Now it's Sunday night, August 30, and I am preparing to start my new job at the Forest Service tomorrow morning! I also will be moving on Tuesday! Here's what else I have been up to for the last month:AUGUST 28 VISIT FROM COUSIN TIM BOOTH
My mom's youngest cousin Tim Booth lives in Minneapolis. He and his daughter Timra came up for a visit to camp, hike and see the Wolf Center. I was very happy to see them! Tim played my guitar and sang, which was very fun.
We hiked to Kawishiwi Falls, which is in between Garden Lake and Fall Lake, where Tim and Timra were camping. Tim decided to climb around to look at the power plant.
They came up to my work and paddled kayaks into the Boundary Waters, and saw a couple bald eagle fledglings.
They also took me to the Wolf Center, where we saw the pack of six wolves get their weekly feeding of a road-killed deer, and learned a lot about how wolves get their meals in the wild.
Timra, me, and Tim in front of the Blue Heron Bed & Breakfast, where I work.AUGUST 24 CANOE TRIP TO WOOD LAKE IN THE BOUNDARY WATERS
Scott's landlord Bill claimed that he built a cabin in the boundary waters and used it for fifteen years before getting caught, after which he was fined $50. Then he burned it down, I think the story goes. So we decided to go look for the site, which was on the shore of Wood Lake. With his directions we found what looked like the right area, hiked around a little bit, and found some siding and shingles! It was exciting to think that once there had been a cabin there, used by our friend Bill and his family.
You can see here that this is a good-sized landing area, which in my experience is uncommon in the northwoods. Usually all the land is covered with vegetation, but here you have a great place to land the canoe, unload gear (and building materials?!), and a great place from which to cast!
We posed for pictures next to some of the building materials, to prove we had found the place.
After touring the site of the cabin, we found out there were a bunch of BIG fish hanging around! I have never seen anything like that. They seemed to be biting on almost every cast! These are smallmouth bass.
You can see here that this is a good-sized landing area, which in my experience is uncommon in the northwoods. Usually all the land is covered with vegetation, but here you have a great place to land the canoe, unload gear (and building materials?!), and a great place from which to cast!
We posed for pictures next to some of the building materials, to prove we had found the place. After touring the site of the cabin, we found out there were a bunch of BIG fish hanging around! I have never seen anything like that. They seemed to be biting on almost every cast! These are smallmouth bass.
We toured the rest of the lake also. Although we saw a couple other canoes and campers, for the most part we had the lake to ourselves. So we could spend the day watching wildlife, deciding where to fish, and where to stop for lunch and swim. Our own playground.
Bald eagle
Adult loon (on left) with two young loons!
I'm learning a little bit about fishing here.
There was a LOT of beaver activity in Wood Lake. We found a dam and a pond they had made, where all the trees were drowning. Scott decided to fish in there and caught his lure on a log/snag. So, he had to go swimming in the icky freezing beaver pond.
It was foggy the next morning, because the air was cold and the lake was warm-ish.
This is what the canoe portages look like. I also portaged the canoe on the way in, which took about 20 minutes.
Bald eagle
Adult loon (on left) with two young loons!
I'm learning a little bit about fishing here.
There was a LOT of beaver activity in Wood Lake. We found a dam and a pond they had made, where all the trees were drowning. Scott decided to fish in there and caught his lure on a log/snag. So, he had to go swimming in the icky freezing beaver pond. 
It was foggy the next morning, because the air was cold and the lake was warm-ish.
This is what the canoe portages look like. I also portaged the canoe on the way in, which took about 20 minutes.Another memorable trip, and only minutes from home - but in the wilderness!
AUGUST 18: COOKOUT AND HORSESHOES
I had a little get-together shortly before moving out of my college house. Friends from the nursery and from the bed and breakfast came.
Sarah (my future roommate) and Zoe, both coworkers from Greenstone Landscaping
Scott and Chunky
Sarah (my future roommate) and Zoe, both coworkers from Greenstone LandscapingScott and ChunkyHeidi and Betsy came too, but I didn't get any good photos of them!
AUGUST 9: TRIP TO VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK
Getting ready to set off in Voyageurs National Park! This park is mostly used by people in motorized boats. Therefore we, in our canoe, had a disadvantage at finding campsites. Scott and I paddled for about ten hours, about 20 miles, and found no available campsites. We were about to leave the park when a ranger stopped us and told us we needed to turn on our headlamps since it was getting dark. Turns out this ranger (actually a game warden) was the same person Scott had been reading a book about. We were very excited to meet this person he had read so many stories of. (Sorry about my grammar.) He found us a beautiful campsite and escorted us to it! The trip turned out to be really fun - lots of swimming. The park is very beautiful, just like the Boundary Waters, but if you're canoeing it just doesn't make sense to go there. I'd love to return in a motorized boat.
Scott modeling his camo bug suit pants and recently acquired canoe
The trip to Voyageurs N.P. was another magical one.
Getting ready to set off in Voyageurs National Park! This park is mostly used by people in motorized boats. Therefore we, in our canoe, had a disadvantage at finding campsites. Scott and I paddled for about ten hours, about 20 miles, and found no available campsites. We were about to leave the park when a ranger stopped us and told us we needed to turn on our headlamps since it was getting dark. Turns out this ranger (actually a game warden) was the same person Scott had been reading a book about. We were very excited to meet this person he had read so many stories of. (Sorry about my grammar.) He found us a beautiful campsite and escorted us to it! The trip turned out to be really fun - lots of swimming. The park is very beautiful, just like the Boundary Waters, but if you're canoeing it just doesn't make sense to go there. I'd love to return in a motorized boat.
Scott modeling his camo bug suit pants and recently acquired canoe
The trip to Voyageurs N.P. was another magical one.August 6 took a short trip to Duluth! First time seeing Lake Superior! Very interesting area.
Big ship in Duluth
Nice evening on Farm Lake
I have noticed a lot of liquor stores around here are called "Bottle Shops"
July 30, I visited Mom's cousin Ardena Yakle and husband John. They are currently living in Lawrence, Kansas. Their sons both live in southern Minnesota and gave them a trip to a fishing lodge in northern Minnesota. It was great to see some family!
Big ship in Duluth
Nice evening on Farm Lake
I have noticed a lot of liquor stores around here are called "Bottle Shops"
July 30, I visited Mom's cousin Ardena Yakle and husband John. They are currently living in Lawrence, Kansas. Their sons both live in southern Minnesota and gave them a trip to a fishing lodge in northern Minnesota. It was great to see some family! 
