| Hidden Scenic Minnesota | | | | And they can be found everywhere. I carry a |
| I have lived in Minnesota all my life and always | | | | small notebook with me while out in the woods or |
| thought it was a scenic beauty. It is easy to see | | | | prairie and draw pictures of wild flowers and |
| some of its beauty like along the North Shore or | | | | weeds that I can't identify. Or, as I have learned |
| its many lakes. But I have found another scenic | | | | to do, carry a camera with you on your outings |
| Minnesota. It was there all along but I missed it. | | | | and take pictures of everything. Then when you |
| Much of its beauty is more subtle, some of it is | | | | download them onto your computer you can |
| hidden. | | | | enlarge them and find things you didn't realize |
| Take a drive into the country. Most city people | | | | were there when you took the picture. Often, if |
| rarely see farms. One of my favorite day trips is | | | | you visit a local nature center such as Richardson |
| to get off the highway and onto gravel roads. | | | | Nature Center in Bloomington or Carpenter Nature |
| Slow down and look at the beautiful farm fields, | | | | Center in Hastings, they have photographs |
| each crop is unique. Look at the old barns, they | | | | identifying the wildflowers and wildlife in their |
| too are unique. Take pictures of them because | | | | areas. |
| they are fast disappearing. | | | | One of my early photographs is a close up of a |
| Look up! Much of Minnesota's beauty is in the sky. | | | | calendula. I took it while out on a walk with my |
| Hawks and eagles soar overhead as they search | | | | dog around my neighborhood. When I looked |
| for prey. These graceful birds have made a great | | | | closely, I found a bee and an ant almost hidden |
| comeback in the last twenty years and may be | | | | by the petals. I hadn't even realized they were |
| found all over the state. Last Sunday I took a | | | | there when I snapped the picture. |
| drive out by Bush Lake in Bloomington. I saw wild | | | | I live not too far from Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. |
| turkeys, geese and ducks. But on the way home | | | | The wonderful Rose Gardens are nearby as is the |
| I passed by Bush Lake Road and 84th Street. At | | | | Roberts Bird Sanctuary. The beauty of this area |
| this busy intersection was a little pond nearly | | | | is boundless. |
| hidden by brush. And wading in the pond were | | | | Or you can just take a walk or a bike ride along |
| two white egrets and a magnificent great blue | | | | Minnehaha Creek. But stop to look at the area or |
| heron. | | | | better yet carry a camera so you can capture |
| Look down! Even so-called weeds have a beauty | | | | the beauty. |
| all their own. They come in all shapes and colors. | | | | The beauty is there. You just have to look for it. |