Fall, Family & Fun

Fall is my favorite time of year, it's a time for sweaters, campfires, 

and to explore nature is at its best.

Yesterday morning I got up before the sun! 

I grabbed a cup of coffee and went to sit on our dock to see the sun rise in all it's beauty

The boats are coming out for the season, 

This is our view looking to the left of our place. 

Recently Rick's brother Brad & wife Julie bought a cabin on Long Lake about a mile North of us.

 It's pretty awesome having family here on the lake.

The four of us planned a trip to Itasca State Park yesterday. (only 30 miles from our cabin)

 It was a beautiful day, coolish and peaceful, and the leaves were PRIME COLORS.

Hard to see but the colors across the lake were outstanding

Julie was the first one over the "beginning" of the Mississippi River.

More selfies... using that "selfie stick" is a true art.

so pretty

The brothers, chatting as they walk.

The Fire Tower!

 I have been up this tower many times, 

so this time I stayed down and just watched everyone else go up, ha ha. 

The three waving from the top

You can spend hours in Itasca State Park, 

we brought a picnic lunch and then did the "Wilderness drive" around the park. 

There are many places along the drive to park and get out to see the sights. 

Have you been to Itasca.... tell me your favorite things to do there.

 

When Fall and Winter meet...

I couldn't help but take a little drive in the country this morning 

to highlight a few of the beautiful scenes from behind my camera.

 Monday's are quiet and the country roads seem abandoned! 

Fall and Winter are my favorite seasons so when they come together... 

well, it's just simply beautiful!

These guys seemed happy to have a visitor

Many of the fields are still unharvested

I am captivated by all things "old & abandoned"

I wish I could hear the stories that the walls of this old house could tell.

Love this small outbuilding with the stone foundation.

The snow that covered the grass form this weekend is already starting to melt

underneath lay the Autumn leaves that have just recently fallen.

Danesville is an unincorporated community that I drove past and then backed up to take this shot. 

The old abandoned building back in the trees was all I saw of this "community"

I have not had a chance to do my outside cleanup in the flower beds, mainly because of my recent foot surgery, but I hear temperatures are warming up this week with highs in the 50's by Saturday. 

It seems we will get back to fall by the end of the week.

 

October is my favorite color

Rick and I are up for our last weekend of the season....

It's time to close the cabin, more on that to follow.

This morning we took a little drive on some of the backroads near our cabin

We saw beauty all around us. 

All I had was my camera phone so the quality is not up to snuff.

Same photo, different angle

It's always so pretty around the lakes, so many colors!

 Last night I took this from the edge of our yard, see the little "pop" of color on the right, 

and the sky was so blue.

Now back to Saturday morning. 

We did get snow, maybe about an inch.

My son took this photo from inside the cabin

By yesterday (Sunday) afternoon most of the snow had melted, but we still were getting spurts of snow from time to time

 Snowing

I saw this little snowman over on the other side of the lake as I was taking a drive 

 The neighbors oak tree next to our cabin. 

We are otherwise surrounded by pines so this tree is a welcome site in the fall.

Winter seemed to bump right into fall before it was done. 

I bet winter will back off so that fall can have its time.... too short this year.

"pop" of color

Wordless Wednesday

My favorite color is October...

We knew the colors were nearing peak here in southern Mn,

 so we ventured out yesterday to see what we could see...

Destination Winona!

Hwy. 14E is such a scenic way to travel to Winona, versus the faster route on I 90.

As we traveled the winding roads past Lewiston, 

I made Rick pull over on a curve with no shoulder so I could photograph this beautiful sight. 

I risked my life for this photo...Ha  :)

My Husband LOVES Hardees "Frisco breakfast sandwich". 

Rochester has not had a Hardees for years, so first stop was his favorite 

Fast Food restaurant for a little morning goodness  :)

After we got our "Hardees fix", we visited this neat little shop in downtown Winona. 

I picked up a couple of fall decorations for my dining room, such a fun place to browse.

Did you notice the lady in the 3rd window from the left?

 The glass had been removed and this was a painting.

You cant go to Winona without stopping by Bloedow's Bakery...yum! 

 Down by the campus of Winona State, by the lakes.

I was glad the "colors" had waited for us... such a spectacular site.

Then there's Garvin Height's...

 If you haven't been to Garvin Height's lookout in the fall, 

you haven't seen this breathtaking view... 

 ...and this is only a hint of what you see until you take your eye away from the camera's view-finder.

 Winona State University campus (center)

My daughter attended college here, such a beautiful setting!

 The East Lake apartments where my daughter lived the last two years of her schooling

(Located a few blocks east of the campus)

We got our fill of pretty, in this quaint little town of Winona.

Enjoying Fall

Yesterday mom and I went on out annual Fall leaf tour,

I'm glad we did,

 a lot of those beautiful colors will be on the ground after todays big winds!

We headed south this year, 

Spring Valley, Preston, Lanesboro, Rushford, & Chatfield 

It was a lovely drive, its always fun to hang out with mom!

Did anyone else notice how vibrant the colors were this fall 

 I love when God pulls out his palette and paints

This was Sylvan Park in Lanesboro 

We stopped for lunch at the old Barn, just outside of Lanesboro, MN

I think it's the biggest barn I've ever seen, and the coolest part is that 

it smells like a barn on the inside, minus the cows and pigs  :)

Giving Door County a try

Every Fall Rick and I talk a mini-vacation to the North shore near Lutsen, Mn

This year we decided to change it up and venture across Wisconsin to ...

DOOR COUNTY

We have never been there but heard a lot of good things 

so we decided to give it a go.

Sunrise this morning, a beautiful way to start the day

The "colors" driving across Wisconsin were amazing!!!

Destination.... Egg Harbor, Wi

Our place is called The Shallows Resort, 

http://www.shallows.com

We are in the motel, ground level and here's our view 

(well, a limited view from inside the room)

It's more like this when you step out...

The Dock out onto Lake Michigan

Out on the dock looking back towards the resort

Our patio...and my man!

Rick decided to take a little jaunt on the kayak

 The sun sets so fast, it had to come down through the clouds, 

then it was clear right before it disappeared into Lake Michigan

My guy

The resort has a basketball court, tennis court, and bikes....We took advantage of all three.

Stay tuned for more posts of our mini vacation.