This past weekend I participated in an exhibit at the Minneapolis Photo Center titled “Dress Rehearsal.” I was one of six photographers displaying new work. The exhibit room was beautiful, the work being shown was diverse and interesting, and the people that attended had a grand time seeing a collection of unique photographs — a great success all around. This is one of my new images that drew a lot of attention. “Late night cafe” was photographed in Ashland, Wisconsin. The image was made at night, after the cafe had been closed and certainly cleaned. The floor, tabletops, and counter were all spotless, glowing with the reflection of the neon sign that hung behind the counter. Everything was poised and waiting quietly for the early morning staff to arrive, the breakfasts to be started, the coffee to begin brewing, and the hungry crowd to gather around the tables and counter to start their day once again.
Minnesota
Snow sculptures, before the thaw
The Saint Paul Winter Carnival concluded this past weekend, and just in the nick of time. We finally climbed above freezing on Saturday, January 31st with a balmy 45 degrees! It appears once again that our Vulcans have persevered over winter, and spring can’t be too far away. This is a photo of the winning snow sculpture this year, titled “Hormel McSwine & Friends” (obviously captured before our January thaw!). The sculptures were on display at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and drew crowds of people admiring the art & craft, with the kids (and adults too!) wandering through the snow maze and dreaming of the summer use of the Fairgrounds, with animals, rides, entertainment, and all types of food on a stick! Warmer weather will prevail…soon!
Winter Carnival time in St. Paul
We are now celebrating the St. Paul Winter Carnival. For 122 years we have embraced our cold winter weather, finding excuses to join 350,000 other carnival visitors reveling in outdoor activities for “the coolest celebration on earth.” We layer and bundle and venture out in temperatures that hover at zero degrees. The carnival is based on a legend of Boreas, the King of the Winds, and his enemy Vulcanus Rex, the God of Fire, battling for spring and summer to overcome the cold of winter. Lucky for us, Vulcanus Rex and his Vulcan Krewe prevail each year, giving us the promise of warmer weather to come. There are parades, ice carving and snow sculpture contests, hockey tournaments, sledding, skiing, and a sleigh and cutter rally. This year’s sleigh and cutter festival was held at the Phalen Park Golf Course and included members of the St. Croix Horse & Carriage Society. Under crisp, blue skies there were beautiful sleighs, costumed drivers, and stunning horses. It was easy to lose yourself and be transported back to the late 1800’s or early 1900’s when this was the mode of winter transportation.
Subzero temperatures & icicles
The past week brought us some of the coldest temperatures in the past 10 years. We bottomed out at 22 degrees below zero on Thursday night. When it’s that cold, life becomes much different. You spend five minutes layering up and getting ready to go outside, covering any exposed skin. The moisture in your nose freezes instantly, and sounds travel through the air differently. You are thankful for heat, wool clothing, and the familiar sound of your car starting. But with the warmth of the sun beating through the blue sky, we were treated to beautiful icicles – translucent and glittering, suspended from the gutters. Although we’re warmer now, the icicles remain, changing each day with the temperatures and the sun.
How we celebrate the full moon in Minnesota
This past weekend brought us the biggest and brightest full moon, and we were fortunate to have clear skies. And since it’s Minnesota, and it’s cold here, this is one of the most popular outdoor activities — ice fishing. It’s still a bit unnerving to me to drive out on a frozen lake, but that’s exactly what we did on Saturday night. What we found was a large community of houses and people enjoying the evening with fishing and snowmobiling. And the full moon didn’t let us down — it rose large and beautiful over a calm winter’s evening. Later we unpacked our snowshoes and wandered through a beautiful scientific & natural area near the St. Croix River, illuminated completely by the full moon. It was a perfect way to enjoy a beautiful Minnesota winter’s evening.
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