Boundary waters vacation, Day 1

 I am finally getting around to posting my pictures of my annual vacation to the Boundary Waters with Jane. It is odd to look back at the beginning of the trip, when Pat was still alive. I’m not adjusting to her absence very well.

Anyway, we drove to northern Minnesota on Saturday, August 8, making the first full day of vacation Sunday, August 9. Jane and I went fishing in the morning. We used twister tails exclusively this year because leeches were not available at the outfitters. Dave and Nancy did everything they could to decrease passing things from one person to another. Jane and I had also gotten our fishing licenses ($44 + fees) online before we came up to avoid paper handling.

I caught a tiny perch right off the bat.

My $44 perch

As it turns out that was that only fish I caught all week. 

Jane caught a little bluegill.

Jane's bluegill

When I got bored with not catching fish, I studied the water lilies by the dock. I noticed that the flower stalks are spring loaded, presumably to raise the flower above the water and then lower it after it is pollinated.

Spring loaded lily flower under the water

I pulled a spent flower over to the dock with my fishing pole. It was soft and falling apart from decomposition. I opened it up to discover that 1) the inside is really slimy and 2) the seeds of this particular flower apparently did not get pollinated.

Slimy decomposing lily flower

It rained briefly after lunch. We put together a 100-piece jigsaw puzzle while we waited for it to pass.

100-piece jigsaw puzzle

We went for a walk to take pictures. I saw a red squirrel.

Exciting wildlife sighting for the day

We also saw a number of flowers, such as creeping bellflower, touch-me-not, and orange hawkweed, and fruits, like rose hips, bunch berries, and bluebeads.

creeping bellflower

Bunchberries

Later on the rain really came down.

Heavy rain on the lake

Afterwards the sun came out again, and the raindrops glistened in the juniper down by the lake.

Raindrops glisten on juniper at sundown

It was a nice, relaxing day.