Back from our little vacation

Here it is Aug 14th and we are back from our little vacation. Jim and I took a few days off to go up to the Duluth area. I have lived in the Twin Cities for over 40 years and have never spent anytime around the Duluth/Lake Superior area. It was very interesting. It seems that lake and no doubt the other Great Lakes, create their own ecosystem. I felt like I was at the ocean instead of the middle of Minnesota.

We left here Sunday around 10 and got to Duluth a little after noon. We took the 25 mile Skyline drive, which other then having a couple of drive out points to look down on the city of Duluth, wasn't too much. I am sure int he fall when the leaves are all changing color it is spectacular. Then we went and checked into our motel down in Canal Park in Duluth. We spent the greater part of Sunday afternoon, walking down there and looking at the aerial lift bridge as freighters and sale ships would go through and the bridge go up and down. That evening we ate at an Italian restaurant and had Food network Food challenge type food. I had some skewered chicken on a bed of greens with green fried tomatoes. It was all very good. Jim had mussels marinara on Italian bread toast. He said that was very good too.

Monday we ate the breakfast that was included with our room (which was very good both mornings) and then we headed to the Wm A Irvin freighter. It is in dock there and there are tours that you can go on. It was very interesting. That freighter is considered small by today's standards and it was huge. The only problem was we did soooooo many steps and they were steep. My knees gave up the ghost before the trek to the top captains quarters. But I did see the rest of it. We went back to our motel room for a little rest and then in the afternoon took a 1 1/2 hour train trip just a few miles and back in an old railcar. I would say it was from the 50's or 60's. It was very relaxing and my legs got a change to rest. Monday night we went walking around Canal Park and did some shopping and then we went to dinner at the Black Forest Restaurant. We went back to our motel and watched the Olympics and relaxed.

Tuesday morning it was misting and light rain. We went to The Glensheene Mansion to tour it and found out that we couldn't get in a tour until 12:10. So we sat and did crossword puzzles and listened to the radio for an hour. The house was very interesting. It was built in 1908 and must have been the talk of Minnesota at the time. It has been updated a bit. Elizabeth Condon, the daughter of the man who built it, was killed there in 1976 (not real sure of the year but later 70's). Although no mention was made of it on the tour, it is well knows that the adopted daughter and her husband were the ones that killed her. They are in prison now. After we were done there about 1:30 or so, we drove to a shopping mall up on the hill and I got myself a pair of Croc sandals. Wow,, they are sooooo comfortable. After that it was close to 4 and we drove to our B&B which was across on the Aerial lift bridge. It is called Sol Glimpt. It is Danish for sum glistening. It is right on Lake Superior. The owners Brian and Mary are the nicest people and their B&B has been on the cover of Travel Magazine. We did not know this when we booked it. The room was so comfortable. They suggested that if we hadn't been to Grandma's we should have dinner there. So we did and it was very good food. We got back to the B&B and Jim had ordered a bottle of wine for us, so we sat on the deck and had a glass of wine. It was a bit chilly so we went back inside and drank wine and watched more Olympics. Wed morning it was breakfast at 9 and they started us out with a lemon sugar/apricot scone with lemon curd. Then we were served a fruit plate of melons, grapes, raspberries, pineapple, blackberry and kiwi, all cut out and shaped into the shape of a fish. The whole B&B is a fish theme. It was very good. Also we were served our choice of juice and coffee. Then we were served our main entree which was an Italian brioche bread toasted topped with ham and cheese melted then salad greens with a vinaigrette dressing topped by a fried egg. WOW,,, it was soo good. Such awesome food. In our room there were fresh roses. We were getting ready to leave just taking some pictures and Brian came out and asked if I didn't want the roses. I asked, are they ours and he said, yes they came with the room. So that was really nice. We left there and drove up to Two Harbors and stopped at Betty's Pies. The restaurant is famous for its pies and serves meals too. Jim and I shared a club sandwich there and then I had a piece of French blueberry cream and Jim had a piece of raspberry rhubarb crunch. Both were very good. Then on to the Superior Grand Lodge where we had a room for the night. We checked in there and then we went on up to Gooseberry Falls and walked around there and took some pictures. Then back to the motel and we rested a bit. Then it was time for dinner so we went to the Splashing Rock restaurant for dinner. It is an upscale restaurant as well. Jim had elk steak and I had Superior white fish. Oh it was soooo good. Then we went back to our room. I have had a cough for a month now and went on antibiotics before we went, but still it lingers, and it was bothering me so we stayed in for the remainder of the night and watched more Olympics. I know that I have never watched so much Olympics in my life, but have enjoyed it. I guess when I am here, I don't always take the time to sit and watch it.

This morning we had breakfast at the same restaurant which was included in our room fee. We got to order off the menu and I had wild rice, blueberry, cranberry pancakes and bacon. It was soooooooo good. I am going to try to make them sometime. Then we packed up our stuff and started back home.

The Sol Glimpt had a cookbook of their breakfast dishes and I had wanted to buy one and forgot, so when we got back to Duluth, we swung by there and I picked one up. I am going to be trying those out and maybe one day some of you will be the recipient of some of my attempts.

We stopped at Tobies in Hinckley for one of their famous rolls. Jim and I shared a Carmel pecan one, and WOW,,, they are really really good. We got home between 1:30 and 2:00 and unpacked and then it was time to mow the lawn and check out the garden. Jim picked the tomatoes and cukes while I started to mow. Then he finished and I went and started laundry. We were going to eat out our "last" day of this vacation but with those tomatoes in the house, BLT's were calling very loud so that is what I made for dinner.

So that was our vacation, and now it is back to work tomorrow, and Sat night we entertain our small group for dinner and Sunday we go and pick up Abbe and Luke and they will be here a week. I am really looking forward to it.

Well now you are caught up on where I have been and what I have been doing.

Just for Mookie.... at the B&B there was a couple from Livonia. They live not far from Laurel... Small world huh?

Blessings to all who read and double blessings to those that let me know they checked into my world.

Hugs
Sandi