Vase of Sage

Prairie Safari

My long awaited dream finally came to pass - an evening photo safari on the prairie just a few miles west of our home. No mucking through crazy mud or sketchy minimum maintenance roads with Dorothy's low-clearance wheel-chair-ramp-fitted van, but plenty of flowers to photograph, cows to admire and mosquitoes to swat.

Memories Past. Memories New.

In my younger years June was the month of Father's Day, Dad's birthday and an extended family stay at Itasca State Park. While the first two events have thankfully continued into adulthood, the latter is a thing of the past.

This year we got a slight taste of that last tradition as we headed north to my cousin's wedding. While we didn't stop to dip our toes in the head of the Mississippi River, we did stop at our traditional Itasca trip wayside rest - a beautiful needle carpeted rise of soaring pine trees. It is as serene as ever.

June 29

While Mom decorated the cake...

...hard working Dad and Jason rested (I heard a few snores)...

...and we three girls set the table as of yore. In a sailboat theme for our sailor, of course.

 A happy evening with this happy-birthday-Dad.

(Photos courtesy of Maren who thankfully had her head on and finger on the shutter.)