Western Minnesota is beautiful. Garrett's farm is beautiful. Can we come back again? I didn't have time to visit the sheep.
And by the way, there really are Ten Thousand lakes. Maybe more. And Minnesota is very green. Except, I hear, when it is white.
Monday we decided that we needed to do more exploration, and Garrett pointed us toward the headwaters of the Mississippi at Itasca State Park. It was a great choice.
Your intrepid explorer seeking the river's source.
This wonderful statue was along the path.
We have found it!
The rocks mark the boundary between lake and the great river it has spawned.
Cloud reflections on the lake.
Tom taking a picture. . .
. . . as I walk across.
View of the lake from the middle of the Mississippi.
A footbridge crossed the river as it narrowed to speed its way on the long journey to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Mississippi was river was #10 for the trip. I missed pictures of the Red River and of the Missouri in North Dakota as we crossed each.
Leaving Lake Itasca and heading south you come Menahga, where there is a statue of St. Urho. The patron saint of Finland, he is said to have rid the country of grasshoppers and saved the wine harvest. Note the grasshopper he has speared.
There is one sign that I am still sorry I missed. Not long after we passed over the state line from North Dakota we passed a Lutheran church where the sign out front read:
Next time you go fishing, Use Jesus as your bait.
Now some of you may know that I am a huge Garrison Keillor fan. In my mind, I could hear his sonorous tone:
"And Lars realized that there was yet another use for communion wafers . . ."
This is "The North Woods". For real.
