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

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Lisa Meyers McClintick

minnelisa

Award-winning freelance writer/photographer, “Day Trips From the Twin Cities” author, teaching artist, sketchbooker, gardener & master naturalist.
When it comes to insect control, few solutions wor When it comes to insect control, few solutions work as well as hungry bats with acroBATic flying and echolocation skills. Minnesota’s most common species, big brown bats, have been spotted during the day this week with a stellar photo posted on Facebook’s Minnesota Naturalists group by Jon Pletcher on April 14. It isn’t often you can see sunlight illuminating their unique bodies and wings. The @startribune This Week in Nature column highlights more about these bats with a link for how to build them a backyard house and keep them out of yours. See the link in my bio for more details. #bigbrownbats #mnwildlife #thisweekinnature @mnmasternaturalist @minnesotadnr
While birds get much of the attention when it come While birds get much of the attention when it comes to the soundtrack of spring, don’t forget the little frogs that drum up a mighty chorus at ponds, wetlands and even seasonal puddles. Freshly thawed after a long winter, a trio of amphibians ready to mate use a vocal sac to amplify their availability. Here’s at look at spring peeper, wood frog and boreal chorus frog illustrations. Click the link in my bio to read my latest Drawn By Nature feature for Project Optimist. You’ll learn more about these amazing creatures and their key role in the ecosystem, plus descriptions of the sounds each one makes. They stay well-camouflaged, so your ears may be the best way to discover who’s providing the seasonal concert. Thanks to Ken Kozak, herpetology curator at The Bell Museum of Natural History for sharing his expertise. @projectoptimist.us @bellmuseum @mnmasternaturalist #frogs #woodfrog #springpeepers #borealchorusfrog #coloredpencilart @prismacolor #naturejournaling #mnwildlife #minnstagramers
It was an honor and an opportunity to learn more a It was an honor and an opportunity to learn more about Indigenous cultures when I interviewed some of the leaders with Dream of Wild Health. They view seeds not as commodities to be sold, but as living relatives to protect and plant with the goal of returning seed relatives to their original tribe of origin. They also grow ancestral vegetables, fruits, and medicine for Indigenous communities in the Twin Cities and bring kids and teens to their farm throughout the summer. The hands-on programs introduce them to gardening and harvesting, teach them how to cook new recipes and how to save seeds. It’s woven together with language and cultural lessons to encourage and nourish future community leaders. You can read the full feature at the link in my bio and find out how to help with their next big goal: adding a community center, commercial kitchen and more teaching space to their farm in Hugo, Minn. @projectoptimist.us @dreamofwildhealth #seedkeeping #rematriation #ancestralfoods #indigenouswisdom #indigenousleaders #foodsovereignty #ancestralhealing
Here’s another cool trick of nature: wood frogs Here’s another cool trick of nature: wood frogs can flood their body with a chemical similar to antifreeze to survive the winter and safely thaw in the spring. @startribune #woodfrogs #mnmasternaturalist @bellmuseum #coolnature #mnwildlife
Pasqueflowers are blooming in Central Minnesota! I Pasqueflowers are blooming in Central Minnesota! I found these yesterday evening. These early bloomers kick off flower season when most plants are barely showing their first leaves. #pasqueflower #sandprairie #earlyblooms #mnnature #thisweekinnature #mnwildflowers
Every spring I impatiently look for these little b Every spring I impatiently look for these little beauties to show up at Sand Prairie WMA They’ve already been popping up in Southern Minnesota, and I have Minneapolis friends who say pasqueflowers can be found in their urban neighborhoods. How cool is that? We still have snow remnants in St. Cloud, but I hope to find some blooms this week. I adore how pasqueflowers look delicate, but clearly don’t shy away from the wicked cold whims of early spring. Read more about these Easter arrivals in the Minnesota Star Tribune’s This Week in Nature. @startribune #pasqueflower #prairiepasqueflower #sandprairie #prairieflowers #mnnature #thisweekinnature
Jim Brandenburg, a beloved photographer who travel Jim Brandenburg, a beloved photographer who traveled the world for National Geographic, died yesterday. He leaves behind countless people like myself who were inspired by the way he saw the world. And while he scored far away assignments, he made sure people didn’t miss the often overlooked beauty in his home state. He helped preserve Touch the Sky Prairie NWR in Luverne, his small town in Southwest Minnesota. I adored shooting photos there and at the nearby Blue Mounds State Park two summers ago and visiting the Jim Brandenburg Gallery. Bob Timmons wrote a great piece about his legacy in the @startribune today. Check it out online! @jimbrandenburg #jimbrandenburg #touchtheskyprairie @visitluvernemn #nativeprairie @usfws @mnstateparksandtrails
No music. Listen closely, and you’ll hear the sn No music. Listen closely, and you’ll hear the snow falling. This is classic last-gasps-of-winter heart-attack-inducing snow. We’re hoping maybe it will melt. Like soon? Pretty please?? #aprilinminnesota #mnsnow #snowfall #minnestagrammers
Mother Nature coated everything in ice from Saturd Mother Nature coated everything in ice from Saturday night to Sunday. Next storm (Tuesday/Weds) could drop up to 10 inches. The ice would have been pretty with a dose of sun to illuminate it. #icestorm #minnesotaweather #icybranches #mnnature #minnestagrammers
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As the range of Minnesota’s black bears nudges s As the range of Minnesota’s black bears nudges south and west each year, keep an eye out for cubs, moms and hungry male bears. They’re emerging from winter dens without a lot of food choices this early in the season. Bird feeders and food-scented trash cans can look like fast food to them if left in yards. Has anyone sighted bears yet this season? We had one roaming south St. Cloud last year or the year before that. @startribune #blackbears #mnwildlife #thisweekinnature
[Insert Jimmy Fallon’s thank you note music] Tha [Insert Jimmy Fallon’s thank you note music] Thank you, bladder, for pulling me out of deep dreams at just the right time to witness the full eclipse. And, thank you, Mother Nature for the good show and warm enough weather to step outside barefoot in a bathrobe. #lunareclipse2025 #eclipselunar #nocturalwonderland
Last year was my first time seeing an otter in the Last year was my first time seeing an otter in the wild. This one was feasting on Eighth Crow Wing Lake by Akeley. Then I saw another a few weeks later in St. Cloud, swimming in the Mississippi River. They are so fun to watch! #riverotter #otter #mnwildlife #getoutside
Minnesota lakes may be getting dicey for ice house Minnesota lakes may be getting dicey for ice houses, but it’s prime season for catching otters diving for fresh fish! Keep an eye on rivers like the Mississippi and St. Croix, too. @startribune #mnwildlife #thisweekinnature #otters #riverotters #icefishing
Tonight’s the peak night to see this week’s al Tonight’s the peak night to see this week’s alignment of seven planets (you’ll need binoculars for two) right after sunset. Read the whole @startribune story at the link in my bio. The graphic is a huge help! #nightskies #planetaryalignment #thisweekinnature
It’s close to zero degrees, and trumpeter swans It’s close to zero degrees, and trumpeter swans redefine “just chilling” as they glide across the Mississippi River, bob their heads at each other (their version of flirting for mating season). I like how they often congregate in groups of four, like it’s a double-date. Or they’re socializing before nesting and parenting fully fill their days. #mnbirding #thisweekinnature #trumpeterswans #winterbirding #minnesotabirds
Need a romantic excuse to get outside this weekend Need a romantic excuse to get outside this weekend? Seek open water and the chance to see swans showing off their courtship moves and gliding toward each, making a heart shape with their elegant necks. See the full Star Tribune story in my bio, as well as readers’ comments on where to see swans in the greater Twin Cities. @startribune #thisweekinnature #trumpeterswans #mnbirding #mnwildlife #birding
Bob remade my wooden ring with a few sparkles. It’s much lighter than the gold wedding bands we outgrew. I love it!! 🥰 #woodturnersofinstagram #woodturnedrings #homemadeweddingring #bestgiftsarehomemade
This made us smile as we visited a beloved aunt to This made us smile as we visited a beloved aunt today. ❤️
We’ve made chicken and dumplings for decades, bu We’ve made chicken and dumplings for decades, but behold! Cornmeal dumplings! Seriously good. We may never make chili again without them (and you don’t need to dirty a pan for cornbread on the side). Bob also added bacon to this batch of beef chili. It may be the best we’ve ever made. #chiliweather #cornbreaddumplings #chili
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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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