Front Yard

This weekend Matt and I were actually able to do some yard work in between the rainfall!

 

Little more work done on the front yard. This was previously dirt, tulips, and weeds.  We pulled out the old pavers, raised the bed, added new block, and planted Sundrop Spiraea.  Because we don't get sun all day in this spot, our Sundrops turned a lime green.  But they are still pretty!

We put the flag out too, just in time for the 4th of July!

Scenic State Park

Over the weekend of June 21st, Matt and I went up north to do some camping at Scenic State Park.  This is our first camping trip in 2 years!

 

The weather Friday night was grim.  We arrived at dusk with enough light remaining to set up our tent. Shortly after we climbed into our tent, it began pouring rain. The gray skies still remained Saturday morning as seen in the above photo.  As I stood still to snap this, a cloud of mosquitoes were circling me, trying to find a spot to land on me and bite. 

A small swampy area along a wooded trail I walked briefly Saturday morning.  The mosquitoes were so bad here that I had to turn around and head back to camp.

I spotted this wild Orchid growing in a brushy area back at the campground.

A wooden path lines part of the shoreline of Coon Lake, where there are several docks for boating.

The shoreline of Coon Lake with boats, canoes, and kayaks to rent.  :)

Later Saturday morning at our campsite, #38.  Finally, the sun comes out!!

Matt attending to a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, pancakes, and green tea.  Yum! (for me, bacon excluded, ha)

Saturday was a calm day with perfect conditions for canoeing.  We rented one of the canoes for the day.  Once out on Coon Lake, we came to an area with several lily pads; several of them were budded.

A flower bud soon to open.

 

Matt, steering the canoe in back.

 

We had some great luck spotting some loons!  Luckily, with Matt's paddling skills and my zoom lens, I was able to catch some shots of this single loon out on the water.

This guy was fishing for lunch, so in a matter of moments, he dove under water and disappeared from our view.

The classic canoe on the lake photo.

 

Back at camp for some lunch before going out to canoe again.

Camping selfies.  :)

Back out for more canoeing and exploring! Zaiser Island rests near a channel that connects Coon Lake with Sandwick Lake. Coon and Sanwick lakes were water depressions formed from Glacier Lake Agassiz.

Zaiser Island on Sandwick Lake

Reflection of pine

Old pine on Zaiser Island

A group of guys fishing from the lake from canoe around the channel between lakes.

Matt taking in the view.

 

I love to canoe!

Back out on Coon Lake, to look for more loons. :)

Chase Point; viewed from the water.

It looked like storms were rolling in again for Saturday night.  Luckily, they all went to the south of us and we had a dry evening.

Another view of this lone pine at Chase Point.

 

We found more loons!  With Matt paddling madly towards this lone loon, I was able to photograph this handsome bird at perfect timing, as it took a moment to stretch on the water.

 

A great opportunity to catch this in motion!

Heading back towards shore for the night, we came across another pair of loons that we followed enough to get a few photos of them as well.

Was a bit camera happy here; I'd never had a chance to get that close to these beautiful birds before!

Our canoe outing proved to be a very fun time thanks to these guys and the beautiful day!

My favorite shot; Matt had us about 10 feet away!

 

Sunday morning we took our chances at trying to fight the mosquitos again to do some hiking before heading back home. We came across this huge snapping turtle in the middle of the trail.  It appeared like it was trying to dig a hole. Look at the claws on that thing!!

 

We took a short 1.2 mile trail that lead us to the park's old fire tower.  The mosquitos and horseflies were bad, but we made sure we were heavily coated in bug spray.

The fire tower.  Currently, the tower is pending restoration, so no climbing was allowed.  This was the closest we could get, due to it being gated off.

 

Someday this may be fun to climb!

 

 

 

One for the landscape

More Peonies are blooming at work!!  They're so beautiful, that I plan to purchase one for my own landscape at home.  But which one?  I've narrowed it down to a few of my faves:

 

Peony Walter Fraxton

Peony Shawnee Chief... look at them all!

Peony Shawnee Chief

Peony Mrs. Wilder Barcroft

Peony Rosabel

Manitou 15K

 

On Saturday, June 7th, I ran my very first 15k (9.2 miles!).  This 15k is the longest distance to date that I've ever attempted to run.  Ok.  This race SUCKED.  It wasn't the distance that was too difficult, but the conditions in which we had to run it in.  Around 5 am that morning, a round of thunderstorms passed through the area. By 7:30 am, the second wave was on its way.  Race time was 8:00 am.  The temps were hovering around a cool 53 degrees, with winds gusting to 20mph.  Brrr.  Normally, that would be perfect for running, but this time, there was rain as well.  When Matt and I arrived (he was my support group), I asked the woman at the registration booth if the race was still on.  Yep, she informed me it was, unless there was lightning. Ok, crap.  As the few 40 or so of us walked up to the starting line, it began to rain.  Then came the lighting.  But instead of stating "let's cancel this", I heard "Ready, set, go!".  And we were off.  And so was the rain and lightning.  It poured.  Like standing in a cold shower, wiping my eyes off to see poured.  More lighting.  By mile one, a few people stopped.  I heard one guy say "this isn't worth it".  By mile 4, still pouring rain, I had seen more people turning back.  A woman in a vehicle who was at the booth pulled up along side me and asked if I wanted a ride back.  By then I was wondering if they decided to cancel, so I asked her.  When she said no, I  thought to myself, "well hell, I'm soaked through and through, so I might as well keep going!".  Mile 5 I was laughing in my head thinking this was nuts.  By mile 6, I was exhausted; I was cold, drenched, and wanted to quit.  Every time Matt had come by in the car to cheer me on, I thought about how easy it would of been to jump on in and just call it.  But I knew I had to do this!  I pushed on.  I noticed behind me that there were a couple of cyclists tracking time, and I knew then I was the last one in the race!  I didn't want to be last, so I pushed past one woman in front of me and managed to stay ahead of her for the rest of the race.  By the time I hit mile 9, I was so ready to be done!  Only a little more to go.  When I came up around a curve on the trail, there was the guy at the finish.  I made it!  A few moments later I heard someone call "Last one!"  There was the woman I passed.  I stood by the finish line to cheer her on.  We did it!  From the 40 or so that originally began, only about 15-20 of us stuck it out and finished.  Though I finished 2nd to last, I finished! 

 

 

Post race after the finish line.  I'm an exhausted, cold, drenched rat!! 

Finish time:

 26    7 W35  Lisa Groene, 39               44.83%    1:45:53   11:22

The tee shirts everyone received for running.  The Manitou 15k was hosted by the Boy Scouts; I believe a 7 year old designed this.  I like how the fish is "fishing" for the human; the bait being an ice cream cone no less! 

I did walk away feeling pretty beat up.  My arm band, getting wet, rubbed my arm raw and left this huge burn that still hurts today, two days later!  Ouch!!