Days 2-4*, or Of Strawberries and Lake Water* or Simple Pleasures* etc.

*L.B. and I are on better Title-ing Terms...He agreed to stop being so persnickety if I agreed to work on my Title Composing Skills. Deal. 


L.B. and I have been having a marvelous time on our holiday here in Minnesota. I wish you all could share in the lovely delights I have experienced during my stay. Lovely quiet delights. I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend a vacation.

My friend took me Strawberry Picking in her backyard garden, and we picked enough berries to make a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble for dessert that evening.

L.B. came along, too. 

Strawberry Trousers!

We spent our afternoons swimming in Lake Minnetonka...

And in the evenings, we ate cobbler and sat on the porch overlooking the beautiful stretch of backyard. (How nice! They have a true "stretch" of yard. I think our California house has a small plot of yard, though it is better than no yard.)

...
Splendid, no?

Day 1! or Arrived! or Lakes and Ponds! or Gas Is So Cheap Here!*

*All unsatisfactory titles, at least according to L.B. (Who is now named The Peanut Gallery, at least in my book. At least at least at least. Why don't you come up with them yourself, eh?)
**UPDATE: L.B. finally gave me a suggestion:


LAKfjalsdkabsofsteelaLSKFJALks


((And then he fell asleep before he could tell me the translation. Curse you, Bear! Who washes your trousers? ME! That's who!)) 
...
Titles aside, we are here and we are happy.

L.B. and I braved four hours in the metal tube and enjoyed looking out the window at the world below. (The clouds are so beautiful!)

We have already seen many lakes and ponds, (the boggy greenish kind that you rarely see in Southern California), and this morning I saw my very first Oriole bird.

The trees are all new to me. I feel like I am learning a new language... Birch Trees and Willow Trees and Cottonwoods...Where are my Sycamores, Bottle Brush, and Eucalyptus?
                  We are in a new land, L.B.

Yesterday we went exploring and saw the Mississippi River. L.B. was amused by the Minnesotans tanning on the grassy lawns, but I thought they were very clever to choose a grassy lawn over a sandy beach. Too much sand. (L.B. agreed.)

Everything we have seen thus far has been down-to-earth and delightful.

Tomorrow promises a visit to another lake. I am excited.