Lighthouse | Find the Beauty

Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.
~ Danny Kaye

Dan and I spent the next few days in and around Grand Marais, MN. I still remember traveling this area and running into the beauty that Autumn can provide, not to mention the wildlife (still no Moose sightings though) 🙂 The best part, I think, is that the weather cooperated and we were able to capture the sunrise twice during our stay using the Grand Marais Lighthouse as our backdrop. When photographing a sunrise or sunset, I find that a certain peace surrounds me as I watch the colors dance with the sky; each one never the same. Just a little reminder that when we take the time to stop and appreciate your surroundings and the people you are with, we can throw so much color onto that great big canvas we call life.

~Enjoy~

Grand Marais, MN Lighthouse

Grand Marais, MN Lighthouse

Seagull

Abstract

Fox

Fox

Ruffed Grouse

Fox

Cascade River State Park

Abstract

Grand Marais, MN Lighthouse

After our walk around Cove Point Lodge, we headed back into Two Harbors, MN to take in some city scenery. On our way, we noticed a sign alongside the road for “Cooter Pottery”. Dan quickly took the sharp left onto the road heading us in that direction. Off the beaten path and down a dirt driveway, we came to a creative hotspot that Dick and Debbie Cooter have built. The kiln and pottery showcased here was absolutely amazing and the colors that Debbie used for her rug weaving was spectacular. Walking into the showroom was to say the least; inspiring. A stop highly recommended!

A quote taken from Dick Cooter from his website. To view the website and gallery click on the following link Cooter Pottery.

“My pots are fired in a 125 cu ft wood burning kiln inspired by traditional Korean kilns. The pots I make are sturdy, bold, and reflect the processes of making them, simple decoration enhances the rich surface created by long wood fires. “

A quote taken from Debbie Cooter about Cooter Handweaving:

“I was introduced to rug weaving 27 years ago as a folk art. The tradition using recycled clothing to weave and household items appealed to both my creative and thrifty nature.”

After spending some time photographing the Cooter Pottery grounds, we headed into Two Harbors and stopped to photograph the two lighthouses in the bay. While driving around this quaint little town, our eyes laid upon the signs of abandonment in a large building not far from main street. What we ran into that day required a trip back later in our vacation. The buildings that we ran across was the old Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway 30 acre lake front property (DM&IR). Oh my… My heart skipped a beat as the excitement poured into my body. This was going to be a good! We stopped for only a short period of time photographing just a small portion of this property. The feeling these building put forth is far beyond any words that can spew out of my mouth. Look for a post on this site in the near future as it has been recently demolished and is no longer standing. We were extremely lucky to have noticed this gem when we did.

The next leg of our trip will bring you along with us as we tour Split Rock Lighthouse and the grounds of Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.