Thursday, August 30, 2012

Friday Fun, Minnesota Style: Views of the Mississippi

I once heard someone say that they'd crossed the Mississippi three times in their life and that had been a huge accomplishment. I couldn't agree more. Anytime we explore the world, we're richer because of it. The reason that struck me as a bit funny, though, is because I cross the Mississippi many times a week, and I can go out on any given day and dip my toes in it. Each of us is blessed to live where we do and each place has a beauty all its own. Where I live, that beauty is embodied by the Mississippi River. Here are pictures I've taken this year - some are from my backyard and others are from town.








What about you? What embodies the natural beauty where you live? Have you ever crossed the Mississippi?

13 comments:

  1. Hi Gabrielle,

    Wow - what wonderful pictures!

    Even though I've lived in Southern California my whole adult life, I've crossed the Mississippi twice and felt the thrill of it both times. Two years ago, we made a cross-country trip to move Kevin's mom from Idaho to Indiana where Kevin grew up and he was very excited. He hadn't been back in over 30 years! We'd just finished reading the Little House on the Prairie series with Sammi and our travel plans included stopping at Laura and Almonzo's home in Missouri so everything about that trip was exciting. Crossing the Mississippi was thrilling and well-documented by Sammi's camera as it was overflowing it's banks the year we crossed. What wonderful memories. And now, when we go that way again, we'll know someone along the river... maybe we'll stop in and have a cuppa.

    ReplyDelete
  2. My favorite thing about Iowa is right before harvest...when fields are just beautifully golden. I loove it!

    And yep, I've crossed the Mississippi many times. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hmmm, not sure I've ever seen the Mississippi. I can't remember! :-/

    There's not a lot that is beautiful about Phoenix...let's be honest. BUT I love the summer storms. There are brilliant sunsets and lightning streaking across the sky. It's really something to behold.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the MS river, but I live there. In a van down by the MS river! Ok, sorry. I had to have my Chris Farley moment. I do live in MS! I see the river often! :) Beautiful pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I miss the wheat fields of my childhood in central Kansas. And the open prairie where you can see clear to Colorado with nothing in the way of the view.

    I've crossed the Mississippi lots of times. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful pictures. I live not to far from the southern end of Lake Michigan. We have beautiful dunes and beaches. The water color is never the same - it ranges from greenish blue to sapphire depending on the day.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've crossed the Mississippi too many times to count. Where I live now? Not sure what would embody the natural beauty around here. The dirt is red. I do like all the trees, but it's weird to see cactus growing among the green. I live in East Texas, so we aren't as dry as West Texas...I don't think I spend as much time outside now as I did when I was a kid, so I don't think I'm being fair to East Texas. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've crossed the Mississippi by plane.
    ;)
    I grew up in Vancouver, truly the MOST beautiful city in the world!!! The Pacific Ocean, the mountains, the Fraser River ...AHHHH! I miss it!!!
    But (making lemonade) where I live now is peaceful, quiet and very small town-y. If we plunked our house here in NB smack on the street I grew up in on Osler Street in Vancouver, it would cost 500,000$ to 600,000$ MORE than what we paid for it.
    Not a chance. I'll stay here. We have lobster.

    And I may not have seen the Mississippi, but I have gone swimming in a little water hole kind of south here...the Amazon RIver.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Pretty pictures! I love water!
    We live in MI and my husbands family is in northwest Iowa, I can't count how many times we have traveled over and back!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gorgeous pictures! I would like to visit there sometime :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Becky - I LOVE Laura Ingalls Wilder! One of my all-time favorite authors and semi-Minnesotans. :) Would love to have a cuppa with you, too!

    Melissa - I agree. Some of Iowa's greatest beauty is in the rolling fields, especially this time of year.

    Lindsay - pretty soon you'll be seeing the Mississippi when you come to Minnesota in October! I can't wait for your visit - and I get to be your official Minnesota hostess. :)

    Jessica - :)

    Erica - you're not a Minnesota native? I've been to Kansas and I agree, the fields are beautiful. When we were in Wyoming once my uncle pointed to the snow capped mountains and said - that's Colorado. Kind of fun when you can literally "see" into another state. :)

    Loree - that sounds beautiful. I've only driven through that area, but I love the way you've described it.

    Jennette - that's funny! I don't spend as much time outside, either, but now that the kiddos are getting bigger, I'm outside a lot more. I'm sure East Texas has its charms. :)

    Jennifer - I love how you've described your home. I've only been to the parts of Canada that border North Dakota and Minnesota, but I'd LOVE to see more of it. I hear it's stunning.

    Lisa - thanks for stopping by to say hello! I love water, too - it's one of the most relaxing things on this planet. :)

    Livia - thank you! Minnesota is a gorgeous to live and visit. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm a California gal who's spent precious little time east of the Rockies. I was able to attend the ACFW conference in St. Louis last year, though, and beheld the mighty Mississippi for the first time. I made a trek from the hotel to the shore to stick my toes in. (Yes. I got a picture.)

    I got to ride on a riverboat on the Mississippi during my first-ever publisher party, which was way cool. I won't mention that I had north and south mixed up. With no mountain ranges in sight, I have a hard time getting my bearings. =)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Keli, that makes me giggle because the Mississippi is literally in my backyard and I gain my bearings BY the river. But now that my sister lives in the Denver area, I can totally relate to the mountains giving you direction (I've spent enough time at her house to pick up on that!) The Mississippi by me is very young and very narrow - but further south it's quite wide. My husband actually hits a golf ball across the river to our friends who live on the other side!

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are my favorite part of blogging!