This photo taken at Pattison State Park makes me think of a 1970s Rock Band album cover.

We started our time together Thursday evening by taking part in an interactive production of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. The experience was so immersive and intense, at times frightening, that we will remember it for a long time.

Thursday morning we  took off for Hudson where we went through the Phipps Center’s art galleries before escaping the heat with a swim in the St Croix. We played Marco Polo for a long long time. From there it was Noodles and Company for lunch, Orange Leaf for dessert and a visit to the Seasons Gallery where Rosa bought Coop and Ani melted glass art refrigerator magnets and herself a hand carved button.

From Hudson we deposited our things at my cabin near Cushing, WI before heading up to Crex Meadows to help the DNR band ducks. It was almost 90 degrees but both the banders and the ducks managed to get through it. We stayed at the cabin that night. The kids spent  most of their time up in the loft. The 10 foot library ladder was both intimidating and a big draw. They took every step carefully and with a tentative grin.

Saturday on our way to Pattison State Park, we stopped for snacks at the Burnett Dairy Cheese Store. Every time I saw an ice cream joint after that, I’d ask if they wanted to stop and they’d respond in unison with a resounding NO! They had their fill, at least for that day.

We pitched our tent at Pattison in grueling heat before escaping to the coolness of the swimming beach. That evening we went into Duluth for dinner at Chipolte and a cool evening stroll along the shore at Canal Park. It disappointed us that no ships would be entering while we were there.

Sunday we walked along Pattison’s dramatic waterfall and its gorge before heading to Amnicon State Park for lunch and to cool off in that amazingly beautiful stretch of river. Have I mentioned that it was hot?

That afternoon, our cabins were not ready at The Beach Motel in Herbster where we were to meet up with the rest of the family so we hit some studios on the Herbster Art Crawl. The kids were always up for stopping to look at artwork.

Emmett and Anika 2014

Emmett and Anika 2009

I missed a great shot of these two standing on a log having a moment looking out at the lake together. I was so disappointed. The scene was so reminiscent of the one I took of them as toddlers in 2009.  I thought about asking them to pose but the body language would not have been right. The top shot does convey their fast friendship though.

The water was higher this year than we’ve ever seen it. What little beach that was left was strewn with driftwood and I had a grand time beach combing. There was a driftwood TeePee built by vacationers before us. It was cool and evenings were perfect for campfires on the beach. We always wonder if this will be the last year that Skip and Shirley run the place.