Green Line Ghost

A biker pedals along an unopened Green Line light rail station in downtown St. Paul. When, oh when, will the trains start to carry passengers?

Historic day at the State Capitol

Today the Minnesota Senate voted to allow same sex couples to marry following last week's lead of the House. Governor Dayton will sign the bill tomorrow.

Over St. Paul

Theme day: Cobblestones

Cobblestones are not found very readily any more on Midwestern streets, but my neighborhood has maintained a block-long stretch that is teeth-jarring. No wonder most cobblestone or brick streets have been paved over. If you'd like to see more theme day photos, go here.

Floyd B. pontificates

Floyd B. Olson was a socialist governor of Minnesota in the 1930s. He's enshrined in this spot on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol.

Z is for zoom

Look what happens when you zoom your lens in the middle of an early morning time lapse photo. St. Paul in double vision!
For more "Z" photos, see ABC Wednesday.

X is for Xcel

Can't wait to see what others do with "x." Luckily, we have this big entertainment venue right in downtown St. Paul that makes it easy for me to come up with a word for today's ABC Wednesday. To see more, click here.

Take me to your leader

Another view from Highland Park though these are the modern water towers sharing space in the park with the tower from yesterday's post. This view, taken at sunset, makes them appear slightly extra-terrestial.

The images this week complete my 365 days of posting on this blog. It has been a challenge to find something representing the Twin Cities to post every day for a year. I will continue to post periodically notably for ABC Wednesday and the monthly theme days, but the bulk of my photo work will be devoted to other projects.

Late season golf

Though this photo of Highland Park in St. Paul was taken in November, it could've been a scene from much of December, too. We are not going to have a white Christmas. Whatever your opinion is about that, winter will eventually catch up with us. The water tower, built in 1928, is one of the iconic images of the urban Twin Cities much like the one I posted on Tuesday from Minneapolis.

V is for Victorian

Two examples of residential Victorian architecture side by side in my St. Paul neighborhood - a brownstone next door to a stately clapboard. Fortunately, the glory days of these wonderful homes are back after some pretty grim days in the 60s and 70s. For more V words, visit the ABC Wednesday site here.

Lighting up the brewery

Along the backside of the brewery (see yesterday's post) the streetlamp hints at tomorrow's ABC Wednesday post.

Schmidt's or Landmark?

Whatever you call it, the brewery on West 7th in St. Paul takes on a glow in the winter dusk.

It's back

We made it later than last year (aside from a dusting in mid-November) but now it's shovel-able. Sigh!

Brewery on the bluff

Post number 2 for this week's theme takes us back to the High Bridge in St. Paul looking north and west along the river to the old Schmidt brewery.

St. Paddy's for breakfast

Claddagh's is a new coffee shop on West 7th near downtown St. Paul with cleverly-named coffee drinks like St. Paddy's, seen here, or the Black and Tan. And the sun pours in the windows on these shortening days. I'll be back. Don't forget the theme for the week. Do you know now what it is?

Maneuvers

Riverboats cruise the Mississippi from docking points across from downtown St. Paul. One even has a theater (that one stays close to shore). Post #2 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?

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.

St Agnes steeple

The copper steeple of the Church of St. Agnes in St. Paul's Frogtown neighborhood can be seen from many points in the city. On this windy day it is a tower of stability.

Sweet or savory?

Fellow St. Paulites - and maybe a few Minneapolitans (?) have discovered the crèpe stand in front of Meritage restaurant. My favorite is still the simple butter and sugar variety - miam, miam (as they say in Paris).

See Visual St. Paul for another take on this.