One of my 2014 goals was to take Clara camping on the north shore this summer.

Lake Superior and the North Shore have always been near and dear to my heart.  Many flat, cool stones were skipped into this beautiful lake by my siblings and me at countless wayside rest stops on our way to Canada as children.  We would often stop to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and put our toes into the frigid waters.  As a youngster, our time on the shore was short and sweet as our destination was always Ontario, Canada.

Later, as a student at Dakota County Technical College, I became much more familiar with Lake Superior and the majestic stops & State Parks along Hwy 61.  I enrolled in nearly EVERY available North Shore Photography Workshop from 2002-2004 and learned quickly the in’s & out’s of nature photography in all seasons.  During those trips, I would burn through countless rolls of slide film, camp with friends, wake at 4am for sunrise sessions and wait up till 2am yearning for a glimpse at the dancing Northern Lights.  There were amazing memories made and it was a fantastic time in my life.

The images I accumulated from the 6 workshops I attended allowed me to build my stock of nature photography and dabble in the ‘art show circuit’ for about 2 years:

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Fast forward 12 years….

Clara’s and my trip to Gooseberry Falls and the surrounding area was very impromptu.  Not a lot of planning took place – it was just a sequence of days that worked, and off we went!  The amazing thing was, so many of the places she and I visited were the very places I photographed as a college student.  When I was there as a photo-student over a decade ago, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d be hanging out with my daughter in the very same uniquely beautiful locations.

I meekly confess, I am a mom a little too involved with her smart phone.  I have to make a conscious effort to put it away and I am learning more and more the importance of doing so.  I buried my phone a great deal of the trip…I captured with my main camera, only a few of the places we visited.  One of the reasons I wanted to take Clara camping was to simply BE in nature with her.  I wanted to gaze at waterfalls, pick up pine cones, pitch a tent, start a fire, be messy & explore.  Mission Accomplished.

At night, we were cuddled with some storybooks and a flashlight. I looked at her with our foreheads touching and asked her: “What is your favorite thing about camping?”  Clara chirped excitedly, “Sleeping in these pouches!”

This blonde beauty is a nightmare when she wakes up…just like her mother 🙂