Patriotic Adventures

Question: What animal has a record of only 20% reaching adulthood? Can see up to 2 miles away? Loves living along the Mississippi? Makes the biggest nests of any North American bird; up to 6' across, 13 feet deep, and weighing 1 ton?

Ok, well maybe I kind of gave it away... ; )

Answer: this fellow!

He kept moving his head! But I like the effect in this one! His head isn't white yet because he hasn't yet matured. This was during a presentation where we got to see him eat a mouse!

On the 4th of July we headed down to Lake City for a picnic with Evan's family. Well, it was raining, so we ended up eating at the Chickadee Cottage, a little cafe run by Evan's aunt and uncle. After brunch it was still coming down so we decided to take an impromptu trip down the river to Wabasha to visit the National Eagle Center. We didn't realize we had planned such a patriotic outing until we saw all the other people milling about in their festive red white and blue garb - what a perfect activity for a rainy 4th of July! It was great fun learning about and observing our national bird. (Did you know that it is called bald because that used to be the word for "white"?)

After walking around the Eagle Center and enjoying some flag cake outside, Evan and I went for a little hike in Frontenac State Park, which overlooks the river and parallels the bluffs of Wisconsin. We ate dinner at the St. James Hotel - where we spent our wedding night and also a fun evening last June. We are always impressed with their food and it is nice sitting on their patio overlooking the river in Red Wing. We made it back home just in time to walk over and catch the Edina fireworks (which we were joking were designer fireworks, with their intricate patterns)! The night before we watched them at Canterbury Park - also a great show. We missed the horse racing so will have to head back there sometime this summer so we can yell "C'mon Dover, move your bloomin' arse!" (My Fair Lady anyone?)

Here's a little montage I made encapsulating the weekend events: