Duluth

While up in Duluth last week, I got out hiking with my uncle & aunt a couple time.  With the lake effect, Duluth is about a month behind Minneapolis, and the Spring flowers are still in full bloom.

Bellwort was everywhere in Jay Cook park, and the blueberry flowers below were at Shovel Point -- Tettegouche park.  I wish I could be back in July for the berries.

We saw quite a few songbirds on the hike, and a hermit thrush that stole the show.  My coarse recording doesn't do justice to its beautiful call.  

It was in the 50s most of the time by the lake, and I only got warm when hiking up to the high falls in Tettegouche.  And a dip in the Baptism river quickly changed that.

And here we're back at home again, where Pat was taking pictures of butterflies and other insects.

Garden of the Gods

After finishing a week-long solar course here in Colorado, I've had the weekend with my old room-mate Andy & his wife in Colorado Springs.  We were at the Garden of the Gods park on Saturday, and what spectacular scenery!  The red sandstone spines were also perfect climbing rocks.

 

The picture above is from deep inside the formation second from left below.

The area has its own set of spring flowers in bloom -- most showy is the yucca, which is scattered accross the grassland, and has just come into bloom.

 

a walk in the wood

This morning we hiked the ridge above Harrisonburg, and the mountain laurel were spectacular. 

We also saw 16 lady's slippers...

…and azaleas

 

 

Jordgubbstarta

Coming back to the US in the early Spring, I thought I'd miss all the berries.  So it was a pleasant surprise to find out that strawberries were just ripening here in Virginia.  After a morning out at the pick-your-own farm, I made an attempt at the Swedish strawberry cream cake.  The cream decorating was a little sloppy, but it tasted good.  

 

little monkey

At the park yesterday, Maia showed herself to be a natural climber.  She scaled the kiddie climbing wall  in nice form with no coaching and no help.  Not bad for 2 1/2 years old. 

 

 

(I've had just a couple days in Harrisonburg with Jacob & the Tobin clan -- so nice to be back here again.)