Superior

The summer (JJA) rainfall total was 50% above normal.  The rainfall total for August in Central Illinois was close to the wettest on record.  Needless to say, we had high humidity all summer and the crops looked lush all summer.  We had 2.5 inches of rain today.  We will start harvest as soon as it is dry enough to get in the fields.

Uncle Bill spent some time in the hospital with congestive heart failure.  He is back home on hospice.  He and his family are in our prayers.  He told us he got a lot of mileage out of this joke.

How is a hospital gown like insurance?

Neither one gives you full coverage!

Some of our California family were here for a long weekend.  It was great to reconnect and spend some time with them. It was fun meeting young Joshua for the first time!
When they left Monday morning, we also left on a getaway trip.

I had driven Minnesota's North Shore Drive from Duluth to Grand Marais or the Canada border five or six times in the past on Boundary Water canoe trips or Canada fishing trips.  I had never spent more than a day on it exploring it.  So we decided to make it our destination for a few days.  We drove to Duluth and spent a half day walking, shopping, and touring, then we headed Northeast on Route 61 to enjoy the beauty of the Lake Superior shore and the North woods.  The 150 mile stretch between Duluth and the border has eight State Parks, nine "waysides", two drive up overlooks, and literally dozens of waterfalls.  The Superior Hiking Trail parallels the road with numerous spurs and access points.  Also the Gitche-Gami bike trail follows the shore for 88 miles.

 In Duluth, we shopped at one of my favorite stores and toured the Glensheen Mansion.

On our way up the shore, we made the obligatory stop in Knife River at Russ Kendall's Smoke House to stock up on smoked fish to snack on.

The shore line is a beautiful mix of everything from black sand beaches to rugged cliffs.

We hiked to so many waterfalls and took so many pictures that after a while they all started to run together.  But still all so beautiful to watch that we kept looking for more.

There are also several lighthouses along the shore that we checked out or hiked to.

One day I hiked to the top of Carlton Peak to get some good views of the Lake and the Sawtooth Mountains.

We stayed in a log cabin that was right on the rocky shore of Lake Superior.

The view from the kitchen table.

On the way home, we picked up some more smoked fish, then stopped at another of my favorite stores in Duluth, before eating some excellent ribs in Superior, WI, were we spent our last night.

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters.
Psalm 29:3