Wildflower Walk

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 If you haven't had a chance to get over to Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, there is still time to do it before summer is over.  I did that this past Friday and there were plenty of flowers still in bloom.  It is a little gem of a place located within the larger Theodore Wirth Park.

Half the fun of going to the gardens is walking to the gardens.  Starting with my Car2Go vehicle, I parked at the north end of Lake of the Isles. I left the car in front of the house with all the pink flamingos.  Don't have to come back for the car.  Someone else who needs it will drive it away.  There were a lot of plants still blooming along the shoreline.

From Lake of the Isles, you can cut through a neighborhood to get to the east side of Cedar Lake. Out of all the lakes on the Chain of Lakes, I like Cedar the best because it is so wooded.  I have to get back over here for a swim. At some point in it's early history Minneapolis bought up most of the shoreline of the five lakes that make up the Chain of Lakes, guaranteeing that everyone has access.

There were Pale Touch Me Nots in the woods.

  At the top of Cedar Lake, you can cut across the railroad tracks to Brownie Lake.  The train sitting there had the tallest cars I've ever seen.  It pulled away as I was looking for graffiti.

I had never walked along the west side of Brownie Lake and the trail is quite nice.  I think this lake must be the smallest in the Chain of Lakes.  I saw joggers go around three times while I ate my sandwich in the shade.

There was a patch of American Bellflowers along the trail and I was able to identify them on the https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info when I got back home.

There were quite a few Evening Primrose at the water's edge.

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At the top of Brownie Lake was some Sneezeweed.  Again, I was able to identify this one when I got home because it so unique looking.  That is not always the case with yellow sunflower-looking flowers and telling one from the next is tricky.

One thing I learned from the wildflower website is to start looking at the back side of the flower and take better photos of the leaves.  This is a Smooth Oxeye.  The website will let you do an advanced search if you can just describe a few details.

You have to cross the highway to get over to Theodore Wirth Park.  The wildflower gardens are just a short walk north.

There is a naturalist on site and plenty of signs and books to help you decipher what you see in the gardens.  This is a Groundnut plant and if I remember correctly one could cook up the tubers like potatoes.

 Continuing north from the garden, we decided to walk further and see what the woods along the west side of Theodore Wirth Lake look like.  New territory.  Nice trail.

Eventually after another mile or so you end up at the Chalet.  You could have a cold and overpriced beverage here if you were so inclined.  Otherwise, the #7 bus picks up here every 30 minutes and goes back into downtown. 

Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles Walk

Whip it, whip it good

Thomas Lowry Park is a great little spot just up the hill from Loring Park and downtown.  It has a lovely man made stream that is a perfect place to sit and have a cup of coffee.  I started my trash walk from there on both Sunday and Monday mornings.  The Park and Rec trash cans are right at the edge of the park so I disposed of the dozen or so Whip It brand whip cream cartridges I found on the street.  I should have thrown them in the recycle container because as I later learned they are made of steel and can be recycled.  (Were the little capsules used for topping off some desserts or recreational nitrous oxide drug use?)

Fairy Garden on Douglas Avenue

Beautiful homes and shady trees line the streets of the Lowry Hill neighborhood as you walk west toward Kenwood Park.  Lake of the Isles is just to the south of Kenwood Park.  Lots of folks out there walking, biking and running.  

View of Lake of the Isles

Lily Pads and Beef Jerky

Cedar Lake is just to the west of Kenwood Park.  It feels as if I have left the city.  There are nice beaches and some wooded trails along the east side of the lake.  I would definitely come back here to swim.  To check the water quality (aesthetics, habitat quality, water clarity, public health, and recreational access) for any of the chain of lakes you can go to http://www.minneapolismn.gov/results/env/waterquality.

Cedar Lake view and rock pilings