Big Lake, Minnesota June 2-??, 2008

Monday June 2-23 2008 Big Lake, Minnesota


With our handy GPS, we were easily able to drive through Minneapolis and make it to Big Lake, Minnesota where Bruce's relatives live. Vicki and Randy have graciously come to visit us twice over the past 15 years, so we were determined to make the trek north to spend some time with them. Their house sits on the bank of the Mississippi River and looks out to an Island much like our home in Camas, WA did along the Columbia River. The 3-acre lot has been beautifully landscaped with indigenous plantings and rocks from the area. It is shaded with numerous oak, maple, birch, hackberry, elm, ash and evergreen trees, which provide shelter for migrating birds.

One of the most interesting things for me has been to watch two great horned owl babies learn to hunt from their parents. They have taken up residency in their tree canopy and swoop down onto the lawn each evening around 6pm. The night before we arrived one of the adults actually took down a hawk in flight! I would have suspected that the hawk would have been the predator, but with the average adult being just shy of 5 feet tall, they are the aggressor. The second morning that we were here Bruce found a claw and plumes of a pheasant that they had dined on the night before. Once the babies accomplish their skills, the owls will leave for good.

This area of the US has been experiencing unusual weather patterns. Tornado sirens stand in fields nearby to warn of an impending storm. There was a hailstorm two nights before our arrival. Vicki pulled out one of the hailstones that she saved in the freezer for us to see. The stone was the size of a large egg! The damage from hail to cars and roofs is very apparent.

We are having a delightful time playing tennis in the mornings and staying up nightly to compare stories, notes and pictures of Bruce’s Mom’s side of the family. We met their grown kids and families yesterday at a ball game and hope to visit with other members in the coming week.

Bruce had several fishing outings to nearby lakes for catches of walleye, northern pike, and bass. On one trip he took a video of a mother loon with babies calling to her mate.

Croix River

Vicki's sister's farm house

The barn which is now used for Scandinavian socials

Vicki, Bruce, Mary and twin sister (seamstress/owner)

I will be flying out June 17-23 to see my two nieces graduate from nursing school in Vancouver, WA. We are hoping to plan a short camping trip north of here upon my return.