We’ve just returned from a quick Thanksgiving trip south – for warmer climes and family. After large dinners and feasts, this group gathered together at my parents’ house. Following both my mother’s and father’s deaths in the past year, their house of 57 years has many things in need of clearing and cleaning. This group of people who I am so happy to claim as family all chipped in with sweat, work and lots of laughter to fill a huge dumpster in a short period of time. Decisions were made on what to save, what to donate, and what to pitch. The pool table in the basement required the strength of the younger generation, along with the assistance of a chain saw and many recommendations (some heeded and some not) to find its way up the stairs to the dumpster. What could have been a week-long project filled with angst and tears, became a joyful celebration of the family that my parents were so proud of.
Author: lindastaatsphoto
Fog and stillness at Como Park
The cold and crisp of winter moderated the past two days with temperatures in the 40’s. With our layer of snow and cold temperatures on the ground we awoke this morning to a beautiful landscape of fog. The stillness of early morning and the fog’s softening effect made the landscape magical. Everything stood quietly as the fog moved in and out, becoming thicker and then lessening to a thin veil. I was at the McNeely Conservatory at Como Park this morning, where the thin ice of the Frog Pond allowed the fog to form above it in a narrow band, still leaving the dome of the conservatory visible above.
Winter’s arrival
The seasons change quickly, and so it was this past week. Overnight we went from autumn to winter, with snow and ice and January-like temperatures. Usually we have a teaser of a snowfall that quickly melts, but this week has had Minnesotans reaching for their dead-of-winter hats, coats, gloves, and snow shovels. Many of the autumn chores were rushed or left undone, including these clothespins that became decorated with snow. They clung desperately to the line as the wind rocked them back and forth, waiting patiently for someone to collect and store them until spring’s arrival next year.
Early morning at Gull Lake
I was lucky to have a great friend visit this past weekend. No matter that our beautiful autumn has passed and the colors are gone, we went exploring and hiking and got caught up on each others lives. We headed north to the central lakes region of Minnesota and stayed at the historic Grand View Lodge on Gull Lake. Two days before our arrival they had a couple of inches of snow, and although it was chilly the weather was fine for us. In the morning we walked along the lake, and this scene truly seemed to represent a lovely late summer’s day (although in reality the temperature was 34 degrees and the wind was blowing). I feel fortunate to have wonderful friends in my life, and this long weekend reminded me of a quote I read recently: “You can always tell when two people are best friends because they are having more fun than it makes sense for them to be having (author unknown).” And so it was for us!
The right place at the right light
Sometimes everything comes together wonderfully, and so it was last weekend. About seven miles away is a regional park right in the city, but to walk along the trails is like being miles away from the cacophony and bustle of urban life. I drove to the park before dawn and enjoyed the sunrise accompanied by the ducks, geese, and even some trumpeter swans. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the warmth of the early morning light washed across the shoreline of Sucker Lake. Protected from the wind, the reflection of the colors glowed in the lake’s surface, only to ripple when the ducks flew in. It was the perfect beginning to a fall day.
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