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Borrego Springs, CA

Saturday, May 25, 2013

It was a very LARGE day… Part 2

After visiting the Big Books at the Fergus Falls library on Friday, we headed out to find the last big thing in Fergus Falls.

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It was the Big Canada Goose that was located on the grounds of the Otter Tail County Historical Museum.  It was not as impressive as some of the other big things we had seen, but the bonus was that the museum was open and it was free.

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It turned out to be one of the largest and best county museums that I have ever visited.  I couldn’t believe all of the displays they had depicting life in Otter Tail County from the time of the early Native Americans to the present.  Two of my favorite things were the information on how the county, lake, and river got their name of Otter Tail, and the cedar waxwing portrait made out of butterfly wings. (top right pics in the collage)

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As the skies were darkening with rain clouds, we hurried on to what we thought were the last two Roadside America attractions for the day.  How do you like this ‘Booming Prairie Chicken’?

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It’s located just off the exit for Rothsay, MN.  I’m not sure if this bird is endangered or not, but it is quickly declining.  I sure would like to see one of these males displaying like this in early spring.  It’s on my bucket list.  Next week, I’m going to check to see if it’s too late to get a peek at this ritual.

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Charles Caleb Colpon once said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”  Ha!  Okay, Jack.  What do you think you’re doing?  Buzz off!  Don’t you know I’m trying to become the queen of ‘The End’ shots? Nyah-Nyah

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The last scheduled stop on our tour on Friday was in Pelican Rapids, MN, to see the World’s Largest Pelican, and we found it perched at the dam overflow behind the visitors center.

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The rain was beginning to fall as we hurriedly got these shots while not so legally parking Jack’s big dually truck in a fifteen minute space for Post Office customers.  Of course, one of Jack’s hobbies is taking pictures of Post Offices, so I didn’t feel too guilty about parking there and hopping out for these shots of a breeding white pelican.  I think I’ll probably make a trip back to Pelican Rapids some time this summer to get pictures of all the pelican statues around town.

From there, we beat a trail back to Detroit Lakes, but it turned out we had one more stop to make.

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As we were tooling down one of the county roads, we spotted this roadside oddity that isn’t listed on Roadside America.  It seems a John Deere green-headed ostrich was pulling a John Deere wagon down the hill.  Jack thought it might be a manure spreader, but I’ve had enough of crap dusters for a while so I chose to think of it as a Conestoga wagon. Winking smile

We went on another long adventure today, and the plans for tomorrow could be a total bust or a most memorable experience.  I guess I’ll be a bit behind in posting and reading blogs for a few days, but you know how it goes… Carpe Diem!  (Seize the Day!)

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                                                                               THE END!! 

(I have to add that this is one of the more anatomically correct ‘the ends’ lately.  It even includes a ‘vent’. In love)

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

16 comments:

  1. What fun you two are having and what neat birds and other things.

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  2. This is so much fun. And finding one that isn't listed is ever better.

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  3. "Booming Prairie Chicken" - he gets my vote, for sure! (I'd like to see one of those myself)

    Wow, you guys are getting to see all the swell stuff!

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  4. You are becoming a professional buttographer.

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  5. The bird theme has been noted and appreciated. :-)

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  6. I've seen grouse drumming, woodcock "whistling", and pigeons preening... but, alas... never a prairie chicken booming. Hope you get a photo of the action...

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  7. Hey, you've got the blog, not me!!
    You're already a queen, not me!!

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  8. Looks like you two are having a great adventure. I like using Roadside America as well to find quirky things. Traveling can be so much fun!

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  9. lovely. . .got a kick out of the vent comment. . .tell Jack I also collect pics of Post Offices. . .probably has something to do with carrying mail for 25 years. . .but I love the architecture of the old buildings. . .back when the PO was the most important place in town!

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  10. What a fun couple of days. Nice score on the free museum, we really love the word "free" it makes things/places extra special.

    Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  11. How will you come down from the high of living large, Judy? :)

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  12. We have been in that area several times but you have definitely found some fun things that we didn't see, might have to take some more time in Minnesota!

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  13. Can never beat free and good.

    I love the chicken. What a hoot!



    Sent from my iPhone

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  14. After all these giants you've found I'm surprised that you haven't seen the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man from the Ghostbusters movie. Or maybe you haven't gotten that far yet.

    I bet you stayed well back from that "vent" while taking those END shots...just in case. :cO

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  15. There seems to be a lot of people with a lot of time on their hands in those parts. There sure are are lots of Big Birds.

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