Lisa McClintickAdventurous, creative, hands-on travel in Minnesota and beyond.

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minnelisa

Award-winning freelance writer/photographer, “Day Trips From the Twin Cities” author, teaching artist, sketchbooker, gardener & master naturalist.
The Mississippi River runs through our community, The Mississippi River runs through our community, and we are grateful. Two weekends ago it’s where our granddaughter tried out her first fishing pole (a Moana one without a hook). As an adult you forget the coordination it requires to cast a line and reel it back, but she did really well. Papa Bob and Daddy Jon offered a lot of coaching. We love how happy she is to be outdoors, getting wet, throwing rocks to hear the different plunks they make (like her dad could do for hours!), tossing sticks and exploring. I remember fishing with my dad in the Mississippi, too. 🥰#outdoorkid #mississippiriver #gofishing #mnfishing #takeakidfishing #goplayoutside #vitaminnature
Minnesota’s native mussels seem like the most ba Minnesota’s native mussels seem like the most basic creatures and can be easily mistaken for rocks. But wait! Despite being blind and, well, blobby inside their shells, they have appendages that remarkably mimic the favorite food of specific fish species. Why? Read on for the surprising skills of mussels and be sure to look up the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s video. It’s amazing! Watch for weekly nature features in Minnesota’s @startribune. #thisweekinnature @threeriversparks @usfws @mnmasternaturalist #nativemussels #freshwatermussels #natureisamazing
Blooper reel! I considered adding peaceful music, Blooper reel! I considered adding peaceful music, but decided to keep it real. That funny sound in the second clip? That would be the sprinkler at Munsinger Clemens Gardens jetting across my backside. I dodged it the first time to photograph the delphiniums. Throw in a hummingbird moth—a sphinx variety—and I was too excited to see the water jets coming. Nerd move for sure. But so worth it! #sphinxmoth #hummingbirdmoth #delphinium @munsingerclemens #mnnature #mnmasternaturalist
Thank you, month of June. You provided a spectacul Thank you, month of June. You provided a spectacular show this year! Our flowers loved the cool stretches and soaking rains. #peonies #poppies #iris #gardenersofinstagram #mngardening
There are many reasons I have long admired Indigen There are many reasons I have long admired Indigenous wisdom, but few hit as strongly and felt as welcome as learning about Two Spirits. Advocate Arnold Dahl-Wooley, who was honored as the BIPOC Leader of the Year for Twin Cities Pride last weekend, explains it beautifully: “Two Spirits are people who can see through the eyes of more than one gender.” Here’s to the trailblazers, advocates and artists who, through sharing their personal stories, are helping the next generation through their journey. They’re also helping the world to better recognize the many gifts and broader perspectives the 2SLGBTQ+ community provides. Everyone deserves equal rights, freedom to love, and to be their authentic selves without fear of harm or discrimination. #loveislove #usatodaypride #pridemonth2025🏳️‍🌈 @twincitiespride #twospirit #indigenouswisdom
Do you have a favorite place to watch for fireflie Do you have a favorite place to watch for fireflies? Have you ever seen the synchronous ones in the South? (On my bucket list…) They’re one of the most magical nocturnal creatures. Here’s the full feature from This Week in Nature in the Star Tribune. @startribune #thisweekinnature #fireflies #lightningbugs #mnmasternaturalist #getoutside
Today we celebrate 31 years together and 37 years Today we celebrate 31 years together and 37 years since we first kissed. This is our first summer as empty nesters, but it doesn’t feel empty at all. We enjoy having the kids within 15 minutes to an hour from us. We see our son, Jon, and granddaughter at least every two weeks. (Tricycle time and silly conversations!) Katie visits and shares photos of her favorite people at Northern Lakes Senior Living where she works in the kitchen and serves food. Kylie and Jessie join us and neighborhood friends for weekly for trivia at a local distillery, which makes us feel smart or clueless, depending on the questions. And in the last two months or so, we’ve said goodbye to and celebrated a favorite aunt, welcomed a new baby to our extended family, hosted our granddog’s first birthday and enjoyed visits with my parents. That’s a pretty rich life to have! After many years with various struggles, it feels especially good to be at this point. We are incredibly lucky and grateful to still have each other and our kids, my parents, our granddaughter and big, loving extended families and friends. Thank you to everyone who helped us get to this point. It’s been quite a journey, and we have learned much along the way. ❤️
If you’re like me—constantly curious, eager to If you’re like me—constantly curious, eager to learn—and want to feel less helpless about climate change and things that negatively impact the environment, I highly recommend joining the Master Naturalist program. Every state should have one, and it’s amazing for connecting members to ongoing learning and a variety of ways to volunteer and do good, from solo citizen science projects and land stewardship work to helping kids and adults better appreciate natural areas and parks. These photos are from last month’s weekend conference that brought together Minnesota master naturalists and partners such as the Bell Museum of Naturalist History. We affectionately call ourselves “the Nerd Herd,” and it was wonderfully energizing to gather and geek out on mussels, lichen, water quality, bioluminescence, natural dyes, loons, dragonflies, astronomy, and much more. There are several Minnesota Master Naturalist classes coming up with openings for anyone interested in joining the program. It’s a commitment to learn about your chosen biome (40 hours of coursework) and volunteer 40 hours a year, but truly worth it. @umnextension @mnmasternaturalist @bellmuseum #masternaturalist #lifelonglearning #citizenscience #handsonlearning
On a buggy summer evening, we’ve seen dragonflie On a buggy summer evening, we’ve seen dragonflies swoop in and rescue us from biting pests. Did you know mosquito control duty happens while they’re still underwater as nymphs? Keep an eye out for these beauties resting on flowers and trees and swipe left to see more photos. Read more about dragonflies in the @startribune This Week in Nature feature (link in my bio). #dragonflies #dragonfliesofinstagram #thisweekinnature #mnwildlife @mndragonflysoc #mnmasternaturalist
Check out some of Minnesota’s newest places to v Check out some of Minnesota’s newest places to vacation on Gull Lake. @startribune @quarterdeckresort
If you’re in Central Minnesota (or passing throu If you’re in Central Minnesota (or passing through), the Eagle Valley Greenhouse in Clarissa can be a beautiful drive to make for gorgeous flowers, especially annuals, hanging plants and succulents. As a bonus, there are several Amish businesses in the area, including Cherry Grove Market in Browerville (lots of bulk foods), farms that make poly outdoor furniture and stands with baked goods (highly recommend the fresh doughnuts and fried cherry pie pockets). It was beautiful to get into the countryside and to see the farms and newborn horses. #destinationgreenhouse #greenhouses #mngardening #amishcountry #exploreminnesota @bmcclintick
First clematis bloom of the season! I don’t know First clematis bloom of the season! I don’t know what’s up with the clematis this year, but the vines are climbing higher than ever. My supports aren’t tall enough, but the plants are thriving. #clematis #gardenersofinstagram
It was a joy to wrap up my 2024 Nature Journal (I It was a joy to wrap up my 2024 Nature Journal (I save a lot of the coloring for winter’s long nights). It helps me to slow down, to let my curiosity loose, and to pay closer attention to discoveries at home, wildlife refuges, parks and more. It was especially fun to share nature journals with kids at the Young Authors Young Artists (YAYA) conference a few weeks ago. There are some seriously talented kids who are passionate about drawing. (Oh, to have started that young!) It’s never too late to learn and to enjoy the process of playing with words and pictures and celebrating the natural wonders you can find each week. I’ll have a class Aug. 9 at Avon Hills Folk School, which has a beautiful property perfect for finding inspiration in Central Minnesota. #naturejournaling @avonhillsfolkschool @wildwonderfoundation @resourcetrainingsolutions @mnmasternaturalist #microseasons #sketchbooking
Take a hike by the visitor center at Sherburne Nat Take a hike by the visitor center at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge to see a sample of what’s blooming this week. The reddish wispy plant is actually prairie smoke gone to seed. #lupine #hairypuccoon #beardtongue #prairiephlox #prairiesmoke @sherburnenwrfriends @mnmasternaturalist
I’ve been wild about lupine since seeing our fir I’ve been wild about lupine since seeing our first field of them near Bayfield in the early 1990s and later seeing them on the North Shore and near Grand Rapids. They’re big and beautiful, but they’re also a Western species and garden escapee. We have native lupine, as well, and while it’s smaller and less showy, it’s still my favorite wildflower and blooming right now. Check out the gorgeous photos in the Star Tribune’s This Week in Nature feature. #lupine #sundiallupine #minnesotawildflowers #thisweekinnature @startribune #getoutside @exploreminnesota @threeriversparks @mnmasternaturalist
If you haven’t checked out the Dambo trolls in D If you haven’t checked out the Dambo trolls in Detroit Lakes, Minn., yet, there are two more great reasons to lure fans of art and nature this year: a Charley Harper exhibit and sculptures by artist Olga Ziemska whose use of twiggy hair looks incredible and seems like a fitting (though more serious) complement to the trolls. Harper’s work fits with the area’s reputation as birding destination with its annual festival and location at the convergence of three biomes. Read the full @startribune story with the gift link in my bio. @detroitlakesminnesota @exploreminnesota @thomasdambo @project412mn @olgaziemskastudio @charleyharperart #mnbirding #trolls #artandnature
A favorite discovery this spring: Fritz Loven Park A favorite discovery this spring: Fritz Loven Park near Gull Lake in the Brainerd Lakes Area. We’ve never seen such lush, amazing displays of ferns before. They flank Stony Brook, a catch-and-release trout stream. Trails meander past lovely swaths of white trillium, and we found spring beauty, nodding trillium, marsh marigolds, wild geranium, jack-in-the-pulpit and more. You can feel your blood pressure dropping in these woods while redstarts, black-and-white warblers, vireos and song sparrows sing from the trees.
It’s orchid season! Yellow lady’s slipper orch It’s orchid season! Yellow lady’s slipper orchids are popping up across the state, as well as small white orchids. I can’t wait for the showy lady’s slipper, Minnesota’s state flower. @startribune @mnstateparksandtrails @ebwgmpls @mn_arboretum #mnstateflower #ladysslipperorchid #showyladyslipper #nativeorchids #mnwildflowers
Who else finds the spring unfurling of ferns to be Who else finds the spring unfurling of ferns to be an exquisite botanical dance? Those curls, those swirls! Also cool: These ferns had graced my great aunt’s garden in Wisconsin, my parents’ two homes, and now ours. I wonder if they started with my great aunt or do they stretch back another generation or two? #ostrichferns #fernsunfurling #botanicalbeauty #mngarden #gardenersofinstagram #heirloomplants
I love, love, loved a spring walk with our grandda I love, love, loved a spring walk with our granddaughter at @munsingerclemens two weekends ago. “That’s beautiful!” she’d exclaim at the tulips and blooming trees. And she’s able to identify chickadee birdsongs. My nature-nerdy heart did a happy dance. Ha! I look forward to going back with her and seeing the fairy garden, fountains and annuals once they’re in. If you love bluebells, Carley State Park near Rochester is known for huge displays of them. #mngardens #destinationgardens #gardentravel #springflowers #publicgardens #exploreminnesota
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You may still be eating leftover domestic turkey, You may still be eating leftover domestic turkey, but here’s a look at the growing number of wild ones that may be wandering into your backyards, across urban roads or roosting in trees. That latter scenario would freak me out if, say, I startled one after dark and it tumbled down in front of me. When our son was not even 2, he was following me in our family’s woods as I looked for wildflowers. He found himself face to face with a turkey the same height as he was and bolted back to my side, jabbering in panic and not knowing the word for the huge creature in the woods. Jabbering and gobbling sound a lot alike, so I figured out what he saw before I spotted the turkey. We’re grateful he still loves the woods despite the surprises. #wildturkey #turkeycomeback #backyardturkeys #thisweekinnature @startribune
When November looks a bit drab, you just have to l When November looks a bit drab, you just have to look a little closer and find it in the details. Snowflakes arrived this morning! #novemberweather #beautyinthedetails #snowflakes #minnestagrammers #raindrops #naturalist
I was honored (and a bit nervous) to get my first I was honored (and a bit nervous) to get my first illustration-only assignment this fall. Working with an elder with the University of Minnesota Extension Service and the story’s writer, we depicted the elements of a four directions medicine garden (Thatúye Tópa Phezúta-Ozúpi). It’s shaped like a turtle, with the sacred plants —cedar, sage, tobacco and sweetgrass—aligned to the four sacred directions. I truly enjoy learning about Indigenous cultures and traditions. You can find the Extension story and read more through the link in my bio. #fourdirections #sacredmedicine #nativegarden #illustration @umnextension
Keep your ears and eyes on the skies to enjoy the Keep your ears and eyes on the skies to enjoy the unique sound of tundra swans! A big flock flew over our yard in St. Cloud last night. It’s a higher-pitched “whistle” than the trumpeters that can be seen in Minnesota year-round. The tundra swans head south from the Arctic, follow the Mississippi River, and then veer to the mid-Atlantic states. @startribune #tundraswans #mnwildlife #backyardbirding #migration #birding
Whether you’re looking for holiday fun, winter g Whether you’re looking for holiday fun, winter getaways or planning your 2025 destinations, check out Day Trips from the Twin Cities. This gift that can keep on giving helps you find the best lodging, eateries, parks and quirky places that define communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. If you already have a copy, thank you for your support! 🙏 If you’d consider leaving a review online, I’d be grateful! I poured a lot of passion into these pages. @exploreminnesota @travelwisconsin #daytrips #weekendgetaways @visitmankatomn @newulm @experiencerochmn @visitstcloud #minnesotalife #minnesotagirl #midwesttravel #midwestliving
We were awake before the crack of dawn Oct. 24 to We were awake before the crack of dawn Oct. 24 to watch the sandhill cranes at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge. There were about 12,500 cranes counted that week. Here’s a surprise: even with our crazy winds and cold rain yesterday, bird counters estimated 22,197 cranes were still at the refuge and hadn’t headed south. The Wildlife Drive is open until Dec. 1, and there are some designated viewing areas off county roads for mornings and evenings when cranes are heading overhead to and from fields and roosting areas. Turn on the volume in the video to hear how they sound. 🙂 @sherburnenwrfriends @usfws #sandhillcranes #cranemigration #mnbirding #exploreminnesota #cranemigration2024 #mnmasternaturalist
It has been fantastic to see an ever-growing numbe It has been fantastic to see an ever-growing number of nationally successful books written by Indigenous authors. Each one, whether literary, suspense, mystery, historical, or even horror, brings cultural insight, fresh perspectives and overlooked tragedies and injustices to light. With 574 federally recognized tribes, we have immeasurable stories and voices yet to be heard. Minneapolis’s Birchbark Books has long championed these stories and is owned by the prolific and much-lauded literary legend, Louise Erdrich. If you’ve read her book, “The Sentence,” which uses the bookstore as inspiration, you have another compelling reason to visit. The bookstore staff helped me pull together this list of standout Indigenous stories perfect for the long, cold nights ahead. You can see the full story and read USA Today’s Native American section at the link in my bio. The feature begins on page 45. I’ve read quite a few of these titles. Have you? Which are your favorites? @usatoday @birchbark_books #indigenousauthors #indigenousbooks @louise_erdrich #fallreads #nativeamerican #nativeamericanheritagemonth
Some of you were lucky to enjoy the Indigenous Foo Some of you were lucky to enjoy the Indigenous Food Lab’s pre-Colonial cuisine at the Minnesota State Fair this summer. I felt lucky to write about this organization founded by Chef Sean Sherman (@the_sioux_chef) for USA Today’s Native American special section. The organization’s wide-ranging efforts include inner-city gardens and foraging, training indigenous chefs, supporting small businesses who supply indigenous ingredients, and projects such as adding a weekly indigenous meal to a school lunch menu on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. These efforts seek to break away from unhealthy diets of government commodities and move toward food sovereignty, a goal that reaches beyond nourishing the body. As Linda Black Elk said, “It’s reconnecting with ancestors, your culture, and your spirit.” Read the story on page 31 and view the entire Native American section at the link in my bio. @usatoday @indigenousfoodlab #foodsovereignty @mahpiyalutaredcloud @natifs_org #indigenousfood #nativecuisine
Minnesota may be gray and chilly this time of year Minnesota may be gray and chilly this time of year, but moody skies and infamous gales make it a dramatic time to enjoy shipwatching on Lake Superior. It’s the world’s biggest freshwater sea (by surface area) and you can get an up-close view along the canal at the world’s most inland seaport: Duluth, Minn. You can read more at the link in my bio. @startribune #greatlakes #lakesuperior #shipwatching @canalpark #galesofnovember #edmundfitzgerald @visittheusa @exploreminnesota @visit_duluth
I’m working the polls on St. Cloud’s South Sid I’m working the polls on St. Cloud’s South Side Tuesday, from 6 am to 9 pm. I’m not sure this T-shirt is deemed politically neutral enough—and I didn’t plan ahead and purchase it—but I’m loving the Schoolhouse Rock vibe. I’m wishing I had something smile-inducing for an anxious day. Too bad I’m not into festive fingernails. #vote #electiondayattire #overthinkingthings #votetshirt
If you’re looking for a warm, feel-good story to If you’re looking for a warm, feel-good story to read on a slushy day, grab a seat around the hearth at The St. John’s Pottery in Collegeville, Minn. Here, Master Potter Richard Bresnahan shares what he learned apprenticing in Japan in 1970s, creating his own style using only indigenous materials and leading a life of environmental stewardship. He shares that wisdom with students, apprentices and guests who visit the studio at St. John’s University, share cups of tea and leave feeling the sense of community he has created. It’s been an especially eventful stretch as the Johanna Kiln, the largest wood-fired kiln in North America, fired up in October. The 10-day event requires about 17 cords of wood for the three chambers that can collectively hold close to 12,000 pieces of pottery. It can take two months just to load the kiln, which only fires up every two years. Read the full story @projectoptimist or click the link in my bio. @csbsju #stjohnspottery #johannakiln #ecomutualism #landstewardship #japanesepottery #artapprenticeship #biophilia
In honor of Halloween and all things spooky, it se In honor of Halloween and all things spooky, it seemed fitting to feature some of the creepier things you might find in the woods of Minnesota: dead man’s fingers, witches’ butter and dog vomit slime. @startribune #mnoutdoors #thingsyoufindinthewoods #freakyfungi #mnmasternaturalist #slimemold
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