,000 (out of 120,000) Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated without due process of law.
A root cellar built by those incarcerated to store crops grown at Minidoka. It is surprisingly large.
As most Visitor’s Center are, this one was full of information. And to make our visit even more interesting, the National Park ranger we talked with was a granddaughter of one of the incarcerated. Her grandfather was interned at this very Camp Minidoka. She was passionate about its history and she could answer any question we asked. The site preserves a real, but sad chapter in our history.
When I told others we were taking a trip to Idaho most people asked why. I explained. “of the fifty states, Idaho is the only state I haven’t been in” (although my brother told me we were on a road trip with our parents and drove through Idaho to get to Washington when we were young. He is four years older so he remembers.)
Delicious potato chips, made in Idaho.
Now, if people were to ask me, “Why Idaho?” I would say because it is a beautiful state with a lot to offer…including a large portion of the Rocky Mountains and 3,500 miles of rivers. We spent a lot of time by the Snake River.
This ice cream is shaped to look like an Idaho baked potato with sour cream. It was fun to try.
Idaho is known for its potatoes. While doing some research I learned about Westside Drive-In in Boise, that offered potato-shaped ice cream. That was curious. We made the drive-in our first stop out of the airport. It was tasty treat and a great way to start our vacation. Then, we drove two hours to Twin Falls and settled into an AirBnB in southeastern Idaho. We took day trips from there.
The amazing Perrine Bridge.
We spent a lot of time along the Snake River viewing canyons, gorges, water falls, and watching Base jumpers jump off the Perrine Bridge…counting on their parachutes to open and land safely on the ground 486’ below. It was fascinating to watch.
An experienced jumper attaches another person to his harness for a tandem jump. Unfortunately I couldn’t figure out how to post the video of this endeavor.
This screen shot is of the BASE jumper from one of the videos.
The Perrine Bridge is a stunning arch bridge and stands 486 feet above the Snake River, and has the distinction of being the eighth highest bridge in the United States. The Perrine Bridge attracts BASE jumpers from all over the world because it is one of the few structures they [jumpers] can use without getting special permits.
Trying to capture how deep this gorge is…this is looking down at the river…ripples from a motor boat and a kayak in the picture too.
(BASE jumping is an extreme sport where an individual leaps from a fixed object and uses a single parachute to land. The term “BASE” is an acronym for the four types of locations: Buildings, Antennas, Spans (bridges), and the Earth (cliffs).) We were fortunate to witness four jumpers, (one tandem) while walking next to the bridge.
At the visitor’s center, on the other side of the bridge, was a temporary 911 memorial display (we were visiting close to that date). The group hung a gigantic American flag on a cable over the gorge. It was impressive.
Shoshone Falls…there is not much water flowing over the falls this time of year. (Twin Falls is considered high dessert.) However, in the spring Shoshone Falls is called the Niagara of the west and the falls are gushing and look very full (in photos).
We picnicked at Shoshone Falls, and saw Perrine Coulee Falls and many other miscellaneous waterfalls.
Perrine Coulee Falls.
We also walked to the Devil’s Washbowl, a waterfall within the Malad Gorge in Thousand Springs State Park.
The waterfalls in Malad Gorge.
Looking down on Malad Gorge, formed by the Malad River that flows into the Snake River.
We hiked in Adams Gulch and caught the beautiful sight of quaking aspen trees, their leaves turning from green…to lime green… to a brilliant yellow, that contrast beautifully with the green evergreen trees.
The striking contrast of the yellow aspens and evergreen trees.
We hiked on a well-defined hiking, and mountain biking, trail.
We drove to Ketchum, the ski village near Sun Valley Resort, nestled within the Rocky Mountains, specifically in the Wood River Valley at the base of Bald Mountain.
Beautiful Bald Mountain and the Sun Valley Ski Resort.
Sun Valley was America’s first destination ski resort.
One big bicycle near Ketchum.
The mountains are inviting so we continued to drive north of Ketchum for several miles to see their majesty.
On our way up a mountain…and then down into a valley.
Looking at a valley from Smiley Lodge. We turned around here and drove back up the mountain pass.
We also spent time in Craters of the Moon National Monument. I will write about that another time.
Our final evening, a farewell dinner on the deck at Redhawk Gastropub, overlooking the Snake River.
Our time went fast, as it usually does while on vacation, but I’m glad we were able to see a few of the wonderful sights in beautiful Idaho, and to make some fun memories there.
And I did it! I can say I’ve been in all 50 states.
Recently I was up in northern Minnesota at my friend’s cabin on Daggett Lake. We sat on the bench on her dock…to read, visit, or just sit and enjoy the lake.
Morning sunrise.
We also enjoyed seeing the full moon and its refection on the lake, and going for walks, playing cards, going out to eat, and teasing the dog next door.
The Corn Moon; the nickname for September’s full moon.
Each time we saw the neighbor’s cute, little dog meander into the front yard of my friend’s cabin, we would peek through the window and knock on the glass and wave to him.
Each time this little pup jumped…and then started barking at us, and we smiled back at him. We teased him so, but he kept coming back.
I see a dog in this cloud formation…He’s laying down with his paws out in front of him, looking out.
So it was fun to see this cloud art on our way home from the cabin, reminding us of the cute, little doggie through the window on Daggett Lake.
