Category Archives: Troy’s Blog

Lake Superior, Travel Photos, Troy's Blog

Mansion on the North Shore

On the North Shore of Minnesota, an old mansion sits on the shores of Lake Superior. Glensheen, built by the Congdons in the early 1900’s, is a great historic place to visit in the Duluth area. As September continued into it’s last weeks, my wife and I decided to take in a day at Glensheen exploring the mansion, gardens, and Lake Superior. Thankfully it was a nice fall day, almost requiring some time lounging by the shore taking in the views of Duluth off in the distance. The trees were just beginning to show the brilliance of fall yet to come. Our first order of business was to take a self guided tour of the main house. It’s always interesting to see the extravagance put into some of these wealthy homes.

Extensive details in the stair banisters

While wondering through the entrance and into the living room, so many details where evident such as little knickknacks purchased from far away places. It seems that the first level of many of these large mansions are dedicated to entertaining and this one is no different. Guests are obviously an important part of those able to afford such a place. I’m sure these entertaining spaces help instill confidence to fellow business associates justifying there need. Many pieces in this place caught my attention but the most impressive to me was the staircase railings. Details put into this woodwork are things you just don’t see very often even though they should be easier to make with today’s technology.  Studying the patterns and designs of the staircase, and stained glass windows illuminating them, could take awhile as they are so intricate and interesting. But there’s more to see so a few pictures to study later and it was off to the next level.

Shower with multiple shower heads

Entering the living area of the house provided a view into the Congdon’s personal lives and how they lived. Another surprise to me was the use of multiple showerheads in their showers. I didn’t realize this was a practice at the time this house was built. It seemed to be more of a modern incorporation but clearly has been around much longer.

Probably my favorite place in this huge mansion was the breakfast area. This was certainly designed for a relaxing start to the day with its wood ceiling and numerous stained glass windows which appeared as though tree branches were hanging down over the entire room. Through the glass are some of the beautiful gardens with Lake Superior as a backdrop. Almost every meal should be spent here in my opinion but there was a grand dining room in which to eat the last meal of the day nearby. Both of these dining areas had a nice view overlooking the landscape and lake.

Breakfast room

Moving on through the house, another room that surprised me was the infirmary. A house with it’s own hospital room? How often did people get sick? I wondered if this would be an effective place in 2020 with the Coronavirus pandemic continuing. However back when this place was built, the personal care given while at home was likely better and more comfortable than at a hospital. After exploring each level consisting of bedrooms, studies, and places of entertainment, it was off to grab some food on one of the beaches of Glensheen. Listening to the waves crash against the shoreline creating a rhythmic, peaceful sound almost lulling someone to sleep under the September sun.

Beautiful views of Lake Superior

Upon the completion of our meal, my wife and I headed for the gardens of this estate. Many are still kept up in similar fashion to when the Congdons lived there. There are fruit trees, vegetables, and several flower gardens filling the grounds around the mansion. Near their vegetable gardens are tennis courts and an area once used for lawn bowling, a popular past time in the early 1900’s. Greenhouse also existed for fresh winter produce which have since been taken down. A stream runs nearby with a stately bridge built over it leading to walking paths. Unfortunately those paths are now gone so once you cross the bridge you have to turn around. While walking around the property, we had noticed preparations for an event to be held that night which appeared to be a wedding. This would certainly be a grand location for such an ceremony. With many areas of this beautiful estate explored, we returned to the beach, which had chairs and a firepit, to enjoy more of the afternoon sun while gazing out over Lake Superior and the Duluth canal and lift bridge. As the afternoon wore on we decided to say goodbye to Glensheen and find a nice place to eat before the sun set behind the hills of the city. A wonderful day to spend at the Congdon’s residence!

Fall colors beginning to arrive

Seasons, State Parks, Troy's Blog

Watching the Colors Change

Recently I was able to spend a week exploring Minnesota’s North Shore with my wife. This was planned back in February before the pandemic became a global crisis. As the spring went on changing into summer, I wasn’t sure it would happen as so many places closed. Thankfully many of the parks re-opened allowing camping as well. We had three nights planned at the Split Rock Lighthouse State Park  to camp. I was certainly nervous before going as it can be quite cold near the end of September. In the days leading up to this trip I became a little more relaxed as the weather forecast was for beautiful days for much of the time camping. With this nice weather, we were able to watch the colors of fall drape over the area. Unfortunately I did not capture photos every day of the same location to reveal this change from our first night to the last morning.

Ellingsen Island on day two

In the top picture, you can see the yellows, oranges, and reds as they had already began to show significantly on Ellingsen Island but much less so near the lighthouse early in the week. In this next photo above, the colors seem to be even more vibrant the next day on Ellingsen Island contrasting beautifully against the evergreens also populating this little island. In the next picture below, you can see more of the yellows near the lighthouse. Unfortunately it was cloudy limiting the amount of light to really give you a good comparison from the top photo, but the colors are definitely stronger just three days later. I was absolutely amazed at how noticeable the change was in such a short time but very thankful to be able to enjoy this time with my wife while relaxing in such a beautiful spot.

Split Rock Lighthouse and Ellingsen Island on day three

Birds, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Hummers Are on the Move

For the first time I decided to hang a hummingbird feeder out for the full summer. After watching a hummingbird nest nearby a few summers ago, I wanted to see if they were in the area in higher numbers than I thought. As the summer progresses I would get some birds stopping at the feeder everyday for some wildlife enjoyment. Lately though there have been a fairly constant stream of birds at the feeder. Migration south is underway. They would each take turns though, never more than one at a time. If there was a hummingbird near and another another one flew up, it would be chased away by the first. Maybe that was the local birds defending their food source from those that had migrated.

Taking a sip of that sweet nectar

With all of this activity I decided to spend some time with the camera trying to capture these speedy little birds. At first they were nervous and kept their distance, but soon they returned to grab nectar, as I snapped away. They are certainly entertaining birds, many which are not very shy. I had plants nearby and on several occasions while checking the watering needs of these plants, a hummingbird would buzz by and perch on a small branch watching me. Stopping to enjoy a close encounter and view of a hummingbird, I watched them also, studying their movements and actions. Fear does not seem to be a part of their personalities. Probably because they can outfly almost anything with their speed and aerial maneuvers.  Sadly they are likely close to moving on rendering the feeder quiet once again. I’ll miss looking outside and watching them when they’re gone. For the moment it’s fun to see though.

_DSC3493

Monopoly Traveler Reflections, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Hitting the Road

After months of planning, our first family National Parks Monopoly Board trip had arrived. It was over the 4th of July holiday week so we could take in the patriotic celebration at Mt. Rushmore. We just purchased a new vehicle and were excited to take it on this road trip which would cover over 2,000 miles by the time we were finished. The day before was spent packing the car preparing for a 4am departure. I was both extremely excited and nervous. This was the first road trip I’d planned with multiple stops. Will everything go according to plan? Will it be a positive experience for my family? There are many more trips to come and if this didn’t go well it could prevent us from continuing on our Monopoly travels. At the same time I was going to see places I’d only heard about and never really expected to see. Rocky Mountain National Park was the one I was most excited for on this adventure but we would also see the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore for the Independence Day Celebration, Wind Cave, as well as add Colorado and Wyoming to the states I’ve visited. The alarm couldn’t start blaring fast enough the next morning for me.

One of the many colorful butterflies at the Sioux Falls Butterfly Garden

Surprisingly I was sleeping as the alarm began screaming for us to get up. In just a short time the family was situated in the car heading out of the Twin Cities. Daylight was beginning to breach the horizon as the days are very long at this time of year. The goal was to reach Sioux Falls, South Dakota where we would take some time to get out of the car and find a place for breakfast. On the way I kept running through our adventures in my mind while trying to watch the countryside pass outside the car windows as we entered prairie country with fields of corn and tall grass waving in the summer breeze. My dad was joining us on this first trip but had knee surgery just weeks before. Would he be able to navigate hiking trails or stay in a seated position for long periods of time while we drove? Would the kids become frustrated with my desire to explore each of the places we were going? I was about to find out. While going over these things in my mind I would look into the rear view mirror to find them sleeping in the back seat bringing a smile to my face and a sense of comfort about the trip.

We reached Sioux Falls right on schedule and stopped to get out and stretch from the long ride before going into Perkins for some nourishment.  After breakfast we headed to the water falls this city is named for to begin exploring and climbing around the pink rock that make up this area. While walking around the different features of Falls Park we were stopped by a local news crew wanting to do an interview with us. Gas prices had risen to the highest prices up to that time and they were doing a story on its effect on summer travel plans. These fuel prices really didn’t alter our travel plans as we budgeted for them and they really were a relatively small part of the costs overall. I don’t know if our interview actually aired but it was fun to be considered for their story. We made one additional stop while in Sioux Falls to the Butterfly House before departing for our hotel in Wall, SD. There were many colorful and exotic butterflies. We had a great time watching and holding these delicate little creatures. It was getting later in the day and there were several more hours of driving to do. Everyone safely secured in the car, we once again entered the freeway heading west. This time I took a break from driving to catch a few winks.

The Famous Corn Palace in Mitchell

Soon I dozed off while watching billboards pass along the roadside only to be woken by the sound of the car slowing down. How long was I asleep? And then I saw a sign which read Mitchell. Immediately I looked up and asked what we were doing mentioning that this was an unauthorized stop? Apparently a bathroom break was needed. As luck would have it, it just happened to coincide with the place where the Corn Palace resides. This is a building which is decorated around the outside with drawings made out of corn. They really do an amazing job and create new drawings every year. Secretly I enjoyed this stop and was glad we made it sharing this place with my family. While it delayed our arrival in Wall, SD, it was a worthwhile stop on this new adventure.

Once again entering the freeway, I retook the wheel for our final leg of this long day of travel. A few hours later we arrived at our hotel in the little town known for Wall Drug. We got settled in and decided it was time to eat as it was now getting quite late in the day. Once dinner was finished I wanted to walk around town a bit. After all so many people have Wall bumper stickers on their cars and we passed numerous billboards throughout the day advertising this place. To be honest, I thought it was a hokey tourist trap that didn’t really excite me but many other people seem to really enjoy it. Of course I had to get a picture of the famous Jack-o-Lope before retiring to the hotel for some much needed rest. Our first National Park would be visited the next morning and I couldn’t wait to see it.

This adventure was off to a great beginning as we had a fantastic day seeing some of the sights of South Dakota. Excitement had definitely overcome my nervousness by this time. Now off to sleep!

Jack O Lope of Wall, South Dakota

Photos, Troy's Blog

Experimenting with Composition

Earlier this year, when places all over the world were entering quarantine, I turned to photography as a method of meditation. While looking through the viewfinder, I would begin to focus on what I was photographing and for a brief period find a place of calmness from the pandemic. Unfortunately there wasn’t much available outside in nearby parks as winter had turned to spring but nothing was growing yet. Instead I decided to create a scene. Some of my plants were in flower so I wanted to try using these while capturing their reflection in a small pool of water. Once I had them set up I misted portions of the flowers with water in order to catch the background in these little droplets. I was not getting the shots I was attempting to achieve so I added a new element. Ladybug beetles had started moving again from their winter hibernation so I captured one of these and placed it on a flower. It was a good sport and wandered curiously all over these blooms sprinkled with water providing some entertaining photos. It was a fun couple of hours and helped expand my photography skills.

A ladybug and its reflection

Family Ramblings, Troy's Blog

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day is to Fall as Memorial Day is to Spring. Together they are kind of the unofficial bookends of summer. As activities begin to resume, people return to their routines for the fall and winter. Although this year is unique and many are unsure of what those routines will be with the current pandemic going on, Labor Day weekend is still an opportunity to enjoy the nice weather of summer with far fewer mosquitoes and biting flies. That often includes a weekend at the lake camping and taking in some fishing or enjoying a morning sunrise while slowly drifting over the calm water.

The Campsite

With fewer organized activities it allows us to spend time relaxing and reflecting with family enjoying each others company. I’m choosing to enjoy the outdoors this weekend as much as possible. Fall will quickly turn rainy and cold leaving only the memories of summer. Whatever your weekend holds, I hope it’s an enjoyable one!

The traditional campfire

Photos, Troy's Blog, Wildflowers

The Hunt Continues…..

Enjoying some success in finding different orchids the day before, I was excited to look for more hardy orchids. This time I headed to a different location also known to have orchids. The sun was out bringing with it warmer temperatures combined with higher humidity making it feel quite warm for wandering through the swampy woods some of these orchids call home. Even though I was doused in bug spray, the mosquitoes didn’t seem to care. They attacked from time to time anyway. Carefully watching each step, trying to avoid wet feet and stepping on a native orchid, I slowly moved through the forest on my hunt. It felt familiar, like I was stalking something during the hunting season. Only this time what I was searching for was on the forest floor hidden among the leaves and branches.

Goodyera repens

After 15 or 20 minutes of searching, the first one was spotted. It was the Goodyera repens, otherwise known as the Rattlesnake orchid. I couldn’t believe how small it was. Each multicolored leaf was about the size of my thumbnail. It would have been easy to walk right past it. In fact, I probably walked past several of them. The flower stalk was growing but it was a little too early for the blooms to be open. Even as I continued my hunt finding several more, the flowers were all a few weeks from opening. Success! Here was my 4th orchid new to me. While scouring the woods for more orchids I spotted more Coralroot seed heads along with more Hooker’s orchids.

Platanthera aquilonis

The next day I continued my quest for orchids and saw the Northern Green Bog orchid along with the Blunt leaved rein orchid for new sightings. Once again the Hookers orchid and several Lady Slipper’s were spotted on this day as well. At the end of the 4 days looking for orchids I managed to find 10 native to Minnesota. Six of these were species I had not spotted before which is the number I was shooting for.  That brings the total for 2020 to seven species of native orchids new to me. I’m not expecting to do much more searching this year but have begun thinking about which orchids I’d like to find next year. There’s still several more in this area that I want to find so another adventure to Northwestern Minnesota will need to be made.

Platanthera obtusata

Backpacking, Isle Royale National Park, Troy's Blog

Isle Royale–The Last Day

After getting settled into our shelter from the mornings hike from Island Mine, the first thing to do was head for the bathrooms with running water and wash up a little. The clean, cool water felt great! Returning to the shelter it was then time to grab something to eat while enjoying the beautiful, quiet camp. With some rest I wanted to wander around Windigo a little and take photos of the trail, flowers, and wildlife while reflecting on our time since last in Windigo 5 days ago. Something was different this time. On the last adventure to Isle Royale in 2012, I couldn’t wait for the boat to pick us up and return to civilization. This time I was dreading the return to the ferry. Why was this time so different? What changed?

Pink Ladyslippers

The sun began to drift lower in the sky bringing a warmer light to the trail. A perfect time to spend with the camera now capturing this beautiful place. Finding all of the orchids we passed at the beginning of this journey so I could photograph them was my goal. I just couldn’t stop taking pictures of the trail and the plants along side it. Every corner provided a different, but beautiful scene. With the day moving closer to the end, it was time to head back to camp and cook one of our last meals before light disappeared. Once this was complete, more time enjoying the view and reflecting on this amazing experience was in order. Eventually the stars began to shine, although many were covered with clouds. I decided to take this last opportunity to do a little night photography. Unfortunately the moon was full with its brightness drowning out many of the twinkling lights in the sky. I snapped some photos trying different shots. After an hour or so of this it was back to the shelter and off to bed.

_DSC1002-1

I could see some light entering the sky and decided to get up and watch this last sunrise on Isle Royale. There were some beautiful colors in the sky which I wanted to capture with the camera. Leaving the shelter I noticed a runny nose. Just a quick couple of pictures and I would take care of that. That’s when a drop hit the ground which I noticed was red. Dang it! I returned to the shelter for toilet paper to stop my bloody nose and then continued towards the shoreline with the camera. As soon as I turned it on the battery died. Another trip into the shelter to grab a new battery and then back to the camera again. By this time the colors of the morning rising sun had faded. Missed them! Frustrated with the mornings events so far I heard splashing. A moose had come to say good morning which was soon chased away by two more entering the water. This sight never grew tiresome.

Hiking trail

The morning grew older. Camp was all packed up for the last time as departure came closer and closer. I was struggling to force myself to leave. There was such a strong connection to this place now. It felt like the island accepted us as part if its inhabitants, revealing so much of its wilderness many others are not able to see as they keep to their boats or step foot here for only a couple of hours. Even so I kept through the motions of waiting for our ferry and eventually climbing on board. The Voyageur II departed the dock bringing a sadness to me. It kind of felt as though I was being taken against my wishes to the mainland. It’s very difficult to describe. I didn’t want to leave and at the same time I really didn’t want to stay. There’s so much more yet to experience in this place. Was this feeling because I will never be back even though my intentions are to return? I continue to miss Isle Royale and its been over a year since that trip. The solitude. The plant life. The wildlife. The rocks this place is built on. The history of mining and fishing. One piece I don’t miss is the mosquitoes. That constant buzz is still in my ears on a quiet evening.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to experience this place and to have done so with my daughter and cousin. Hopefully some day again I will step foot in this incredible wilderness.

Leaving the island

Photos, Troy's Blog

Stormy Nights

Recently there have been some good storms rolling through producing fantastic lightning. Unfortunately that has also come with tornadoes, hail, and high winds for some. Thankfully for me it’s been rain along with thunder and lightning with only a few small branches to pick up but the light shows as they’re moving by have been amazing. Unlike something I’ve seen in a really long time. The timing has been perfect with the shows arriving just as the sun would set on nights where I didn’t have to work the next day. Often the lightning just appeared to crawl among the clouds spreading out over the sky with very little noise leaving me in awe at the spectacular sight overhead.

Here comes the storm

For this latest series of storms, I was working on some projects around the house after work on a Friday afternoon and began getting alerts on my phone. As the afternoon turned into evening, my wife called to me saying I should take a look at the radar. Several severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings had been issued for areas several hundred miles away heading in our direction. I continued working on my projects now beginning to think about possible locations to watch them as they continued in my direction.

The first storm cell was overhead while I quickly ate dinner. What I thought would be the better show was a cold front right on it’s tail. That’s the one I wanted to be taking pictures of. Grabbing my camera and gear I headed for a nearby spot and set up. Just as I got the camera into place the rain began falling again. I was too late! Packing up I moved to a sheltered area still outside watching the storm.

The rain poured down

The rain began to pour and the wind started blowing fiercely. I continued to back further and further under cover but the wind was now blowing rain everywhere. I opened up the umbrella hoping to keep the camera dry as the wind started to grab at it. My umbrella began to bend backwards briefly, offering little cover from the rain. At that moment the sirens started to blare and my phone was now buzzing with a tornado warning. Theses storms have had a history of tornadoes and strong straight-line winds and could very well produce either now. Well this seems like a brilliant idea I thought to myself.

Unable to pull up the weather radar quickly on my phone I decided to call my wife to see what the news was reporting. Unfortunately the television was currently unable to broadcast leaving me wondering what I should do. I kept watching the sky trying to decipher what to do seeing only heavy rains. Soon the rain began to ease up and the sky turned more yellow. Here’s where a tornado could show up. As I continued talking with my wife I was trying to determine if there was a direction I could look for one and possibly capture it on camera. It was unlikely that a tornado would pass right where I was but maybe I could see one from here either to the North or East.

Sunset as the storms passed

The sirens quieted once again and the rain began to let up. Soon there was light near the horizon. This could turn into a spectacular sunset now! Glad I stayed here. With a light shower now I began to explore under the cover of my umbrella, searching for a great composition to capture this sunset. Every once in awhile there would be a bright flash behind me with a low rumble. I would turn around and watch for a short time wondering if better shots existed behind me. Continuing to focus on the setting sun, I chose a spot and got the camera ready, snapping a few pictures as the sun sank below the horizon. Unfortunately the sunset I had imagined never really materialized so I packed up and decided to head to another place and see if there were any nice views of the passing storm.

Lightning behind the clouds

Arriving at a nearby lake I was in luck. Lightning was crisscrossing through the sky in an amazing show. I once again set up the camera and began working on the best settings to photograph the splendor before me. There was still a fair amount of light in the sky making it challenging to actually get good pictures of this lightning. I continued to work on different settings along with the focus on my lens. Fortunately these storms continued like this for a long time so I had time to find the best camera setup. I was able to get some nice photos filled with lightning.

This lightning would begin in one place and just crawl across the sky, sometimes making its way from one horizon to another. Over the next hour I continued to take pictures of this spectacle in front of me, adjusting as it got darker and darker transitioning from day to night. The temperatures were now dropping and so was the humidity reminding me that I should have grabbed a jacket before I left. Typically I carry one in my vehicle but had taken it out a week earlier and haven’t put it back yet. The show I was watching was enough of a distraction I didn’t really care that I was beginning to shiver a little. Eventually these storms moved east far enough I decided it was time to return home as the best pictures were now behind me. What a great beginning to the weekend!

_DSC2945

Monopoly Traveler Reflections, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–The beginning

The end of our vacation was quickly approaching with only one day left. My wife and I had flown, along with several family members, to join my cousin as he was married on the beaches of Maui. It had been a beautiful five days with a sunset dinner cruise on the ocean along with fishing, snorkeling, whale watching, and of course a wedding. On the last few days I wanted to go see Honolulu and Pearl Harbor. Only my dad and an aunt decided they would join us on a quick flight from Maui to Oahu. It was a much smaller group now. For our final day, Karen and I decided to rent a vehicle and explore the island as much as we could. Climbing into our red Jeep, we were off. The first stop was Pearl Harbor National Memorial.

Our transportation around the Oahu

Soon after arriving we headed for the ticket area to secure our boat ride out to the USS Arizona. That tour begins with a film about Pearl Harbor. We had some time before we needed to get in line so we went into the gift store to browse for possible souvenirs for family members back home who were watching our daughters and our dogs. While looking over the shelves at all the T-shirts, hats, and books, I came across something very interesting to me. It was a National Parks Monopoly Board. I picked it up and examined all of the different places on it. There was Yosemite and Yellowstone along with the Grand Canyon. All places I wanted to visit. Even more so after being in Hawaii surrounded by all of the incredible landscapes.  Most of the other parks on this board also peaked my interest. After a minute of looking it over I held it up for my wife to see and suggested that we should visit all of the places on this game board. She came over and looked at it ending with her approval that it could be fun. Our time to get in line had arrived so I set the game back on its shelf, paid for a few gifts, and headed to the theater to begin our tour.

National Parks Monopoly game set

Several years passed without mention of this idea of visiting the parks on that Monopoly Board. Neither of us could even recall which parks were on it. Besides, our children were still pretty young. They had become our focus now. They were beginning to grow up causing us to move into a new home for them to be able to begin their education and form life long friendships. After getting settled in a new routine at this location for a year or so, I woke up one morning and thought we should really travel to all of those amazing places on that Monopoly board we’d seen several years earlier in Hawaii. Our children were now old enough to remember these places. I mentioned this to Karen and she agreed it would be a great idea and a good time to start. Sitting down at the computer I began to research the National Parks board and found a few pictures of it. From that I began to plan our journey and plot our course. We had nine years before our oldest daughter would graduate high school. This is when I wanted to be complete with all of the parks on this board.

Looking at the US map to plan our expeditions

As the year progressed, I would talk about different destinations with Karen and where our first trip would take us. June approached and the time to leave was getting closer. I would mention a certain park on the board and Karen would bring up a different park that wasn’t on the board and quickly try to adapt to the conversation. Later it became clear why. For Father’s Day the kids gave me a National Parks Monopoly board. Many of the destinations were different than the photos I was looking at which confused me. After a little investigating, I found out there where multiple versions of this board. I was planning off of the first edition while the children had found the second edition. Fortunately there where many of the same parks on both versions – mostly the more popular ones. I spent the afternoon revising the next nine years worth of expeditions. It didn’t matter which board we used as there were plenty of places of interest on both of them.

My list with year and month of travel along with the destinations

The first destination was South Dakota. Fortunately that didn’t have to change as there were multiple parks in that area on both editions of the board. As I continued to plan I looked into some of these parks. What would we do to visit Glacier Bay in Alaska or Isle Royale in Michigan? Both seemed challenging and didn’t really partner with any other park on the board well. Then there were other parks that were clustered heavily near one another. Especially on the East Coast. Should we try to do these all in one trip? Or should we break it up into two different vacations? Working on our potential explorations for nearly the next decade, I decided Alaska and Hawaii should be near the end. As our children would get older I thought it would be easier to entice them to go if the destinations were more appealing. Once the parks were clustered into possible trips, I began putting years next to them and even possible months to go. Some places would make good Spring Break destinations while others would be better suited to summer destinations. It was so exciting and I couldn’t wait to begin this experience!