I have a very close friend who recently acquired a cabin in the North.
She blessed me with three days of loons, moon paths on the lake, refreshing dips in the water, blue skies, a veritable theater of cloud formations, rainbows, a bear in evidence (the bird feeder is destroyed), and peaceful silence.
When I entered the cabin the silence was deafening. Have you ever heard complete silence?
You should.
Besides having three days of uninterrupted fellowship we enjoyed seeing the local haunts and hide-outs.
We had a broasted chicken dinner at the local cafe. The nearby (15 miles) bakery had toothsome treats for breakfast each day.
The water was that perfect Minnesota July cool---not too cold, certainly not too warm.
The sun shafts would prepare "warm spots" for us to swim in.
I swam/floated enough to keep the Muskies and the Pike at bay.
On the first night we swam to drops of rain, (no thunder) and I always think swimming in light rain is enchanting.
A loon family on the lake has apparently lost one of its chicks. Was it the Bald Eagle that paid a daily fly-over? Was it a pike, the ever-threat from below? We grieved. The mournful call of the night had real meaning this time. We watched the loon parents teach their one young one to dive in the afternoons. Once I laughed over-loud and the adults decided I was a serious threat. Off they flew to the west of the lake, leaving their chick behind, who then figured out that a dive was the only way to reunite with its parents. It's amazing to see a loon become airborne. The wings and feet are all a part of take-off. The effort is considerable. Diving is much easier.
We grieved over the lost bird feeder, too. My friend was warned about bear visits, but you always hope that the wildlife will respect your stuff. When they don't it's just sort of sad. Expected, but a disappointment!
The claw marks on the heavy plastic were the fingerprints needed to identify the perpetrator.
A favorite business that is close by is changing from a store to an online presence. We were able to visit the store-closing sale and reap a few discounts on Chokecherry jelly.
It's the best stuff.
As we relaxed and rested we were continually praising God for His goodness. There are some lovely places on the earth, but I have a hard time thinking of anywhere so gently beautiful as northern Minnesota. I love it in all seasons, and it has the welcoming aspect of being easy to get to.
Green and blue.
The colors that our planet exhibits from space.
That makes Minnesota a quintessential amalgamation of earthly beauty.
Thank the LORD for thinking it up, creating the pristine lakes and the plethora of tree varieties!
The environment was truly thriving.
Our Margaret is doing fine. It turns out that she and Abby may be the only women to complete the section of the trail they just did this year. There appears to have been a woman from England who did did it with her husband about a month before our girls did, but most have had to turn back, or skip the section. Conditions were terrible! Snow, avalanches, excessive melt-off, cold, trail issues...
I am beginning to believe that God gave the girls three angels to get them through it. All three of their hiking companions are leaving them for other pursuits! I was so glad to have three strong young men accompany the girls through the highest sections of the trail: two IDF soldiers and an experienced hiker from Ohio, who also did the Appalachian Trail.
Don't you think that angels can come in different ways? I do.
There was sadness at saying goodbye, but more adventure lies ahead.
She blessed me with three days of loons, moon paths on the lake, refreshing dips in the water, blue skies, a veritable theater of cloud formations, rainbows, a bear in evidence (the bird feeder is destroyed), and peaceful silence.
When I entered the cabin the silence was deafening. Have you ever heard complete silence?
You should.
Besides having three days of uninterrupted fellowship we enjoyed seeing the local haunts and hide-outs.
We had a broasted chicken dinner at the local cafe. The nearby (15 miles) bakery had toothsome treats for breakfast each day.
The water was that perfect Minnesota July cool---not too cold, certainly not too warm.
The sun shafts would prepare "warm spots" for us to swim in.
I swam/floated enough to keep the Muskies and the Pike at bay.
On the first night we swam to drops of rain, (no thunder) and I always think swimming in light rain is enchanting.
A loon family on the lake has apparently lost one of its chicks. Was it the Bald Eagle that paid a daily fly-over? Was it a pike, the ever-threat from below? We grieved. The mournful call of the night had real meaning this time. We watched the loon parents teach their one young one to dive in the afternoons. Once I laughed over-loud and the adults decided I was a serious threat. Off they flew to the west of the lake, leaving their chick behind, who then figured out that a dive was the only way to reunite with its parents. It's amazing to see a loon become airborne. The wings and feet are all a part of take-off. The effort is considerable. Diving is much easier.
We grieved over the lost bird feeder, too. My friend was warned about bear visits, but you always hope that the wildlife will respect your stuff. When they don't it's just sort of sad. Expected, but a disappointment!
The claw marks on the heavy plastic were the fingerprints needed to identify the perpetrator.
A favorite business that is close by is changing from a store to an online presence. We were able to visit the store-closing sale and reap a few discounts on Chokecherry jelly.
It's the best stuff.
As we relaxed and rested we were continually praising God for His goodness. There are some lovely places on the earth, but I have a hard time thinking of anywhere so gently beautiful as northern Minnesota. I love it in all seasons, and it has the welcoming aspect of being easy to get to.
Green and blue.
The colors that our planet exhibits from space.
That makes Minnesota a quintessential amalgamation of earthly beauty.
Thank the LORD for thinking it up, creating the pristine lakes and the plethora of tree varieties!
The environment was truly thriving.
Our Margaret is doing fine. It turns out that she and Abby may be the only women to complete the section of the trail they just did this year. There appears to have been a woman from England who did did it with her husband about a month before our girls did, but most have had to turn back, or skip the section. Conditions were terrible! Snow, avalanches, excessive melt-off, cold, trail issues...
I am beginning to believe that God gave the girls three angels to get them through it. All three of their hiking companions are leaving them for other pursuits! I was so glad to have three strong young men accompany the girls through the highest sections of the trail: two IDF soldiers and an experienced hiker from Ohio, who also did the Appalachian Trail.
Don't you think that angels can come in different ways? I do.
There was sadness at saying goodbye, but more adventure lies ahead.
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