Go lightly on the ground

I am listening to Bob Dylan right now.  Just arrived back in the twin cities again after some time up the shore on my own watch this time. Swimming at Park Point on Monday, Tischer and I ran into Billy and Emily, friends from old Duluth.  I consider it "old Duluth" because after spending some time there now, it really feels like an era has ended.  I don't say that with bitterness or sadness, just in reality.

I had an amazing night's sleep that night on front porch of Greg and Erin's place, amidst the humidity and lights of Duluth and, starting after midnight, a show of lightning and thunder.  Ahh, Minnesota porch sleeping indeed is worthy of its own post and writing.  Hopefully I'll get there.

Tuesday Little T and I headed up the shore towards Lutsen.  I unleashed her at the lower falls of the Temperance River and dove into the water beside her.  She needed a little tug of the collar halfway but I lead her out through the mouth of the river into Lake Superior under the watchful eye of curious tourists slumped in metal lawn chairs with wide brimmed hats.  "She thinks your crazy!" one proclaimed as we emerged from the deep brownish water just as the current meets the waves of The Lake.  The seem where these different waters met was friendly and I smiled at their suggestion of her thoughts, doubting it entirely because I know so much more.  We walked the campground and returned to the mouth where we both slipped back into the waters without hesitation.

That night I met up with Virginia at her home on shore.  She is a second mother to me.  We drank beer on the front deck, talked and laughed.  I spent that night in the small fishing shack down by the water, sitting on the rocks and reading all night long.  I wrote my next column for the Mountain Times during my time there, and I'll post it here when I am finished.  

I returned to Duluth and the new home of great friends Billy D and Sarah on Thursday.  They fed me and we started the night out down at the Brewhouse alongside Charlie Parr and his guitar.  From there we attempted to gain entrance to a Trampled show at Pizza Luce but ended up at the Twins Bar not far from a house I once resided in.  Juliet and I danced to the live music and drank silos until 2AM or so and wound up on the roof of her apartment talking and feeling the downtown Duluth night.  She brought me back to the Red Ranger and T-bone early the next morning.  

Now I am here in the TC for the weekend.  As I have promised, look for pictures and more detailed postings of my stellar time here.  It will come, it will come.  First I must play (and perhaps never stop).  

Happy Friday!