Tranquility Base

Tranquility Base was the name given by Astronaut Neil Armstrong to the landing site on the moon where the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle landed. Duluth has it's own
Tranquility Base", it's called the Duluth Rose Garden. On summer evenings, visitors and residents alike, stroll through the park, mesmerized by the sweet fragrance emanating from the thousands of roses and the visual beauty of the garden.

A walk through the garden is guarantied to lower you blood pressure 20 points and your anxiety level to zero. Children examine the flowers with curiosity while older people relax on the benches and reminisce of days gone by. Couples get married here while other couples stroll down the paths, discussing life, politics, and religion. The thread of life is apparent in the people and the plants, while Lake Superior quietly sets the backdrop.

I couldn't help remembering that in a few short months the rose bushes would be blanketed with snow and a new beauty would be revealed in a winter season that has a beauty all its own. That season too, would come and go as surely as the seasons of life.

Take time today to enjoy a nearby garden, God made flowers not only to reveal to us the beauty of who He is, but also to remind us of the brevity of life.

"LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to You; at best, each of us is but a breath."
We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.
And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You. Psa 39:4-7

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Blue Angels

The combination of flying machines and flying skills attracted thousands of people to this years Duluth Airshow. In particular, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels displayed the highest level of precision flying as they banked and turned their F18 Hornets through the blue skies over Duluth.

One 15 minute airshow contained man's highest engineering accomplishment along with some of the finest flying skills that a person can achieve. These guys are top notch and the best of the best.

During the show, a lone seagull made his fly-by while the Blue Angels were performing in the background. I couldn't help comparing the flying skills of a simple bird with man's highest achievement. What man strives so hard to achieve, God built into this this little bird by instinct.

I always enjoy airshows, the people, airplanes, and performances, even the birds seem to enjoy the event, or maybe it's just the popcorn. Anyway, after the show, the birds got their airspace back for another couple years.

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isa 40:31

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Pink Lady's Slipper

About mid-June when the wild orchids start to bloom in the northern forests, I usually travel the 30 miles to Jay Cooke State Park where there is an abundance of Yellow, Pink, and Showy Lady's Slippers.
The pink lady's slipper, or moccasin flower as it's also known, is one of my favorite orchids. The large pink flowers often seem to rise mysteriously from the moss carpeted floor of a cedar bog. The arrival of these beautiful blossoms, foretell the coming warmth of summer. But, like summer, they, too, seem to come and go all too quickly.


This year my niece stopped by and asked me what those cute little pink flowers were that she could see in the swamp behind my house. To my surprise, the ground was covered with hundreds of Pink Lady's Slippers. I had been traveling 30 miles every year to photograph what had been under my nose all along.
I spent the next few days, laying in the damp moss, photographing these lovely flowers while the local mosquito populations had an extra meal at my expense.
Having missed these little beauties reminded me of the many things that we tend to overlook that are right in our own backyard. I had been missing one of the most beautiful flowers in the world for years as I rushed by looking for another
Time goes so quickly, don't miss what God has given you in your own backyard before it's gone.

The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the LORD. And so it is with people. Isa 40:7

July 4th Fireworks Over Duluth

With more than 3500 shells lighting up the sky for 20 minutes, this years 4th of July fireworks display was the largest in Minnesota.
Because the 4th fell on a Friday this year and the fact that the weather was exceptionally beautiful, the crowd of spectators was some of the largest ever.