On Wednesday and Friday of last week I was out of the office and on the road for work. I don't mind a 100 mile drive by myself once in a while. It's a chance to turn on the public radio news channel, or sometimes turn the radio off and just enjoy the quiet and the scenery. In order to get to and from where I was going, I had to drive around the shore of Mille Lacs, one of Minnesota's largest lakes.
On Wednesday the wind was out of the southeast, creating waves that splashed against the shore. I listened to the soothing sound for a few minutes, and I was reminded of other shores, other waters.
This beach on the north shore of the lake is a state-owned Aquatic Management Area, open to public fishing, swimming, birding, walking, contemplating, or whatever. Mille Lacs is one of the few lakes in this part of Minnesota that is big enough to have the wave action to form a natural beach, and there are very few stretches of beach along the lake that are undeveloped, in a natural state.
On Friday I drove through light rain for the first part of the day. When I stopped at the beach, the sun was just beginning to break through the clouds and mist. After I had turned away from the lake and was headed east, the wind came up, sending a storm of oak leaves and tamarack needles through the sky.
I saw very few shorebirds or waterfowl, but I did get this photo. I was carrying only my camera, not my binoculars, so I did not even see the details of this gull until I downloaded the photos. Bonaparte's?
6 comments:
Your pictures really put me on the shore. Thanks for sharing!
Mmm, public radio, a Fall wind, some quiet waves, sounds like a good day (not) at the office.
Sounds and looks like it was a really nice day.
Tonyia- Welcome to Sand Creek Almanac! Glad you enjoyed this post.
Lausten North- We are fortunate to have probably the best public radio in the nation. Of course they were doing their pledge drive, and I was really thinking about it, but tight family budget and all that...
FC- Every time I want to explore another career, I think about days like Wednesday and Friday.
Deb, yesterday as a friend and I paddled around our favorite pond in Maine for probably the last time this year, I thought of you and the picture of the swans you posted last week. No swans in our pond, just a stiff wind from the west to keep us focused on the shoreline ahead with one lonely loon for company.
Kathy
Hi Deb,
I used to work for a man who was into long-distance swimming. For 2 years in a row he tried to do the marathon swim diagonally across Mille Lacs and I don't think he ever made it with bad weather and rough waves each summer he tried it. It's sure a pretty lake to drive around though.
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