Since we took a big trip to Florida earlier this year, our summer vacation was on a smaller scale. We went to Itasca State Park for four days. Itasca is where the headwaters of the Mississippi River are located. It is a beautiful and interesting park with a variety of trees and plant life as well as lakes. You can walk across the Mississippi on rocks or wade across like I did. It was pretty busy on the rocks the day we were there.
On a hike we found a ladyslipper still in bloom. The ladyslipper is the Minnesota state flower. We learned that the flower is designed in such a way that once a bee goes into it there is only one way out. The design ensures that the flower gets pollinated.
Besides hiking and biking at the park, we visited the World of Christmas Store and Amusement Park. Playing mini-golf has become a summer vacation tradition for us. Some of us keep score and others don't. I think we all got a least one hole-in-one! It was chilly the day we were there so the crowds were pretty thin. Here is the youngest enjoying a go-cart ride:
In the evening at our cabin (one of six that was joined together), some of us were hooked on putting this 500 piece puzzle together. We did it with about a day to spare.
We visited a Pioneer Farmers' area that is right by the park. We saw a working sawmill and visited a one-room schoolhouse, log cabin, and old-time store. Our tourguide who was in at least his 70's played guitar and sang a song he wrote about a steam engine. It was amazing! Below is a picture of the back of the schoolroom with replicas of the lunch pails that would have hung there so they wouldn't freeze in the entryway. We would like to return to Itasca.
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