Photographing the Lake Superior Ice Mountains

Last night I met up with my friend Bryan Hansel (http://www.bryanhansel.com/)to photograph the large mounds of ice that have formed along the shoreline in Grand Portage, MN. We met up about an hour before sunset and had a blast shooting the incredibly large and incredibly BLUE ice formations. When I set up this shot, Bryan was not in it but I knew if he was able to stand up on that tall mountain of ice it would really make the shot. So, I asked him if he could make his way there. Once he was in position I knew it was going to be a great shot. I think this is my favorite image of the evening.

Municipal planting Edinburgh

It struck me recently on my walk to work that the municipal planting goes through several phases on the 2 mile route from suburbs to the centre. Near the start, I pass what used to be a nondescript triangle of ground covered by creeping ivy. Recently this was cleared, and an amazingly pollinator-friendly collection of plants appeared. I don't know if it is a council site, or if local residents have taken it in hand, but the planting includes very un-municipal Rudbeckia, Tiarella, Cranesbill Geranium, Astrantia, Helleborus, Verbena Bonariensis, Japanese Anemone...





A little further towards town, this traffic island is planted with soft grasses, and Sedum, plus something I can't identify from a distance.





Very nearby, however, the invasion of the bedding Geranium begins.





And by Princes Street Gardens, the bedding could be straight from the 1960s.





Up on the Mound, which is the showpiece of Edinburgh's municipal bedding, there is a rather strange collection of plants this year, but it is an improvement on classic 1960s.

Man conquers mountain, but not without a price

As the subject matter of my blog would indicate, I consider myself to be in relatively good shape.
I go for runs pretty regularly, I weight lift and I can rip off a long bike ride without too much trouble. I won't be setting any marathon records in the near future, but I also won't be gasping for air after walking up a flight of stairs.
With being in shape comes the expectation that you can perform most physical activities with ease, even if it's an activity that your body isn't used to. The activity might feel taxing at first, but if you're in good enough shape, your body should be able to adapt to it as you go.
As I would come to find out the other day after doing a day hike near Seattle with my step brother Derek, that's not quite the case for me.
One of the goals I had while visiting Derek in the Pacific Northwest last week was to do a hiking trip of some sort. He's a pretty avid hiker and I figured the area was probably brimming with good trail options in the surrounding mountain ranges.
Derek suggested McClellan Butte, a 4.6-mile hike up roughly 3,300 feet of elevation. According to him, it was a popular trail in the area that featured a relatively easy climb and some pretty impressive views at the summit (the first photo is an actual picture of the mountain, it certainly doesn't LOOK easy).
One thing to know about my agreement to do this hike: I haven't done any serious hiking in years. The last trip I did was a week-long excursion in the Grand Canyon more than three years ago, and that had much more gradual elevation changes for most of the trek. I've hiked most of the parks in the Mankato area, but mountain ranges aren't exactly common in southern Minnesota.
Despite knowing all of this, I reasoned that I was in good enough shape to keep up with Derek on the hike. Besides, nobody wants to look like a wimp in front of their brother. So instead of asking him to slow down and rest more frequently, I pressed on and tried to zone out whatever pain might have been creeping up my legs.
About midway through the hike to the summit, my legs felt limber and my cardiovascular system seemed like it had adjusted to the activity. I figured that meant I would get through the hike with no issues and wouldn't have any residual effects in the days that followed.
As it turns out, I was half-right.
As the photo on the right would indicate, I did indeed make it to the summit of McClellan Butte. And aside from a pretty embarrassing fall in a snow bank along the trail, I handled the hike about as well as a novice hiker can be expected to handle it.
However, when I tried to get out of bed the next morning, it became obvious that the hike had written a check my body was having trouble cashing. My legs felt stiff, my knees were sore and my hips ached. It hurt to go up and down stairs and any attempts to stretch were met with angry shrieks from my leg muscles telling me something along the lines of "I told you this was a bad idea, you idiot!"
Matter of fact, my lower body still feels that way two days later. I've gone on a couple of decent bike rides since the hike, so it's not as bad as the first few days after a marathon (the time period I like to refer to as a "cardio vacation"). But for a guy who thought he was in pretty decent shape, it's a pretty surprising revelation.
Lesson learned: Take it slow with new activities. The hike was an absolute blast and one of the highlights of my trip, but I think my legs would've appreciated another rest stop or two along the way.

The concrete shore

Beside the entrance to the port of Leith is a housing development. Tall, anonymous-in-a-European-way blocks of flats stand on infilled land that used to be part of the harbour. The path that leads past them is our nearest access to the shore, good for looking across the Forth to the hills of Fife, or westwards towards the Forth bridges and the sunset. The blocks of flats I find strangely desolate, so I prefer to look at the firth as it opens up towards the North Sea.

Yesterday evening the sea was a luminous, icy blue. The setting sun picked out an oil tanker.





Below, the little lighthouse at the end of the harbour breakwater.

Loch Tay

Looking down onto Loch Tay from Ben Lawers. The University of Edinburgh's field centre, Firbush Point, is where our family cool canoeing takes place. The harbour is at the right in the shot below.

I prefer the hills to the water.

The Historic Church Calendar

"...the church calendar, if examined briefly, is entirely structured around the Story of Jesus. That is, the church calendar is a gospeling event too.

The church calendar is all about the Story of Jesus, and I know of nothing - other than regular soaking in the Bible - that can "gospelize" our life more than the church calendar. It begins with Advent, then Christmas, the Epiphany, then After Epiphany, the Lent, then the Great Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Paschal Vigil on Saturday evening), Easter, and then After Pentecost - with Ordinary Time shaping the calendar until Advent. Ordinary Time is the time to focus on the life and teachings of Jesus. Anyone who is half aware of the calendar in a church that is consciously devoted to focusing on these events in their theological and biblical contexts will be exposed every year to the whole gospel, to the whole Story of Israel coming to its saving completion in the Story of Jesus."

~ The King Jesus Gospel, Scot McKnight

Daytrippin': The Kern River and Red Rock Canyon

We've been having inordinate amounts of fun despite our being "stuck" here! There's just so much to see and do! For instance, a couple of days ago, we visited the Kern River - the drive along is spectacular as we wended our way towards Lake Isabella.
We stopped a couple of times and got to go... swimming! Here it was all snowing a few days ago, and now it's bathing suit weather heheh! There were two schoolbuses full of kids who just fawned over us and we were good girls and smiled a lot while they stroked our furs. Hard work, but some doggehs gotta do it!
The Kern River's cool, cause it has about as many rocks as there is water - seemingly endless amounts! And we're amenable to both!
We had as good a time running or swimming after sticks as we had just playing with each other!
There were pretty wildflowers to smell everywhere and we spied several squirrels too -
Th'above pitchur is one of Ma's faves, what with Avalon's lips all loose and Sammie's ears all a kilter, with big ole goofy smile! Yes, we're happy girls!

Looking up the Kern
Then we headed over Walker Pass, heading east towards Mohave. As we skirted Lake Isabella and worked our way in big winds up the pass, we spied colonies of Joshua Trees. Since Dad has (still) never seen J-Tree NP, he got out to check out these ancient relatives of the lily. Then we finally got to scramble in and around some truly ginormous rocks at Red Rock Canyon State Park - check it out here!

We are trippin' and lovin' this cool place. Mom didn't let us hang on the giant rocks for too long - thar's rattlers in there... But we did use our snooters to see if we couldn't spy a desert tortoise or two.

Then Mom serenaded us with our water bottle - we'd never seen THAT before! Have a pawesome weekend! We're outta here on Monday morning yippee!