THU 3/15 A Chance to Wade Across the Mississippi River

"Itasca State Park. Within the 32,000-acre park are 157 lakes, the foremost of which is Lake Itasca, source of the Mississippi River. The river's headwaters flow north from the lake as far as Bemidji before heading east & then winding more than 2,500 miles south to the Gulf of Mexico. A short walk from the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Visitor Center you can ford the river via (slippery) rocks; if you fall the mishap supposedly brings good luck. * The Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center at the park entrance contains a museum & an interactive children's center, & an ADA-accessible nature trail is on the grounds. From stands of virgin Norway pine to badgers, bats ** & beavers to the elusive & beautiful Cecropia moth, nearly every type of wild animal, tree & plant native to MN can be found in this at wilderness area.
* I can neither cofirm nor deny that this is true.
** I categorically deny any "fake news" spread by my children re:  an unfortunate interaction I had w/a a bit some years ago.

Recreational opportunities abound; highlights include a scenic wilderness drive, paved bike trails, a beach area with playgrounds & a naturalist-led interpretive cruise on Lake Itasca. Bikes, boats & canoes can be rented. Park rangers conduct numerous seasonal organized nature programs . . .  Source:  AAA Tour Book  COMMENT:  Your hosts & I, plus at least one sister, can attest that this road trip of 45-minutes is worth it. CAVEAT:  There is no danger from alligators or sharks in this park. And if you slip on the rocks? The river is only a few feet deep coming out of the lake.

A Quick Trip Down Memory Lane

Our family made it to Lynn Haven Resort on Little Island Lake 4 times in the 1960s. We would meet there with my Uncle Harold's family. I'm sure that we made at least 2 trips to Lake Itasca during that time. We children were quite sure that it always rained at the headwaters of Mississippi, because we would travel there when it was raining at the resort & fishing was impossible. So, it would also be raining at the state park, & at least once or twice we couldn't take pictures of us kids wading across the Mississippi, because it was raining.

Sister Bash 2020 to Be Held in Silicon Valley?

From Omaha World Herald (3/12):  "Your next hotel room might offer wine on tap . . . the Plum machine. About the size of a large espresso machine, the latest in-room luxury preserves 2 opened bottles of wine for weeks at the perfect serving temperature & allows you to draw off a glass with one touch . . . For hotel guests, the Plum is a godsend, even if you have to pay for each glass you drink . . . The first hotel to capitalize on the Plum's i-room potential was the Four Seasons in Silicon Valley . . . COMMENT:  Pricey, yes, but imagine how much time could be saved by avoiding lengthy trips to & from liquor stores.