With the Minnesota vacation behind us we are trying to “find” our balance with our jet lagged bodies. After two years of hardly touching the water we now seem to be strengthening our under used paddle muscles.
Morning paddle on Eagles Nest Lake 3 close to Ely, MN
Canoeing is all about balance. Balance in paddle strokes to smoothly get through the water. Balance with your paddle partner (maybe a good dose of communication would help here too) to know when you will suddenly move inside or out of the canoe, failure to do so can cause one or both of you a nice swim in the water.
Balance with nature. While in a canoe or kayak you are the closest you will ever be with undisrupted nature. Suddenly you are part of the story that going on all around you.
A beaver dam at Bear Head Lake State Park. Ely, MN
When things are in balance then wonderful happy things occur. Like running into a free concert at the State Park.
Minnesota Lumberjack songs performance at Bear Head Lake State Park.
Sometimes practice on balance is needed or a reminder that maybe ego can be bumped.
“Cool! I can still portage a canoe…what was that sound? OMG!!! I am so embarrassed.” Balance is needed when looking for the small wonders in nature. Here we are in a search to find wild orchids that grow on these semi submerged logs. Instead of orchids we found wild fly catcher plants.Balance.
We are now home in The Netherlands, new adventures coming soon.
Eagles Nest Lake 3. Ely, MN
We hope that each of you have found balance in your current lives.🛶
This year the excess water in Northern Minnesota has all lead to a record hatch of mosquitoes. Worst in 40 years, according to some locals in the Ely, MN area. Canoeing in the BWCA can be challenging with all the wildlife, but being prepared helps in our over all enjoyment.
Looking to the outside from outside our cabin as the mosquitoes are attacking.
Mosquitoes don’t bug me much but they love the European Hubby.
Out on the trail to check a canoe access point. Only we never made it to the launch, as the swarm about carried the Hubby away.
The one thing that my Hubby has never seen in Minnesota was a black bear and it has been at the top of his “must see list” for years. Each summer, when I still owned a home in Carlton County, I would report seeing black bear. I never would seem to have the phone ready to take a picture. When I was hiking, and would see a black bear, I really would just want to get out of the area as fast as possible. So, the Hubby thought maybe I was telling “Bear stories”. He is a “Must see it for myself” kind of guy. After so many years of doubts we can finally check that experience off the list!
Mama bear with three cubs right outside of Bear Head State Park Ely, MN
The universe finally granted his wish of seeing a black bear with an additional bonus of three very cute cubs. Granted, I had to explain the difference between Yogi Bear and Smokey Bear to the Hubby, but to experience a (at a safe distance) Mama bear and three cubs for a good ten minutes before she finally had enough of roadside entertainment, was priceless. I couldn’t help feeling happy for the Hubby who was excited about the entire encounter.
Bears are a local attraction here in Ely. The North American Bear Center is located just outside town. We had already planned on visiting before we encountered the wild bear. I would highly recommend the center to anyone visiting Ely. The bear center contains a wealth that of information on bears, Northern Minnesota wildlife, and offers behind the scenes tours of the captive black bears housed at the facility.
The Bear Center off Highway 1 on the outskirts of Ely, MNThe “behind the scenes” tour of the bears.
I don’t get very excited to see deer in Minnesota, even the Hubby doesn’t anymore, as they are found everywhere. In fact several have tried to scare the heck out of me on this vacation as I am driving down the road. I can almost hear them conspiring as they see me driving.
“I heard she hasn’t really driven in three years.”
“hahaha, should we see how her reflexes are?”
“Oh, she is driving like an old lady this will be easy!😂🤣🤣”
“NOW!”
“Did you see the look on her face? 😂🤣😳, she even yelled at her Hubby as to why he didn’t let her know we were about to jump in front of her! Soooo….funny!!!”
Yup, I am sure the deer have had tons of fun at my expense on this vacation, but then they gave back to us some special memories.
Right outside the cabin a doe.A pair of fawns just off the dirt road close to our cabin. The Mama deer was just outside the picture watching us from a distance.
These wild experiences are priceless.
With our Northern Minnesota vacation coming to a close soon, it will be hard for me to return to our life in Europe. The peace of the North Country will hopefully follow us through whatever comes next.
For my regular followers you will be happy to see that the Hummm… is still in me and that I can write about it. Maybe it will bring some smiles to those of you who have been too much in front of all the current World events. As I now have a strong following from China I hope that they understand the Hummm files and can see the smiles on all of our faces as we read these strange and unusual sightings. Welcome to my new Chinese followers!
This was the first Hummmm… so f our trip. It looks like a child hanging out a window.😳
We made a short trip this last week to an undisclosed location here in Europe to enjoy the sun and see some local sights. The weather was unusually warm for this time of the year and it brought the local citizens out in grand European style to enjoy the sun collectively and enjoy a nice cup of coffee with friends. After two years of COVID we are all very happy to get back to normal!
Then this guy was just hanging around but we think he has been here for a long time. This house was strange and full of hummm…
Hummm… normal? What the heck is that? Well, I didn’t think I would be enjoying a cup of coffee and have to worry about nuclear attacks! That is NOT normal!!! So what other not normal things did we see… here is a bit of the sights.
Same house. Hummm… not sure if the gargoyle or the woman just acting normal was the hummm… but the fact she had so many strange things attached to this house…hummm…Not much of a hummm… unless you add the following picture…OMG!!! I forgot my helmet!!!! I don’t want to look like him! Hummmm… I better walk this hill.This is one of the Hummm… that Hubby found. What is this warning? No big noses? No smelling? Or… hummm
Hummm… how am I doing? Sleep, crappy! Worried…NO! Prepared for whatever crap comes our way…YUP!!!!
Camping with our new wood stove. Hummm… hope we only need this while camping.😳
I do not fear Putin and as any coward usual does, he is hiding in Moscow while his troops are dying on the battlefield. Hummm… is NATO prepared for him if he crosses the line they have set into place. I can say in the most unofficial terms YES, YES, YES!!!! 💙💛🙏
Will the Hubby and I have to escape via our beautiful Cedar canoe if things get really close? Possible. We were asked to wipe our muddy feet when we get to where we are going to paddle. No problem! 🛶🚴♀️
So for all you out there that worry about us we appreciate your prayers and support here at the Cedar Journal, but please send most of your support to those in Ukraine as they need it more than we do at this moment. 💙💛💙💛🙏🇪🇺🇪🇺🇪🇺🇪🇺
Déjà vu: The illusion of having already experienced something actually being experienced for the first time. -The American Heritage College Dictionary fourth edition
The Cedar Journal 