We had a dazzling time observing all the colors during our few days in California.
Colors of California
Tag: Travel
An Annual Get Away
It was a quick turnaround for me. We arrived home from an almost four-week trip to North Carolina, and two days later I was driving to Madison, Wisconsin to meet up with a friend for our annual get away.
We have been meeting once or twice a year since 1989. Earlier this year we had planned to meet on two different occasions, but each time we had to cancel, so we squeezed in a trip during the busy holiday season. We did not want to break our record and miss a year.
My friend and I met many years ago during a church greeting time. Soon after, she gave birth to her first born and I offered to bring her lunch. Not knowing the protocol for bringing new mom’s lunch or dinner at that time, I simply brought her a tuna fish sandwich in a brown paper bag.
BUT… God multiplied that simple lunch into a nourishing friendship that has spanned almost 40 years and is still going strong.
Madison is a good half way point for us, and is our default destination when we don’t have a lot of time. Our criteria for choosing destinations is the area has to have gardens, water (lake, river, ocean) and antique/thrift stores.
Although it was a cold and windy December day, we enjoyed walking around Olbrich Botanical Garden in Madison. We have been there many times. Although no plants were blooming, the textures and contrasts of the different fall/winter plants were vibrant.
Lake Monona is across the street. The lake was full of white caps.
We discovered two great restaurants for dinner each night. We’d recommend both. Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry has been in business for 47 years making delicious hamburgers, and it did not disappoint.
The Old Stamm House, in an old stone house, had the best Brussel sprouts I’ve ever tasted.
The lobster ravioli was great, and to top it off we had a Crème Brulée (we split everything, therefore we could enjoy an appetizer and dessert).
Our shopping times were fruitful in finding a few inexpensive little treasures here and there, which provides us with much entertainment just from the hunt!
Back home now, I will settle in and start getting ready for the Christmas season.
Transition
After having spent over three weeks in North Carolina, having a wonderful time with family, we arrived back to Minnesota on Tuesday. In the snowstorm.
We left behind sunny and warm fall weather there.
Cold temperatures along with measurable amounts of snow on the driveway greeted us here, back home in Minnesota…hmmm…it’s a tough reality. We’ll make the transition, but it’s hard.
We flew back to Minnesota on Tuesday evening. Our scheduled arrival time was 1:30 pm. Before we left for North Carolina, we had arranged for friends to pick us up. Little did we know it would be in a snowstorm.
They left Northfield early to make sure they got to the airport in time. It took them two hours to drive the normal one-hour drive. It was snowing and windy and not great driving conditions. They arrived in time for the 1:30 arrival time and parked at the cell phone lot. When they left home our flight status had not changed, so they were still expecting us at 1:30 pm.
In the meantime, we were in the Charlotte airport waiting in the rocking chairs available for passengers, and being serenaded by piano music.
Our flight left Charlotte on time and we had a smooth ride, but as we got closer to Minneapolis the pilot announced we had been put in a holding pattern while they plowed the one runway that was still open at MSP. Then they closed that runway. So, our plane was diverted to Milwaukee for fuel. Everyone got off the plane in Milwaukee while we waited for updated information. Other flights to MSP flying out of Milwaukee were being canceled. We were concerned ours might be too, and we’d be spending a night at the Milwaukee airport. But finally, they had us reboard the aircraft and we were able to fly into MSP, after they opened the runways again. By now it’s 5:40 pm.
Then, we were stuck in the plane because there wasn’t an available gate agent to open the doors and let us out. That took another half hour. Finally, we were in the airport terminal and we retrieved our luggage. Our dear friends, bless their hearts, waited for us the whole time, in the cell phone lot! That was indeed an act of faithfulness, and we were so grateful!
Now, the driveway has been plowed, and the house temperature warmed up and we’re settling in for the next few months of winter. (Maybe a couple get aways to warmer climates will be forthcoming…)
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
We decided to take a road trip from Charlotte to the Atlantic coast over the weekend, just to see the ocean. (I’m always drawn to water!) We left Saturday morning and drove four hours to Myrtle Beach State Park in South Carolina. The state park offered a nice sandy beach on the Atlantic Ocean, with a wooden pier, hiking trails, an activity center and more.
We arrived in time to eat our picnic lunch on the sandy beach. The weather was great…77* and sunny. The grandkids enjoyed playing in the water and the sand. Gary and I enjoyed the sunshine, and watching the grandkids have fun.
We walked out on the pier, and later in the afternoon we planned a hike.
As we started our hike, I was excited to read a nature quote on a sign at the beginning of the trail, and I thought to myself…this will be a fun hike. As we walked a little further, I started slapping mosquitoes, as did everyone else. As we continued on, we were attacked by mosquitos…so we turned around and walked back out of the woods. So much for a hike in this state park.
On our drive east to Myrtle Beach on Saturday morning, we noticed fields that looked full of snow clumps…and discovered it was cotton. On our way home the next day, we stopped at one of several cotton fields we passed.
We got out of the car and walked through the rows of cotton and got a good look at this interesting crop!
It was a quick trip, but a memorable one.
*Wikipedia
Fall Color Haiku
Fall color tour... Fluorescent orange, yellow, reds, A beautiful gift!
I did not enhance these photos, before or after taking theses pictures.
The leaves were that brilliant.
The North Shore 2022
Our trip to the north shore proved to be a lot more colorful than we were expecting.
We had already started seeing pockets of beautiful fall colors on our drive up, so I started to get a little excited…and then the colors began to pop out everywhere…with wonderful contrasts to the evergreen trees.
The weather also turned out better than I had hoped for, with warmer temperatures and some nice sunshine and blue skies (and one cloudy day). We had packed clothes for colder weather.
We followed our annual routine of balancing cabin time and lake time with hiking and local drives.
We watched the sun rise over the big lake and had a camp fire on the rocks. We stopped in Hinckley and Duluth on the way up, and stopped in Grand Marais one day. It’s all so familiar, yet all so refreshing, relaxing, and restorative… and so much fun!
The colors were breathtaking…everywhere we went. It was spectacular to see and hard to photograph with my iPhone.
But it was enough to witness the colors and breath in the fresh air, smell the different whiffs of pine scents, lake water, decomposing leaves, feel the crisp air and to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8a).
I stand in awe of the Creator of these incredible autumn colors.
And the colors were not only up north…we saw them driving home, and right here in Northfield, and outside our front and back doors!
At Home in Norway
This wraps up my series on our trip to Norway. However, other stories may pop up in the future.
In Norway, being close to the sea every day, surrounded by amazing beauty, was an incredible gift.
I felt so at home. I felt I belonged.
In Minnesota, my happy place is on the shores of Lake Superior. I felt the same feelings in Norway, as I do when I’m up on the north shore.
I’ve been told my Grandmother Elizabeth loved being up on the north shore too. It reminded her of the homeland she left behind in Norway, when she was a young woman. I like to think about our connection. She died when I was ten years old.
I love my rich Norwegian heritage, and am proud of it!
I was grateful that Gary made so many travel arrangements to make this trip happen. And that he embraced my relatives, and they embraced him.
And, of course, I’m grateful to all my many relatives in Norway for the marvelous and abundant hospitality shown to us.
My heart is full, yet part of it was left behind Norway.
Boats in Norway
We boarded a few boats during our time in Norway. First, we were cruising along the western coast of Norway on the ferry/postal ship, the Hurtigruten.
We also took a number of ferries as part of our road trips. It’s just a natural and reliable way of life, and transportation, in the area where we were.
And, we took two more intimate rides in a boat that Heine and Kari have at their cottage. It seats six comfortably, and they graciously took us for rides on the Norwegian sea.
I love the water. I love being on it, or beside it. This was a special treat.
The scenery was stunning.
The scenery was breathtaking.
The scenery was colorful.
The scenery was pastoral.
On one trip we docked in a town called Fitjar, where Kari grew up.
We disembarked and found ice cream treats, before getting back on the boat to continue our fabulous ride.
The scenery included many styles of boathouses along the sea shore…
and hilly and rocky shorelines.
What a pleasure it was to be on the water, taking in a different perspective of this absolutely, beautiful country.
Hikes on Stord
Our drive to the cottage took us through beautiful countryside across the island of Stord. And once at the cottage, we were able to go on two hikes in the countryside, during our stay.
On one hike we walked up to one of many wind turbines in a hilly area along the coast, close to the sea.
At the top, the view overlooked 365 islands off the coast of western Norway. Even though it was partly cloudy, we could see for miles, and we could see the North Sea beyond the islands.
Three sheep met us on the way up. They walked toward us, stopped, and then turned around as though they wanted us to follow them. When the sheep turned off the main trail, they turned and looked at us quizzically, while we kept going straight.
We continued to hike to the top, looked around, then headed back. The sheep met us, once again, on the way down. They seemed to be wondering why we didn’t follow them the first time, and they were willing to give us a second chance!
A different hike took us through a forest to a trail that was dotted with interesting characters and trolls along the path.
Apparently, the displays began with one man creating dioramas and placing them in the forest, along the side of the trail.
It turned into several more figures being created, and added, to the trail.
Now it is a fun place for children, or for those of us young-at-heart, to look for these special creatures.
Adventure Road is close to a city so children can visit the forest easily, and walk on the trail to find the treasures.
Our hike took us to this unique Troll Forest. It was a fun adventure.
The Island of Stord, Norway
After saying good-bye to Brita’s house in Kaldestad, we took the ferry to the island of Stord, where my second cousin Heine and his wife Kari live, and work, and have a “cabin”. Heine works for a company that makes oil platforms for the north sea.
Kari manages a delightful home decor/gift shop, The Five Hens.
We stopped by their home in the southeast area of Stord, on the way to their cottage on the sea, located in the northwest part of the island. That day we went from my grandfather’s house, built 1882, to Heine & Kari’s house on the sea, built 2012.
The cottage was a gorgeous home, with floor to ceiling windows and it sat right on the water’s edge, offering a great view. The six of us, Jomar and Bente, Gary and me, Heine and Kari, spent three nights there and had an enchanting time.
Besides being at the “cottage looking out over the water”, our mealtimes were memorable. Gathering around the dining table each morning, and every night, was fabulous. Not only was the food delicious, but the camaraderie was sweet.
Breakfast buffets in the hotels in Norway are amazing with breads, jams, soft-boiled eggs, egg dishes, meats, cheeses, fish, yogurts, oatmeal, trimmings, waffles, salads, cucumbers (and more)…they’re bountiful!
We had a lot of these same foods for breakfast at the cottage, except they were all set on the table in front of us. We passed the array of food back and forth, and enjoyed our leisurely breakfasts.
Dinners were fantastic too. Scrumptious food including elk, beef ribs and a pork roll, and chicken. Yum. We would eat a late, leisurely dinner, with good conversation.
Lunches were eaten outside; on the deck, or on the boat.
Our enchanting mealtimes made for some wonderful memories at the cottage.
