June Wildflowers

June seems like the premiere month for wildflowers in our part of North-central Minnesota. This post shares photos of some of our local June wildflowers. They are arranged from those appearing early in the month to those that we see now at June’s end. Early June Hoary Puccoon Lithospermum canescens This is a favorite wildflower, …

Summer at the Lake 2024

Simply a collection of good pictures from this season at the lake cabin in North-Central Minnesota. One of the two islands in our lake. This sunflower was a volunteer in our garden. A better result than in years when I had actually planted sunflowers. Looking east at dusk. Fall colors seemed muted this year, maybe …

Loons at the Lake 2024

July 16 This year the nesting pair of loons on our lake raised two chicks. Below, these pictures of them were taken July 16. July 25 This next group of pictures was taken nine days later, on July 25. The chicks are growing fast. August 14 These pictures were taken August 14, the final day …

Rainbow

These pictures were taken looking west across our lake around 8AM on September 6, 2024. There was a slight rain shower to the west with sunlight from the east hitting the raindrops. Sunlight is reflected back towards the observer by the raindrops. Because of the refractive index of water, the wavelength of light, and the …

Paul Bunyan Trail in mid-August

The Paul Bunyan Trail is a paved recreational trail in northern Minnesota that runs 120 miles from Brainerd to Bemidji. It is an ideal route for biking and running in the summer and for snowmobiles in the winter. The photos below are from a recent bike ride in the middle of the trail, between Hackensack …

Winter Survival; Trees

Gentle snow fell in Northwestern Minnesota in early October this year, providing a wintertime preview. Surviving winter temperatures far below freezing is a big challenge for plants and animals. Today’s post focuses on how trees make it through — with some scenic pictures of the recent snow. Trees are largely comprised of water, a critical …

September Scenery

We took a walk along the Paul Bunyan Trail, north of Hackensack MN, on a gorgeous day in mid September. This post simply intends to share some of the views from along the way. Sumac turning red among paper birch Virginia Creeper climbing in a Green Ash Virginia creeper and its similar species Woodbine are …

Morning on the Lake

In the three images above a beaver can be seen swimming across the lake, then raising his tail to slap the water, and finally the resulting splash as he submerges. It seemed like this beaver was intentionally showing himself to me and then swimming away — maybe to draw me away from the beaver lodge? …