Witch's Hat Water Tower

This is a such a distinctive landmark on the border of St. Paul and Minneapolis. It stands out in any season. I think I shot this photo the day after Xmas and it was such a gray, snowy day. I've never been up on the observation area and apparently it is only open a few days a year. I also read that it was intended to be used as a bandshell as well as a water tower, but the climb up was to much for the musicians. There has been only one concert since the tower was built in 1914.

Solstice Night Date

Today on this longest of nights, winter officially begins. It is Solstice night and from this night onward the days will get longer. This brings such a sense to relief to my heart. Relief that we are on our way to warmer weather and longer days, brighter sunshine and yet another change in seasons. Of course, there are still several months of winter left here in the upper Midwest, but the longer days always brings hope that it will all end soon.

The Big D is on vacation this whole week and hanging with him has been a blast. Yesterday we drove all over the Cities trying to find him a copy of a book, the next in the series he is reading. I had forgotten to request it from the library and we had to find a copy for his vacation.

The only thing missing from this week is the chance to cross country ski. The temps have been perfect, staying in the mid-twenties, but there isn't enough snow to really enjoy it. And, dang-it, I'm a bit nervous, feeling like I'm putting inches around my belly everyday. There is supposed to be a big winter snow storm building for later this week, maybe then I'll brave the ski trails. I'm missing the quiet of the woods, the crunch and slide of the snow, the feeling of solitude in winter wonderland.

Today, we had a relaxing morning, then some time spent at the health club getting our workout in and sweating ourselves to fitness. Later, we dared to venture into a nearby Mall for some gift exchanges and a little bit of maternity shopping. We picked the perfect time, a lull in all the shopping craziness. He was jittery from a late afternoon cup of coffee and I was just thrilled to be out of the house, so we decided to extend our time out by heading down to the river for some fish and chips. I was craving it and it was great while I ate it, but now I'm battling some heartburn that is just about to go away, I hope!



We went to Tuggs for a Solstice Night date. I love the old photographs in this bar; the brickwork that curiously has a coat of poly on it.




It was strange to think that in just a few months our lives will dramatically change. But, he is always expressing how much he's looking forward to Baby coming to our home, and so, I catch his excitement like a contagion.

If tonight marks the beginning of winter, Baby will come with winter's end and the beginning of a new season, a new life, a new world.

The Minneapolis Library

The "new" library. I still think of it as the "new" library even though it has been open for several years now. I've been here a few times, but each time has been with the Big D and outings with him are always wonderful. There is no free parking near this library location which is the main reason I do not come here often. Yet, every time I visit or just drive by, I am struck by how beautiful it is. Yes, the trees here were planted and situated in this perfect line, but I like it, especially in the stark winter season.


There is so much glass on this building and I wistfully think about how wonderful this might have been when I was working on my graduate degree. All that sunlight would have made this a great place to study and write.

Minneapolis At Night

So, it's freezing out there, actually, below freezing temperatures, and we're shooting, after a nice dinner of burgers at Elsie's down by the river. The vehicles are running right behind us, my fingers curled a bit into my fingerless gloves. I click down on my remote cable and am holding for five seconds, ten seconds. Then, suddenly, LT, the lovely wife, says something about getting a shot of the plane that looks like it's going in between the buildings. So, I keep the shutter open for a while longer, not having noticed this until she mentioned it. I love this picture. The light of the plane looks like a shooting star.

1st Big Snowfall of the Year

Yah, sure, we had snow sometime back in October, but that soon melted away. This snowfall wasn't all that big as far as Minnesota is concerned, but it's going to stay awhile. The temperatures have dropped into the single digits, so no chance of any snow melting away. It will get plowed away, and in some places, hauled away in big dumptrucks. But, for sure, it's staying for a while.

I feel quite lucky this year. I remember some years when the snow would dump down, measuring in feet rather than inches, and stay until April. This year the snow is hitting kind of late. Just last week, I wasn't even considering my winter vest, let alone, my big, heavy winter coat.

I don't think we got as much as was expected. But the snow sure did come down...



...and in. The Big D found snow piled up between our screen door and the solid backdoor on his way out to work this morning.



The wind picked up and there are huge drifts everywhere. Usually, I'm the shoveler, but this year, D will get a chance to pull out his snowblower.

I'm thinking we could use some more! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Oberg Mountain Hike

One thing we really wanted to do on the babymoon was to go on a hike. We both needed the exercise and we were very aware that winter is right around the corner with no chance of cross-country skiing this year. Cross country skiing is on the list of things I can do while pregnant, but I am really clumsy so I don't think I want to risk it this year. The only obstacle to hiking is that we are both really out of shape. There was a time that we did the seven mile hike to Horseshoe Canyon (near Moab) which was a great adventure that I'll have to write about one of these days (the sort of adventure that caught the attention of a National Geographic filmmaker who wanted to use my film footage - WhooHoo!). But, these days walking in the neighborhood is something we only manage every once and a while.

We took a hike one summer in Tettagouche State Park (can't remember the name of the peak) which ended up being really buggy. We were driven away from the peak by nagging mosquitoes, yet the Big D got an awesome picture of me that he hangs in his office. I looked fit. Not so much these days where I mostly look fat, unless I'm wearing a tight shirt, then I look a little pregnant.

Jeez what a rambling about nothing...

Anyway, Oberg Mountain seemed like a good hike for us. It was a little over 2 1/4 miles to the peak and back. There were eight overlook spots on the loop around the peak. These mountains are old, mostly worn away to the granite core, and fairly flat on top. The days was overcast with rain and drizzle expected in the late afternoon. We packed up a lunch which D carried. I packed up my camera gear in my backpack camera bag and we took off.

We were debating between Carlton Peak and Oberg. Carlton Peak, we were told only has two overlook spots with the main attraction being the view of Lake Superior and it has the bonus of being right behind the resort where we were staying. Oberg, like I mentioned has eight overlooks, but also the drive to the trailhead takes you partway up the mountain.

The parking lot was empty when we started the hike. However, there was another family that braved the misty Autumn weather to hike this peak who we encountered while on the trail. We let them pass us and never saw them again.


This was our only map, the one hanging at the trailhead. Not that the hike is difficult, it just goes one way, but, I like to have these things around. We took the trail counter clockwise when we got the loop. Unfortunately, I didn't look at it much on my camera and so we were not expecting the length of last part of the loop from the last overlook to the trail leading down the peak. But, we took it slow and we made it, despite the fact that there weren't may scenic views due to the fog and mist.



The trails was beautiful, nonetheless. It reminded me so much of where I went to school in the Himalaya mountains. While walking up the mountain to school, the trail was often shrouded in a cloud. When we started this hike up Oberg Mountain, the woods were clear. As we got higher and closer to the peak, we walked into the fog.



The rock on the trail was a little slick, but, there were only a few muddy patches. The Big D took the lead. It was sweet, though, when he hit a slick or muddy spot, where he would stop and wait to give me a hand. This made the hike very romantic for me! I love this man! Of course, I kept stopping to shoot some images, so caught up in the ethereal quality of the fog around the woods. There was lots of pine and cedar, lots of green moss. The colors were spectacular.



The peak was completely covered in fog. The overlooks were sort of eerie as we couldn't see very far, but the fact that there was a major drop in front of us was obvious. At the overlooks that faced Lake Superior, we could hear the traffic on Hwy 61 and we could even hear the waves on the lake crashing on the rocks more than 1500 feet below. But, we couldn't see any of this. Some people would say that taking this sort of hike is not worth doing on such a foggy day. I'm so glad we did it. We had such a unique experience, an experience that made us view and appreciate all that was on the peak and not just the overlooks.



This foggy day also allowed me to think about the photography differently. I am always a little disappointed when I can't quite capture the scenic views in the way that I saw them. On this day, I had no such worries. I was enchanted by the mists. I was curious about what lay ahead on the path.



There were no bugs. It was not too hot. I would say that conditions were perfect!



I think that maintaining trails would be a fabulous job. One of these days, I want to do one of those volunteer vacations where we get to help groom the trails, either here in Minnesota or down in Moab, Utah.

Recently I read through Scott Kelby's digital photography guide. I was surprised at the number of pro tips that blatantly set up the shot. Nonetheless there were some really good tips. And, I kept thinking this was a great day to get different sort of shots, shots that weren't just vacation photography, but interesting moods in the woods.



We started joking about getting lost in the mists and ending up in some fairy land where time functioned differently. I reminded the Big D that if this happened, we were not eat or drink anything as we'd be stuck here for years and years. We'd come out of the mists and find it was twenty years into the future, or something crazy like that. Truly, the fog and drizzle made everything seem enchanting.



We eventually did find the picnic table at the last overlook that faced the lake, but we never stopped to eat. We snacked a little, but it seemed like the rain was going to start and we had no idea how long it would take up to finish the loop and head back down the mountain.

D found a grove of cedar trees on the trail and we lingered there for a while, feeling the energy coursing up through the trunks.

We made it back to the Jeep just as the rain started to fall harder. We went back to our cozy room, started a fire and ate our lunches. I was glad to be back before dark as I didn't want to chance another deer encounter. This was our last full day up on the North Shore and it was spectacular. We soothed our muscles later in the jacuzzi. We never made it the outdoor hottub, but that was OK, we certainly felt like we had done a lot on our babymoon.

I told D that the next time we hike up Oberg Mountain, he has to carry the baby. And for that, I just can't wait!

Primed for Snow

Winter storm warnings are in place for this week. The snow is supposed to start tomorrow and continue into Wednesday. The meteorologists are stating the snow is going to get stronger as it gets closer to the state. Bring it on! I'm ready. Gazing at this photo of the city skyline it seems really apparent to me that the snow is coming. If it's going to be cold, there should be snow on the ground, don't you think?

Sawbill Trail - Part Three - Foggy Evening

The morning of this Jeep drive on the Sawbill Trail was all about the Temperance River. The afternoon was when we spent some time spotting local wildlife. In the late afternoon we found ourselves making the descent into Grand Marais. It is one of our favorite towns in Minnesota and we've created some really wonderful memories there. We've done one heck of a lot of our Christmas shopping in this little town where most of the stores are located right next to the harbor. It's a chance to support the local economy and a chance to find unique gifts.

The drive down from the mountains into Grand Marais was a little scary, especially when the fog got so thick the only thing we could see was the headlights of the cars coming towards us.



Now for those people who think of the Midwest as flat, I assure you that there are some steep areas, even some roads that have runaway truck ramps, which this one did. This is also where I realized I had some spots on my lens.



It was a relief to finally get into town and we took a short cut so some of the first sights we saw were some of our favorite places to eat.



Our plan was to do some shopping, take some pictures at Artist Point, then dinner (maybe) at Sven and Ole's, the local pizza place that has some international acclaim. We had decided to buy Baby a gift and ended up picking out the cutest little pair of baby booties.



We also got presents for our parents picked out. All this while walking along the harbor. What I didn't plan for was how quickly the sun goes down this far North. We had a bit of a frantic rush to Artist Point to capture some shots before darkness settled in, but that plan got scraped shortly after we arrived, when I realized I hadn't thought through what I wanted to shoot.



So, back to some more shopping by the harbor.



The lights seemed especially festive on this foggy evening.

But, then we were done. The only thing left on our agenda was dinner and a stop at the local co-op. While Uff-da pizza sounded delicious, it was only about 4:30, a little too early for dinner, so we headed to the co-op. The experience wasn't quite as friendly as I had hoped for, but it's always great to see this place thriving and we needed some more water so mission accomplished and we were on the road again to our resort.



Unfortunately, before we even left the town limits, we had a very scary experience. We hit a deer. Because we were in the town limits and because it was really foggy, we were not traveling fast. The Big D did manage to skid to a stop, but then, right at the last second, the deer jumped in front of the Jeep. We were lucky that we were able to drive away. The deer, poor thing, sat at the side of the road, then got up and limped, but then, she seemed to straighten her leg out and actually jumped into the woods as if nothing had happened. I hope she was able to recover. Quite a few drivers stopped and a couple of them seemed curious about whether they might be able to take the deer home with them. Hunting season, we are told, brings the deer real close to town and real close to the road as they seem to know they will be safe. Safe from everything except cars.

It was a terrifying drive back to our resort. Everyone else seemed to be driving 50+ mph despite the fact that, in some places, the fog was so thick, we could barely see the road. Not wanting to push our luck, D kept it under 40, which helped my frazzled pregnant state of mind. But, despite all that we were safe. And very, very lucky that the situation wasn't worse. We were lucky even with the fact that we could still drive our Jeep back home. We have insurance and so that takes care of the damage to our Jeep.

This was only the second night of our Babymoon. Nonetheless, we decided we'd had enough of Grand Marais and cancelled any remaining plans in the area. Which was fine because there was enough to do near our resort.

One thing I am really grateful for was the chance to shoot this shot before leaving Grand Marais:



The scary experience helped me realize all that I was grateful for. Even the spots on my lens that might have ruined a whole day's worth of shooting taught me some photoshop tricks. It was a great day, nonetheless. But, I have to say, deer are no longer cute creatures to me.

Sawbill Trail - Part Two - Drizzling Afternoon

Truly, it seemed we had picked the best day for this drive. There was off and on rain, but it was more off than on and that created the opportunity for some great pictures. Also, we saw no one else on the road since getting off the main highway, so it felt like we were the only ones in the whole region.

We passed so many side roads with signs like this:



And, it was really tempting, but we only took a couple and didn't travel too far down those roads. Seeing no other cars on the main gravel road meant there would be no one to help if we got stuck. There were intermittent cell phone signals and that just increased our feeling of being off the grid; great for an adventure, just not conducive for surviving disaster.

We were on the edge of the Boundary Waters recreation area. There were no power lines or poles. A few of the cabins we caught sight of (and there were only a few) had some solar panels peering out through the woods. We were no more than 10-20 miles from Lake Superior, yet this seemed like an entirely different ecosystem - wild and untouched by human development despite the fact that we were traveling on a gravel road. The Jeep kept getting muddier and muddier and we were thankful we had plenty of wiper fluid, something we learned to stock up on before a long jeep drive, a lesson we learned the hard way.



A rainy drizzling Autumn afternoon revealed so many different colors and shades of green. Maybe it was because the landscape wasn't dominated by leafy green. Whatever it was, it seemed like the moss and the pine were vibrant and shining.

There was so much plant life in different stages of growth. Tall pines reaching for the sky, little baby evergreens cradled against glacier placed boulders and colorful rocks.



There is something so sensual about spending an afternoon like this with my lover. I had such a sense of primal, almost feral energy passing between us as we glanced over at each other after we spotted another new shade of green, another glistening patch of moss. We would recklessly jump out of the Jeep into brown mud or red mud, and not give another thought to the mess that could all be dealt with later back in town, back in the order and cleanliness of civilization. For now, it seemed that each bend in the road promised a new sensation, a new discovery, a new way to love the earth, the sky, each other.



Eventually, we found a spot for lunch and for me, these jeep drives always lead to what I think of as epic lunches. These epic lunches always and only consists of sandwiches, chips, fruit and cookies, but the location is what makes it grand and out of the ordinary. On this day, we had found Crescent lake, likely a popular canoe lake in fairer seasons, but today it was quiet. We lunched in solitude, except for one another. We parked right up next the edge of the water and my eyes played tricks on me as I imagined skinny branches of trees as the legs of a gangly moose. Or a reflection in the water a loon surfacing from the lake depths.

Sepia took over as I was processing this shot. It captured the mood and glorified the fog rising over the lake.



We still had another 25 miles to go on this 56 mile circuit on the edge of the Boundary Waters and on the edge of the Laurentian Highlands. We passed a continental divide that confused the rivers and sent streams flowing in awkward directions.

Suddenly, there were lakes everywhere, on either side of the road. Is that ice I spotted on some of the shallow lakes? Yes, it was and that was a frightening reminder of the next season just waiting to begin with a rush of cold air from Canada. How far were we from Canada. It couldn't have been more than 30 miles.

The freezing ice created natural jigsaw puzzles, fragile yet geometrically and chaotically beautiful. The ice was pushing the air into bubbles that appeared in cloudy pockets.



The cattails lined the edges of these lakes, standing tall and pristine in a shade of royal brown, distinctly more bold than the blanket of fallen leaves.



After lunch is when we started spotting more wildlife. We searched the lakes for wading moose, but luck was not with us that day. The Big D is always telling me to keep my eye out for wolf tracks because of his hopes of capturing one on film. I always snicker incredulously at this request. I was duly impressed when he slammed on the brakes and started backing up to the spot where he say these tracks. Not wolf tracks, but deer. A little too small for moose, but it could have been a small moose.



I wish that had been our only encounter with deer. I'll tell you why in the next segment of this journey.



Another mile or so and we found this owl who clung precariously to the top of this tree. We stayed here for a long time waiting patiently for this owl to take flight. Instead, he (or she) stared at us and did little head slides back and forth, occasionally spinning its head all around to spot prey. Any sounds from another type of bird seemed to send this owl off on high alert, but it remained perched on that choice spot while we drove away.



A little closer to town, we thought we spotted another owl. Here is where we encountered traffic again, but we took the risk to pull over on the side of the road on a curve with cars and SUVs whizzing by. This owl was in a distance and as I shot a few pictures through my zoom lens, I began to realize this bird was situated too perfectly in the center. It wouldn't move, or twitch when the Big D honked the horn. It wasn't bird at all! It was some sort of decoy, a plastic fake! Humbled, we started our descent into Grand Marais.



After spotting that one fake, I began to see them everywhere. I'm still not sure why they were places on these poles. Is it to scare of seagulls? Geese?

The drive down into Grand Marais was extremely foggy with little or no visibility. I'll save that adventure for the next post. If you've never been in this area I highly recommend it. But, go, if you can, during the off-season so that you can have the whole region to yourselves!

Sawbill Trail - Part One - Late Morning

Our friends and neighbors always ask us how we find out about the great Jeep trails and scenic drives we take while on little trips away from the city. I say a good guidebook makes the difference between a good trip and a stressful trip. A good guidebook is often found for free at the library. I always cross check with a large online book seller to read how others have commented on each particular title.

Once we found ourselves out in the middle of Nevada-nowhere, hadn't seen another vehicle for at least 100 miles, met lots of cows, and made a scary turnaround near a volcanic crater that should not have been accessed without a 4-wheel drive vehicle. We had a rental car. I read just about every guidebook I could find before going to Moab and even that led to a slightly stressful trip through Pucker Pass, but that could have been because we got a little overconfident.

As far as the North Shore of Lake Superior goes, I used to just look closely at maps to find little lines indicating dirt roads. This time around I got Scenic Driving Minnesota (by Phil Davies) at my local library and photocopied a route that seemed pretty promising between the town of Tofte (where we are staying) and Grand Marais (where we had planned to go anyway). How convenient to find a longer inland route than just taking the scenic lakeshore drive.

We had planned to do this on Tuesday, but Monday ended up being quite rainy so not good for a hike. We headed up the Sawbill Trail, a road we had traveled on a number of occasions to a rustic national campground. But, back up a minute and gaze upon the fabulous breakfast that the Big D made us in preparation for a long day of driving.



It's great staying at a place that has a kitchen. Bluefin Bay has great rooms with fireplaces and excellent views of the lake. Having a kitchen is also convenient for making up some lunches, yet another necessity for a long day of driving. We tend to go to places that have no places for food or services available. Get a packed lunch and a full tank of gas and you're good to go!

Now, on to the scenic drive!

The day was misty, drizzly and foggy which normally would keep people indoors, but for us, it's an opportunity to have the region all to ourselves. We only saw one other vehicle and that was close to where we turned off the highway. The colors of Autumn were rich and vibrant, and made more so by the misty droplets. The rain was off and on and that made the Jeep really muddy.

The drive took us through the Laurentian Highlands which Phil Davies describes as "a rugged landscape of forests, lakes, wetlands, and streams, passing the highest point in the state". Me? I'd just describe it as Northland paradise.



We crossed the Temperance River at least seven times as we made our way on this 56-mile arc towards Grand Marais.




The Temperance River flows all the way into Lake Superior and there it bubbles and roars through narrow canyon-like gorges. But here, it was much tamer and every time we crossed it, the river showed a new element of her personality.






The deeper we got in land, the taller the trees got. We passed grouse and mink on the side of the road. We lingered and awed over all the shades of green in the moss and in the pine needles.



All this in the late morning, before we stopped for lunch.

Next up: an afternoon on the edge of the Boundary Waters.

Babymoon

Wikipedia says "the term [babymoon] has come to be used to describe a vacation taken by a couple that is expecting a baby in order to allow the couple to enjoy a final trip together before the many sleepless nights that usually accompany a newborn baby. Babymoons usually take place at a resort that offers appropriate services like prenatal massage."

Combine this with the Gales of November and you've got the perfect North Shore getaway for Lotus and her Big D.

We headed out of the city two hours later than planned, but hey, it's all about relaxation and we've got the whole week off, so problem, mon. Stopped into Nokomis for lunch, way after the lunch hour. We had the bar to ourselves.



I love sitting in this smaller, more intimate area. I liked it a whole lot more when I was able to have a glass of Sir Duluth beer, but that's OK, I ordered the killer lemonade. The more formal dining room is not our style and I just know the raspberry vinaigrette that came with my field salad would be splattered all over the white table cloths in less than a minute.



We've had two rather wonderful, special meals at this place a few years back, but those were experiences especially reserved for that time, not this one. We came here right after I defended my doctorate dissertation. Trying to recreate that great day is not possible, but the food was good anyway. I used to love the salad because it was surrounded by a long, thin strip of an English cucumber. Not this time. The server actually had the salad pre-split because I mentioned that we were going to share it. I love sharing a plate with my lover. Oh well. Also ordered the kobe burger and that had changed too. I'm a burger purist. This one had goat cheese and pesto on it. I don't like goat cheese and because I'm pregnant I'm not supposed to eat soft cheeses. The Big D loved it and even finished mine off. That I loved! I love that I'm married to man that would eat a burger with these fixings. I know far too many people would have sent it back to the kitchen. The meal was better than I'm letting on - this is just my disappointment coming through. The sweet potato fries were awesome!



And the drive can't be beat. The rain started just as I finished taking some pictures. The fog rolled in and the waves picked up. That's exactly what I was hoping for. I can't wait to sleep tonight with the sound of the waves crashing up against the rocks right outside our window.



We arrived at Bluefin Bay just before sunset. We have an unobstructed view of the water. It's sunday so the resort is sparsely occupied. The Gales of November special allows us three days here for the price of two. We unloaded the Jeep and headed towards the water. Fall seems like the perfect time to be here, but the weather is unpredictable. We had planned some hikes, but that may not be possible if there is a lot of rain. We have a drive planned that takes us inland on a rustic route to Grand Marais. And of course, some Christmas shopping in Grand Marais. Perhaps some pizza at Swen and Ole's.



I shot a whole lot more but had left my remote shutter control up in the room, so many of my photos are a little shaky. Oh well, there'll be a chance for round two.

We have a kitchen. I have a wild rice soup bubbling on the stove as I write. There is a wonderful fireplace. I have wireless access that allows me to sit here and blog a bit. And there is a reason why I am blogging, an everyday sort of activity while here in North Shore paradise. I forgot the carrots for the soup, our Bialetti stovetop coffee maker, the swiss cheese, and something to carry our lunch sandwiches. So, I'm washing and reusing the ziplocks I have and am pouting a bit because I can't drink wine or smoke a cigarette. You see, every other time we have come up here I have had free access to my vices. And memories of those vices hit me hard as I sat in front of the fireplace. It's just not the same, I'm sorry to say.

Yet, tomorrow is another day. And if it rains hard and long enough, I might just give in and get that prenatal massage. I've never had a massage and the Big D is insisting. Who am I to argue? Of course, tomorrow will be better. There's nothing like waking up to the big lake GitchiGummi.