It seems like just yesterday it was late May and I was dreaming of summer afternoons, with sunshine, wind blowing through the fully leafed trees, and Lake Superior sparkling its brilliant blue. Well, it’s a dream no more as today is one of those days. And remarkably, we are sitting on the cusp of the start of August and some of the best days of summer on the North Shore.
This July has thrown us some curveballs, with several days over 90 degrees. Even more unusual were the few days where it was warmer at the harbor in Grand Marais than up the hill – very unusual in the summer! I was even tricked into thinking it would remain that way for a bit and ended up eating a chilly dinner on the deck of the Angry Trout last week. After living here and in San Francisco, I should know better: ALWAYS bring layers and be prepared for a cool (or cold) breeze off the lake. We could always spot the tourists in San Francisco (and now Grand Marais) by their big sweatshirts freshly bought from a tourist shop. 🙂
This summer has been a combination of our usual summer activities and a few new ones. There has been plenty of swimming and dock jumping enjoyed by our chocolate lab, Maya, as seen in this shot at Caribou Lake. And we also enjoyed a getaway up to Thunder Bay where we stayed at an amazing pet-friendly B&B called Tyndall Stone B&B. I highly recommend it, especially Sue’s delicious breakfasts with all the fixings and for the quiet getaway it provides. We’ve had friends and family visit, which is always fun as it gives an opportunity to be a tourist for a day in our own town. On a recent “tourist for a day” outing, I loved checking out two new shops in Grand Marais: Picnic and Pine and Upstate MN. Be sure to check them out next time you are in town! It was also fun to re-explore Artist’s Point when it’s not covered in ice.
One of my other favorite summertime activities is cooking with fresh local vegetables from our Round River CSA share and from the garden. This year, I decided to try some new veggies in my square foot garden and let’s just say that the cabbage and brussel sprouts have been making quite the impact! It will be fun to see how they turn out in the end, but in the meantime we have enjoyed radishes, tomatoes, and soon carrots.
As August is about to start, I have to remind myself to enjoy each of these summer days while they are here. Fall is always a beautiful season on the North Shore, but nothing is quite like a summer day in the northwoods.
