Although Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes that is actually quite modest as there are thousands more. The advantage for those of us in urban areas in the state is that we are never very far from a wonderful lake. Within a 10-mile radius of our home are a dozen plus lakes to enjoy. On a calm summer’s evening earlier this week, we launched our canoe for a leisurely paddle. We took along a light dinner to enjoy, a transistor radio to listen to the baseball game, and good attitudes to relax and appreciate the beauty of summer in Minnesota. The colors of the sky and sunset reflected in the quiet waters of the lake. In this photo you can see the power lines and electrical towers of the city, but you can’t see the interstate highway that is just on the other side of the far tree line. On this evening there was no noise audible from the traffic, and we were serenaded by the call of a loon that was residing somewhere on the lake. Except for the power lines, we could have easily been miles away from our urban life. We were out on the lake for only a couple of hours but this short respite from the hustle and bustle, the noise and cacophony of the city life was a wonderful way to appreciate and savor the best of the summer season.
baseball
The ups and downs of spring
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!
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.
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