A perfect July day for a paddle!

 

A friend and I got out for a paddle this afternoon/evening and we couldn't have asked for nicer weather!  We took our time and just enjoyed the sights around us as we meandered along in our canoes. Other than the supremely nice weather, one of the highlights was seeing the proliferation of dragonflies and damselflies flying every which way wherever we went along the river. They were landing on us constantly as we paddled along.  At one point I let my canoe drift over to the river's edge and that is where I made these photos. A little while later a yearling beaver swam right up to our canoes and posed for a portrait. So many outings are unforgettable adventures and this one was no different! 

5 Mile Rock and Storm Clouds

 

I don't normally find 5 Mile Rock just north of Grand Marais, MN very photogenic, but on this day as I was driving south I just had to stop and make a photo when I saw these impressive storm clouds in the distance behind the rock. 

Beaver pond pelicans on a beauty of an afternoon

 

Last week my dad and I came across these beautiful scenes while out driving around the backroads of northwest Ontario.  Much to our surprise, we even saw a couple of pelicans hanging out on a beaver pond!  

Curious Critters

 

A few favorite photos from my canoe outing this evening. A very curious otter that came very close to the canoe and a small yearling beaver hanging out in the grasses along the edge of the river. 

Summer Storm, Northwestern Ontario

 

Storm clouds passing over a pine forest at sunset in Northwestern Ontario. 

Northern Lights - July 2, 2022

 

Here are a couple more photographs of the northern lights from the early morning hours of July 2, 2022. Enjoy!

Northern Lights over the Border Lands

 

When a friend and I went out to photograph the Milky Way last night, the last thing we were expecting to see was such a good showing of the northern lights over the boundary of northeast Minnesota and Ontario, Canada.  There was a soft green glow on the northern horizon as soon as the sky was dark enough to see the first stars. Just after midnight the soft glow turned into a very active ribbon of light that arced its way across the northern sky as pillars surged upwards, reaching for the stars.  This level of activity lasted about 30 minutes then settled back into the soft green glow. There has been quite a bit of solar activity over the past few months, and that activity should continue to increase as we move closer to the next solar maximum!