D is for door knocker

A lovely iron door knocker on an entrance to a grand Presbyterian church on Summit Avenue. To see more ABC Wednesday entries, click here.

Theme day: C is for curious

Theme day on City Daily Photo and ABC Wednesday arrive simultaneously today. When you go to a cabin in Minnesota the ground squirrels want to know who has moved in and whether there's anything in it for them.

For theme day thumbnails, go here. For more ABC entries, go here.

A is for adult toys

No, not those kind! These kind. When friends get together the urge to play is irresistible. You can see more ABC Wednesday entries, 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.

Winter moon rising

Last month I cheated a bit and posted the lunar eclipse which was not actually visible from the Twin Cities. We are at the full moon again, but this time we see it from an oddly brown St. Paul (still no significant snow).

Y is for yum!

When it starts getting cold, head for the warmth (and yumminess) of a winter squash. For more ABC Wednesday entries, go here.

Theme day: Photo of the Year 2011

My favorite photo for 2011 was published in July after I'd been to a street fair in Northeast Minneapolis. I loved the colors and styles of the vintage sunsuits these young women were wearing (and the 21st century hair coloring to set them apart from their grandmothers!).

To view thumbnails for all theme day participants, go here.

Rockin' New Years Eve

I recently saw the Black Tibetans who had a rockin' show. Hope you have a similarly flashy New Years Eve.

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.

Better watch out

They're on their way! Don't forget the cookies and milk... and a lawn chair.

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.

W is for the water tower in Woodbury

Continuing in the water tower theme for this weeks ABC Wednesday... For more ABC Wednesday photos, go here.

Along the watch tower

The Prospect Park water tower, built in 1913, is on the highest point of land in Minneapolis and thus visible from many points in the Twin Cities. Rumor has it that Dylan's song title refers to the tower which can be seen from the U of M. You can go up to the look out level but only once a year around Memorial Day when the neighborhood holds an ice cream social.

Silhouettes

I am inspired by the art of Michael Schmidt who paints a lot of urban landscapes with telephone wires and water towers.

Chilly day

It was a frosty, icy, evening down by the tracks.

A little fishy

Not sure what this graffiti is doing on an annex to the old 'A' mill in Minneapolis. Are they swimming toward the door?

Creamy coffee

Kopplin's has moved from a tiny hole-in-the-wall on Hamline to more spacious quarters on Marshall at Cleveland in St. Paul. Stop in for luscious caffe latte or cappuccino and pastries (chocolate pistachio danish is my fave). And then pick up some cupcakes at Sweets down the street. Tis the season!

Swan sighting

Trumpeter swans have arrived in White Bear Lake and are taking advantage of the fine weather.