I spent the 4th of July holiday working in the yard. We’ve recently had some new cement work done, including adding a small patio in the front yard. All of the sidewalks and steps were completed at the beginning of last week; just in time to have a couple of yards of dirt delivered so we could being filling in the areas next to the new walks. The summer day grew hotter as I hauled the wheelbarrow full of dirt back and forth and back and forth. Not only did the pile of dirt dwindle, but I was able to spend time reflecting on all the liberties and freedoms we enjoy in the United States. Our country’s founding fathers could not have envisioned the daily lives we lead in 2013. How fortunate I am be able to enjoy a holiday for our Independence Day, to work in the yard, and to make this small space a better place.
cityscape
Late winter reflections
Our winter has been unusual by normal Minnesota standards. The snow drought has continued with warmer temperatures, but just when we thought spring was being ushered in on southerly winds we got a snowfall of three inches. Now that’s not a huge snowfall, but this year it amounts to one of our larger ones. Since the air temperatures are much warmer, any snow that does come is likely to melt rather quickly. And so it was with this snow. As I was driving home the other night I entered our alley and was greeted by this scene. I don’t normally think of alleys are being prime photographic opportunities, but I was caught off guard this day. The power poles created a wonderful repetition in the standing water, and the reflection of the colors of the sky created a meandering curve down the length of the alley.
Red Bull Crashed Ice in Saint Paul
Saint Paul has been on the international map this weekend as it hosted the 2012 opening race of the extreme sport of ice cross downhill. This also happened to be the US debut of the sport, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. The Red Bull Crashed Ice races were held over the past three days on a course that started next to the majestic Cathedral of Saint Paul. The ice track (think of a bobsled course) travelled a quarter of a mile with jumps and hairpin turns all going downhill towards downtown. The competitors wore full pads, helmets, and hockey skates and were clocked up to 40 mph as they made their way to the finish line. It was a party atmosphere when I attended Friday night’s elimination rounds. The temperature was about 10 degrees with a wind chill near zero, requiring my warmest boots, hat, coat, and gloves. As all good Minnesotans don’t let cold and/or snow deter their fun, the crowds came out in the tens of thousands to watch the races. It’s high-speed and fascinating to watch, and certainly not for the faint of heart. The finals took place last night in front of a crowd of 80,000 fans. I won’t mention who won; instead you can watch the rebroadcast of the Saint Paul series by NBC on Saturday, January 21st at 1:00pm CST. Check it out, or go to the Red Bull Crashed Ice website to learn more.
Cue a new year
With our brown grass and unseasonably warmer temperatures it really hasn’t “felt” or “looked” like Christmas, let alone winter. For New Year’s Eve we planned a quiet day of running errands and making turkey soup, and then headed out for an evening movie at the historic Riverview Theater in Minneapolis. And as things seem to have a way of cueing up at just the right time, we came out of the theater around 9:30 to the sight of a beautiful snowfall. We walked across the street to a lovely cafe and wine bar, and enjoyed the mixture of lively conversation and a band while watching the snow collect on the sidewalks and trees. This was a wet and heavy snow, and the flakes were the biggest I’ve ever seen. Some could easily have been over an inch and half square! It was as if 2012 had taken its cue to enhance our mood with a much-needed and appropriate snowfall.
As I look back on 2011 I am thankful for so many things – friends, family, and good health (including one repaired thumb). I’ve had the opportunity to make over 5,100 photographic images this past year. Granted, not all of them are the “perfect” image, but many have served as “sketches” for a final image. I’ve also taken two short videos – one was intentional and one was not. And, for the 3rd year I have posted a photo and entry to this blog every week. I started to blog in 2009 as a challenge to maintain my love of photography. Some weekends I approach my computer and blog with joy, wanting to share a great photo and a wonderful experience I’ve had. Other weekends I start to panic on Sunday realizing that I haven’t had my camera out and I feel a deadline fast approaching. Each of those scenarios have taught me things about myself and my photography. Thanks to all of you that follow my blog, and to those who comment. Your interest in my scenes and stories, coupled with your comments and your stories keep me coming back week after week.
May this coming year be filled with peace, hope, beauty, vision, more photographs, experiences, and a life filled to the brim!
The art of summer
The other night I came home and found a purple pail sitting by the sidewalk steps. It’s not something that’s usually there but when I peered inside I saw it was full of big pieces of colored chalk. I didn’t think much of it until later in the evening when I saw two of the neighborhood girls drawing hopscotch squares on the sidewalk. Again, I didn’t think much of it….until the next morning. As I headed out the door for an early morning walk I was thrilled to find that the entire sidewalk on our block had been covered with artwork. These industrious young girls had taken their chalk and drawn a meandering path the length of the block and had numbered each square. In some sections the blocks have different shapes and are sometimes side by side. But each and every block is numbered, starting at #1 and ending at #600. I was delighted to see such creative artwork right at our front steps! Although many of us adults wouldn’t think to do what these girls did, they certainly enjoyed this project. It made me think back to the summers of my childhood when I spent countless hours on my bicycle, afternoons spent at the swimming pool in our neighborhood, or the days spent tying together the white flowers from the clover to make a clover chain that stretched from my house to my girlfriend’s house. I flourished and grew up in those summers, and only now appreciate them for all the experiences I’ve carried with me into my adulthood. So to these neighborhood girls I say “thanks – you’ve shared a child’s joy of summer and art with our entire neighborhood.”
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