As we headed into the first day of spring, the week seemed to have been filled with ups and downs. Our weather has bounced from 60’s to 40’s, from spring to winter. My favorite NCAA basketball team, the Jayhawks of Kansas University were up and then down, causing my brackets to bleed red. But today has ended the week on an up note. The Minnesota Twins held an open house for their season-ticket holders and we had the opportunity to see the brand new Target Field. Just like someone getting dressed up for company, the skies were blue, the sun was warm, and we learned the stadium is a gem! From our seats near the first base foul pole to the upper deck to the clear image on the scoreboard to the speaker system that you can actually understand — it’s all good. And to add icing on the cake, we’ve learned that our home-town MVP Joe Mauer has agreed to a contract extension. The team is looking good, and now our new stadium is almost done. Spring is in the air when you know opening day for baseball is just around the corner!
Uncovered surprises
With rain and warmer temperatures, most of our snow cover has melted. What surprised me was what has now been uncovered. Not only have I spotted tulips courageously pushing their tips above the ground, but I also found a beautiful dried hydrangea bloom. Somehow it survived the winter without being crushed by the weight of snow. I woke one morning to see it being blown by the wind across the front lawn. So strong, and yet so delicate, its blossoms are sheer with amazing intricacies. When backlit the bloom shines with the warmth and strength of the sun, and reminds me of other surprises to come in the change from winter to spring.
Sounds of transition
As a photographer, I consider myself a visual person. My eyes are constantly moving across whatever scene is in front of me, scanning for details, for patterns, for the beauty of the scene. Yet this week I’ve been attuned to the sounds in the air as we transition from winter to spring. With temperatures above freezing throughout the whole week, we’ve been serenaded with the sweet sound of running water. The gutters and drainspouts are gurgling once again — a sound we haven’t heard since early December. The street curbs are filled with water running from the snowmelt down to the storm drains. Every house and building overhang is dripping as the snow is melted by a warmer and brighter sun. As I was walking in the neighborhood this afternoon my ears caught the sound of a group of young boys playing catch and the distant radio broadcast of a spring training baseball game. I think spring is the one season that’s announced by a cacophony of sounds, all that are welcome with the promise of warmer weather, green grass, blue skies and warm sunshine. Yes, we still have mounds of snow and the sidewalks are becoming small canals as the water melts with nowhere to run, but we have hope in this annual ritual.
Hats of winter
This is now my fourth winter in Minnesota. When I moved here, I owned one hat – a baseball hat used to keep the rain off my face in Washington. I didn’t really like hats. But I quickly learned there is a whole culture of hats
in Minnesota! People love their hats, and there are so many different styles of hats to love. There are lightweight hats for early winter, there are hats that are meant to keep the top of your head warm, there are hats to tie under your chin to keep your cheeks and neck warm, and there are hats or hoods that are connected to your coat. And then as winter progresses and the temps get colder and colder, there are hats that keep every part of your head, ears, and upper body warm — these are the ones with flaps that come down and around, and are your very best friend on a sub-zero day. These are just some of my current hat collection (ok, one of them is borrowed but it’s so cool I just had to model it too!). The other cool thing about Minnesotans is they don’t care if you have hat-hair or not. Hat-hair is what everyone has, it’s a fact of life, and it’s just the way things are when the temps are hovering around zero. Practicality wins out over the fashionistas when survival is at stake. Winter hats are just one of the things I like about Minnesota.
Book Across the Bay, 2010 edition
We’ve just returned from a delightful weekend in Ashland, Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Superior. With a dear friend from Seattle who wanted to experience the fun of a snow-filled winter event, our visit coincided with the 14th annual Book Across the Bay. To celebrate the uniqueness of our upper-midwest winters (and just because we can!) over 3,300 people donned their skis and snowshoes and crossed frozen Chequamegon Bay from Ashland to Washburn, Wisconsin. The distance of 10 kilometers was lit by frozen luminaries, and included warm bonfires on the ice marking each kilometer. After snowshoeing for a bit more than a kilometer, I looked back to photograph this winding curve of luminaries leading to the lights of Ashland. Although the event started under partly cloudy skies at dusk, the clouds cleared as we worked our way across the bay, ending under a bright partial moon and a canopy of stars. The promise of a big party, great friends, and good beer at the finish-line was our incentive to “book” the distance.
lindastaatsphoto.com 