Madeline Rose: Summertime in Minnesota Part I: Knife River/Duluth/Bayfield

Maddy with Grandmom and Granddad

Our big summer vacation this year was to Minnesota, the impetus being Mike and Jan Faust's 50th Wedding Celebration at Grand Lodge on Gull Lake, near Brainerd, MN. We had so much fun and had so many adventures that I'm posting a Part I and Part II - part one covering Knife River/Duluth/Bayfield and Part II covering Inver Grove Heights/Gull Lake.

Maddy and I left for Minnesota on Saturday, June 6, a week ahead of Steve, and spent the first few days at Mike and Jan Faust's home. Jan watched Maddy while I worked in my Minnesota U.S. Bank office Monday and Tuesday (photos to come in Part II of this blog). Wednesday morning Maddy and I headed North for my parent's home in Knife River. Thursday we left and headed for Bayfield, WI, home to my Grama, Aunt, Uncle, cousins and also my parent's boat, Zeitgeist. We had promised Maddy an overnight on the boat (which became considerably more exciting to her once she was told there are BEDS on the boat). The boat adventure was spectacular...the weather actually cooperated and we left the harbor, headed out to Stockton Island and anchored out off the island. We took the dingy to shore to walk Gerda the dog and explore a bit, had dinner on the boat, watched the magnificent sunset and slept soundly through the night. Maddy was pretty amazed that there was even a bathroom on the boat. The weather was amazing, perfect for playing on the beach and looking for agates. I even dunked in the lake, just to say I did.

We also spent time with GG (Great Grama) while in town and caught up with her. She loves her "Great Eighth" as she calls Maddy, as Maddy is her eighth great-grandchild. Pretty amazing. We enjoyed every moment spent with GG.

Steve arrived in Minnesota Friday, and Saturday I met up with him and Mike at Tobie's for lunch so I could drive Steve the rest of the way to my parents. That evening Steve, Maddy and I went to my friend Erin's home to meet up with Erin and her daughter Fianne, Barbi and her husband Erik and daughters Grace and Eliana, and Virginia. It was great to catch up!

Steve, Maddy and I went to Bayfield to meet up with our friends Luke, Trisa and their son Nolan and we all played at the playground. It was our first time to meet little Nolan - such a darling. We also were able to see GG again and have a bite to eat at the Pier Plaza with the Bayfield crew: Grama, John, Sharon, Janine, Jared, Anna and little Jemma. So happy to have time to relax, hang out and catch up.

We had dinner at the New Scenic Cafe one night and caught some music outdoors at Chester Bowl. We ate meals on the deck at Grandmom and Granddad's whenever possible, enjoyed yummy blackbery mint cocktails, Grandmom's fantastic cooking and Granddad's famous pancakes (Maddy helped!) We even got some ice cream at the Portland Malt Shoppe on the way out of town, so that everything on my "bucket list" for our time on the Knife River/Duluth/Bayfield leg of our trip was accomplished. Amazing.