Up North

How many pictures can one shove into a single post?

We are about to find out.

Charley's first selfie. With the Zebra.

Bear Head Lake State Park

And he has arrived at that cabin: our guard dog.

I was trying to catch the shimmer on the lake, but geometry works too.

I call this one Crown of Thorns.

Indian Paintbrushes

The first waterfall we saw up north; figured it deserved a photo.

Sunset at the dock

Breakfast at the Ranch

(no we're not at a ranch)

He never left.

Grand Portage

High Falls

That green railing there? That belongs to Canada!

Rainbow!

That curving green shoreline, that's Canada.

The dark green one protruding from the left side,

that's the MN side we came from.

Rainbow!

Flow

That's a lot in one shot, just saying.

Last time. Right through the middle there is a sort of line of gray trees. Beyond that?

Canada.

There you have it, folks.

You now have the skill to determine Canadian trees from American ones, I hope.

The Final Crane Post and A Portaging Expedition

Here they are all strung up.

Now onto the portaging trip.

Yes, this was my first attempt at portaging. I thought, sweet, I like canoeing and hiking, let's smush 'em together!

Turns out, it's pretty tough stuff. Especially shouldering a kayak. 

It was great fun, nonetheless!

A Hundred... and one

I have indeed mentioned my hundred bitty cranes. Well, they have not, as you may suspect, ended up dusty on a shelf (and after only a couple weeks!)

I don't have pictures yet (but when I do...), but these little guys are all strung up and hanging daintily. I hope to use them from a tree for a photoshoot.

one hundred rainbowed-up paper cranes...

and The Mammoth. or something.

Leviathan?

Oh and that lovely quilt they rest on?

I finished it!

Once upon a time I started a cutesy crafty blog called Monkey Stitch (I couldn't blog then, either; it's probably still out there) on which I updated concerning my quilt and afghan in progress and other crochet projects.

The afghan is still in progress... It's growing. Slowly.

Anyway. Here's that eclectic quilt, at least as much as is visible here. 

Hey there, little buddies!

Stone Arch Dusk

Rainy Day at a Cafe

Everyone knows that the best way to spend a rainy Saturday morning is eating scrumptious waffles at a cozy local coffee shop while catching up with old pals. 

(Maybe they're not so old.)

This is one of my favorite mornings in history.

I mean...

• It was raining
• I discovered a tasty specialty drink (Honey Cubano) at a cozy coffee shop
• I also discovered a wonderful selection of waffles (apple crisp waffles!?)
• I was handed an adorable button from London
• It was Saturday
• School's out

I think that formulates a good day, don't you?

Oh, and just all of my best friends were there, whom I hadn't had a chance to chat with for... ages.

That pretty much sums up this fantastic Saturday morning!

For A Wish

I made it to 100! 

I'm a tenth of the way to earning myself a wish... At this point I'm content with an even one hundred.

I plan to string 'em and let them dangle from a tree. At sunset.

Photoshoot complete.

Succulents and the Dragon

AKA >> Doug Digs Succulence

(his name is doug and he digs succulents.)

They're Back!

The colors, that is!

And the heat and bugs.

'Stache Bash

Track Season

Happy Easter!

For those who recall "sunny and sixty," it is quite sunny, and has in fact reached seventy today. 70.
Seventy.
(what?!)
Yes.
And, it so happens to be Easter.

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ~1 Corinthians 15:55-57, NIV

And of course with Easter, after celebrating Jesus having conquered death, there are easter eggs.


And, it being so warm, I whipped out the hammock!

April Showers Brings Snow Flowers

Might I say that one could expect the snow to be done falling by April?

I wouldn't go so far, as long as I live here.

Anyway, the sun came out and I captured some picturesque berries (they're always picturesque to me).

And I got to pummel some snowballs with my rusty batting skills (actually, nonexistent at this point).

I love sun flares. Can I just say that? Absolutely love them.