I'm on a boat!

As I have mentioned before, Andy and I got a canoe from my parents for a wedding gift. Andy and I have taken the canoe out for many trips. We've gone out on Lake Nokomis, Andy likes to fish. We paddle around slow and watch the fish jump out of the water but not bite the line. We've gone out on the Minnesota river a few times. We even paddled around Pike Island where the Mississippi and Minnesota meet. That was a rough day.

Today we went out again on the Minnesota at Fort Snelling State Park. This time we launched from the canoe launch, which has seen better days. Here are some pictures from our trips!

Andy was so excited that we got a canoe!

On the maiden voyage of the HMS Tanashoe (temporary name).

The canoe sitting pretty on a sandbar in the Minnesota River.

This is my graduation picture.

Andy conquers all.

Andy caught a fish today! We're guessing it's a White Bass.

Andy is responsible for steering the boat.

We're really close to the airport here, so airplanes on their descent went right over us.

April Snow Showers?

This is why I hate spring:

What the heck is that crap?!  I was done with snow a month ago.  I started thinking about a garden. Thanks a lot weather for dumping on my home-grown vegetable dreams.  A couple weeks ago I was outside raking leaves in a t-shirt with my pants rolled up.  I didn't realized I would need to keep my snow boots out until May.

The above picture was taken at 9:11 am.  The following picture was taken at 6:36pm that same day:

Talk about strange!  The snow melted so fast it sounded like it was raining.  I'm done with kooky weather.

Here are some fun things we've done recently:

It's Maple Syrup time!  At least it was, until we went to the Maple Syrup demonstration.  Andy and I enjoyed the information, along with 20 children and their parents.  And we actually took a decent picture together!

We've also gone on a few bike rides:

My two favorite forms of transportation together!

Lake Nokomis by our house.

History in the Making!

No this isn't about Barak Obama's nomination. It's about the visit Andy and I made to Historic Fort Snelling! It's just down the road from us now and we rode our bikes for a morning stroll through history. I hadn't been to Fort Snelling since I was a smile child. All I remember was an abundance of rabbit pelts and rock candy.

Andy and the crops at the entrance to the Fort.

An old soldier and I looking official at the front gates.

Little did I know how fun it was! Andy and I got to be "recruits" and learn how to march in the old army. Us and about 10 small children. It felt good to march better than some silly kids having a birthday party. We saw a demonstration of the old muskets firing (after we got out of the line of fire). We saw a guy make a nail, and a doctor show us how messed up old timey health care was.

The blacksmith who made a nail for us. Also, he almost set a small child on fire while he used the bellows.

The best thing to do at Fort Snelling if you were sick, was to not go to the doctor.

Inspecting the muskets before firing them off.

Taking a break to get cleaned up.

Fort Snelling was really fun and interesting. It's amazing to learn how people lived back then and realize how impossible it seems now. Life is a lot easier now, and I can better appreciate the work it took us to get us here. I think it'll be beneficial to learn how all that worked, just in case computers ever go away, we'll be prepared.

The area around the Fort has been converted back to the natural prairie. I thought these flowers were quite pretty.

The soldiers at Fort Snelling had to sleep two to a bed!

Andy checking out an old fashioned rain barrel. Without a filter on the top, these barrels looked pretty manky.