A river runs

I have it on a reliable source that the Sunrise River - about an hour out of the Twin Cities - is now fully thawed and running wild. Even in January this spunky little stream managed to keep moving! More from the Sunrise here.

Multicolored fun

The Lego store at the Mall of America continues to fascinate. What I could make with all those little colored pieces!

Beautiful spring

Isn't spring in Minnesota lovely? Just waiting for those crocus to appear.

Herb Brooks

The coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that beat the U.S.S.R. in one of the most exciting games in Olympic history is commemorated by this victory statue in downtown St. Paul.

Snoozing

Even covered in snow (but not for long, we hope) the benches in Loring Park appeal to nappers.

Pinocchio

I wonder how many people will be spending St. Pat's day with this view from a public toilet stall.

Woodstock on Grand Avenue

He's on one of the many Snoopy statues that dotted St. Paul a few summers back. This one ended up on the front lawn of a veterinarian's clinic.

Columnar trees

More columns. This time on a former Christian Scientist church turned River of Life church. But mostly I like the way the trees and their shadows on a late afternoon mimic the facade of the building.

Serious melting ahead

It may finally be on its way, though the melting could cause trouble for more than a few households this year.

Church of England

Every time I walk by this Presbyterian church on Summit Avenue I feel like I could be in some village in rural England.

Ramaley's

You can tell from the sign that Ramaley's has been around for a while. I've been noticing how many liquor stores around town have not updated their signs in decades. It's been so long they're starting to look cool again.

Mrs Frosty

How about those olive eyes? Good choice since coal is pretty tough to come by these days.

Column obsession

I'm getting a little obsessed with all the columns that I've started to notice in my neighborhood. This is an interesting mismatch on the front porch of a very large house off Summit. Remember where this started? And where it went to from there?

Weisman

I think the Weisman, the modern art museum on the University of Minnesota campus, is looking a little worse for the wear. Maybe that's why it's closed until the fall. You can't miss it though as you drive along the river road.

Angel in my neighborhood

She stands on the grounds of a church on Summit Avenue. So strong and so proud.

Cracking 6PM

There may still be feet (!) of snow but the sun now sets after 6 PM. And when we spring ahead to daylight saving time very soon - next weekend, I think - it'll be even better. If only that shift in daylight hours really was an additional hour tacked onto the day. We need it to get this snow melting faster.

Ready for a dip?

I don't know when these people are going to be able to enjoy their new pool. There's so much snow you can barely see the house from the street. I sure hope they made the right decision.

Concrete column

Yesterday's photo of the graceful columns at the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul contrasts (favorably or unfavorably, your call) with this one in the Macalester College chapel just a few miles up Grand Avenue.
More Macalester art here.

Ionic? Corinthian? Doric?

The Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul has one of the most beautiful interiors in the Twin Cities. The former court house and post office hosts a lot of civic events like the governor's inauguration and a popular St. Pat's day celebration. But what kind of columns are they?

Wood sculpture

Waiting for the wood stove or maybe just there to catch your eye while on a walk in the woods. This photo is dedicated to a good friend who celebrates a milestone birthday today.

Red light district

On a recent foggy day down by the river, an approaching train stopped the traffic. You couldn't really miss the signals.

March theme day: Favorite part of town

It has to be along the Mississippi no matter what part of the city. Here it has turned east to flow past downtown St. Paul before it curves south again heading to the gulf (of Mexico, duh!). Of course, the river doesn't look like this on March 1. See what it does look like at other times of year.

This is part of the City Daily Photo theme day for March 2011. Thumbnails of other posts from around the world are here.

Her husband is amazing!

I wonder what she means by that.

Icy (cream) weather

Grand Ole Creamery has closed for renovations. Even when we are in the grip of winter, the place always seems to be busy so I bet there are more than a few waiting impatiently for them to reopen.

Kids' delight

It's been a while since I've been to the Mall of America. The Lego store was closed for renovations then, but they've reopened and it makes me want to be a kid again.

The brew that grew...

Can anyone finish that phrase? Kate will be able to, you can count on it. This is on St. Paul's West Side which is geographically located to the south of downtown but on the west side of the Mississippi. It is so typically old St. Paul. The corner store in a turn of the century brick building with apartments above. There are dozens like it all over the city but this one is in especially good condition.

Eagle Parkway stoplight

OK, you Twin Citians out there. Where is Eagle Parkway? Now that this guy has changed the bulb on the traffic light you don't have to worry about getting stuck at this intersection.

Silhouette

There used to be a whole fence near my house made of these sculpted columns. Seen from the right angle the fence looked a row of assorted neighborhood characters keeping a watchful eye on passers-by.

When will it end?

My snowblower gets clogged up in the snow drifts. I think February needs to be even shorter than it is.

Caffeine for coping

I guess the musings about spring from a few days ago were a little premature. Snow bookends our winter from its first wet arrival in November to Presidents' Day. Too bad the kids get today off anyhow because it would be another snow day.

Foggy Mississippi

On a recent strangely warm winter day, the river was free of ice and shrouded in fog.

Ramsey House

Yesterday's view of the Alexander Ramsey House was pretty limited. I was more interested in the melting snow on the lacy wrought-iron fence surrounding the property. Here's a more complete view - dirty snow not withstanding.

Melting!

I caught this drip in midstream, one of many along the wrought-iron fence in front of the Alexander Ramsey House.

Muddy puddle

It may just be a muddy puddle to many of you out there, but to us Twin Citians it is the first glorious sign that the end of winter is in sight. Compare this to what I posted in December from the same spot.

Railroad Island

A little corner of historic St. Paul that I didn't know existed - across the railroad tracks from downtown. This brick house, now overlooking the 21st century city, was built in 1856 and you have to turn off Payne Avenue to find it. Not something most people would do.

The 46 Baguette

I don't usually post a photo from the same location two days running, but this basket of baguettes at Patisserie 46 must be calling. Too bad it's so far from my house.

I ❤ chocolate

I went to Patisserie 46 in south Minneapolis recently for coffee and a very authentic croissant, but also admired these pastries in their display case. Happy Valentine's Day to all lovers.

Light up your day

The Blair Arcade on Selby and Western is lit by a series of delicately decorated chandeliers. If not original turn of the century fixtures, they sure do a good job of pretending.

Advice on Selby Avenue

This speaks for itself - I guess. Not sure what the ballplayer has to do with anything, but he's ready to make things better...

Skiing the dog

Much more fun than walking - for dog and dog owner. Might even convince me to get a dog... Naw!

Chicken or the egg

Another chicken-themed art exhibit. This one at Minnesota Book Arts just finished, but am I obsessed with chickens?

Sunbird

Did they know what they were getting into when they came north for the snow?

Breaking news

Back at the Open Book the news banner proclaims far more interesting flashes than those coursing through Times Square.

River Road North

Up above St Anthony Falls and the first lock and dam, the Mississippi is frozen, but the changing color on the Guthrie Theatre sign attests to activity along the winter face of the river.

You are being watched

Remember the book artists exhibit at the Bloomington Arts Center? Well, it's still on and if you don't show up for the book signing on Feb. 8, there will be trouble to pay - cluck, cluck!

Keeping toes warm

I guess if you're going to be tramping around the ice sculptures and doing other Winter Carnival things it pays to dress warmly. Love that Hudson's Bay blanket coat.

Nature REALLY morte

We all gotta go sometime, but this was just a little disconcerting to discover a squirrel in rigor mortis while cross-country skiing on Highland golf course.

Around the world with a book

I was at a function at the Open Book Literary Center in downtown Minneapolis recently and loved this bookish globe. Can you see how each section is actually a book with the "North Pole" pages starting to get dog-eared? Must be from the melting ice cap.

F. Scott at the carnival

He watches over the ice sculptors in Rice Park and the revelers disembarking from the MetroTransit buses. For another blogger's take on the Winter Carnival, see Kate's Visual St. Paul.

Theme day: Fountains

Of course, this photo, taken in Irvine Park just west of downtown St. Paul, was not taken recently. But we can't wait until this ornate fountain with the spouting gargoyles is flowing again now, can we?

Click here for thumbnails of other theme day photos.