Seeing Beauty in Hard Places, part 2

When able, we got Dad out of the city altogether during his month of treatments at Mayo. On what turned out to be his best day in several months, we explored a state park that was new to us. Moss, bogs and wildflowers lined a pleasant path to the main feature of the park...

...a waterfall! So refreshing!

Mom even managed the hike between her two knee replacements!

And Elsa and I had to check out the fun playground make of logs and lumber! Reviving a childlike curiosity and spontaneity adds joy to life (as well as making fun pictures to send to nephews and neice)!

Summer Camping Trip Wins!

 Our annual doctoring trip turned into an actual vacation this year!

It was the first year we could really start to explore the state park where we camp.

From meadows to clifftop paths...

We climbed the bluffs on both sides of our valley on different days.

That meant more than 200 hundred steps each way, each day!

And it hasn't been that long since our 14 steps up to bed at home required several stops to rest.

We also biked 5 miles a couple of times - part of it on a narrow foot path through the hilly woods. I couldn't believe my returning balance, coordination and strength!

Back in camp we enjoyed plenty of rest in the high heat and humidity, plus some cosy campfires.

I also enjoyed my first Mac & Cheese in a decade! Still gluten-free so far, but dairy is returning.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

An April 1st Outing

This year we revived an old tradition of having a family outing the Monday after Easter. Though feeling less-than-optimal, we were also stir-crazy and needed a change. 

Destination?!

The headwaters of the Mississippi River!

Dad and I were even able to cross it for the first time in years as new stones have been added that are not yet wet and slimy.

And of course Elsa and I got our toes in the icy water! (Much of Lake Itasca was still frozen.)

We spent the day wandering the park, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine, trees, birds, and squirrels!

Preacher's Grove has lost much of its charm since they force guests to stay on a path and let undergrowth fill the once-clear forest floor. But the view upward is still amazing!

There are so many great memories for our family over this bridge in the historic Clubhouse, and down the hill to the lakeshore and boardwalk to the Old Timer's Cabin built by the CCC.

Before heading home, we all relaxed on the sunny fishing pier and then found another little lake at the edge of the park as our view during a van-picnic.

So many gifts in one day!

Winter & Spring Walks

We have already had a few memorable walks in 2023.

In March Elsa asked out of the blue if we wanted to go snowshoeing for the first time in many years.





It was a joy to spend a couple hours on a mild afternoon out in the woods of a local state park!







Then on April 21st we combined another outing with trip to choose lumber to be milled for our basement build-back. The world was extra beautiful with several inches of fresh snow covering what had mostly melted to mud.



Destination: Itasca State Park
Headwaters of the Mississippi River!



It had been more than 10 years since Elsa and I had visited this childhood haunt. But I couldn't forget tradition of getting my toes in the River no matter the temperature!









Another highlight was plowing our own path through the snow to get a look at the historic Clubhouse which Grandpa and Grandma rented for the whole family many years through the 1990s.







Then on to the Old Timer's Cabin on a favorite little hike across the bog.

What a joy! Neither of those special days would have been possible if we hadn't begun learning tools to heal our limbic system impairment and lower the chronic stress response which extra activity and exposures have triggered ever since our bodies crashed 9 years ago.



More recently, walks have been taken on our gravel road... sometimes only within the shelter of our tree line so the spring winds on the prairie don't blow us over!

5 Reasons to Take a Walk Outdoors:

#1 Breathe Fresh Air
#2 Stimulate Lymph Action
#3 Strengthen Eye/Brain Connections
#4 Make Discoveries [such as the moose tracks marching past our place in photo above!]
#5 Lower Stress & Boost Healing Hormones