potato creek

Max's game this week was in Lakeville, so afterward we decided to explore Potato Creek State Park, which we've never been to (well, I have, but I grew up here!) despite living only 20 minutes away. It was a little chilly, but sunny, and the park wasn't crowded at all, which is just how we like it. That kind of weather must bring out interesting people, though, because when we made our way to the beach to do some recon for possible summer outings, we happened upon a woman with a laundry basket. A laundry basket full of ducklings and chicks. She greeted us as we approached: "Hey, would your boys like a duckling?" 

Friends, I might spend 95 percent of my time holed up in my house like a hermit, but I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who thinks that is a strange way to greet someone. The boys didn't think there was anything unusual going on, though, and she seemed otherwise like an ordinary woman enjoying a sunny but slightly windy day by the beach (you know, playing with her ducklings), so we went with it. The boys sat right down and made themselves comfortable, cuddling the ducklings and begging us to let them take some home. It turns out that the woman went to the farm supply store intending to buy only a couple of chicks, and the store ended up offering her a deal on the whole basket of them that was just too good to pass up. And I have to admit, having a quirky origin story to tell ("Oh, Ducky? We found a woman on the beach at Potato Creek, playing with a basket of ducklings, and she gave us one on a random Saturday and it was true love, the end.") was more than a little appealing -- it sure beats "We searched the classified ads, then drove to a farm where they had the kind of puppies we wanted, so we paid the farmer and brought one home." But in the end, common sense won out, and we told the boys that if they want a duckling, they have to talk to their Aunt Bethany about some kind of boarding arrangement.

After our beach encounter, we decided to take a hike. There are several hiking trails, but we chose a fairly easy one that wound around the wetlands. And off we tromped. The scenery was lovely, and the bugs weren't out yet. Eventually, we happened upon an observation deck that looked out over a beaver lodge, which we thought was really neat. And then right after that, Max wasn't looking where he was going and got a nasty scratch from a branch that was hanging in the trail. Luckily, we were close to the end of the loop by that time, so we decided to head home rather than do any more exploring. 

But the best news is that once we got home, we decided to rent a cabin here for a weekend in the early fall! 

My grandparents did that at least one summer when I was a kid, and we all piled in (okay, it was actually two cabins, I think, because no way would we all fit in one!) for a week. I remember walking to the general store to get slushies, going swimming at the beach, and reading a Stephen King book that was much too scary (though I did enjoy relaying all the terrifying details to my younger cousins). When we go, we're planning to take advantage of the various bike trails and maybe do some swimming if it's still warm enough. I hope the boys like it as much as I did!