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
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
The North Shore of Minnesota is one of my favorite places on the planet. How much do I love this place? AP Style says I shouldn’t capitalize it as a place, but I love the North Shore so much that I capitalize it anyways. That’s fucking love. We make a trip up from Minneapolis every few months to camp or visit Duluth. The fly fishing … Continue reading North Shore Sending Off
It doesn’t feel like Christmas in Minneapolis. Temperatures are in the 30s and the ground is a March shade of brown. Some boulevards are even muddy. Mud. In December. This time last year, Audra and I already had our season passes to Theo Wirth Park and had been cross-country skiing a handful of times. There is truth to Minneapolis having some of the most unpredictable weather … Continue reading Christmas Hike
Minneapolis has been seeing a fantastic fall. Plenty of sunshine, little rain and temperatures regularly above 60F. If you like fall colors and dislike humidity, this has been the month for you. And it looks to continue. Seeing the colors change around Minneapolis proper, Audra and I wanted to get in a hike to enjoy fall before it transforms into winter. Lebanon Hills in the … Continue reading Lebanon Hills
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
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
Yes. State twice. It’s fun to say. While we were planning on heading to the North Shore for a stay at Tettegouche State Park, we opted to hang around Minneapolis. Monday was to be included in the North Shore trip as well. Audra had the day off and I spent a day of PTO. This meant we had Monday to ourselves. How did we spend … Continue reading Mental Health Day at Interstate State Park
Birch & Flannel 