Tree Hunting

We had a fake tree when I was growing up. My dad would bring the massive box up from the basement and he and I would remove its contents, matching up groups of branches by colored pain on their steel ends. Each branch was a series of wires, which could be shaped to make the tree appear more full. It dropped plastic needles on the … Continue reading Tree Hunting

Cabin Available

The posting read “Cabin Available.” We scanned vacation rental sites for hours. State parks were booked. A few of the Lutsen ski condos were open, but we wanted something smaller, something rustic, something away from everything. Then we found it. A tiny cabin on the shore of Lake Superior in Grand Marais. It was three miles east of town, three miles further from Minneapolis. “Private … Continue reading Cabin Available

One-star Yelp Reviews of National Parks

This is why Yelp was created. I’m sure of it. Moral of the story: Ranger Wiener is a real dick. But seriously, nature is to be appreciated with an open mind. National parks preserve some of the most beautiful places on the planet, let alone in the U.S. Visit a park. Experience a new place. Enjoy the sights. Photo source: (http://imgur.com/gallery/bwsrB) Continue reading One-star Yelp Reviews of National Parks

Hike Decorah

When I think Iowa, I think cornfields and Hawkeyes. Neither of which are very appetizing. Decorah, Iowa has neither of those things. And it is wonderful. The town sits on the Upper Iowa River and is nestled in its steep valley walls. If you’re there in the fall, like I was, you’ll see fluorescent sugar maples atop limestone bluffs circled by flocks of eagles. (At … Continue reading Hike Decorah