Summertime on the patio

Our patio area in evening

It’s back to work today after a pleasant “weekend,” our two days coming during midweek.  Can’t say we did anything exciting, but we do enjoy our days off just “be-ing.”

We’ve started playing chess again, usually at least one of the nights we’re off.  See the table in between the chairs in the photo above?  Turns out it’s just the right height for a chess table.  As we progress through the summer months, you may just find us set up on the patio for a match or two in the evening.  Right now it’s still a wee bit on the chilly side for that, so we’ve brought the table indoors and have the chess set on it.

Residents in our community are not allowed to plant in the flowerbeds, but we can place pots around.  Flamingo now has a bit of company and color to the front of our townhome.   Folks have all sorts of decorations, potted plants and bird feeders in their flowerbeds and on their patios.  It’s fun to walk around and see what everyone has.  I’m pleased with ours this year.  Last year being our first summer her, we really didn’t do much with our area.  This year, however, it’s cozy, cheery and pleasant.

I’m grateful that we do have a patio area where we can just step outdoors instead of a typical apartment with no immediate access to the outside!  We feel we have the best location in the community located on the far side.  Our entrance and patio area are both very private.

One needs to remember that whatever one puts out on the patio, one will need to bring in once Winter starts to appear.  The plants will succumb to Mother Nature’s chill and the decorations will be stored in our garage.  Put the Summer things in and bring the snow shovel out!

At our site in New Jersey, I had a lovely clematis.  Have been wanting another and found this cutie the other day.  Repotted it and am hoping the blooms will indeed be the dark violet/purple color.  Should find out pretty soon, as there are a couple of blooms waiting to open! 

The newest – and probably final – plant addition this year is a Roma tomato!  We’ll see how that does.  If it and the cherry tomato plant produce, we’ll have tomatoes galore!

It’s June, but feels more like April with the exception of about 2-3 days of temps in the high 80s.  No complaints about that, but thinking it’s going to be a short summer!  Realistically, we have about 2.5 more months of “summer.”  With the arrival of September, it’s anybody’s guess.  We could ease into a nice autumn phase or … it might just start snowing with Winter fully upon us! 

For now, it’s enjoyment of the sunshine and warmth!

Hope your days are sunny and pleasant!

Ya’ll stay safe out there, okay?  Thanks for stopping by!

Day Trip to Itasca State Park–Mississippi Headwaters

Dave had a bike ride this morning, and then we hopped in Wee Beastie for a run of about 35 miles south on Hwy 71 to Itasca State Park.   As you can see from the photo above, this is the origin of the Mississippi River! 

There is a small beach there, and we both put hand in the water.  Cold water, that is.

We could not have asked for nicer weather today!  I think we peaked at 85 F, which was warm but comfortable.  I took along my “real” camera, but didn’t use the telephoto lens.  At least the camera got out of its bag for an outing!

Here is where the water spills out of the lake and begins its journey as the Mighty Mississippi

Itasca is Minnesota’s oldest state park, having been established in 1891.  It’s pretty large at more than 32,000 acres and more than 100 lakes.  You can read more about the park’s history here. 

We parked at the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center, strolled down to the headwaters and then walked the Schoolcraft Trail.

There’s a café and gift shop at the Center, but it’s still too early in the season for them to be open.

The 2 “dots” in the center of this photo, those are birds on the lake.

After completing the trail, we drove the Wilderness Drive, which is a 10-mile, one-way loop.  It begins at the Headwaters Center and brings you back to the main park office.

To the left of center is a good-sized beaver dam!  Biggest one we’ve seen in the wild.

We also saw a porcupine, but by the time we got close enough to get a really good look, he/she was meandering back into the forest.  Oh well, at least we can say we’ve seen one in its natural environment!

Another reason for moving this far north is the fact that we are so close to several state parks.  We hope to get out and make use of that proximity throughout the months of good weather.

Back home a few hours later, relaxed, and fed with leftovers from yesterday’s dinner.  Getting out for a wee day trip – out in Mother Nature – makes me feel like I’ve had a real weekend.

We have a short work week of 4 days starting tomorrow, and then we’ll be taking a wee staycation of 4 days.  I already have another couple of day trips in mind.

Hope you’re having a great week!

Stay safe out there, okay?  Thanks for stopping by!

New cancer center progressing nicely

We can see progress on the new Sanford Joe Lueken Cancer Center from our front porch.  All the buildings in blue are the new additions.  The hospital complex are the brown/tan buildings to the left of the new construction.  It’s been interesting to watch, especially the roofing endeavors over Winter.

Scheduled for opening in 2018. 

All the land between here and there belongs to Sanford, so any future construction should be related to the medical center and not general commercial businesses.  I like that.  It’s also very convenient to be so close –walking distance - to healthcare.  With other medical buildings to the west of the hospital, our immediate surroundings are essentially within a non-commercial area. 

Today is our Sunday, our “weekends” being Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  The day started off gloomy and chilly with light rain, a carryover from yesterday.  Ugh.  I got a head start on the work week by preparing Dave’s dinner for a few days, a chicken stir-fry.  All done!  Yay! 

About the time I straightened up the kitchen from that, it was decent enough for a walk.  Yay for that, too!  Really need to take advantage of these months and get outside, as Winter will be knocking on our door before we know it!

I think I’m liking the new look of the blog.  I’ve always thought photos stand out better on a black background, so I’m pleased to have this looking more like it did in “the old days.” 

Hard to believe I’ve been blogging for almost 13 years, starting on a different platform back in 2005.

Two posts in 2 days!  Woot!  Don’t hold your breath for the next one!

Stay safe out there, okay?

Thanks for stopping by!

We Survived Winter!

Yes, it was a long winter this year, having snow on the ground 7 calendar months.

Plane on Lake Bemidji – February 2018

We didn’t have any real issues with the extreme cold temperatures and snow.  Having lived in Hibbing years ago, we knew what to expect, so we were prepared both mentally and physically.  Well, okay, there were a few times in April when we wondered if we would ever see bare ground again.  Living with a white world for 7 months is … really different.  Still, it is a relief that Spring/Summer is finally here!  Things are greening up outside and our town’s inhabitants are once again enjoying outdoor seating at local restaurants, walking dogs, riding bikes, and the like.  Convertibles are seen around town with tops down.  I’ve even seen an RV or two already and a couple of boats being towed through town.  During the height of Summer, there will be RVs all over the place, including clusters in the Walmart parking lot.  Bemidji at times takes on the feeling and appearance of a cozy touristy lakefront community.  Love it!

Our indoor plants provided us with greenery during the winter months.  This aloe was one of the first plants I purchased when we arrived last April.  It’s been doing some pretty cool things lately.

This stalk is close to 2 feet in length now and continues to produce new blooms.

Yesterday I noticed a new stalk!

We zoomed up to a high of 83F yesterday, but today we have a steady, light rain falling and we’ll be lucky to kiss 60 outside the next few days.  That’s okay, because we do need the rain.

A couple of weeks ago, I satisfied my need for windshield time and went up the road about 25 miles to the town of Blackduck. 

Minnesota bucket list item – see the Blackduck statue!  Check!

There’s a few parks, access points to Blackduck Lake, a few shops, surrounding resorts, and a café I’d like to try at some point in the future.  The weather was absolutely stunning!  Turned my tunes up to “blow out the windshield” volume and cruised through the countryside.  Perfect.

One has to make the most of the good-weather months up here, hence the road trip.  I have a few more of those in mind for the coming months.  Speaking of making the most, I added a few things to our patio area this year.  Last year I had a couple of hanging baskets, and not much else.  Knowing that Nature’s Edge Garden Center had tomato hanging baskets, I headed out there last week to get one before they’re sold out.  Apparently they go quite quickly!

If all goes well, we’ll have cherry tomatoes!

Oh, I tell ya.  I could have done some extreme damage to my bank account out there at Nature’s Edge.  So many lovely plants, containers, outdoor décor … oh my!

See what I mean??

Menard’s is one of my fave places in town.  They have a wee bit of everything.  The rest of the patio decorations came from there.

We had 2 “pink chickens” aka flamingoes at the New Jersey site, and I saw these at Menard’s a few weeks ago and kept thinking about them.  Finally asked Dave what he thought, and he voiced his approval, saying that they would remind him of our good times in NJ.  So!  Back I went to Menard’s, and these 2 cuties came home with me. 

If you look at the large boulder above from a certain angle, it really does look like a toad.  In fact, we named it “Toad” pretty much on our first day here last year.  We also did have a real-life toad visitor last Summer, so … Toad House seemed appropriate!

You may notice no hanging decorations, no pots or patio table set, or anything really tall.  That is because of the wind.  Our townhome is on the back side of the community, and the wind on our patio/porch is incredible at times.  We seem to get whirlwinds on windy days, including accumulations of leaves and what resembles tumbleweeds.  It is quite often windy, so I really don’t want to risk hanging whirly-gigs and the like.  We can place decorations in the flowerbeds, but planting is not allowed.  I satisfy my “digging in the dirt” needs with a variety of indoor and outdoor potted plants.  I’d love to have a large container with daylilies, but I just know they would be battered by the winds.  Oh well!

One has to also keep in mind that whatever goes out on the patio has to come indoors during Winter due to the extreme cold temperatures.  The shepherd hooks stayed out and fared well, but everything else will need to be stowed indoors once cold weather begins.  Spending a lot of money and acquiring large items just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

We finally got a garage a couple of months ago!

There isn’t much room on either side; in fact, one can’t open the doors all the way.  There is some room at the front for storage, but all that’s inside other than the car are a few things hanging on the wall – snow shovel, snowshoes, etc.  It’s such a relief to have the car under shelter, not only during the Winter but in the event of severe storms during the summer months.  We did have some hail last year, but no damage to the car.  Yay for a garage!

After the weekly housecleaning on Sunday, I drove down to the south shore of Lake Bemidji for a wee stroll. 

Quite the difference from February, eh?

We have been back up here for a bit over a year now, and still say it has been a good decision.  Our townhome is comfortable and nice, and we’re all settled in.  I confess I’d still like a proper dining table and chairs, but there’s really no room with the bikes.  Believe me, I’ve measured all different ways!  Ha!  Perhaps we’ll find a set that will suit us and the space at some point.  I’ve met a few neighbors and, while we don’t have what I’d call an active social life, it is nice to talk to neighbors now and then.  I’ve been invited to a few group gatherings, but I’ve never really been a “joiner” and prefer to nurture relationships on an individual level.

Our jobs are percolating along nicely.  Dave is well liked and respected at his, and he is finding it to be a much better situation overall than in Texas.  My telecommuting work as an administrative assistant is still enjoyable, and my responsibilities continue to expand. 

Days are full and have fallen into a comfortable routine.  We have a mini vacation of 4 days scheduled for later this month, with plans for some day trips both together and my solo windshield time, cycling for Dave, walks for me, and just “be-ing.”

Sunset from our patio – May 4, 2018

Yes, I have to say … Life is Guid!

Thanks for stopping by!

January Winding Down

Here we are at the tail end of January already.  Seems like the weeks just fly by!  We’re really into Winter now and experienced a “January thaw” a couple of times.  Our world outside has been white since – what? – November.   This morning it snowed for a couple of hours and now the winds have kicked in and powdery snow is blowing. 

Still, it is somewhat amazing to live where everything is white outside for … months. 

Questions I Get from Friends in Southern Climes

Are you staying warm?   You betcha, indoors and out.  Structures are built differently here, as is outerwear.  Furnace thermostat is set at 70, and we stay comfortable.  We have appropriate outerwear – parkas, boots and cleats for them when needed on the ice, and warm hats and gloves.

Are you snowed in?    Several friends I’ve talked with ask if we’re buried in snow, snowed in, and so forth.  Nope.  There’s way less than a foot on the ground, maybe 6 inches.  Maybe.  When it does snow up here, the flakes are so fine … think flour falling from the sky and lying on the ground.  Really light and powdery.  Takes a lot  of “flour” to build up to any accumulation of note.  It’s also often just too cold to snow up here.  Technically, that’s not true, but … well … it sort of is, too.   Let’s just say that when it’s –35 F out, you’re probably not going to get snow.

Aren’t you going crazy or getting depressed?   Nope.  Nada.  We did purchase an exercise bike, since Dave’s not cycling and I’m not walking – both outdoor activities.  We’re both very happy to be back Up North and sure glad we made the leap! 

Is this it?  Is this where you plan to stay?   Had another friend ask recently if this is “it,” where we plan to be.  Yep.  This is it.  Even if we did move from this specific spot, we’d still stay up here.  No plans – or urge – to relocate.  We have traveled quite a lot, both individually and together.  While I bet there will be road trips around the state and perhaps even out-of-state, I think it’s safe to say we’ve gotten the “hitch itch” out of our systems.  We certainly have no plans to travel back to Scotland.  We’re done flying.

We’ve talked about “escaping” to a cabin for a few days at some point.  Have a campfire again and a wee holiday.  That should be doable at some point in the not too distant future.  We sure won’t have to travel very far, as those types of accommodations are plentiful up here.

You were smart … One friend said we were smart to move “where no one wants to go.”  Yep.  I think so, too.

Sure do like our town and the life we have carved out for ourselves here.  Sometimes on our days off we just hang out at home – like this weekend – and watch the snow fall.  I’ll cook a bit, Dave’s been tinkering with his bikes, we may get in a game of chess later.  Other weekends we explore the town a bit, prowl a bookshop or two, or perhaps take a wee drive.  Of course, when it’s not Winter, we’re out cycling, walking, hanging on the patio, and out-and-about around town.  Or not.  Ha!

Looking out at ice houses on Lake Bemidji

Snapped the above photo when out running errands last week.  There are usually a bunch of ice houses on the lake, and there was an ice fishing tournament coming up the next weekend.  What’s an ice house?  Check out this dealer’s web page.  Some of them are just about as nice as a regular travel trailer! 

These two have been growing, so they got new “homes” last weekend.

I still read RV blogs, most of which I started following and/or reading years ago.  One I’ve tapped into recently is Travel with Kevin and Ruth.  They are currently serving as wagon masters for an RV caravan touring Mexico.  There are so many RVers who venture south of the border, some for short visits and others for seasons at a time – or permanently.  I applaud Kevin and Ruth not only for taking on the trip and responsibility, but for telling it like it is!  It certainly sounds like an adventure! 

Bemidji was named Best Town in Minnesota for 2017, by Minnesota Monthly.  Not don’t ya’ll all get the idea about moving here!

Well, that’s it for today.  I think I’ve rambled on enough.  I really should keep a notebook handy for the blog ideas that pop into my head at random times.  I’ll try to start doing that …

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe out there, okay?

A First for Me Today

It was a bit warmer today at around 5 F and sunny at times.  We ventured out to L&M Fleet Supply for new headgear for Dave.  He walks to and from work – just under 10 minutes – and could use some new gear truly designed for this climate.  I have taken him in the car when the weather’s been really nasty, but I think he enjoys the walk when it’s doable.

He’s starting to take on the appearance of The Invisible Man just a wee bit, eh?

Our first stop actually was the recycle station not far from home.  We had a couple of boxes to “donate.”  One was from a new ceramic heater.  We use a couple of those in different rooms to supplement the gas floor heat now and then.  The other was from …

Half of our living room looks more like a bike shop/workout area.  Ha!  Good thing we aren’t wanting a dining table, as the bikes and this piece of equipment are where a table would be.  Unconventional, but it works for us.

Now that Winter has settled in for real, Dave obviously isn’t getting any bike time on the roads (or anywhere else, for that matter)  and I’m not getting my walking.  We initially talked about joining a gym for the winter months – him for the cycle/spinning equipment and me for walking equipment - but this makes much more sense and is less expensive than a membership.  At least we can keep the blood flowing and retain some sanity during these really cold months.  This way we don’t have to pile on coats and gloves, drive someplace, change into workout gear, use public equipment, pile on coats and gloves again … you get the idea.  Again, it’s waaaay less than a membership would have been for both of us.

After those two errands were done and dusted, we decided to drive down to the lake and take a look.  Ended up at one of the various parks in town, and ended up doing this …

Me on Lake Bemidji

Dave on the lake.  Note the truck cruising along in the background!

That was my first time to walk on a lake.  Now I can say I’ve done it.  Guess we’re adapting to and embracing living back #UpNorth.

Oh!  Yes, it’s been incredibly cold, even for up here.  Bemidji now has a hashtag - #brrrmidji.  Ha!

So our wee outing today was fun!  It’s so easy to just stay indoors and at home when it’s cold out but, you know what?  Life goes on up here and one just needs to get out and about when it’s safe to do so.  Errands still have to be run, and there’s some silly fun to be had around town and the area during Winter.

This sure as heck beats sweating and being miserable in warmer climes, and we’re happy and grateful that we’re back up in the #MinnesotaNorthwoods #UpNorth and #brrrmidji.

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe and warm out there, okay?

Happy Boxing Day

Here we are on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas.  Spent a good chunk of ours getting a jump for a dead car battery and then over to the Ford dealership for a new one. 

Dealership doggie has the right idea, soaking up some rays.

This was the original battery, so it was just time for a replacement.  We have complementary road assistance with Ford, and it was prompt and courteous.  Opted for a slightly “bigger” battery than the factory-installed version.  So, our Wee Beastie is happy again.  It, and us, will be happier once we score a garage, but there have been no vacancies, so we remain 3rd on the waiting list.  Since our temperatures are consistently subzero now, the Ford tech recommended running the car about 30 minutes each day when we fall below zero.  I have been running the car for a while, but not every day, and even doing it 30 minutes/day probably wouldn’t have helped the old battery.  It was just time.

So we’re on day 3 of our 4 days off for the Christmas holiday.  Wow.  Christmas Eve I spent making goodies, and snacking was enjoyed instead of a proper meal.  So nice to have a larger kitchen and big oven again, although I did all this in the RV for about 7 years. 

Christmas was the major cooking day, turkey breast and the usual side dishes.  Didn’t do this at Thanksgiving, so made up for it this holiday. 

Our tree turned out pretty well, and we’re enjoying feeling festive this year.

Figured out the bindings on the snowshoes, but haven’t had a chance to try ‘em out yet.

Visions of snowshoeing, taking walks and other outdoor activities over the holiday have not been made realities, as it’s just too darn cold.  Yes, too cold.  Warnings for dangerous/life-threatening wind chills and really low (even for MN at this time of year) temperatures have kept us inside for the most part.  It’s just 6:30 pm, and the outside temperature is –18F with a wind chill of –33F.  And it was warmer today than yesterday! 

Early morning – December 21, 2017.  We’ve had snowfall just about every day, often for hours or even most of a day, but tiny flakes. None since the temps dropped into the deep freezer, though.  No big storms yet with significant accumulation, but we’ll see what January and February bring.

Oh!  On Christmas Day morning, we had sundogs!  I couldn’t get a decent angle for a photo, but you can read about sundogs here.  Pretty darn awesome.  Just a gift from Mother Nature for enduring the harsh Winter.

See the 2 specks on the roof peak?  Work has continued on the new cancer center down the street, even in the cold weather.  And snowfall.  And winds.  Gotta admire these guys!

It’s so nice to feel festive again for Christmas, this is the first time since 2013.  Last year really was a nonevent, with only having 1 day off and having lost our wee Maggie in October 2016.  I can’t even recall last Christmas.  We were still in Texas, so I imagine it was warm hot.  This year, however, we are in a much better place – geographically, financially and spiritually.  What a difference 12 months can make!

I do still miss our Maggs and having a doggie around, but did get out to the shelter to donate the dog sweaters.  That helped a bit, and they seemed glad to get the sweaters.  One of these days when I ever have spare time again, I’d like to volunteer my time. 

We sent out Christmas cards again for the first time in a few years and received some.  Certainly isn’t like “the old days” of receiving a lot of cards.  Everything and everyone seem to have transitioned to electronic greetings.  Don’t get me wrong, that’s nice, but there’s just something about Christmas cards.  I miss that.  Received some holiday phone calls, and those were very special.

My annual viewing of White Christmas took place on Christmas Eve; it’s just not Christmas without seeing that movie.  I’ve been watching it at this time of year since childhood.  Tonight It’s a Wonderful Life is on tap, and I’m looking forward to that.  It’s another holiday tradition in our home.

I don’t know that anyone really reads this blog these days.  It’s different now that we’re not full-time RVers.  Its purpose is more of an exercise in recording our life … I just don’t seem to have the creativity to even write … just write … at this point.  Probably because I’m too dang busy living life.  Working, my life with Dave, routine chores/housekeeping/cooking/errands … by the time I think of something to write about, I just don’t have the time or ambition to do so.  Too, it’s easier to toss out a simple post on Facebook vs. putting together a blog post.  I know I’m not the only one experiencing this, but I do miss those evenings of purely … writing.  Oh well. 

If you have made it this far, thank you so much for stopping by! 

Wherever you are and however you celebrate, I wish you the peace, magic and joy of the season.

Let the Holidays Begin!

All that snow I talked about in my last post disappeared with the mild temperatures we’ve had lately, but … forecast is for possible blizzard conditions tomorrow with 4-10” accumulation.  We’ll see what happens!

It’s almost 10 pm on Sunday night, so this will be a quick post.  Really this post is for Sue, as I promised to put up some photos of our Christmas decorations.  So … here ya go, girlfriend!

I confess to this being the earliest I have put up decorations, having them out and up about a week before Thanksgiving.  I know that’s early, but there was snow on the ground, it was cold, it’s our first holiday season in a sticks-n-bricks home again in about 8 years, and Dave and I both really like Christmas.

Decorations box – items we used in the RV

The stocking Dave gave me Christmas 2005 in Scotland.  It became the doggies’ stocking after that.

In the RV, we had a small – about a foot high – tree that had fiber optic lights on it powered by a battery.  We wanted something a bit larger now that we have more room.  So we bought a 4-foot artificial tree, some ornaments, a topper and … icicles!

I’d either forgotten how to do this or was the victim of poor packaging!

The end result wasn’t bad, after all!  The “snow” at the bottom is the old-fashioned cotton kind, but has iridescent fibers in it, so it shimmers or “twinkles” a bit when the tree lights are on.  Pretty nifty, actually.

That’s the little “RV” tree in the center.  That’s the front living room window.

Front door

My office

Last Wednesday, we drove down to the visitors center/park at the lake.  The town lighting ceremony was the weekend prior, but we didn’t attend.  That’s an evening of “lighting” downtown for the holidays, a parade, bonfire, and cider/hot cocoa at the visitors center.  Maybe next year! 

Trees in the park at the visitors center

It was really breezy that night, so the trees were swaying – interesting effect with the lights.

Hey!  Look!  Now I just need some snow!  And figure out how to lace my boots to ‘em!

Gotta get the car washed frequently up here with all the snow and salt.

Bought some sweaters which will be donated to our local shelter.

Ciao for now!

Thanks for stopping by!  Ya’ll be safe out there, okay?