52 Project, Week 26: Watermelon

52 Project, Week 26: Watermelon

Summer and watermelon go together like pumpkins and autumn.   Watermelon is one of my favorite summer treats.  The kids usually flock around me when I start to chop one up.

This year, I grew watermelon for the first time.  We got a bunch of cute little watermelons that tasted amazing.  There really is nothing better than food grown at home. 

Watermelon is harder to photograph than I thought it would be.  I’ve always struggled to photograph the color red.  I’ve attempted to tackle it with roses but even then, they’re not exactly to my liking. 

That’s the kind of challenge that I don’t give up on.  I actually did this photoshoot 3 times.  The first two were not to my liking.  My last, I can finally say that I have an image I’m proud of.  

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7 Summer Challenge Ideas

7 Summer Challenge Ideas

Although spring has had a late start this year, these last few weeks have really warmed up!  It’s almost hard to believe that a few weeks ago, we had a huge blizzard!  If you are anything like us, you are probably itching to get outside and enjoy the warm, fresh air!

Last year we had so much fun doing a 5-week workout challenge!  Every week we made it a goal to move our bodies.  I don’t know about you, but I am not a big fan of a traditional work out session.  I have a hard time getting motivated to stare at a TV and watch other people work out. Or worse, go somewhere public to work out with strangers.

Hiking is my favorite way to get exercise.  Being outside, in nature, makes me happy.  Getting a change of scenery, enjoying a new adventure, exploring a new location, what’s not to love?!

When doing research for local parks online, I found so many!  I felt like the ones I had seen were just a drop in the bucket.  I wanted to see them all!  Is it crazy and over-ambitious that I’m not exaggerating?!

We had only scratched the surface last year.  I knew, without a doubt, that our adventures would continue.  Should I do another workout challenge?!  I don’t know.  It did motivate me last year.  Honestly, many days I felt like sitting on the couch and being lazy in the air conditioning.  Knowing I had made a commitment kept me going.

Maybe this year is time for a new challenge.  There are so many options!  I might have to try one or all of these.

7 Summer Challenge Ideas

  1. Get Outside Every Day Challenge-For 3 months… for a year?!
  2. How many parks can we hit in the summer? 30? 40? 60?!
  3. Around Minnesota in 80 Days
  4. Exercise Every Day for a Month
  5. Art Challenge
  6. 30/60/90 Day Planking Challenge
  7. 100 Days of Gardening

Get Outside Every Day Challenge/ 100 Days of Sun

People Are spending more time inside than ever before in history.  With the air inside polluted and stale, getting outside is vitally important to our health.   AT LEAST an hour outside every day is the recommended amount for every age.

There are literally hundreds of things to do every day, all year round!  I made a list of fun things to do, outside, in summer that you can check out for ideas.

30 FUN Parks in Minnesota That You Have to See!

Visiting Parks is one of the most fun things to do in the summer.  Parks are full of activities for every age.  The whole family can go for a hike.  The kids can play at the playground while the adults relax and chat.  Biking, swimming, sightseeing, bird watching, there are so many options!

Although the title is just an idea, you can set your goal for as many or as little parks as you think you will visit.  Obviously, you will change Minnesota to your own local area.

Around Minnesota in 80 Days

This title leaves the window open for future fun expeditions.  If you don’t have an exact plan of what you want to do, but you know you want to start a challenge, this might be a good starting point.

I might make a fun list soon about traveling ideas within a region.  To get you started with a few ideas, you could visit local parks, check out small historic towns, visit a museum, check out a historic site, go to a zoo, smell the flowers at a conservatory, and so much more!

Exercise Every Day for a Month!

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time getting motivated to exercise.  Making it a goal is a great way to keep on track and get your body moving.  Last year we did a 5 Week Workout Challenge.  It was a lot of fun!

Working out doesn’t have to be just exercise videos or hitting up the Y.  Exercise can be so many different things!  You could go hiking, ride a bike, go kayaking, go swimming or even try rock climbing!

Art

There are so many options with this one!  Art is near and dear to my heart.  My Grandfather was an artist.  He inspired me to be a creative person.  I’m working hard to instill a love of being creative in my children.  This would be the perfect project for us all to enjoy together.

If you didn’t have an artsy Grandpa, here are a couple of ideas to get you going!  I’ll make a more extensive list in the future too.  Paint on canvas, visit an art museum, draw with chalk, paint rocks, make a birdhouse, do a photography project, color with crayons and so much more!

52 Project, Week 11: Art

30/60/90 Day Planking Challenge

Last year, during our 5 Week Workout Challenge, we tried planking for two of the days.  Planking is HARD!  It was so much harder than I thought it would be.  It’s such a great way to build muscle FAST though!  I’d love to try a 30-day plank challenge to see how long I would last at the end of the 30 days.

I think it would be fun to plank in different places every day for different visual content.  The kids would probably love that too!

100 Days of Gardening

I started my first vegetable garden last year.  This year we have been expanding, growing new things and learning more and more about gardening.  Doing a 100 days of gardening challenge would be a perfect way to learn about gardening faster and get a lot of fresh food!




I would love to know how you are going to challenge yourself this summer!  Let me know in the comments!

Making Your Own Dried Basil

Making Your Own Dried Basil

Making dried basil is so incredibly easy, I think my children could do it!  Plus, homemade is always so much cheaper than the store, after the initial purchase, it’s free!

I grew my own basil this year and it did really well!  I’ve tried to grow basil one other time when my neighbor gave me a gift of basil in a pot.  It died within a few months, sadly.  If you know anything from reading my blog, it’s that I don’t give up easily.

When Nate saw a potted basil plant at Walmart earlier this year, he suggested we give it another try.  I immediately jumped on the idea.  We brought our new plant home and it did exceptionally well! In fact, it became enormously bushy.  I have had to prune it back a few times.

I love having potted basil year round.  Pinching off a few leaves for snacking on with tomatoes and cheese is one of my favorite ways to enjoy fresh basil.  I also love to cook with it after it’s been dried.  It’s one of my main herbs that I use.

Here are the steps I use to make my own dehydrated basil.

  1. When your basil gets especially bushy, trim back the stems until it has a nice compact shape.
  2. Put the stems in a strainer and gently rinse them off.
  3. Shake the excess water off of the basil.
  4. Remove the leaves from the stems and place them in the dehydrator.  Use a fine mesh or fruit leather attachment for smaller leaves.
  5. Dehydrate until leaves are dry and crumbly.
  6. Put basil on a plate and crumble into small pieces.
  7. Put dried basil crumbles into a spice jar.
  8. Lable jar.

You can check out how I have dried basil in my videos!

52 Project, Week 29: Summer Trees

52 Project, Week 29: Summer Trees

Summer is such a brief time in Minnesota.  It’s a few short months of sunshine, warmth, and greenery.  We can temporarily shed our many layers and don clothing that exposes our skin.  We wear sandals and flip-flops or even luxuriate in wearing nothing at all and going barefoot.  We can spend a considerable amount of time outside without fear of frostbite.

June, July, August, and September.  These months we welcome weather anywhere from the 20’s to the 100’s.  June and September are prone to the occasional frost and even a chance of snow.  Yet most often, weather in the 50’s and 60’s makes these months the fairest of the year.  July and August you are most likely to find the weather in the 70’s and 80’s with an occasional few days in the 90’s or higher.

The rest of the year, all bets are off for how cold it can be.  It could be warm in the 40’s or it could drop to -60.  Usually, it is cloudy and dark.  On average, we spend those 8 months indoors, hiding from below freezing temperatures, bundling up to hide skin and protect from frostbite  It can be beautiful.  There are a lot of fun winter sports.  Overall though, most activities are inside where it is warm.

This is why summer is so often looked forward to.  We try to soak up every minute of fresh air, sunlight, vitamin D and outdoor activities that we can.  In that time, the world erupts in color.

The most prominent color to be found is green.  Beautiful, bright, vibrant, rich green.  Carpets of green grass, fields of green crops, and mountains of green trees.

Trees in the summertime are the happiest of my childhood memories.  Climbing up in their strong, rough branches to heights not reached anywhere else by a small child.  Hiding behind the cover of leaves from the sun and from people.  Feasting on its fruits.  Using imagination for endless hours of fun.  Sometimes just lying below and gazing up adoringly at my friend, the tree.  I can’t think of anything happier in my memories than of the time I spent in the trees.

As an adult, trees still fill me with love, admiration, and wonder.  These gentle giants do so much for us.  They give us oxygen, shade, protection from wind, wood for our fires and to build our homes, fruits to feast upon, and beauty to behold.  They give a boring landscape character.  They fill me with wonder at the majesty of our God.

When I look at trees, I can see the wonder of creation.  Trees clean our air and give us oxygen.  They have the ability to draw water up to heights that man has been unable to replicate and or even understand.  They convert sunlight into energy!  Their leaves are mathematical works of art.  Each one is different and unique.  The bark, leaves, pine needles and even the shape of the branches are as varied as the people on this planet.  Each tree seems to have it’s own personality and temperament.

I can’t imagine living in an area void of trees, I love them so much.  Trees give me joy.  Trees fill me with hope for the future.  Knowing that a tree I plant will likely outlive me fills me with awe.  When I find a large and old tree, I wonder who has seen and loved this tree.  What stories could this tree tell?

What are your favorite tree memories?  What is your favorite thing about summer trees?

Check out our summer trees video!

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52 Project, Week 29: Summer Trees

8 Tips to Survive Camping With Severe Allergies

8 Tips to Survive Camping With Severe Allergies

Camping with allergies can be difficult, but it’s not impossible!  Like most things with severe allergies, camping takes a lot of planning and preparing.  Knowing what to do and how to plan is one the hardest parts.  Hopefully, I can help you with that!

 

1. Make a Schedule

I try to make a rough outline of not only each day of my camping trip but also the weeks before it.  This helps me to leave enough time on the schedule to make sure I didn’t forget anything.  With a normal camping trip, if you forget something, you can run to the nearest store.  With severe allergies, that’s not always possible, as most stores do not carry the necessary specialty items.

My schedule is usually outlined in a notebook like this:

  • 4-12 Months Before Camping: Pick and Reserve Date for Camping
  • 10-8 Weeks Before Camping: Research Area-Food and Water Sources, Activities, Medical Care
  • 4-6 Weeks Before Camping: Plan Schedule and Menu, Mail Order Necessary Food, Check Medical Supplies To Order New Or Low Items, Vehicle Maintenance, Set Up Pet Sitter, Mail Grabber and Plant Waterer
  • Week Before Camping: Food Prep, Home Absence Prep, Verify Pet Sitter, Plant Sitter, and Mail Grabber, Pack Non-Food Items, Wash & Pack Clothes, Clean Out Fridge
  • 2nd Day Before Camping: Charge Camera Batteries, Pack Remaining Items, Remaining Food Prep, Check Medical Supplies, Pack Non-Perishable Food
  • Day Before Camping: Fully Charge Phones, Bathe Children, Pack Remaining Non-Perishable Items, Load Vehicle, Water Plants, Leave Money and Thank You Note for House Sitter/Plant Waterer/Pet Sitter
  • Camping, Day 1: Shower, Quick Breakfast, Add Perishables to Cooler, Pack Remaining Items, Load Remaining Items, Double Check House, Double Check Medical Supplies, Drive To Camping Spot, Eat Easy Snacks or Packed Lunch on the Way, Set Up Tent, Scope Area, Dinner, Campfire, Bed
  • Camping, Day 2: Breakfast, Activity, Lunch, Activity, Dinner, Campfire, Bed
  • Camping, Day 3: Breakfast, Activity, Lunch, Activity, Dinner, Campfire, Bed
  • Camping, Day 4: Breakfast, Activity, Smorgasborg Lunch, Activity, Smorgasborg Dinner, Use Up Remaining Wood in Campfire, Bed
  • Camping, Day 5: Breakfast, Shower, Pack, Load, Lunch On The Road, Drive Home, Dinner

2. Make A Menu

Menu planning is probably the most important activity.  Finding safe food locations around home usually takes a few months to years with a lot of food trials.  Camping is not a great time to trial food, as you don’t want to be sick while camping.  It is the most time-consuming task of your camping prep, but it’s worth the work.  At least, that’s what I tell my self when I’m up to my elbows in massive food prep operations.

It’s usually the food concerns that give me the most camping related anxiety and stress.  It’s expensive, it’s time-consuming, it’s stressful.  I usually freak out during my week countdown to camping.  Since most of my food is prepared from scratch, it must be made directly before camping to prevent spoilage.  Once we are on the road, I finally relax and breathe a sigh of relief.  Everything is prepped, now it’s time to relax!

I try to make food prep fun by involving the kids so that they can learn some useful skills, and also lend poor old Mom a hand.  Some of their foods are not safe for me to eat, but they are safe enough for me to be around.  I usually make two batches of whatever food is safe for me vs safe for them, because my safe food can be more expensive.

I usually go a little overboard in making sure I have enough safe food for the entire trip.  Most of my safe food is what would be considered snacks.  That is kind of my normal routine though.  I generally don’t eat breakfast or lunch unless it’s a special occasion.  I’m not a big meal person.  I provide food for my entire family for these meals since they seem to enjoy them.

Dinner is the one meal I always put a lot of work and effort into.  We all sit down together and enjoy a meal.  It’s one of my favorite parts of the day.  Camping is a reflection of what we do at home.  We eat snack-like things throughout the entire day, but I still schedule breakfast and lunch so I can make sure my kids are fed.  Dinner is our time to relax and hang out around the campfire after an adventurous day.

3.Inventory Stock

It’s always a good idea to have an inventory of your food supplies.  Planning ahead and being prepared is one of the best ways to avoid exposing yourself to dangerous foods.  If you run out of safe food, you’re more likely eat whatever is nearest to you, regardless of its safety.  Or, if you have self-control, you might have only limited foods to eat and end up going hungry till your next shipment comes in.

If you don’t regularly keep inventory, then at least make a menu for the week prior to camping and the period of time you’ll be gone.  Make a complete list of every item you’ll need and start ordering at least a couple of weeks before you have to go.

Waiting until the last minute is not a good idea.  Items can take longer to ship, get held up for any reason, or get lost.  If you give yourself a reasonable amount of time for error, then you’ll be well prepared ahead of time.  Unlike non-allergy people, those with severe allergies cannot get food on the go or at the location.  If your order doesn’t show up, this means your trip might be delayed or even canceled.

Also, don’t forget to plan for the meals you’ll be eating when you get home!  If you use up all of your safe supplies for camping, you might be out of food when you arrive back home.  This is where keeping a regular inventory and planning ahead come in handy.

4.Double Check Medical Supplies

Double or even triple check your medical supplies.  Make sure you have what you regularly use and a backup.  Make sure you have emergency paperwork printed out.  I keep mine in my purse all the time, but sometimes it’s good to have a backup in your camping supplies, should your purse or bag get stolen.

It’s always a good idea to have any prescriptions regularly up to date.  You can keep a printed prescription refill in your supplies in case of an emergency.  I had an emergency incident where I was having an asthma attack and I went to refill my inhaler prescription at a pharmacy.  My prescription had just expired and the pharmacy couldn’t get hold of my doctor and refused to give me an inhaler without it.  I had a full asthma attack and started turning blue.  Thankfully, my Dad arrived and had someone call an ambulance.  It’s always good to have backups and backups for your backups!  If my parents hadn’t been able to rush to me with an emergency inhaler, I might have died in front of an audience, sitting right next to the pharmacy.

I always keep my inhaler, epi-pen, and medical emergency paperwork in my purse now.  I never go anywhere without my purse.  This has saved my life on more occasions than I can count.
See what’s in my bag.

If you compose a medical folder, you can include these things:

  • Local Map with Medical Locations Highlighted
  • ER Paperwork
  • Medical History
  • Back up Prescriptions

5.Find Local Emergency Health Services

No matter how much planning is done, there is always the risk of having a medical emergency.  It’s best to have a general idea of where the nearest emergency room, pharmacy, or local medical services are.

Either print out the information of the location or save the info under the contacts on your phone.   You could do both if you’re assembling a medical folder to bring with.

You can download google maps, of the area you’ll be in, ahead of time if you’ll be in an area where there is little to no service.

6. Find Local Safe Food as Backup

Every place I’ve camped, I’ve researched local health food stores or farmers markets available ahead of time.  Should I run out of food, lose food to wildlife or have an unforeseen accident, I want to be sure I have a backup so I don’t have to go home early.

This year, there was a farmers market in Ely that we visited.  We were able to get some organic, spray free carrots for Princess and me to snack on and some fermented veggies and kombucha for the family.  I also found a guy who was selling pure, maple syrup with no defoamer added.

Last year, there was a health food store in Grand Marais that carried a few of the foods I can safely eat.  I was able to pick up a couple things to supplement my normal food.

7.Learn About Local Foods to Forage

This is kind of a lifetime thing to learn.  Foraging for foods should now be on your new “normal” list of things to do.  If you’re new to this, it might sound strange.
“You mean, you can find food outside?  On the ground?  In the woods?”

The answer is yes!  People have been doing this since the beginning of time! Foraging has only recently become less common due to the convenience of packaged foods.  We have become disconnected from our food source, the Earth!  Food doesn’t originate in the store, as though it popped up overnight in perfectly arranged and identical boxes and bags.  It grew outside, from the ground.  It’s time to skip the middleman.

Now, you do need to be educated about foraging.  Get a few books, watch a couple youtube videos, take a class, grow some of your own in your garden, get real hands-on experience.  You can’t just go out into the woods and expect the food to beckon to you.

Once you start learning about foraging, you’ll start finding food everywhere you go!  Although, since you’re also battling severe allergies, you need to be in tune with your body to know what is safe and what isn’t for you.  So if asparagus is growing in a ditch next to a cornfield, and you’re allergic to corn, you might want to skip it.  If you’re in the middle of the woods, hours away from civilization and you find some fresh raspberries, then you’re good to go!  As a general rule, even if I 100% believe the food to be safe, it’s always good to be educated about plants that look similar to safe foods but are toxic.  For example, mushrooms and berries have a lot of variation, some safe mushrooms look similar to toxic mushrooms.  If you are not an expert, it’s best to avoid them altogether.  Berries are a little on the safer side, but there are still toxic berries out there.  Many lettuces and leafy plants are safe, but you still want to steer far from poison ivy or poison oak while you’re searching.

8. Look for Local Springs

I love spring water.  Spring water from up north is the cleanest, most delicious water I’ve ever had.  I want to move near it just so I can have fresh, clean, and safe water all the time.

For someone with severe corn or chemical allergies, finding a safe source of water can be difficult.  Bottled water usually has corny additives and is purified and treated with chemicals.  The bottles can be made from plastic made from corn or chemicals that are toxic.  Tap water is full of chemicals used to sterilize germs and bacteria, chemicals to remove discoloration and it even has toxic chemicals like fluoride added to it.  In addition, a lot of things are not filtered out at water treatment plants, things like pesticides, birth control, antidepressants, and other prescription drugs.  Some water tests have even found levels of illegal drugs.  Almost everything I’ve just listed was produced with corn or was directly derived from corn, which is why it is extra toxic to someone with corn allergies.

Spring water is not always completely pure from contaminants, but it’s usually a significantly lesser amount than water found anywhere else.  In addition, there is usually beneficial minerals from the underground natural filtration systems of rocks and sand.  It also has a significantly low PH level which is beneficial for a healthy body.

You can look online to see if there is a spring near you at the website Find A Spring  There was an artesian well at one of the State Parks that we stayed at that is not located on the list, so it’s always a good idea to call the office and ask about locals springs or wells in the area.

I hope that by sharing what I do to prepare for vacation helps inspire you to be able to go camping yourself!  Going camping with severe allergies can be difficult, but we need a break from the stress of daily allergy-free lifestyle every once and awhile.  Enjoying the great outdoors with fresh air and sunshine is something I look forward to every year.

Do you have a medical condition that you work around so that you can enjoy camping?  I’d love to hear about it!  Please tell me what you do in the comments.

52 Project, Week 23: Green

52 Project, Week 23: Green

I love the color green!  It’s thrilling when the sun warms the earth in spring and everything seems to pop with green overnight.  The world comes alive with energy and excitement.

When I see garden centers set up outside local stores, I feel like a kid in a candy store.  I always want to stop and peer into their shady depths to see what treasures lie within.  I fall in love with all of the things growing around me.  Usually, choosing just one thing is difficult.  During the end of the season sales, I end up splurging on a variety of plants, trying new things that have caught my eye.

A few years ago, an asparagus fern was one of these purchases.  I knew nothing about it other than the fact that it was a cute little fern.  I put it in a pot and it survived my brown thumb days.

My little fern has grown up quite tall and is beautiful.  I’ve learned a few things through experience.  Asparagus ferns have thorns like roses and must be navigated carefully.  It loves to be watered and will start to die if it dries out.  If part of it dies, all of the soft feathery “leaves” turn into a million sharp needles.  Out of personal safety, I opt to always take especially good care in watering it frequently.

I have had great fun photographing all of my plants this year.  One of my favorite all-green images is my asparagus fern.  It might be an acquired taste to love, but I truly adore my plant.   It’s got a feisty personality and I have a soft spot for feisty things.

Do you have an asparagus fern you love?  What is your favorite green thing?

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Cat’s 52 Project, Week 23: Green

I Photographed the Four Seasons From One Spot

I Photographed the Four Seasons From One Spot

One of the things I love about living in Minnesota is the joy of seeing the seasons change.  Winter, spring, summer and autumn, they each have their own special beauty and wonder.

Watching them change, I’ve always wanted to pick a spot to capture that beauty and show how unique they are.  I’ve found that the same location in a different season can seem like an entirely new world.

Winter is cold, cloudy, quiet, muted, bright, invigorating, calm and peaceful.  Seeing this image makes me think of warm winter boots, being bundled up with a coat, hat, mittens, and scarf.  I can remember the muffled woods and the whisper of snow falling.  I can remember the crunch of snow underfoot and the delighted peals of laughter from my daughter as she bounced around the snow drifts.

Spring is cool, cloudy, anticipatory, damp, soft, new, refreshing and hopeful.  Looking back on this image reminds me of my children, all dressed in their Sunday best, excited to be out and about again on a beautiful spring day.  Although they were mostly hiding in the van for this photo shoot.  It was still cool, but warm enough to go without hats, mittens, and scarves.  The buds on the trees were all starting to swell before they would burst forth tiny new leaves.  The ground was turning from a subtle latte color to a growing green as tender new shoots popped up everywhere.

Summer is hot, bright, sunny, colorful, green, energetic, lively, active and cheerful.  This image reminds me of wearing flip-flops, short skirts, t-shirts, ponytails, and sunglasses.  I can remember my children running around, exploring everything, happy to be outside. 

Autumn is colorful, warm, cool, crisp, exciting, busy, cozy and fun.  Autumn is the time of year for dress boots, cozy sweaters, and cute scarves.  Autumn is a time for bonfires, garden harvesting, food preparation, school planning and winter prep.  It’s the busiest time of the year!  This image reminds me of the kids waiting in the van for me to jump out and get the shot.  We had to hurry because we had so much to do that day!  I love watching the seasons change and enjoying every unique and wonderful thing about them.  I don’t think I’ll tire of the excitement of watching one season shift to the next bringing all of the changes of life that come with it.  Thank you for joining me on my adventures this year!  I look forward to the next!

What do you love about each season?

Getting Lost on Norberg Trail

Getting Lost on Norberg Trail
Camping, Day 6

When I was researching the area for things to do, I saw Norberg Trail as one of the highlights.  It looked breathtakingly beautiful.  With the rain and our busy schedule, we didn’t get the chance to check it out.  On our last night there, I decided that I would wake up early the next morning and head out alone.

I woke up and hit snooze once or twice.  Half of me wanted to say forget it and sleep in.  The other half knew I’d be mad at myself later for being lazy.  So I rolled out of bed, packed up and drove to the bathrooms for a shower.  Then I set out for my hike!

I felt a bit excited about going alone, as though this was a secret adventure.  Part of me felt guilty for leaving everyone behind, but they all wanted to sleep in any way.  I felt nervous anticipation as I pulled into the parking spot.  Would it be as beautiful as I had hoped?  I do have a tendency to romanticize destinations.

Thankfully, it was as peaceful and lovely as I had imagined.  Walking the short trail to the lake was relatively easy.  There were rocks embedded in the ground to navigate, but it wasn’t as bad as Kawishiwi Falls.  The view of the lake through the pines was delightful.  The fresh air invigorated my senses.  I was ready for a good hike around the lake.

Before I left, I checked out the map on the sign and I knew there was a loop around the lake.  Down near the water, I could see a trail going off to the right.  I knew there was another trail further up near the parking lot, but I thought it was the one that led to the other lakes.  I set off to the right since it seemed to be a clear beaten path.

Everywhere around me was the wonder of creation.  It was hard to resist stopping frequently and photographing the lovely ferns, trees, moss, mushrooms, and plants.  I noticed that there were a lot of mosquitos, so I tried to keep moving.

Every so often, there was a fallen tree across the path.  At a few spots, the path was impassable and had to be trekked around.  It seemed that many had done so before.  I wondered if some of the damage was from recent storms, but on further inspection, it appeared that they were all felled by beaver.

As I got further along the trail, it became more difficult to find the path on some of the roundabout excursions.  I didn’t want to disturb any plants or animals, so I tried to be careful where I stepped.  I had once been attacked by a swarm of bees as a child when a friend stepped on a ground hive.  The emergency room doctor told me that I would most likely be allergic to bees after that since I had around 40 stings all over my body.  Stepping on a hive alone in the middle of the woods was not an appealing idea of a way to start my day.

There came several times where I couldn’t find the trail.  I didn’t know if I had gone off completely or if it was so wild that it was simply difficult to see the path.  Perhaps others had given up and returned the way they had come?  I found it hard to believe that everyone had given up and not continued along.  Periodically I found a trail again, much to my relief, but the majority of it was off-road.

I was swarmed by mosquitoes and I didn’t want to stop for long anywhere.  I kept my hood up on my sweatshirt to protect my head and neck despite the rising temperature.  I kept forging forward, stopping only at completely impassable spots.  I backtracked often, climbed deeper into the woods many times and went up and down steep hills. I often contemplated giving up and going back, but I’m not a quitter.  I think I also held hope that at some point it would get easier.

 

I did eventually get on the trail again near the very end.  It was wide and looked extremely easy to hike on.  Later, while reviewing the map, I found that the trail I went on was not mapped.  The trail I thought led to the other lakes was the main trail.  It made a very wide loop around the lake, far from the water, which is why I didn’t stumble on it till the very end.

The lake wasn’t very large, but the path I took was not easy, so it took a considerable amount of time.  My entire journey was a little over an hour and a half but it felt much longer.  I thought I had been out there for at least three hours.  I estimate the other trail might take someone 30-45 minutes.  By the time I got back to the van, I was relieved.  I was proud of myself for waking up early to exercise and for continuing around the whole lake.  I went on an adventure and survived.  The quote “Get Lost In the Woods” has a whole new meaning.

Even though I got lost and eaten alive by mosquitos, I don’t regret my journey.  Staying on the trail might have been easier, faster and with a lot fewer mosquitos, but the images I got while going off trail are some of my favorite from the trip.  I got to see nature in its wild state.  I found beauty that I probably would not have seen, had I gone the other way.

After arriving back at the campsite, we packed up to head home.  Poor Cat was having anxiety attacks because she was afraid everything wouldn’t fit.  I had her walk away, but she hid just around the corner and came running back when we tried to put stuff in.  Cat is an excellent organizer.  When I go shopping, she makes everything nice, neat and perfect in the cart.  It drives her crazy when everything is out of order.

I had OCD as a child, so I understand the anxiety that having something out of place causes.  I remember having to wash and rinse my glass a certain amount of times.  It used to drive my Dad crazy, maybe because I was wasting water.  As an adult, I get that.  As someone with OCD, I HAD to do it or I felt anxiety creeping up on me, making me feel like the world would end.

Years later, my Dad told me- You know, the glass washing thing you used to do is not a bad idea, it helps cool the glass down so the water is nice and cold when you drink it.  I don’t know if he was just being nice, but it meant the world to me that he was trying to understand and connect.

Once I developed allergies to the entire world, OCD began to creep back in my life.  I remember a day when my Mom asked me for a box of tissues and I almost didn’t let her have it because then I would have an uneven number of tissue boxes.

Later that night, as I replayed the event over and over in my head (Yaaay anxiety), I was trying to figure out why I was acting so crazy.  I mean, it was tissues.  Not sharing was selfish.  I didn’t really care about the tissues.  I love my Mom and I enjoy giving her things.  I couldn’t have an uneven number of tissue boxes though.  Yes, I admit I was a bit slow to come to the realization that the OCD might be back.

Now that I know what my food allergies are, the OCD isn’t as bad.  I would say it’s almost non-existent most days.  Although a messy house always makes me feel freaked out.  I’m not saying my house is spotless, it’s usually a mess.  There is a tipping scale that makes me freak out though.  If the kitchen is messy, I can’t breathe.  The kitchen must be clean.

When I have a large amount of exposure to allergens close together, also known as a full bucket, the OCD comes creeping or slamming back.  Bad exposure makes the volume of OCD turn up high.  I clean and clean and clean.  Although it’s nice to get some cleaning done, the panic that happens in my head is never fun.  I’m always thankful to get back to normal after an allergy flush or detox.

Anyway, back to camping!  We got everything into the van and Cat managed the rest of the time packing with her outward OCD volume turned down.  I’m sure inside it was still high, but I’m proud of her for gaining control.

On the way home, we stopped at a thrift store in Cloquet.  Cat got some anime(manga? Or anime?  I can never get those two straight.) and Cupcake got another book.  The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful.  Nate drove the first half and I drove the remainder.  We unpacked and enjoyed the rest of our day in the comfort that only home can bring.

Have you ever gotten lost while hiking?

Check out our video!

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 5, Day 2: Kawishiwi Falls

Did you miss Camping, Day 5?  Read about it here!
https://cisforcomfort.com/went-2341-feet-underground/

We Went 2,341 Feet Underground!

We Went 2,341 Feet Underground!
Camping, Day 5
The Soudan Mine

Since it was another rainy day, we decided to head out to see The Soudan Mine.  I didn’t know what to expect, but it sounded interesting.  I had never been in a real mine before.

When I was little, my parent’s would take me to an amusement park in Burnsville.  One ride that I’ll always remember is the Mystery Mine Tour.  It was a fake mine shaft that shook and showed passing rocks.  The doors opened and showed a mine scene while a voice over the speaker gave the guided tour.

For some reason, I loved it.  I would beg to go and my Dad would take me.  Every time, I would get afraid when the mine started to shake and I would climb up my Dad like a monkey.  He would hold me in his arms and I would watch the rocks fly by the small window.  Since I was so young, I thought it was real, even though my Dad insisted it wasn’t.

Driving up to the mine I was rewarded with a beautiful view that stretched for miles.  I love a good view and this one did not disappoint.  The buildings were older and made from brick, but they were well maintained.

We purchased our tickets, but since there were so many people there, our tour didn’t start for another hour.  This gave us plenty of time to check out some of the other exhibits.  In the main building, there were a lot of fun souvenirs.  I purchased two books, one on mushrooms in our region and one about berries in our region.  There were also a lot of historical photographs.  I really enjoyed the rock exhibits.  The kids liked the scale models of the mine.

We went to see the first visible building on the site, the hoist house.  There they had giant machinery.  One of the biggest things was an enormous spool winding up giant steel rope.  This was attached to the cages which lower and raise people from the mines.

Since it was getting close to our tour time, we went back to the main building to use the bathroom and wait for our tour to be called back.  We had more fun in the gift shop while we waited.

We started our tour in a theater room.  While we waited we watched a short video with different facts on the screen.  After that, our tour guide talked to us about what to expect and highlighted safety rules.  Then he led us to get our safety hats on and filed us toward the mine shaft.

The shaft itself was outside.  It was open to the air and quite small.  Just like in mining days, we were packed into the small cage like sardines in a can.  Unlike in the mining days, we were not each loaded with mining equipment.  Our cage descended into the ground.  I was close to the front, so I could see the rocks flying past the window.  I had flashbacks to the fake mine tour as a child.  Periodically I could see different levels of old mine shafts.  We were going down so fast that I could only see them fly by for a brief second.  Our guide chatted calmly, cracking jokes about past tours with geologists being packed in at an even larger number because they all wanted to go down at once.  It made me feel at ease and not so afraid and aware of the fact that we were sinking deep into the earth.

Arriving at the bottom, the door opened to a cold, semi-dark room.  It was about 15 feet deep before us.  To the right, the tunnel was full of a bunch of utility equipment, to the left, a long tunnel spanned into the distance.  Behind us was an opening to a laboratory that was bright big and modern.  The ceiling was maybe three stories high on the modern side.

In the middle of the room was a train ride.  Our tour guide led us away from the doors and off to the side to begin our tour.  He talked about how the temperature was a comfortably cool 51 degrees year round and gave us some interesting facts about how deep into the ground we were.  Then we all climbed about the train.  We were cautioned to keep all extremities inside the car at all times, lest we wanted to lose a hand or an arm.  Although we were able to enjoy a fun, windy ride to the next tour site, I was amazed at the fact that the men who used to work there walked so far in complete darkness.

Arriving at the end, we were led upstairs to a giant cavernous room.  I was amazed at how beautiful it was.   It was basically just a giant room full of rocks, but there were lights highlighting the walls in different areas with mannequins as pretend workers.  Although our path was smooth and well lit, the original workers would have had to climb over and around rocks in the dark.  They would have had to avoid the holes in the ground to keep from falling into the lower tunnel.  Thankfully for us, there were wooden barriers built around each one, but these did not exist in mining days.

I loved hearing facts about mining life and the stories of the men who had worked there.  I found out that women were not allowed anywhere near or in mines.  There were tales of deaths and superstitions so strong that when the owner of the mine, unaware of the superstitions, brought his wife to work, all the men quit and walked out!

Returning on the trains and the elevator cage going up was just as fun.  I think it might have been more fun because I was less afraid.  The temperature outside was considerably warmer once the doors opened.  A whoosh seemed to envelop us.  The children were giddy after the excitement of being 2,341 feet under4ground and 689 feet below sea level.

We walked the grounds and checked out the other buildings and sights.  After having been underground, I enjoyed seeing where all of that iron ore was going.  We followed it all the way down to where it was put into train carts.

We found another painted rock!

Our whole family agrees that this was their favorite part of the camping trip.  I really recommend checking out the Soudan Mine if you’re in the area.  If we’re ever in the area again, we’ll probably go back!

We stopped at a grocery store on the way back to the campsite.  There, I was able to find a safe cream for my tea!  That, mixed with the maple syrup I found at the farmers market, made for an awesome dandelion root latte.

Nate cooked up the remainder of the meat for dinner.  He and the big kids enjoyed a feast.  Princess and I happily ate the fruits and veggies I found at the store.

After dinner, Cat and I played with my glass globe.  I’m pleased with the way the images turned out.  I think I’ll use it more in the future.  Mr. Awesome found a toad!  All of the kids were thrilled with their new friend.  I had to convince them that he would be happier staying there, in the wild, rather than at home, cooped up inside.

We finished off our last night of camping relaxing by the fire.  We all enjoyed smores, Princess and I had corn free ones of course.  It was a great end to a fun day.

Have you been to the Soudan Mine?  What was your favorite part?

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Continue on to Camping Day 6!
https://cisforcomfort.com/getting-lost-norberg-trail/

Did you miss Day 4?  Read about it here!
https://cisforcomfort.com/4-year-old-caught-fish/

Our 4 Year Old Caught The Most Fish!

Our 4 Year Old Caught The Most Fish!
Camping Day 4

The morning started out with a panic attack.  Looking back, I can’t remember what caused it.  Maybe it was sleeping on a small, uncomfortable air mattress for half the week.  Maybe it was having to walk a long way to the bathroom with a child who had to go to the bathroom, again.  Maybe it was camping food.  Maybe it was lack of creature comforts… and tea.  Maybe the kids were being crazy.  Maybe the Mister was being impatient.  Maybe I was just homesick.

Whatever it was that caused it, I could feel anxiety climbing up me like a bomb about to go off.  I was becoming irritable and panicky.  Rather than freak out and start screaming like a mad woman, I told my family I was taking a timeout.  I went into the tent and laid on the bed facing the window so I could watch the clouds roll by.  I breathed deeply and tried to calm my racing mind and the panic that was squeezing me tightly.

When I stop a panic attack before it gets out of hand, it’s easier to calm down.  I focus on my breathing.  I focus on telling myself it’s ok.  I try to minimize things that add to my panic, like noise and activity, and go somewhere quiet to regroup.  As I begin to calm, I can start to feel not so trapped and afraid.  I was at that point of mellowing out when my family began to peek in at me from the window.  They made me smile, and then a laugh chased away the rest of my storm clouds.  I was ready to get back to our day.

Nate had rented the boat bright and early that morning before anyone else had gotten up.  I packed up a few necessities like simple snacks, water, and wet wipes.  Nate prepared everything necessary for fishing.  We made sure everyone had one last potty break and drove to the boat area.

When we were packing up the boat, Nate realized he forgot the life jackets and had to go back to the rangers office to pick them up.  The kids and I opted to wait by the boat.  I thought they could burn off some energy playing before having to sit for a long period of time in the boat.

Once he was back, we put on our vests and set off.  The view out on the water was beautiful.  I wanted to explore the whole lake, but our motor was slow and battery operated.  We didn’t want to get stranded in a far corner and have to row back.  The forecast predicted rain, but it was partly sunny and beautiful.  The kids wanted to go swimming after fishing was over.  With how warm the water was, it sounded like a great idea.

Princess had been wanting to go fishing for many months.  While shopping for camping supplies she was always on the lookout for fishing lures.  We ended up using worms rather than lures.  I was the designated worm attacher, much to my dismay.  I felt guilty and sick spearing the little guys with each hook.

Princess caught the first fish.  She was thrilled.  She fell in love with her fish and insisted we be careful with it.  Nate attached it to a rope to save for dinner as I re-wormed her hook.   Shortly after, she caught her 2nd fish!  Then her third!

We noticed storm clouds heading our way in the distance, so we moved our boat closer to our campsite.  In our new spot, Princess caught more fish!  After she caught her seventh, Mr. Awesome caught one.  Then he got his second and Princess caught her 8th!  Nate caught a fish and Mr. Awesome caught his third.  We were constantly catching and releasing them!  Out of all of those fish, only 2 were big enough to eat.  We decided that Princess and I would eat those and the family would eat sandwiches.

While we were fishing, I told the kids a story about my childhood.  When I was very little, maybe 3 or 4, we went on a family vacation to Howard Lake.  My Grandparents were camping in a cabin nearby.  My Grandpa Ray wanted to go fishing and I begged to go with.  He relented but I think he was worried I would complain or perhaps scare away the fish if I were naughty.

I was so excited.  Grandpa gave me my own fishing pole to use.  We each had our own side of the boat.  I began to catch fish!  Grandpa was laughing and exclaiming his surprise.  After catching maybe 5 large fish he teased that perhaps I had the better side of the boat and switched with me.  I caught several more fish!  He said that maybe I had the better fishing pole and let me continue to fish.  If memory serves, I caught 11 large fish that day.  I was so happy I made Grandpa smile and be proud of me.

It started to sprinkle so we decided to head back.  We decided that we might try fishing more later in the day since the rental was for the entire day.  Nate dropped me off at the boat docks so I could drive the van back to the campsite, then he and the kids set out across the lake.

I met them at the docks and we all drove back to our campsite.  Since we had relied on fish being our dinner, we decided to get dinner in town for the non-allergy part of the family.  Our fish would be a nice corn free dinner for Princess and me.

As we drove to town, we saw a small black bear on a hill on the side of the road.  We pulled over to stop and watch for a little bit.  I was thrilled, but the rest of the family grew bored quickly.  Their growling tummies might have had something to do with it though.

In our haste to leave, I forgot to make sure everyone went to the bathroom.  After getting food at Zupp’s Market, Princess insisted she was going to pee her pants so we stopped at a gas station.  There, she found a baby loon stuffed animal.  Princess is a stuffed animal addict.  She must rescue every adorable stuffed animal she finds.  Some of the ones we say no to, she sobs for hours after because the poor things are sad and alone and no one will take care of them.  I find that letting her carry one or two of her babies everywhere seems to deter her from picking up anymore, but as this was an emergency bathroom break, at a gas station, I was unprepared.  So baby loon became the newest member of our family.

We made a trip to Dairy Queen since we felt bad that the kids weren’t able to go swimming.  Thankfully they were happy with the trade-off.  Princess and I could enjoy our homemade snack bars and gluten-free grilled cheese once we got back to the campsite.

While waiting for Nate to bring out the goodies, I admired the many flower gardens in the parking lot.  Someone had taken a lot of time and love to create such a delightful and colorful array of flowers.

Once we were back, we set to making dinner.  However, someone stole our fish!  They also connected and drained the battery on our boat.  The kids tried to catch us some while Nate prepared dinner, but they were only able to get little ones that we released.  After dinner, Nate went to get a new battery from the office.  Once he got back, he set off in the boat to the main dock.  I sat at the edge of the water under an umbrella with the kids for a little bit before heading back to the campsite.  I was going to drive around to pick him up and then we would drop off the vests and the battery together.

However, once I got to the van, it was locked, and I realized that Nate had the keys with him.  It was getting dark fast.  I ran down to get the children from the edge of the lake.  I brought them back to the campsite and got them settled in the tent.  I told them to stay together at all times and not to leave unless they had to go to the bathroom.  I grabbed my lantern and my umbrella and set off on the long walk around the lake.  Walking in the dark, in the woods alone, I was a little scared.  I had encountered a bear as a child up close and I didn’t want that to happen again.  I sang out loud as I walked along to alert any wildlife of my presence.  Once I arrived at a dock that was across the lake from the boat launch, I started calling out Nate’s name.  I didn’t see him or hear him.

It was pouring heavily.  I had three options:

  1. Walk around the lake toward the boat dock in hopes of finding Nate.
  2. Walk up towards the office in hopes that I might find him along the way.
  3. Head back to the children.

I felt like walking around the lake was a waste of time.  He didn’t hear me calling, so chances are, he had started to walk back to the office himself.  I could go back to the children, but at least I knew they were safe, dry and together in the tent with the other lantern.  Nate was out there, alone, in the dark and the cold, heavy rain.  I decided to head toward the office.  I walked up the trail, stopping at intersections to call out for Nate.

After walking up the long road to the ranger’s office for a way, I saw a man walking toward me.  I hoped that it was Nate, but his size was smaller and thinner than Nate’s tall, muscular shape.  I paused as he approached me.
“Excuse me, sir, Have you seen another man walking on this road recently?”
“No, I’m sorry.  I haven’t seen anyone.”

I thanked him and continued the walk to the office.  I could see it’s lights glowing in the distance.  Inside was a bright, warm, dry relief.  The ranger on duty had seen Nate about 20-30 minutes prior.  My heart sank.  Nate had probably taken the far road back to the campsite after walking up there with the motor.  It was the opposite side of the park that I had been on.  I thanked him and took a deep breath before heading back out into the dark.  I walked swiftly along the road, the temperature had dropped and the rain that was blown sideways by the wind had gotten my lower half wet.  I was tired and chilly, too cold to loudly sing away the bears.  I did so anyway, intermittently, in a voice quavering with shivers.

After a while, I noticed headlights approaching in the distance.  As they got closer, hope sprang to my lips in a smile.  It was our van.  Nate had come to rescue me.  I happily climbed into the warmth where the heat and seat warmers were already on.

It turns out that after Nate had been waiting a couple minutes, he got bored and put his hands in his pockets, realizing he still had the keys.  He groaned and started the long walk with the heavy boat motor.  Thankfully, he is strong from his manual labor at his job.  He had the same thoughts running through his head that I had, what if I should happen upon a bear?  He thought he might kick it in the face.  I laughed because Nate taking on a bear with a boat motor and kicking a bear seemed like a not so safe idea.  He is tall like Paul Bunyan though, so perhaps it would be enough to scare one away.  He had walked the far way home and found the kids.  After making sure they were ok, he set out looking for me in the van.  He stopped along the lake and intersections as I had for him, calling out my name.  We were always on opposite sides of the park.  So although I was trying to be the hero, I ended up needing a hero myself.  It was a silly situation all around.

Do you go fishing as a family?  Who usually catches the most fish?

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Continue on to Camping, Day 5!
https://cisforcomfort.com/went-2341-feet-underground/

Did you miss Day 3?  Read about it here!
https://cisforcomfort.com/checking-ely-minnesota/