Brainerd Trip - Some Sights

There are many "Babe the Blue Ox" statues around town. This one is at the golf course near Cragun's.

A really weird "honor system" outdoor second-hand store. There was nothing worth stealing.

I never got around to sharing some of my other photos from our Brainerd trip. I'ts been a very long week so please excuse the picture-heavy post. I have lots of projects that are in progress but haven't had any time to work on them lately. Hopefully, I'll be posting some of them soon!

There IS good shopping in Nisswa but the cute little shopping area is right off the highway and looks like a strip mall at first. Trust me - it sort of branches off into a little "main street" with cute shops and some cafe-type places.

The ubiquitous Babe right by the Paul Bunyun Trail in Nisswa

Paul and Babe outside a shop in Nisswa. Babe has a murderous rage in his eyes - perhaps it discourages shoplifters?

Pirate mini-golf on Hwy 371. There are two courses. I didn't try the other one, but Blackbeard's Challenge was cool. They even had factoids about Blackbeard at each hole.

This guy is serious about guarding his booty- and his stuff, too.

Minnesota Renaissance Festival 2012

Huzzah!

 Here are some photos from my trip to the RenFest (what the cool kids call it) this past weekend. I'm keeping my comments brief but a picture is worth a thousand words so here's about 15,000 or so. FYI, quite a few of these photos were taken by my sister, Melanie.

There are still two weekends left: http://www.renaissancefest.com/

Revisiting Jim's Apple Farm (Minnesota's Largest Candy Store)

Pumpkins at Jim's Apple Farm.

 Those of you who have read my blog, know of my love for Jim's Apple Farm. I went there first last year and wrote up a little post:

http://www.bittersweetlane-cherish.blogspot.com/2011/09/jims-apple-farm-aka-minnesotas-largest.html

Well, it just so happens that I went to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival this weekend and Jim's Apple Farm is just 20 minutes further down the road. My nephew LOVES root beer. Since they have a zillion different kind of root beer (maybe more like 87 but don't quote me on that), I thought it was time for him to visit his Root Beer Mecca.

Jim's remains awesome, bright yellow, and still only takes cash or check. They have changed a few displays around and have lots of seasonal gourds and such for sale outside. They have a bigger selection of cookie cutters in all different shapes and more decorating sprinkles.

 Tons of apples available, too!

Non-edible but cool-looking corn

This display is new since I went there last. All the old favorites are here!

Ferris Wheel o' Fun by the cash registers at Jim's Apple Farm

I got a bottle of this  Dang! That's Good root beer. How could I resist? I haven't tried it yet but I'll let you know. The nephew got four bottles of different brands to do a mini taste test.

They have a large selection of maple syrups and  other maple products on hand. Love real maple candy!

The maple syrup display at Jim's Apple Farm

Bacon candy has its own not-so-little display area. This includes bacon jam, bacon fudge, bacon mints, and the above Bacon Frosting.

Some Halloween candy at Jim's Apple Farm

Cragun's Resort

Labor Day weekend my sister and I visited the Brainerd Lakes area. We stayed at Cragun's Resort. So, this is how I would describe the resort....have you seen "Dirty Dancing"? Of course you have. This place reminds me of a less swank version of Kellermans(no dancing lessons with Johnny Castle, alas). Cragun's is definitely a family-friendly place.There are LOTS of activities - games and face-painting for the kids, an exotic animal show, variety shows, pontoon rides, bonfires, spa treatments and etc. That's in addition to the usual swimming, fishing, golfing, and tennis, of course.

 There are several different lodging options. My sister and I stayed in a Fireplace Hotel Room by the North Beach. This was perfect for us since the North Beach is the quieter end of the resort (most activities happen around the marina, the indoor pool, or the South Beach) 

We only stayed one night as we were using the resort as a jumping-off point to explore the area. Really taking advantage of all of the amenities and activities would probably require at least a long weekend's stay. We did swim a bit and managed to catch both a fabulous moonrise and a stunning sunrise over the lake.

Website: http://www.craguns.com/

Big Bog State Park



Carnivorous plants in Big Bog State Park



Here's a little photo-essay about Big Bog State Park. My family has gone camping there a couple times now (I went last summer but was not able to go with the family this summer), and it's a beautiful place. It is located way up in northern Minnesota, on Upper Red Lake, so it's a great getaway from the city.

The beach faces west, and the sunsets over the lake are truly amazing. Usually the beach is great for swimming, but my sister tells me the water levels are pretty low this summer. There's an abundance of sandbars, and you can walk out quite a ways without getting into deep water.

There is a placid river that runs through the campground with lots of little docks. It's great for fishing!

One of the most unique features of the park is the peat bog. According to the DNR website, the peat bog is the largest in the lower 48 states! There is a mile-long boardwalk that allows visitors to walk through the bog.

Here is a link to the DNR's website: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/big_bog/index.html. In addition to the campsites, there are some lovely camper cabins available.

This one is from last year. One of my first fish! Of course, this little guy got thrown back. I did catch some later in the day that were big enough to eat for lunch.

 Some of these pictures are from last year and some are from this year. Most of them were taken by my sister, since I wasn't able to go on the trip this year.

Sunset over Upper Red Lake

The Tamarac River



A cloudy day on Upper Red Lake



My parents dog loves to sit on the dock and gaze into the water. I wonder if he sees little fish down there or if he's just enchanted with his reflection?



Here is a photo of the beach on Upper Red Lake. This one is from this summer - notice how low the water levels are!



S'mores!