For the Love of My Home
2021 was the year where we were to dust ourselves off from 2020 and move forward. Did that happen? It's hard to say. I know that there were some victories against a backdrop of fear and despair. On a personal note, the bill came due in regards to all the trauma I had to face in the prior year. So my 2021 involved a lot of tiny highs and quiet but powerful lows. The fact that it's taken me so long to even finish this entry is a testimony to how difficult this has been and continues to be.
Ultimately the one place where I felt any sort of relief was in Duluth and the surrounding area. There's familiarity, but somehow my husband and I keep wandering off to places that are new to us. The weather is also cool more often than not. That is truly a relief considering how my agitation in the heat is more easily triggered the older I get. So a space with cool air and touchstones I know well after 14 years? Yeah, I'm sold.
During 2021, we also took a moment to revisit Jay Cooke State Park. We had a good amount of time before we could check into our hotel. That gave us a chance to wander the grounds, something we hadn't done since 2010. A lot has changed since then. Two years after our last visit, a massive flash flood overwhelmed the river, causing many changes to the natural landscape as well as the Swinging Bridge. By the time we showed up, a good amount of reconstruction work had been done, but I noticed that some trails we explored on our first visit had been closed off. So we walked/waded down different paths. I say waded because there were definitely some huge puddles that you could not escape. Naturally, I was wearing mesh sneakers at the time. Thank goodness for a towel and extra pairs of socks I packed!
As usual, we visited in both late spring and mid-autumn. They're just outside of the peak season, although autumn can be pretty popular depending on how the leaf peeping forecasts. 2021 had been a dry year, so the colors weren't quite as vibrant. This meant I had to get more creative with my foliage photographs. I did manage to make it work by wandering to different trails in the eastern part of Duluth, where it seems the greatest amount of tree cover can be found. It's what we did in 2020 to pretty good results. Given that the northeastern part of the state has had fewer drought conditions this year, I think 2022 will be a more vibrant year.
Ultimately, if it wasn't for the scary prospect of winter driving in Duluth (courtesy of its mind-bogglingly steep hills), I could see myself living there. There are jobs in my field in the area, and even remote work could be more tolerable if I was there. I might have a little more space, as we could get a place big enough for both of us to have dedicated work spaces. Right now my husband has the office while I'm relegated to the couch. Fun fun (except not really). Maybe one day I'll get a place up there. Until that time, I am content to make at least two visits a year and wander with camera in hand. I always find something in this space that feels like home.
