Checking out State Parks - Lake Anita

After a short evening drive, we stopped to check out a new-to-us state park at Lake Anita. 
While we only stayed overnight, we want to come back time someday to explore the park.

Weekend in the Twin Cities

After work we headed up to the Twin Cities for our long holiday weekend.  Many times when we spend a weekend in larger towns, we just drive up and stay in a hotel for a night or two.  Sheraton hotels are very dog friendly.  But for our longer weekend, we decided to stay at a campground.  Unfortunately, we made this decision last minute after we learned our trout fishing weekend was going to be washed out.  So using AllStays app, and RvParkReviews.com - we narrowed our search down to campgrounds that seemed clean and safe. 

Leaving late, we boon-docked overnight in a casino parking lot and awoke to find 2 other trailers that had stopped for the night.

For a few hours, I thought this would be a Byam-in-Flowers photography weekend.

We dropped our Airstream off at our home for the weekend - Dakota County Fairgrounds.  The hostess was sweet, and let us pick our own site among a dozen trailers.  There was lots of space as the campground is set up to hold a couple hundred tightly packed trailers during the county fair.  We slept well each night, but found no reason to spend time at the wide open (few trees) fairgrounds.  Planning for our next visit we checked out a couple other campgrounds that were full during our weekend.  First was nice Lake Byllesby Campground near Cannon Falls where we found a couple open sites.  And a beach that sadly won't allow dogs.

We also checked out Lebanon Hills which was completely full - another nice looking park and located closer to St. Paul.  Maybe next time.

Byam stayed in the Airstream while we spent the Fourth of July watching fireworks from a wall-to-wall packed bridge.  I'd hoped for a huge and fantastic display for larger city, and would call the fireworks nice.













Heading into the city, our GPS kept calling it Street Paul, which got us laughing every time!  The next morning picked up some really sweet sugar snap peas at the St. Paul Downtown Farmers Market.  The one block covered market was nice, but is miniscule in comparison to Des Moines.  And the St. Paul does not allow dogs... sigh...  So off we went on the dog friendly St. Paul Heritage Trail.  Byam made some new friends.

Camping at a State Park

When traveling west, we often leave late after work and spend our first night close to home.  Just to get a good nights sleep in the soaking-humid 90*+ heat, we many times stop at a  campground within a mile of the interstate.  These campgrounds are convenient, but not especially nice - yet usually are pricey.  In anticipation of our next trip west, we decided to check State Parks that are a bit further off the main roads.

This weekend was enjoyed at Prairie Rose State Park which is built around a man-made lake which was drained a couple years ago and has since refilled.  Byam enjoyed her wade/swim in the water, and S caught a few small panfish.  Our site looks huge, as nobody was camping at the group camp site down the hill toward the lake.

Ground Squirrel #497

When I started this project, it was just to minimize the ground squirrel's tunnel-holes.  Nothing more than a little feeling of comfort and safety for our dog.  The ground squirrels can be seen climbing trees, but it is their underground access that I don't like.  (That and the ground squirrels dig up my potted plants.)  Those little tunnels are entered and exited by holes in the lawn that are just the size that can trip up a running dog.  Torn knee tendons are painful, expensive, and can change a dog's life.

So 10 years ago I started relocating ground squirrels.  Moving them to wild areas about town and into the countryside.  My neighbor had been using a Have-A-Hart to catch her ground squirrels, and I borrowed hers.  After 3 weeks of relocating 2-3 ground squirrels each day, I also purchased a relocation device.  And we started counting.   My neighbor moved away 8 years ago, leaving me to carry on.

Byam is looking at ground squirrel # 497.
Seriously, I don't live on an acreage, just a lot in town.
And no ground squirrel was harmed during the photography or relocation program.

Tongue. Tongue. Tongue.

Sometimes Byam is all tongue!

We had a great day at the lake.  Byam was enjoying our walks around the campground and,really wanted to get into the water.  She does not like to jump in - she likes to carefully walk into water.  For her, knowing the water depth is important.  I wish I'd had the camera when we were on the dock.  She leaned over the edge beyond the point of no return.  Then her eyes got  huge and our time on the dock ended with a wet dog.

Finally. Got to Swim.

About a half hour after her swim in the river at the campground., Byam's run in the field ended with a bath in the Airstream's shower.

Dry Dog ...Again

North Bear Creek in the past was known for snakes, so Byam stayed safely home in the Airstream.

But once we got back to the campground, Byam was ready to go for a run.