Visiting Minnesota gardens

We are still in Minnesota and will not be returning to Corregidor until mid-August. Feel free to skip this if you are not interested in seeing some of the flowers found in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so we’re going to keep our written words to a minimum today, and let our pictures do the talking to each of you who is interested. There are a total of 133 pictures, which means we’ll save you from reading the equivalent of a short novel.

Corregidor has something in bloom year-round. In Minnesota, the growing season is much shorter. However, when the flowers are in bloom the annuals and perennials are beautiful, and one appreciates them all the more when you remember that in Minnesota it either is winter or winter seems to be just around the corner.

During this, our first vacation in Minnesota since our move to the Philippines, we have been lucky to see several large and beautiful flower gardens. The first one was in St. Cloud, the city where we were married back in 1973. Along the east bank of the Mississippi River is an area known as Munsinger and Clemens Gardens. It is a site often used for summer weddings due to its picturesque atmosphere, and it is definitely worth visiting should you ever find yourself in or near St. Cloud. (The Clemens part of the gardens was originated by a husband for his wife who was confined to their nearby house for 40 years due to Multiple Sclerosis.) You can see Steve’s pictures of these gardens at: http://picasaweb.google.com/steveontherock/20090716MunsingerGardensStCloud#

Steve’s sister Della lives in Edina, a choice suburb of Minneapolis. They have a beautiful walkway around a lake near their condominium, and as you walk you hear classical music that is pumped into speakers along the pathway. You know you are definitely in the city, yet the setting is pastoral, and they are fortunate to be located so near Centennial Lakes. There is even a putting course on the grounds. You can view Steve’s pictures of our walk at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/steveontherock/20090719CentennialLakes#

Most recently we visited the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. This is an area slightly smaller than Corregidor, and although it has many species of trees, as its name implies, there are many gardens as well. Most of the people in these pictures are Marcia’s family. One picture shows her with all four of her sisters. You can see Steve’s pictures taken at the arboretum at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/steveontherock/20090724MinnesotaLandscapeArboretum#

Steve and Marcia (not currently) on the Rock

PS: Our especially huge thanks to Steve’s other sister, Paula, and her husband Terry, who generously let us stay at their house for almost two weeks. You may remember our writings about their daughter Angie, who was one of the stars of the University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team, which won three national championships in her four years of college there, including this past school year. Angie has been invited to try out for the United States women’s Olympic Hockey Team next month! Good luck to Angie, and make it or not, it is a great honor to be considered. We are so very proud of her!

Remember, you can read about Angie along with all of our previous newsletters at:
http://www.steveandmarciaontherock.blogspot.com