North Shore Drive

We've been talking about taking the drive along the north shore of Lake Superior all summer, but just finally got around to doing it.

After leaving Duluth the real drive begins by going through one of two tunnels that cut through the bluffs along the lake.







Along the way is one after another of Minnesota's State Parks: Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock Lighthouse, Baptism River, Tettegouche, Temperance River, and each one is full of wonderful falls along the rivers that fall into Lake Superior.














We made a few stops along the way to check out the sights, but more importantly to find coffee and pies! There is nothing better than a picnic with cheese and crackers, a good bottle of wine, a coconut cream pie, picturesque Lake Superior, and great friends to share it with!









It was a beautiful drive with the water on one side and the trees on the other. Fall in Minnesota is just beginning, but it promises to be a colorful one.

Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives

We have spent the last two days grinding and making venison sausage with the help of Carol, and eating each evening with the help of Jim. Finally we decided it was time to eat out and headed for the famous (infamous) Gordy's Hi-Hat made well known by Guy Fiero on the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives in nearby Cloquet, MN. Jim regaled us with stories of going to the movies and then Gordy's all for $3 (that included a buck for gasoline!) in the 1960's.
Even the rain that came with that gray sky didn't put a damper on our evening!

A Weekend with Bob and Jo

We were planning a Saturday dinner party at Bob and Jo's (in the Cities) with crazy friends Pat and Bennie. Unfortunately Bennie had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and had a lumpectomy (no cancer in the lymph glands) so they were unable to come. Keeping Bennie in our prayers, and knowing they would want us to have a good time, we did.

This picture shows it all, a weekend of eating (we went to the Farmers Market in Minneapolis), drinking aged Japanese scotch, putting together a puzzle (I wonder if it is finally finished) and seeing the movie Avatar in 3D on an ultra screen. Fun, fun, fun!

Minnesota Gold

Shayne bought us a book "Mushrooming Without Fear" because we have seen so many mushrooms this year and we just needed more information.


So we read the book (twice it advises us) and went for a walk in the woods "Up North". We found patches of beautiful deep yellow orange wild chanterelle mushrooms--Minnesota gold.
(Click on the picture for a closeup of these pretty mushrooms.)







We picked and picked and then Mitch cooked this wonderful Sauted Wild Chanterelle Mushroom with White Wine Sauce over Whole Wheat Penne Pasta. Yum Yum!

We are still picking mushrooms. (Did you know that Puffball Mushrooms are edible--and very tasty?!)

PS: Sarah did call and check on us the next day to see if we were still alive!!

The Watchmen Reunite

It's been four years since Mitch's Gospel Quartet Group has sung together. Since then new guys filled the spots of Mitch and Gene, then Central split with the Lutheran ELCA dilemma and Jim went one way and Tom the other. With our being somewhat in the Elk River area Jim decided it was time to get the "group" back together for a Sunday of singing at both churches. The guys had a great time, and the congregation loved them just liked they used too. And Georgene had her "boys" back together again!

Rylan eating his toes!

We sure miss the boys, but Caryn keeps us updated. Rylan enjoyed his fingers while he was here visiting, but now he has found his toes. Caryn says they are very tasty!!

Happy Birthday, Shayne!

The weekend started with a beautiful, calm, Friday night and the lake was perfect for a late night ride. Sarah asked if we might watch the girls and here they are! Babysitting has sure changed since our kids were little!

It was a great weekend to celebrate Shayne's birthday: the weather was just fine, the company was good, and the food--well, Shayne wanted a Mexican day, so we did breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a Mexican twist including Sangria, Margueritas, and Coronas with lime!

We even included a "Cupcake Wars." The cupcakes had to contain chocolate and chili (not the soup). Four of us had come up with four totally different kinds of chocolate cupcakes with very unique ingredients including things like instant espresso, chili powder, cayenne pepper, roasted adobo peppers ground into a flour, ground chipolte cashews, and fresh jalepenos. They all tasted different and turned out to be pretty good! It was a good day of eating homemade Mexican!