…but tropical inside (thanks to SK)

The “new zoo” has been impacted in unique ways by the pandemic, so we were happy to help support them via the drive-thru Nature Illuminated experience that runs through January 17. Prices vary by day, with discounts for zoo members (we paid $50 for our car of four people). The inflatable animals and lighting are set up in the eastern parking lots (near the school that SK and MK attended), which you enter and exit from the main zoo entrance on McAndrews. There is an audio program you can stream from your phone that ties in with the sequence of the animals, who are grouped much like the zoo itself. You are asked to drive with just your parking lights and the leisurely pace was just right, allowing for photos and an overall time of about 40 minutes.

We do have beavers on the Mississippi, right?

Free flower from Honda

This amazing weather week continues

Old shot from the San Diego Zoo

Take advantage while you can

Get it while you can

Some color on the Mississippi

Awe on today’s hike

Superior Hiking Trail @ Devil’s Kettle

Don’t see that every day

Approach to nine green, peak color, The Wilderness at Fortune Bay #nofilter

Gold Mine Trail 🍁

River Oaks in Cottage Grove

She is so talented

Fall colors in Hastings

A Dwan maple in Bloomington

Don’t know what those are, but great to have late season flowers

Pope Family Ranch, Forest Lake

Phalen with Curtis (plus Craig and Jeff)

Too bad our Cheese Dog wasn’t working

Summer in full swing at Brookview

Cold front really dropped the temp, though

It’s been hot, but pretty

Approximately 127 turtles are hiding in this photo

Mississippi River, Saint Paul

Dead mayfly party in Lowertown

Cross River, Schroeder, Minnesota

Pretty awesome for a “weed”

Today’s bike ride sight: the Anson Northrup

Devil’s Track River, Minnesota

Just learned what “tombolo” means this trip too

Mississippi River, Saint Paul

My favorite part of spring

I don’t think that is in the brochure

Valleywood #8, Apple Valley, Minnesota

My city is awesome

Morning walkies around Lowertown

The Dahlgreen cows were impressed

Cannon Golf Club, Cannon Falls, Minnesota

Highway 52 bridge over the Mississippi, Saint Paul

Not many choo-choos these days

The root beer boots are back!

Hello again, Union Depot Christmas tree

Fun stop on the way to the airport

RC Burger Shack

Haleakala National Park

Cows too on the road to the summit

The silversword of Haleakala

Sounds like a lost Wilbury song

Day one on the beach

Not what I wanted to see before the first tee time of the day

Far from peak, but starting to show in the metro

Rush Creek is still first class

SK with Chrysanthemum in Mears Park

Felicity came home from the fair in a cocoon

Go, sheep, go

Miss the bunnies per mile ratios

We love you now, Goldenrod

New(ish?) mural downtown

It was so, so awful

Nice to see Mr. Berry too

Just in time for the big grad party too

If you ever wanted to visit Minnesota, weeks like this are the time to do it

…but most everything is late this year

Don’t wanna be buried in debt or in sin, so we pray to Jesus and we play the lotto…

Worst one since we moved to Lowertown

…can’t you smell that smell…

The Como conservatory has always kicked ass