More pelicans:
Frontenac panoramic:
Schmoopiness in the Bluffs:
Our little Mallard visitor :)
Water, water, everywhere!
Friday, May 06, 2011
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Photos from Frontenac
(I'll post more photos tomorrow when Blogger is behaving!)
Turkey Vulture diving
Another turkey vulture
A Golden Eagle soaring over the gorgeous backdrop:
The Schmoopies in Frontenac State Park!
Turkey Vulture diving
Another turkey vulture
A Golden Eagle soaring over the gorgeous backdrop:
The Schmoopies in Frontenac State Park!
Hiking
Today was awesome!! We had a slow morning of coffee, breakfast and taking in the glittery sun-kissed waves of the water. The ducks and pelicans were out in their usual spots, fishing for their morning eats. There has been a couple of male mallards hanging around our patio door, and as I've walked near the door to look out, they startle and start scurrying off. It's made for a couple of cute photos, but I feel bad for disturbing them. Birds and wildlife have it hard enough, I hate to disturb what peace they do find! After saying our goodbyes to the peaceful (and almost empty) water and resort, we got ourselves ready and packed up the car, checked out and headed straight for Frontenac state park again. The weather was *finally* mild and sunny, perfect for hiking, on this last day of our vacation.
The park seemed almost empty, too, save the RV campers all huddled together in their vagabond-ish digs. The trails and other parking lots all stood empty and blissfully silent for us this morning. We took the "Hiker's Trail" which is a tad more challenging than the paved trails, but gorgeous scenery and welcomed exercise, especially since I'm trying to shed the "couch potato" winter self and trade in for the new and improved "summer fit" self! We had romantic walkies and talkies, taking loads of pictures. We saw more eagles, turkey vultures, pelicans, crows, tiny birds of all kinds, woodpeckers (that are so silly sounding with their "knock-knock" sounds that pierce the gentle stillness --you almost want to say, "Come in!" as if they're knocking at the front door :), a bunch of occupied nests and we even came across a bird pellet! It was so secluded that we both felt comfortable enough to pee just off the trails, except for the worry that I may accidentally tinkle on my shoes!!! All came out fine :)
After our 2 1/2 hour hike, we bid the forest farewell and made the journey home through the concrete jungle. We stopped in Hastings and had some yummy burgers at RJ's Tavern on Main (Hey! RJ's, that's our initials!!). I had the Philly burger which was fantastic, and John had the mushroom and Swiss and a Fulton's beer. We stopped quick to drop off a little treat for Mum for watching little Vesta-Nut for us (homemade chocolates from a cute little place in Lake City) and found that she'd left us a wonderful anniversary gift and card! She made us gorgeous handmade cloth napkins in every color of the rainbow!!! THEY ROCK!!! So thanks to my awesome Mum for being the cool-ass lady that she is :)
Vesta was sitting by the door ready to pounce on us the second we walked in the door! Though I swore I'd not nap so as to further screw up my sleep schedule, I couldn't help it with the "sun sleepies" I always get after hard walking paired with a nappy nutter sleeping on me! I was out cold and woke to the sound of my own snoring and my head craned completely backwards on the chair. We're a little bummed the fun is over, but we're already thinking of where we might go next :)
Photos to come!
Love & hugs, R&J
The park seemed almost empty, too, save the RV campers all huddled together in their vagabond-ish digs. The trails and other parking lots all stood empty and blissfully silent for us this morning. We took the "Hiker's Trail" which is a tad more challenging than the paved trails, but gorgeous scenery and welcomed exercise, especially since I'm trying to shed the "couch potato" winter self and trade in for the new and improved "summer fit" self! We had romantic walkies and talkies, taking loads of pictures. We saw more eagles, turkey vultures, pelicans, crows, tiny birds of all kinds, woodpeckers (that are so silly sounding with their "knock-knock" sounds that pierce the gentle stillness --you almost want to say, "Come in!" as if they're knocking at the front door :), a bunch of occupied nests and we even came across a bird pellet! It was so secluded that we both felt comfortable enough to pee just off the trails, except for the worry that I may accidentally tinkle on my shoes!!! All came out fine :)
After our 2 1/2 hour hike, we bid the forest farewell and made the journey home through the concrete jungle. We stopped in Hastings and had some yummy burgers at RJ's Tavern on Main (Hey! RJ's, that's our initials!!). I had the Philly burger which was fantastic, and John had the mushroom and Swiss and a Fulton's beer. We stopped quick to drop off a little treat for Mum for watching little Vesta-Nut for us (homemade chocolates from a cute little place in Lake City) and found that she'd left us a wonderful anniversary gift and card! She made us gorgeous handmade cloth napkins in every color of the rainbow!!! THEY ROCK!!! So thanks to my awesome Mum for being the cool-ass lady that she is :)
Vesta was sitting by the door ready to pounce on us the second we walked in the door! Though I swore I'd not nap so as to further screw up my sleep schedule, I couldn't help it with the "sun sleepies" I always get after hard walking paired with a nappy nutter sleeping on me! I was out cold and woke to the sound of my own snoring and my head craned completely backwards on the chair. We're a little bummed the fun is over, but we're already thinking of where we might go next :)
Photos to come!
Love & hugs, R&J
Frontenac
Was'aka, my favorite
Angel, the loudest eagle
Harriet, the famous eagle
Donald, the quiet Golden eagle
They take the eagles out every day for outdoor time at the waters edge and make sure they can stretch their wings. It hurts to see them captives to their injuries, but then again, so many living creatures exist that way, it's just the nature of this world, I suppose. At least they're given a loving home, good food and time spent outdoors. They don't seem to mind at all :)
The Eagle Center was great! They have a bunch of eagles there for educational purposes, we met Donald, Angel, Harriet and Was'aka. Donald was an extremely quiet Golden Eagle, which apparently is the nature of Goldens, and he came to the center after being hit by a car. Angel was the loudest, most agitated eagle. She had severe wing trauma and arthritis following her injury and was never able to take flight again, despite surgery and rehabilitation at the Raptor Center. She was found surviving off of scraps that were falling from a heron rookery. Was'aka was a juvenile who was blind in one eye and was my favorite bird. He's the only bird at the center that can physically fly, but because of his eyesight would not be able to hunt for food. Harriet was the oldest (30 years!!) and most famous eagle. She's been on all kinds of shows including The Today Show and The Colbert Report, among others. She was such a humble bird, very mellow and quiet, just preening and chilling on her perch. She was hit by a car and her wings never healed properly, and you could tell one of her wings was severely disfigured and the bones jutted out. They gave a great informational program with Was'aka, and then we got our pictures taken with Angel. We picked up an eagle charm, something I've been looking for for a long time since I adore eagles, and a little turtle necklace for Fiona.
Then it was off to Frontenac to enjoy another freezing cold, windy, cloudy hike! We walked along a paved trail for awhile, but then made our way down to a more challenging hike along the hillside, which made for better viewing of the trees, woodpeckers and songbirds that rustled in the forest. We never did see any rattlesnakes, and the hundreds of pelicans were conspicuously absent (grumble grumble), no owls or pheasants, either, but it was a good walk nonetheless. After about an hour and a half of hiking, we made the drive back to the main park entrance and bought a couple of shirts. Back to the resort for a long nap followed by another long walk along the riverside into town to get a couple of items for our fish dinner back home. We made some baby veggies, beer battered sole, toasted herb rolls and a brownie for dessert for our anniversary dinner. It being so bloody cold, we opted for another movie night and watched Shakespeare In Love and then The Queen. Just before going to bed at 1:00 am or so, we realized the stars finally came out, so we used the telescope to view the stars a bit and finally were just too tired to stay up anymore.
I've been looking out intently for Pepie, the legendary Lake Pepin sea monster, to no avail :( Ooo, John's got brekkies all done! Off to enjoy our final morning here, the sun finally making another appearance. We'll be doing more hiking in the state park today before heading home to be with our little furry baby, Vesta! Pictures to be posted when we get home since we forgot the cable for uploading.
Love & hugs, R&J
Angel, the loudest eagle
Harriet, the famous eagle
Donald, the quiet Golden eagle
They take the eagles out every day for outdoor time at the waters edge and make sure they can stretch their wings. It hurts to see them captives to their injuries, but then again, so many living creatures exist that way, it's just the nature of this world, I suppose. At least they're given a loving home, good food and time spent outdoors. They don't seem to mind at all :)
The Eagle Center was great! They have a bunch of eagles there for educational purposes, we met Donald, Angel, Harriet and Was'aka. Donald was an extremely quiet Golden Eagle, which apparently is the nature of Goldens, and he came to the center after being hit by a car. Angel was the loudest, most agitated eagle. She had severe wing trauma and arthritis following her injury and was never able to take flight again, despite surgery and rehabilitation at the Raptor Center. She was found surviving off of scraps that were falling from a heron rookery. Was'aka was a juvenile who was blind in one eye and was my favorite bird. He's the only bird at the center that can physically fly, but because of his eyesight would not be able to hunt for food. Harriet was the oldest (30 years!!) and most famous eagle. She's been on all kinds of shows including The Today Show and The Colbert Report, among others. She was such a humble bird, very mellow and quiet, just preening and chilling on her perch. She was hit by a car and her wings never healed properly, and you could tell one of her wings was severely disfigured and the bones jutted out. They gave a great informational program with Was'aka, and then we got our pictures taken with Angel. We picked up an eagle charm, something I've been looking for for a long time since I adore eagles, and a little turtle necklace for Fiona.
Then it was off to Frontenac to enjoy another freezing cold, windy, cloudy hike! We walked along a paved trail for awhile, but then made our way down to a more challenging hike along the hillside, which made for better viewing of the trees, woodpeckers and songbirds that rustled in the forest. We never did see any rattlesnakes, and the hundreds of pelicans were conspicuously absent (grumble grumble), no owls or pheasants, either, but it was a good walk nonetheless. After about an hour and a half of hiking, we made the drive back to the main park entrance and bought a couple of shirts. Back to the resort for a long nap followed by another long walk along the riverside into town to get a couple of items for our fish dinner back home. We made some baby veggies, beer battered sole, toasted herb rolls and a brownie for dessert for our anniversary dinner. It being so bloody cold, we opted for another movie night and watched Shakespeare In Love and then The Queen. Just before going to bed at 1:00 am or so, we realized the stars finally came out, so we used the telescope to view the stars a bit and finally were just too tired to stay up anymore.
I've been looking out intently for Pepie, the legendary Lake Pepin sea monster, to no avail :( Ooo, John's got brekkies all done! Off to enjoy our final morning here, the sun finally making another appearance. We'll be doing more hiking in the state park today before heading home to be with our little furry baby, Vesta! Pictures to be posted when we get home since we forgot the cable for uploading.
Love & hugs, R&J
Monday, May 02, 2011
Lake City, Minnesota
The view from our window:
Coming in for a landing!
Waking up on this day, our 13th wedding anniversary, to a gorgeous, overcast sunrise overlooking a great expanse of the river. This area, Lake Pepin, is a very broad area of the Mississippi that is as large as a lake, yet its waves sound like an ocean at rest. There are ducks, geese, pelicans and tiny birds of all kinds flitting about and fishing. The wind is cold and sharp out there, so it will be a day for hard hiking to keep our blood pumping and bodies warm. The sky is now covered in clouds looking a bit melancholy. The bluffs that reach up to the sky are the closest thing to mountains we have here in Minnesota, and everywhere we look there are great birds of prey circling the tree tops.
Yesterday we spent a little time taking photos in Frontenac State Park since we couldn't check into our hotel until 3:00. It was brutally cold, and I packed too lightly for freezing winds, though at least I thought to pack fleece lined tights, so we walked down an outlook that was nestled close to the bluff where the wind was slight. There were hundreds of pelicans swirling and dancing in the air in a graceful display, and we got up and close and personal to a couple of turkey vultures. It was a great place for photos and we'll be back for more hiking and photos today, after we visit the Eagle Center. I was bummed that we missed a photo op of what I think was an extravagant looking pheasant whom we scared with the car and he scuttled out of the road. John tried to get a photo with the iPhone, but the iPhone camera is really best for landscapes or up close, unmoving subjects.
Turkey Vulture up close!!
Pelicans!
We had a huge lunch at an Irish pub called the Olde Triangle; John had a Guinness and the Shepherd's Pie and I had the Bangers and Colcannon (mash) in Wabasha. It was too bloody cold to stroll, and it was finally time to check into our hotel, which is enormous and sits directly overlooking the water, and loafed about. We made a simple dinner of grilled cheese and turkey sammies with Chex Mix and watched Sneakers. We tried for another stroll along the waters edge, but it was just too cold, so we took a long drive instead, doing the loop around from the MN side to the WI side and back. There were countless eagles and turkey vultures all the way, deer and wild turkeys along the bluffs. The bluffs and their rugged grandeur are a sight I never tire of. We've come down this way a lot on our long drives. I've loved many of the places we've visited, but this bluff country seems to have the best of it all. I may sing a different tune were I to live around here and suffer the floods (and the evidence of this year is incredible) or winters on steep hills, but this is a quintessential earth, water and sky convergence, a divine meeting place. Perhaps the fact that Minnesota's blood runs in my veins is the thing that connects me to this place more than any other. Then it was time to head back into the sunset and tuck in with one of our favorite movie classics, Casablanca.
The morning is quickly getting on! John made us a lovely breakfast of eggs, toasted herb rolls, sausages, pressed coffee and divine, fresh, sweet strawberries :) Now it's time for a shower, off to the Eagle Center and more hiking in Frontenac! I'm hoping to see (at a distance) the reported 3 species of rattlesnakes that live in the park, and of course, our everlong hunt for the elusive owl!!
Happy 13th Anniversary to us!
Coming in for a landing!
Waking up on this day, our 13th wedding anniversary, to a gorgeous, overcast sunrise overlooking a great expanse of the river. This area, Lake Pepin, is a very broad area of the Mississippi that is as large as a lake, yet its waves sound like an ocean at rest. There are ducks, geese, pelicans and tiny birds of all kinds flitting about and fishing. The wind is cold and sharp out there, so it will be a day for hard hiking to keep our blood pumping and bodies warm. The sky is now covered in clouds looking a bit melancholy. The bluffs that reach up to the sky are the closest thing to mountains we have here in Minnesota, and everywhere we look there are great birds of prey circling the tree tops.
Yesterday we spent a little time taking photos in Frontenac State Park since we couldn't check into our hotel until 3:00. It was brutally cold, and I packed too lightly for freezing winds, though at least I thought to pack fleece lined tights, so we walked down an outlook that was nestled close to the bluff where the wind was slight. There were hundreds of pelicans swirling and dancing in the air in a graceful display, and we got up and close and personal to a couple of turkey vultures. It was a great place for photos and we'll be back for more hiking and photos today, after we visit the Eagle Center. I was bummed that we missed a photo op of what I think was an extravagant looking pheasant whom we scared with the car and he scuttled out of the road. John tried to get a photo with the iPhone, but the iPhone camera is really best for landscapes or up close, unmoving subjects.
Turkey Vulture up close!!
Pelicans!
We had a huge lunch at an Irish pub called the Olde Triangle; John had a Guinness and the Shepherd's Pie and I had the Bangers and Colcannon (mash) in Wabasha. It was too bloody cold to stroll, and it was finally time to check into our hotel, which is enormous and sits directly overlooking the water, and loafed about. We made a simple dinner of grilled cheese and turkey sammies with Chex Mix and watched Sneakers. We tried for another stroll along the waters edge, but it was just too cold, so we took a long drive instead, doing the loop around from the MN side to the WI side and back. There were countless eagles and turkey vultures all the way, deer and wild turkeys along the bluffs. The bluffs and their rugged grandeur are a sight I never tire of. We've come down this way a lot on our long drives. I've loved many of the places we've visited, but this bluff country seems to have the best of it all. I may sing a different tune were I to live around here and suffer the floods (and the evidence of this year is incredible) or winters on steep hills, but this is a quintessential earth, water and sky convergence, a divine meeting place. Perhaps the fact that Minnesota's blood runs in my veins is the thing that connects me to this place more than any other. Then it was time to head back into the sunset and tuck in with one of our favorite movie classics, Casablanca.
The morning is quickly getting on! John made us a lovely breakfast of eggs, toasted herb rolls, sausages, pressed coffee and divine, fresh, sweet strawberries :) Now it's time for a shower, off to the Eagle Center and more hiking in Frontenac! I'm hoping to see (at a distance) the reported 3 species of rattlesnakes that live in the park, and of course, our everlong hunt for the elusive owl!!
Happy 13th Anniversary to us!
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