Parking at the fair

Take the bus! But if you must take your car one of the lots has this oddly safari-type signage. You'd think farm animals would be more appropriate.

Post #3 for this week and one person has already guessed the theme!

Humming along

Post #2 for this week's theme was taken on a front porch which had several feeders suspended from the porch ceiling. At any given time there were 4-10 birds vying for the sugar water. I had no idea how aggressive these little guys can be. Mean!

Curiosity

This image begins a new week with a new theme. Though the photo was taken in northern Minnesota on a misty late summer morning, it could have been taken on any one of our (more than) 10,000 lakes even those that are in the Twin Cities. I hope your morning is as magical as this one was.

Sleeping off the fair

Is this how you feel at the end of the day at the Minnesota State Fair? Do you know where Snoopy is on the fairgrounds?

Gentleman prefers blondes

The crowds are visiting the new Marilyn Monroe statue in Chicago leaving Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Brickhouse to admire her on his own.

This week's theme - roads (though a song on George Harrison's last album - Any Road - was running through my head as I chose the images).

Other side of the river

Yesterday the biking was on the St. Paul side of the river, but if you go south of the river to Mendota you can get this bird's eye view of downtown St. Paul as you descend into the river valley. Last post for this week's theme. What's your guess?

Biking by the river

Down in Crosby Park along the Mississippi the trails for biking and hiking (and cross-country skiing) were under water for a long time - so much snow melt and rain this year! Now's the time to enjoy a late summer ride. And, check back on previous posts for this week to see if you've got this week's theme.

Road to the cabin

Did you go or are you going to a cabin this summer? If so, your journey will look like this at some point. Post #3. Any ideas about the theme this week?

Motoring north

Not much time left to head up to the North Shore while it's still warm. Post #2 for this week's theme.

Run, bike, drive

From the High Bridge in St. Paul a runner, a biker, and a driver seem unaware of one another as they travel along the river.

This is the first post for this week's theme.

Flat tops

These days apartment blocks seem to have multiple facades using multiple materials. Whatever happened to a nice red brick building?

Tellin' it like it is

Street fairs and hot rod hoedowns bring out a collection of characters during the brief northern summer. These guys were at the same outdoor do where I saw the rockabilly babes.

Did you get this week's theme? Stone. Take a look starting last Monday.

Pile of rocks marks the spot

Last post for this week taken in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul where some enterprising homeowner has carefully marked off his/her property line. Theme revealed tomorrow, but surely you've guessed it by now. If not, go back Mon-Friday to see if you can figure it out.

Good night, moon

It's not the leaning tower at Pisa, it's the bell tower at St. Mark's south of Loring Park. Post 4 for this week. You must have guessed the theme by now - brownstones, embedded bits of buildings, rocky shoreline, church tower...

Lakeshore

I'm spending a lot of time on or near water this month though I don't always need a sandy beach. A rocky shoreline reveals a more interesting contour to a Minnesota lake. Photo 3 for this week's theme was taken a little north of the Twin Cities but you don't need to venture far to slide your kayak into a glistening surface.

Building block

I was in Chicago recently (a day trip from the Twin Cities if you consider that the flight is only 1 hour) and was enthralled with the bits of buildings from all over the world that are embedded in the Chicago Tribune facade (like a brick from the British Houses of Parliament or a chunk of the Great Pyramid). This dragonfly was hanging out on the north side where it was still cool.

Post #2 for this week's theme. Remember yesterday's brownstones?

Red brownstones

I'm a little behind on the new week's theme posts, but here we have #1 for the week of Aug 15-19. These solid brownstones on a gracious side street in Saint Paul are built from the same material as the more renowned J. J. Hill mansion around the corner. It was quarried in the Apostle Islands up in Lake Superior and really cuts a dramatic line in the old neighborhoods of the city.

Birthday treats

This posting is in honor of a special birthday girl who remains unnamed. The photo was taken in England earlier this summer because she'll actually be able to treat herself to something like this today.

Yin and yang of Minnesota's climate

If you've been following this blog, you may recognize this location from the winter (Loring Park). Then again, the images seem like they must be from different countries. Ah, Minnesota!

And the theme for the past week's posts was ... edible! I know some of the objects were not actually edible, but hey, they were fun. To see them again, start with What a corny idea! in the archives and view the next four posts.

Giant in the earth

One of the iconic images of Minneapolis - the cherry from the Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture at the Walker Art Center's sculpture garden. Last post for this week. You should have the theme by now.

Another corny idea

I was biking along 46th Street in south Minneapolis last week and came across this clever contraption which I can only assume is someone's effort to keep the squirrels out of their bird feeders by offering them their own gourmet treat. I hope it's working.

Post #4 for this week's theme. How are you doing? Got it yet?

Everything tastes better over a fire

It's that time of year. Canoeing and camping, and we have so much water around us that no one is more than a couple of hours from multiple options. One of the things I liked about my recent river trip was that I didn't have to eat freeze-dried food. It was the real McCoy!

Post #3 for this week's theme. Look back on Monday and Tuesday. See a pattern yet?

Art car #1

Post 2 for this week's theme. Probably not too obvious yet what the theme is. While I was photographing this car which is covered in bones from top to bottom and back to front, the owner approached and told me that every July there is a parade of "art cars" featuring all the crazy things people have glued to their automobiles. I missed it this year, but you can bet it'll be on my calendar for next year.

What a corny idea!

The start of a new theme for the week of August 8-12. This image is from my hometown, Rochester, which is a little over an hour south of the Twin Cities. The city is famous for being the home of the Mayo Clinic, but this water tower has nothing to do with the medical industry. It has been around as long as I can remember rising above a canning factory formerly owned and operated by Libby's.

Rainy summer

Apparently, July was the 5th rainiest on record, at least here in the Twin Cities. Has there been a single day that didn't have rain? Anybody recall one? This rainy day photo was taken on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota looking toward one of the barns on the State Fairgrounds.

Are you ready for the new theme? First post is tomorrow.

Summer storm damage

Straight line winds hit eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin in early July and the damage along the Namekagon River where I was canoeing a week ago was extensive and heartbreaking.

This past week's theme was ... yellow. Look back on the Monday-Friday posts (mushroom, VW bug, parking ramp sign, etc) and you'll see the connection. A new theme starts Monday.

Eat me (?)

I don't know if this one is edible, but it works perfectly for the final post for this week's theme. I was out canoeing recently and the woods have a bounty, if you know what you're doing.

Summer style

I had a post a few days ago about this (click on the link for details) but just had to add another image that fits this week's theme. Those young women (who didn't live through the 50s!) do such a great job of evoking that era.

Park in Indiana, shop in Minnesota

The Mall of America (still the largest enclosed shopping center in the USA?) makes it a little easier to find your car in the multi-story and multi-acreage parking ramps by assigning a state and an image to each section. Post #3 for this week. Got the theme yet?

Bug-eyed

The pink flamingos don't seem to be noticing this bug - second post for this week's theme.

Theme day: Postcard worthy

Not your classic postcard image, but it does include the iconic First Bank building in downtown St. Paul. It also does duty as the first posting for my theme for the week of August 1-5. 

To see thumbnails for other Theme day photos click here.