The Duluth paper today mentioned that we could "leave the fall foliage to busloads of tourists" because the time to see some neat colors in the Northland is right now--the wild lupine are nearing their blooming peak. These photos are from the hill behind the house of one of the WT's.
Lupine are tall, spiky flowers with a peppery scent. They are usually blue-violet, but you can also see pink, yellow or red ones. They grow wild along the highways and in the woods. The birds help to "transplant" them when the seed pods form. 
From the Duluth paper: "Lupine derive their name from lupus, which is Latin for 'wolflike'. It was so-named because it was thought to 'wolf' down soil nutrients. However, lupine, which is a member of the pear family, actually enriches the soil by taking nitrogen from the air and instilling it in the soil . . .They are the only known host plant for the endangered Karner blue butterfly."They are certainly gorgeous at this time of year. We are lucky to be living in the Northland!
