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Adventures in Minneapolis: Garden at summer's end

9/13/2012

5 Comments

 
Dragonfly silhouette. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
We spent last week in my homeland of Minneapolis, witnessing the brilliant summer gardens in my parents’ yard fade into the drying flowers and brittle leaves of fall. A steady breeze drifted through screened doors and windows, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of Midwestern autumn, and the quality of afternoon light seemed to shift before our eyes—yet another confirmation of summer’s swift end.

In my next post, I’ll fill you in on my favorite activities around town. But first I'd like to share a few images from my parents’ place. Eight years ago, they moved one mile away from my childhood home, but this “new” house has already earned sentimental status in my book. It was this house—which feels like a tree house—that greeted my husband and both our daughters when I brought each of them to Minneapolis for the first time.

We joke that my parents’ plot of land and the narrow, adjacent swath of woods should be declared one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. It teems with wildlife—great-horned owls, hawks, coyote, fox, deer, raccoon and on and on.

Above: Dragonfly silhouette.
Orange moth on autumn joy sedum. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
Above:  Moth on Autumn Joy sedum.

Below: Moss rose.
Moss rose. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
Below: This summer a wild turkey mother declared the area home, settling in to raise her nine babies. By the time we arrived, the babies had grown to adult size. The mother (below left) was identifiable only by her behavior; she was ever vigilant, neck high, eyes scanning for danger.

Cricket took immediately to the turkeys, spending much of each day searching for them. They never stuck around long once located...Cricket always shrieked with joy and sent them waddling off to the woods, herded by their mama. 
Picture
Wild turkeys. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
Wild turkeys. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
Below: When not turkey hunting, Cricket enjoyed throwing rocks off what we refer to as the “romantic foot bridge” and skipping down the winding garden paths. (You can find Cricket's 21-month portraits, taken on this trip,
here.)
Toddler portrait. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
Toddler portrait. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
Below: Hosta along the front walk.
Purple hosta. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
Turtlehead flower. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
Above: Turtlehead flowers.

Below: Black-eyed susan.
Black-eyed susan. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
Hawk with prey. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
Above: At first I was disappointed when this hawk swooped onto a branch next to the deck during Cricket's nap time, knowing she would have loved to watch it. But then I realized it was tearing a baby bunny to shreds, which made me glad my chica was snoozing. 

Below: The same dragonfly that starred in the first photo above.
Dragonfly. Calm Cradle Photo & Design
5 Comments
julia link
9/24/2012 08:36:04 am

We live in St. Paul and are from the south..(my husband went to college in north carolina). Beautiful photos!

Reply
Julia @ Calm Cradle
9/25/2012 02:16:24 am

Thank you for checking out the photos! I hope you're enjoying the beautiful Midwestern fall up there.

Reply
www.plehal.com link
9/25/2012 03:49:19 am

I was very pleased to find this site. I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.

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10/25/2013 05:00:56 pm

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