Lakes and prairies and people

There's something about Minnesota in the summer... the long-lit days under big skies, the fresh air, the sounds of loons while we sleep... It's hard to believe this is the same place we visit each Christmas, when the world looks so gray. Our vacation this July was dipped in equal parts blue, green, and gold. If the weather doesn't worsen one of these years, our perception of Minnesota might become rather inaccurate, shaped by a streak of lucky weeks.

I really enjoyed seeing our families. As much stress, money, and travel time it takes to plan and execute these trips, they always end up being worth it. Thank you very much to our hosts for taking such good care of us! The rides, the food, the comfort, and the catching-up are much appreciated.

Many a photo was taken (801 to be exact). See some of them here. I would normally be more discerning and keep the gallery smaller/stronger, but I couldn't bring myself to exclude many shots of our niece and nephew. The little darlings are so dang cute. They remind me of why I like to take photos in the first place and make me want to have kids of my own (one day).

The Winnipeg Folk Festival -- our trip within the trip -- was awesome this year as well. It had the best line-up of musicians I've seen in my five years of attendance. My absolute favorite performance was by a band called Okkervil River (you've probably already heard me yakking or tweeting about them). I had been listening to a few of their albums off and on for the last couple of years, but their concert on Saturday night still took me by surprise. I've never seen a band win over an initially uninterested crowd they way they did. The front man's "this moment, right now" speech during the final stretch of tunes captured the energy of the night and cranked the volume. It brought people to their feet, rushing to the stage with hands in the air. My list of top 5 concerts needs to make room for this one.

One last note: My little bro-in-law and I shot a quick animation test during our time on Lost Lake. Sorry, Nate-dog, it's not ready yet. I plan to work on it this weekend and will post it shortly thereafter. I'm anxious to see it too.

North Country

We encountered many lakes during our sojourn to the north, which I guess is pretty typical when you visit the land of 10,000 of them in mid-summer. Minnesotans love their lakes, and they love to share them. Lost Lake, pictured above, is found on my father-in-law's property. It is probably the most natural-looking one of the bunch we visited, which is charming in its own right, but not as welcoming for a swim. We did, however, take a dip in Pleasant Lake, Ely Lake, and Lake Itasca over the course of our vacation. We also pontooned, jet skied, and tubed thanks to the hospitality of our parents and some excellent weather.

The weather was great in Winnipeg as well. Highlights from the Folk Festival include watching Neko Case bring on a rising (and then passing) storm at sunset, napping in the prairie breeze, walking across a moon shadowed campground to the perpetual cadence of multiple drum circles, and just generally soaking up the free-spirited Folk Fest atmosphere with some good company.

Aside from the perfect Neko Case performance in the perfect concert conditions, a favorite act of R's and mine was Crooked Still, a contemporary, "alternative" bluegrass band that brought the house down. Their CDs sold out before they even played their main concert, but R and I were able to order one online. I'll be happy if it's half as good as their live performance.

As nice as it was to visit family and old friends and to listen to some outdoor music, by the end of our trip, I was more than ready to come home. Ten days is a long time when you are away from your bed, your computer, and a shower (for the second half). The travel really wore us down too. On Monday, we woke up at 5:10 am, packed up our campsite, drove for eight and a half hours, and were still only in Minneapolis. By the time our flight brought us to Philly and we drove home from there, it was 12:30 am. Subtracting an hour for the time-zone change, that's 18+ hours one way! Ah, but it was worth it.

Speaking of being worn out, I'm signing off for the night. Have a good one.