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Appreciating the Beauty and Wisdom of Nature

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Life-giving Water

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As I look out at our green lawn and all the lush plant life, I am reminded of the places in our country that are suffering from drought and even those that are just naturally dry environments.  Two of our kids–one who lives in Austin, Texas and one who spent the summer there–were both amazed at the greenness when they returned to Minnesota.  Central Minnesota has had its share of drought years–we’ve seen the brown grass, the dying trees, and the withered crops.  But life-giving water is an abundant feature in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Mille Lacs Lake

This is Mille Lacs Lake.  It is the second largest lake entirely within the borders of the state, taking up 132,516 acres!  According to Minnesota Fun Facts, Minnesota actually has 11,842 lakes that are larger than 10 acres.  And of course the largest body of water, that we share with Wisconsin, Michigan, and Canada, is Lake Superior with a staggering 20,364,800 acres total with 962,700 acres in Minnesota.

Mille Lacs Lake with boat

We visited Mille Lacs on our way home from our stay at Crow Wing State Park.  This famous fishing lake is known as the “Walleye Capital,” but also has Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Muskie.  We didn’t do any fishing but drove around the western side of the huge lake, stopping at Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post.  We did not see many fisherman on the lake that day, but we did see a multitude of seagulls!  They lined up on the long docks that stretched into the lake.

Mille Lacs Lake with dock and seagulls

And they made quite a mess on the docks and on the rocks of the scenic overlook!

Gull at Mille Lacs Lake

Gulls are clever birds who mate for life and are attentive parents.  They have a complex communication system and live in colonies.  In Native American symbolism, the seagull represents a carefree attitude, versatility, and freedom.

 

Water is the life-giving, life-sustaining compound that is easily taken for granted when abundant, but becomes the center of attention, the sought-after, and the fought-over when scarce.  Love is like that.  We must be the givers and the receivers of love, letting it flow from one source to another.  And with that abundance of love, we can live a more lighthearted, resourceful, and liberated life.

Flying Dreams

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Seagulls

Have you ever dreamed of flying?  Not the airplane kind of flying, but the bird kind–where you are actually flying like a bird?  It’s a common dream, especially among men.  Most flying dreams are also what is called a lucid dream–one where the dreamer takes control of part of the dream.  They are an escape from the pressures of the real world and represent freedom and rising above the concerns of the ‘ground.’

Over the weekend Chris and I visited a camp in the Brainerd Lakes area where a young woman friend of ours works for the summer.  The camp was spread out under stately pines and birch trees and bordered a clear, large lake.  Mid-afternoon we boarded the pontoon boat with family, friends and a loaf of bread.  The sky was cloudy, and it was cool enough on the water that wearing a sweatshirt felt good.  We toured around the lake looking at charming cabins, an impressive log mansion, and miles of sandy beaches.  And then we cruised by Bird Island!  Birds meaning seagulls.  Seagulls who knew that certain pontoon boats–usually filled with kids–would throw chunks of bread up in the air for them!  The people in the back of our boat started throwing the bread, and the seagulls gathered behind us like a flowing train as we sped through the water.

Horizon and seagulls

The gulls were like flying acrobats–each trying valiantly to get a piece of that yummy bread!  They dipped and dived, swooped and turned, and glided right above our heads.

Seagulls and horizon

Seagulls in clouds

Seagulls--close

Three seagulls

Lone seagull

 

It was a surreal feeling speeding along the water with this flock of seagulls flying with us overhead!  It was like time sort of stopped–I was so in the moment.  It felt exhilarating and joyful and awesome–in every sense of the word.  There was an interaction with us and them–like a playful game–that left us feeling happy and liberated from worries.  I guess we just found ourselves in a flying dream!