VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, MINNESOTA Page 3

The end of June the wildflowers are starting to bloom. The Bunchberry looks like the Missouri Dogwood trees in bloom but it is a non-woody dogwood growing as a single plant on the ground. By mid summer they will have bright red clusters of berries. Northern blue flag flowers look like miniature Iris. The spotted "touch me not" and tiny "Marsh marigold." Flowers are in the forest, swamps, marshes & bogs. On Highway 53 turn east when you get to [129] Ash River Trail to Ash River Visitor's center, the 1st of the 3 visitor's centers at the park. You will be able to get lots of information there & enjoy a nature trail. Check for schedules of naturalist-guided activities, such as guided trips on concession-run tour boats, canoe trips, children's programs and campfire talks. Reservations are necessary. Back on Highway 53 to [122] Kabetogama Lake Visitor's Center, which I consider the Main visitor's center because we both worked there. A group of "Lady Slippers" at the front door which is the most beautiful & unusual flower I've ever seen. Do not pick this beautiful bloom. It is the State flower and protected by law. The Lady Slipper & Art's & Crafts Festival is the 1st weekend of July. While Melvin worked that day I went to the festival. I met a man that had a cabin beside Sandy Point Resort past Woodenfrog on the peninsula for years and came from Indiana each year to fish. After retiring he & his wife moved there. He told me they were in their backyard last summer when a neighbor came to tell them he saw a bear go in his house & her three cubs are in front eating their tomatoes. They went to the deck looking in the window saw a 200 lb. black mama bear jump up on the kitchen counter. Using her front paws open the two cupboard doors in front of her. Sitting there looking at everything in the cupboard. She grabbed two jars of peanut butter squeezing till the lids poped off and squeezed the contents into her mouth. She got down & went over to the pantry. she grabbed a bag of marshmallows, holding the corner of the bag in her mouth carried them out to the cubs. When they first discovered the bear in the house he ran over to the neighbors to call the Ranger. The Ranger said it had been reported and he had been calling his house. The man said he guessed the bear didn't feel like answering the phone and he sure wasn't going in to answer it. That area of Minnesota has so many black bears they have a hunting season. His wife buys bear fat from the hunters and makes homemade soap from it. Hum? Do you think this was payback? It's not that unusual for a bear to go into a cabin but they usually tear everything up. This bear had such manners that she left her children outside. Went straight to the food & left. Their home was full of antique dolls & furniture and she never hurt a thing. Please make reservations to ride over to Kettle Falls island on the concession run tour boat leaving Lake Kabetogama Visitor's Center about 10am and have a wonderful lunch there. Get back on Hi. 53 to International Falls. 12 miles east of International Falls is the 3rd visitor center Rainy Lake 218-286-5258. Please don't miss any of them. Each has something different to offer. Here you take a ride in a real Voyageur's canoe & you have to help paddle with your guide dressed as the Voyageur's of the 1800's. That doesn't start till school is out and the {real life} teacher is available so you want to check on that ahead of time also. There's alot to see & do at International Falls. Boise Cascade Lumber Company has tours (they make paper); Koochicking Museum; Bear Park (Smokey the Bear statue & friends); and since we eat our way across America - Spot Firehouse Restaurant with old Firetruck and lots of fun stuff is a great place to go. Watch the weather map in the winter, they claim they are the coldest spot in the nation. They are!! You can drive over the bridge (with proper ID) into Canada. A family owned open pit Amethyst mine is fun to visit. Thunderbay is worth the trip. Gotta go now. Next time I'll tell you about the Lake of the Woods and Northwest Angle. The farther point north of the United States. Even farther than Maine. You have to go out of Minnesota into Canada and back into Minnesota to get to it. Jeanette