How To: Lake Mille Lacs Boat Launch

Last summer Calhoun attended the DDS's bachelor party which involved camping, fishing and Lake Mille Lacs. When the DDS proposed that they re-live the adventure again this summer Catalina insisted that the invitation be extended to all interested parties and we instantly accepted the invite.

So this weekend I went on my first boat launch.

A boat launch works like this:

- First -

Drive your foreign car to northern Minnesota - park on the grass at a resort that charters boat launches. We were hosted by Fisher's Resort on the east side of Lake Mille Lacs. We had an awesome rented cabin as home base and set up a little tent city in the back.

Saab, Honda, Honda, Toyota

- Second - 

Enjoy the sunshine, beers, and BBQ until someone tells you to load the boat. Then, still take the beers with you. 

- Third -

Set your bobber and bait. I learned how to set bobber depth which was really exciting/a boring but necessary thing I never knew how to do before. I'm still not ready to stab a squirmy slimy leech through with a fishing hook yet so Calhoun does that for me.

- Fourth -

Hang your line and your beer over and wait. 

- Fifth -

Watch the guy next to you (your husband) catch a fish.

- Sixth -

Enjoy the sunset and the ride home, and hope that there's more personal success on the next boat launch.

The Good Life Cafe - Park Rapids, Minnesota

Calhoun and I have been up to Itasca State Park almost every summer since we first started dating way back in college. It's the state park that he grew up going to as a kid and when we drive through now he doesn't need a map to find the boat launch or the headwaters.

As we were on our last leg of our trip to Itasca this past weekend we stopped in Park Rapids to pick up a few birthday sweets and grab a snack to tide us over at The Good Life Cafe. We ate at The Good Life Cafe for the first time last summer when we were all up at Itasca for the Headwaters 100.

It is a gem.

First of all, don't let the "cafe" fool you, this place is a full on restaurant, complete with a patio out back, beer on tap and an incredible menu to take you through every meal of your day.

Second, while they have an established menu they have a full selection of daily specials. I love that they have thought about what they're going to offer you and why it might be good, and they use local foods to inspire their selections.

Finally, their food is spectacular. So - I'm just going to say it. Here in the midwest, we live in a meat and potatoes kind of world. It is not hard to find a place to serve you chicken and wild rice hotdish or steak and potatoes - I've eaten both in the Itasca/Park Rapids area. But if you're looking for something a little finer, a little more adventurous, stop by The Good Life Cafe.

Calhoun and I ordered Bruschetta with Berries because we wanted something small and something we couldn't get here in Windom.

The dish was the perfect. I love desserts but I love savory more and although this was presented as an appetizer I thought the savory goat cheese made the sweet components perfect. 

The next time you're in Park Rapids stop by The Good Life Cafe and enjoy!

I Caught a Fish!

Calhoun and I had a great weekend at Itasca State Park celebrating Bemidji's 60th birthday! The weather worked out beautifully and we had a fun time relaxing in the cabin, hanging out with Blueberry and then getting out in the canoe a little this afternoon.

And, in very exciting news, I caught my first fish of the year! Well really, this guy is my first fish in a long time. When I was a kid we used to go fishing with my grandparent's a lot and I think I had a fair bit of luck. Well, maybe just exactly how much luck an 8 year old suburban kid can have with a plastic rod. But, my childhood memories of fishing are of an activity that involves sitting still and being quiet - not really my strengths. Then, as an adult, fishing has been something you have to do very early in the morning. Again, not a strength.

But, I'm constantly striving to be a better outoor-woman so I try and try again. And caught my first fish of the year, this guy! A little Perch! It may be the first time in my life I've caught something other than a sunfish. 

look real hard, I swear there's a fish in this picture 

Then Calhoun put me to shame and caught this guy. It's a Northern Pike.

Looks like I'll have to keep working towards catching a fish we could actually eat. But hey, I'm not too tore up about it. I caught a fish!

Superior National Forest - Laurentian Divide

Calhoun and I found ourselves up north yesterday and took a hike through Superior National Forest along the Laurentian Divide. We drove three and a half hours in the morning to get up to the Iron Range and three and a half to get back down to the cities so we were happy to get out of the car and stretch our legs.

One thing that shocked us was, on the Iron Range, fall colors are starting to appear!

It's amazing what two hundred miles can do - yesterday there was a temperature difference of about 10-12 degrees between the Range and the Twin Cities. The great news about the cool weather up there is that we were able to let Sogn run through the woods for an hour and a half and he was exhausted, but not overheated like he would have been in hotter weather. It's amazing the difference two hundred miles make!

I loved this little bunch of plants along the trail! They looked like beautiful green flowers!

Sadly, I haven't really made it out on any epic summer adventures besides the wedding weekend away in late August. Calhoun spent a week in the Boundary Waters early in the summer, and a few days up north at his parent's place but I haven't slept in a tent all summer! But - a hike in a national forest is a great mini-vacation and I'm so glad we had the time!

"Risk"

Minnesotans are generally pretty nice, they say "hi" to you when you walk past them on the street, they help push you out of the snowbank and take their shoes off when they walk into your house.

Another cultural Minnesota phenomenon is the Minnesota Scandinavian. Minnesota Scandinavians are generally pretty quiet and polite. I am not Scandinavian, but I married one and I'm having a rough time adjusting to the family. I try to be on my best behavior when I'm with them, I try not to yell (too much), or interrupt or eat and talk at the exact same time. All of these things are very difficult for me. And, as time goes on, I feel more and more comfortable with them and forget to watch my actions as carefully as I should. Adding a board game, especially one like Risk, into the mix does not help me keep my behaviors properly in check.

Christmas this year was packed, Calhoun's parents hosted us at their place, his brother Nokomis and his wife, Eveleth, were also there. And it turns out, there are just enough pieces for six people to play Risk!

Now, I don't remember exactly what happened. I know that I did some yelling and at some point I think Calhoun asked me, "do you ever wonder if you invite conflict?" to which I responded, "YES!" But I do remember that I got a few looks suggesting that I should tone it down as Nokomis was sleeping in the corner, I also remember that I was the first one out. I lost to the sleeping man! But we had fun, and apparently I wasn't so bad because we played Risk again a few nights later with just Calhoun's parents.

Despite the ten daunting pages of directions it was a great game, not too complicated and I had a lot of fun!

3 Degrees - Feels Like Negative Twenty

We've had an incredibly busy and amazingly fun Christmas holiday. We headed up here to Calhoun's hometown on the 24th, spent a few days here then headed across the state to the North Shore to spend some quality time with great friends from college.

We left Sogn here with Caleb's parents so we had to come back here and get him before heading home. But the weather, as you good Minnesotans know, has been horrible. Since we've been traveling I don't know the details, but it has something to do with the moisture that's been making its way across the county and the low pressure area that's hanging around somewhere in the midwest. Long story short, we had a bad experience slipping on the icy road yesterday so we stayed the night in Grand Rapids then barely made it back to his parent's house today due to the bad weather. I wish I could describe this weather, but it's beyond anything I've ever seen. Calhoun says that if you're from this area you know it, but I've never actually been in white out conditions or seen snow snake across the highway looking like it will wrestle your car to the ground at any moment. I'm glad we're warm and safe, even if we are 260 miles from home.

So, despite our planning, we're spending New Year's Eve here, safe from the blizzard, winds and negative temperatures.

Happy New Year! See you in 2011!

Thanksgiving Recipe SOS

Calhoun and I are headed up north for Thanksgiving this year. We did Easter with them last year and Calhoun's mom, Bemidji, cooked a great meal. I mean, I know she's a great cook - but eating a holiday really brings it all together and makes one feel quite inadequate as a new wife. Meat, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, sides, sauces, pies and cookies.

What is a daughter-in-law to do?

No, seriously. What am I supposed to do?

I need a recipe suggestion.

I will not show up empty handed to a family holiday again!