After spending the beginning of summer in France and Ireland, we were happy to be back in Minnesota for the remainder of the season. It was time to catch up on projects around the house and yard. Sophie had planted the vegetable garden before we left for France at the end of May and we were shocked by how it flourished unattended (thanks to a rainy June) while we were gone. Our tomato plants grew to over 12 feet tall and we had to retrain all the vines in order to make our way through the jungle of a garden. Sophie was delighted to see the growth of her flowers – especially the hydrangeas and her favorite dahlias.
We took our first camping trip in August to the Cuyuna recreational area near Crosby, MN. This is a former iron mine site that has been transformed into a mountain bike park. The mine pits are now spectacularly clear lakes, and the mounds of tailings have become forested hills perfect for mountain bike trails. We were really impressed by the scenery and trails. We explored the paved trails with our road bikes, then rented mountain bikes the next day to try the more rugged paths. We chose a beginner’s loop, it was challenging enough and quite fun to explore. We cooled down after our bike rides by dipping in the clear, cool pit lakes.
Audrey came home for Labor Day weekend, and we enjoyed a couple days at the lake and a visit to the Minnesota state fair. As usual, we had fun meandering on the state fair grounds where we spent the day exploring the different exhibits. The crop art, the giant pumpkins and the butter sculptures are always a must see, and the Peachey’s donuts were worth the wait in our opinion! My mom joined us for a few days in September, and we visited several relatives and friends she doesn’t get to see often.
I took a short trip to Banff with my brother, Steve, for my birthday. We had the most amazing weather and enjoyed great views and hikes. I would love to go back with Sophie and our camper one day to explore more.
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