Ready for planting

I took a detour on my way back to the Twin Cities from southern Minnesota on one of the first really nice days of this late, but very welcome, spring. Aside from a few isolated patches of snow stuck in dark crannies the countryside is free of winter.

Last chance

A beautiful Labor Day weekend beckons. Get out to a Minnesota lake. This one is Black Water up near Hackensack.

Busy evening at the Martins

I was at a retreat recently at St John's University in Collegeville and ran across this very busy Purple Martin house on one of the lakes on campus.

T is for teddy bear

Teddy Bear Park in Stillwater (30 minutes east of St. Paul) is closed for the winter, but come back in April for a teddy bear picnic. For more ABC Wednesday photos, go here.

Up the hill

I was out in Stillwater recently, a 30-minute drive from St. Paul, to do some early holiday shopping and saw this great "ghost sign" as a visitor to this blog called them a couple of weeks ago.

Empty vines

On last weekend's trip down the Mississippi, I wandered through this vineyard behind the river bluffs. Long past grape season and ready for the first snows to arrive (though we've had two lovely weekends in row now - holding off the inevitable...). Here's what I found here one spring.

Wind farm

Back to our theme for the week - places within about 100 miles of the Twin Cities. Today's location is somewhere on the southwestern plains of the state where the wind whips through summer or winter and the turbines stretch for as far as the eye can see - which is pretty far!

Spider Lake Lodge

Another Wisconsin locale about 100 miles from the Twin Cities - this time heading northeast into the woods near Hayward.  The former resort is now really a B&B since the cabins have been sold off to individuals and the lodge remains with its cozy rooms and stone fireplaces.

Rail corridor

I spent a recent weekend away on a stretch of the Mississippi south of the Twin Cities and on the east bank (or Wisconsin side) of the river. We must've counted dozens of trains shuttling north and south on a narrow bit of land wedged between the river bluffs and the water.

The theme this week is places within about 100 miles of the Twin Cities. Kind of a difficult one to discern from photos even if you know the area well, so enjoy knowing this one ahead of time.

Down river

A cousin to yesterday's post and still part of the theme for this week, this photo was taken on a smaller river within a day's drive of the Twin Cities which eventually makes its way to the Mississippi watershed. We have SO much water around here.

Fall arrives

We are lucky in the Twin Cities to be within an easy drive of spectacular fall foliage - an hour away, a weekend away. Make it happen.

The Palate loves Paris

Have you been out to Stockholm, Wisconsin recently? We featured this day trip earlier in the summer, but today's photo of the Palate Gourmet Kitchen Store is a fitting start to this week's theme.

1 of 10,000

This may be one of our last weekends to get out on a lake before it gets too cold to waterski. Just do it!

The theme ending yesterday was ... wet.

Cooling off

Stretching the day trip label a little again as this was taken in Millennium Park in Chicago. This digital fountain right along Michigan Avenue displays enlarged faces of Chicagoans who end up "spitting" onto the pavement. It attracts a daily crowd of families seeking relief from the heat and a whole lotta fun.

Last post for this week's theme. All will be revealed tomorrow.

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).

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.

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?

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.