Naptime with Vern

Getting up at 5 to go fishing and staying out until 10 every night makes for a strong need for napping.

Abby's little stuffed friend Vern appears to be a good nap companion to Eric.

Elect any American - Native or not

There were plenty of campaign signs up in the area we were in near Walker Minnesota. Many of them were obviously Native Americans, based on the names.

I couldn't decide who I would vote for, which is good because I don't get to vote there.

Paul Bunyan

The tiny town of Akeley Minnesota claims to be the birthplace of Paul Bunyan. So does Brainerd, Bemidji and a dozen other towns.

Andrea would not go sit in Paul's hand for a fun posed picture. She thinks he looks too much like a terrorist.

Beaversaurus

This beaver lodge in Itasca State Park in Minnesota was enormous. I was imagining 6' to 8' tall beavers living in it.

Blowdown Storms

Sometimes, the nerdy little signs that you find in parks have surprising and imaginative stories on them. This sign talked about a windstorm in July 1995 that was so intense that hundreds of acres of trees were blown down. This reminds me of the pictures from the 1908 Tunguska Event, where an exploding meteor flattened thousands of trees in northern Russia.

It's often surprising to see what nature can do when it gets cranked up.

Mississippi Headwaters

In North Central Minnesota, through a maze of streams and lakes, they have designated Itasca Lake as the headwaters of the Mississippi River.

I totally rained on Andrea's parade when I spoke at length in a very nerdy fashion about how the designation of this particular stream as "the" headwaters, is totally arbitrary.

My main example was to ask which of the little streams feeding Lake Itasca was the continuation of the Mississippi headwaters. I also remarked that many times, they say that the river or stream with more volume in it is the main branch, and the lesser is the tributary. However, that doesn't have anything to do with which river is longer. The Missouri is longer than the Mississippi from St. Louis to its source, so why wasn't the Missouri considered the true "Mississippi"?

She was not amused, and in any case, it was fun to visit and see the attraction.

Heartwaters Caretaker Woman

At the Itasca Headwaters Visitor's Center, there is a sculpture of an Indian Heartwaters Caretaker Woman. This is supposed to represent the life force of the headwaters spilling out of the bowl of Lake Itasca. The Anishinabe symbol of natural life, the turtle, is standing watch over these headwaters. The Indian Caretaker Woman is casting out turtles is a symbol of populating the world.

Let's have some shrill fun

This is a picture of an anal retentive mommy loudly chastizing her children. The children are excited about there imminent trip on Lake Itasca on a boat. While jumping up and down with impatience and exuberence, the mommy realizes that she would be remiss if she did not explain to her children that the boat has no bathroom and they MUST GO POTTY NOW!

Lake Ithaca's singing dock

This dock's support poles are different heights, have curled lips, and have holes drilled into the side.

As the wind comes over the lake, they sing. If you cover the holes drilled in the side, you can change the pitch. It was a unique and interesting idea, completely unadvertised by any signs. The first thing you know about it is when you hear the poles start to sing.

Bug Dune

The title is not Dune Buggy, but bug dune because that's what these bugs formed on the deck. The night before, Eric and I were the last ones up and you could hear a distinct buzzing noise coming from the windows. The screens in the windows were so covered with bugs beating against the screen that you couldn't have seen out the window if it was light outside. When the inside light was turned off, the buzz quickly wound down. When the light was turned back on, the loud buzz came right back up to volume and tempo immediately.

The next morning, opening up the door out to the deck brought the disturbing visage of a pile of bugs at the door jam. I grabbed a broom and swept the bugs over to the edge of the deck. When I swept the mess off the deck, under the rail, most of them took to their wings and flew away. I thought they were dead, and I'm not sure why they sat still so quietly while I swept them across the deck. Regardless of how it works, it was fun and I wouldn't mind doing it again.

Mirrored Sunset

When a big lake gets glassy, it can be magical. Add in some clouds and the purples and pinks of the sunset, and you get a real treat.

Another Trophy

She catches 'em, he displays 'em. The sister/brother fishin' tag team.

Fearless Guide

I can't remember whether this fish was going back in the lake or home for filleting. I think Eric was either scolding the fish, pointing out something about his anatomy, or illustrating his overwhelming prowess as a fisherman and guide.

In any case, Walleye beware!

Bandaged and Beaming

Here Dick is proudly displaying his latest catch and his latest wound. I think he was smiling because Andrea was also reeling one in at the same time.

Double Netter

I almost couldn't take this picture from laughing so hard.

After hearing tales of what to expect with the fishing, not to hope for too many fish, we were doing much better than expected.

Listening to everyone fretting about what to do with the two fish was almost as fun as the giddy feeling of reeling in fish left and right.

Barking Moon

Walker Minnesota has a little store call the Barking Moon. The owner (I assume, or at least one of the guys that worked there) was really nice, conversational and friendly.

I have to admit that I found the combination of offerings rather strange. It was for the combination pet lover and artist/hobbyist. So if you like hanging out with your 11 cats on little afghans while you make homemade beaded necklaces, this is definitely your place.

The did not, however, have any new green atomic balls. Sorry, Cuppy.

Osprey Nest

This Osprey nest was right next to the highway on the way to our cabin. Every time we drove by, we stopped and got out our binoculars. It appeared that they had 2 or 3 babies and the father was helping in the care and feeding. The nest was huge. We thought it was an eagle's nest at first. We never got tired of visiting the Ospreys.

Daredevil Dog

You see dogs sticking their heads out of car windows all the time. Sometimes, you see them in the back of pickups, and they sure do like to ride the edge and hang way out. So you know dogs love the wind in their face and are somewhat fearless of moving vehicles. They do seem to like to put themselves on a rocky shaking part of any ride and just stay put without any effort. I've seen them riding on motorcycles, in one case behind the guy, in another standing up on the handlebars (that dog had a little set of goggles on).

This is the marine version of the daredevil dog rider. That point up on the bow was surely the most violent in the boat, but the best view, too. Guaranteed.

Buzzard Beach

Gull Island and Little Pelican Island are like spring break sites for birds. They were covered with gulls and cormorants. Not only were the rocks covered with birds, but other evidence that the birds had been there. Care to guess what all the white streaks on the rocks are?

Special Treat

I know that the Bald Eagle is less endangered today and becoming more and more common, but it's still a thrill to spot them. They seem to like dead trees, which makes them more visible from the distance. These guys were lounging on the eastern tip of a finger of Pelican Island, probably thinking about their full bellies, or maybe making a nest.

Looking back at the wake

When boating this year, we had some precious cargo and had to avoid rough bumps and pounding rides on the waves. With that condition, you spend a lot of time looking at other boats wakes, trying to gage how big they are and when they are going to hit.

Not often do you look back on your own wake, but when you do, sometimes it's a beautiful thing. I really like the colors and shapes of this picture of our wake with Pelican Island in the background. There is one of the streams of birds in the sky over the island, which will be completely invisible if you are viewing this as a thumbnail. Click on the picture to blow it up and see if it's still visible.

Surprise Catch

We boated over to Pelican Island to check out the sights, and saw flocks of Pelicans mixed in with cormorants and gulls. On a rocking boat, I cranked up the zoom on my camera to the max and snapped this blurry picture.

While on the boat, I couldn't see what I had done. The little camera screen was too small, the image blurry, and the boat was rocking around. Only when I got back and downloaded the picture later could I see that the Pelican had caught a fish. What are the chances?

Lone Loons

There were so many different kinds of waterfowl in Leech Lake and the surrounding area, but the favorite was the Loon.

Here they are in the morning, looking for the Loon equivalent of Starbucks.

Northern Twilight

We were almost 10° further north when we were in Minnesota and you could really tell. This picture was shot around midnight. This is toward the northeast.

There are 3 types of twilights. Civil twilight is the time when the sun is below the horizon, but you can see fine without artificial lights and some of the brightest stars may be visible. Nautical twilight is the time when the sun is lower below the horizon and you can make out the outlines of things, but may not be able to see the horizon too clearly. Astronomical twilight is the time between nautical twilight and when the sky is not brightened at all by the sun.

The picture is probably still barely in Civil twilight, because you couldn't do much without a flashlight. Some people, like me, have better night vision than others. I find that I can see much better at lower light levels than a lot of the people around me. However, I have to squint more in the bright sunlight.

Beach Fire

I've seen these metal rings for containing fires before. This one has the Northern Exposure theme going with the moose outlines.

Walleye

The walleye is a member of the perch family, the biggest one in the family.

It also is most likely to need braces.

Hammered Pewter

Leech Lake is the third biggest lake in Minnesota. It's big enough that you can't see the shore on the other side in a couple of places.

It's interesting to see a lake this large get so glassy. It looks like hammered pewter.

Dragonfly Protectors

When we got to Minnesota, I immediately noticed the swarms of dragonflies. Everyone tells you about and warns you against the mosquitos. Since the dragonflies eat the mosquitos, it's logical to see swarms of them as a good thing.

One morning, I went for a run and a cloud of dragonflies were following me. I couldn't see any mosquitos, but I imagined that they were zeroing in on me for a meal, and the dragonflies were finding an easy meal of the distracted mosquitos.

While I ran, I imagined that I was the lumbering WWII bomber with a dragonfly fighter escort, dogfighting around me with the enemy mosquito fighters.

I think the dragonflies won.

Babies love beaches

Was there any doubt that Abby would enjoy her first christening on the beach at Leech Lake Minnesota? I think not.

You know you're in Minnesota when

Really, in a state where the motto is "land of a thousand lakes" is there much doubt that people would be obsessed with fishing?

Pequot Lakes' cool bobber water tower is an icon of the region. I just wonder at what point some guys were looking at it and realized it was shaped just like a bobber. Not all water towers would work with this color scheme. It is possible that they ordered the water tower with the bobber top option, or welded it on after the fact.

We didn't stop to ask.

Random Street Clown

This rare sighting of a lone street clown away from her flock was a unique opportunity in Little Falls, Minnesota.

We figured from the disruption of traffic that there had been a parade (the natural habitat of the street clown), but we did not see any other clowns.

I hope she's not the last of her species.

Thielen Meats

For some reason, when I look at this picture, I feel it needs a country music theme song. Something about loving America and eating delicious animals you have shot.

The Thielen Meats store in Little Falls is a necessary stop on the drive north in Minnesota. You can't camp out for a week without a generous supply of bacon.

Super Mag Dawg

I've got a fishing tackle box with some plastic worms and other rubbery plastic based lures. Most are smaller than my pinky finger. The size of this one shocks me. There were times when I've caught whole fish this size and considered keeping them.

I like the subtitle name "The pounder". At first, I understood this to be what you were doing, pounding away at catching fish. Then I wondered if the lure weighs a pound. Now I wonder if the lure itself puts up some kind of fight when you reel it in so you can tell yourself that you caught one, even when the fish aren't biting.

The only problem there becomes how to prepare it, but some people will tell you that if you smother it in batter and deep fry it, anything tastes good. Don't look for it at your local state or county fair.

Questionable Elk

These are bronze statues of Elk outside of the Owatonna Minnesota Cabelas store.

At the time, we made fun of the elk as obviously being prison elk for what it appeared one was getting ready to do to the other.

Now that I look at it, I wonder if the one on top is supposed to have some kind of genetic variation. His antlers look like barbed wire.

Between the Storms

On a recent drive on I-35 through Iowa, we saw this view between two storms. We drove into the one on the right, which had raindrops so big that they sounded like hail.

Martin Hogeboom FOTOGRAAF: Nattigheid

Martin Hogeboom FOTOGRAAF: Nattigheid
Beautiful Photographs! I'll have to come back and look again soon.

Velvet Buck

We have two bucks that seem to have taken up residence in our and our vacant neighbor's back yards. I see them when I come home from work, and there are also some little does that hang out with them. I'm guessing the does are yearlings and that they were too young to mate this year.

One of the bucks has 6 points and the other has 8. The 8 pointer's topmost points look like thick knobs, so they may grow out and branch into twins and make him a 10 pointer. They look so young and thin, I have no idea how many years it takes to become a 10 pointer, but both bucks don't look more than a year old.

The grass is thick and lush this year with the frequent rains, so I wonder if they are getting more than enough to eat.

Photo (later) by Andrea's camera

The Eagle is Grounded

Actually, it's a red tailed hawk, and he's actually being pinned down by some blackbirds about 1/4 his size. I watched them doing the typical hawk/tiny bird scene. The hawk cruises along slowly and the little birds dart in and out, trying to peck him in the head.

This reminds me of little fighter planes attacking a big bomber.

The hawk was watching me and seemed pretty calm as I walked around the parking lot and took several pictures of it. Then he seemed to get nervous and flew away. The little blackbirds were after him immediately. I'm sure he got away, but maybe not without a few pulled feathers on his head.

Mascot Misfire

We were driving up to the Sheridan's Frozen Custard store nearby this weekend, when we noticed a crowd of boy scouts out by the highway, waving at cars. This is a highway with stoplights every block, so it's not as dangerous as it sounds. The store was having a promotion where boy scouts were cooking hot dogs on a grill out front, and in addition to the boys waving at cars, they had a big guy in a dog mascot costume.

My wife thought it was pretty silly. When she first saw the dog mascot guy, he was jumping or bobbing up and down. It was hot out and she was in the middle of commenting about how ridiculous it would be to wear a thick furry costume on a hot day like this and then jumping up and down when she interrupted herself and blurted, "He's passing out!" Then she saw that he was just bouncing around to call attention to himself. The costume was big and round in the middle, so it looked like he was sitting down or something. Then Andrea said "he's going to the bathroom!" Which made us both laugh.

So we named the mascot Poopy Dog.

Tolerance through Lounging

These two cats normally do not like to be very close to each other. However, full tummies and the perfect spot to take a nap has served to make them temporary buddies.

Smudge (on the right) seems to really enjoy lying on his back. Andrea calls the white stripe on his belly his racing stripe. Don't try to touch it, though.

Goats Galore

My cousins are raising goats for showing this year for the first time.

They are meat goats, as opposed to milk goats, which apparently are harder to control and climb all over everything.

These goats were calm and docile, like dogs. That'll get them best in show.

Lounging Lisa

You know a dog is having a good time when she's on her back.

I'm not sure why dogs look so funny upside down, but they really do.

Gone Fishin'

Here's Ray, learning about the joys of being a dog with Lab blood and large bodies of water.

You can lead a dog to water, but you don't have to teach him any tricks. He knows what to do.

4H prep

Tyce and Cade are going to show some pigs later this year at some competition.

Here's Tyce working to keep them fat and happy.

Snapper Zombies

This year is another record year for my subjective count of snapping turtle sightings.

They lose all fear and common sense when in their mating frenzy, and they are often found crossing streets. I've rescued a couple of live turtles, but seen many more squished on the road.

This guy was going across the parking lot at work. I was of the impression that he could not make it up the high curb, but he was up and over before I could even see how he did it.

Not only snapping turtles, but I've been seeing a lot of box turtles, too. One was down by the pond in some high grass I was trimming down with a weed eater. I picked him up, put him behind me, trimmed the grass and turned around to get him again. He was already 10' away and moving fast. His legs were full out like a high schooler's souped up jacked up pick 'em up truck. For a tiny heavy little animal with a reputation for being slow, those guys can really move.

In addition to snappers and box turtles, I found a painted turtle last week out by the back patio, when one of the cats was looking at her in the tall grass. Why a spot 10' away from our patio with several cats lounging around would look like a great place to lay eggs is beyond me. However, that is what she was doing. I think egg-laying must be the kind of activity that you can't interrupt. She certainly was completely unfazed by me and several cats as she did her business. Although some turtles apparently dig "test nests" and don't lay eggs in them, we can find out. The incubation period is about 72 days. I'll be watching.

Fuzzy Goslings

This is the first year I've ever seen Canada Geese babies.

The first place I saw them was on I-70 outside of Lawrence at a rest stop. They were about 50' or 60' away from the highway.

I saw them in the same place a week later, in the median. The rest stop had a big pond that they probably use for their wastewater, but it was nice and I'll bet the geese don't know that it comes from rest stop toilets (I'm sure it's treated).

These geese were out in the country next to a lake that used to be a quarry. You have to move fast, because they start slinking away as soon as you draw near.

Rhinos

The town of Marion Kansas must have had one of those art contests involving animals. I've seen cows in Kansas City and other animals in other cities, but they used Rhinoceroses (or is it Rhinoceri?).

This one, created in a blatant attempt to turn art into commercialization, was placed outside the local drug store (I hope you didn't think I was going to say diner).

We did not seek an explanation from the locals as to why they selected the Rhino as representative of their small Kansas town. Rhinoceros is Greek for nose horn, by the way. Most animals with horns have them on their head, not their nose.

We did not seek an explanation as to how the town was able to book Grand Funk Railroad for their 4th of July concert. With such hits as "Loco-Motion" and "American Band", I'm sure the band from Flint Michigan has a special connection with the mostly rural and agricultural based locals.

I may have to go back and see. Maybe I can horn in on the concert. Or maybe I should keep my nose out of it.

Scary Bins of Babies

We tried to go to Powell Gardens for an enjoyable evening of looking at flowers, but the place closes around 5:30 or 6, making it virtually impossible to enjoy in the summer during the week after work. Bummer.

As an equally fulfilling alternative, we stopped by this little auction and old-timey place that was near the entrance on 50 highway.

Instead of quaint antiques or other remnants of a bygone era of better days, we were treated to creepy bins of naked dolls. We didn't stay for the auction.

Turkey Dance

It's that time of the year again! Turkeys making that gobbly blithering idiot sound that never fails to make me laugh.

I thought that by now they would have already laid some eggs, if not have chicks hatched already. Maybe there are two mating seasons in one year.

Andrea likes to mimic what the toms would say if they could speak. "Oh yeah! Look at me! Hot stuff!"

Back that Mockingbird up!

I was walking out of a building last week after a meeting. It was a beautiful day, sunny with a bright blue sky and at the perfect temperature. I stopped before getting into my car to take it all in and appreciate it.

I noticed that there was a bird singing nearby, really going at it. I searched around and couldn't spot him, then I heard the nearby backup alarm of a small truck or forklift. This was an industrial park, so the sound was not unexpected or particularly noteworthy. I was still looking for the bird. I spotted it, and saw that it was a Mockingbird, which was flying from the top of a streetlight, to a power line, and then over into a tree. As soon as it landed, it started up its litany again. Fluid whistles and tweets running up and down the scale.

That's when I watched it again break into its rendition of a vehicle backing up alarm. It was right on the money, and hilarious to see the bird duplicate it so perfectly. The Mockingbird flew away shortly after that, but I hope to see it again some day soon.