Like many people, we’re dealing with colder than normal temperatures. Sometimes the cold allows for some unusual photography, and such was the case this morning. Dressed with multiple layers we headed out before dawn, with a temp of -11. The air was crisp, and the snow was loud and crunchy underfoot. The main sections of the Mississippi River are frozen, but there are some areas that remain open. We wandered down to Hidden Falls Regional Park where a portion of the river was open allowing steam to rise into the cold air. At the edges of the open water were large sections of frost and we could see the new layers of ice forming. It seemed unusual to hear the flowing water when the air and outside temperatures were so very cold. Although it was a beautiful sight to enjoy, it was only for a short while as we headed back for some needed warmth and comfort.
Mississippi River
Early winter dawn along the Mississippi River
The cold of winter has swept south from the Canadian prairie into Minnesota. The lakes are icing over, but the rivers take a bit longer because of the current. We were north of the Twin Cities along the banks of the Mississippi River yesterday. The early morning light cast a beautiful glow on the barren trees along the banks, and the water was flowing but it contained numerous chunks of ice headed southward. Eventually the river will freeze in some sections, but the sections that remain open will attract birds and wildlife, and will teem with activity throughout the cold winter months.
Grape harvest time
As fall starts its arrival in Minnesota the days grow shorter, the nights are cooler, and the harvests begin. For the past few years we’ve helped some friends in the Wabasha area with their grape harvest. On a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, they have a beautiful vineyard that’s expanded every year. Last weekend we spent a day with friends and family picking grapes for this year’s harvest. Our work began under an overcast sky. After a couple of hours we stopped for a lunch break, only to look outside and see it raining. We continued harvesting in the rain for a few hours (not a problem except for the rain drops that ran down our arms when we’d reach up to cut the grape clusters), and then the clouds cleared and the sun came out leaving the grapes glistening with the rain. These are Frontenac grapes, a variety bred by the University of Minnesota and known for its cold-hardiness. As the sun started its descent to the horizon we left the vineyard feeling good about a full-day’s work outside. We shared a wonderful meal with our fellow grape-harvesters and then headed home with gallons of fresh-squeezed grape juice to enjoy in the upcoming months.
Minnesota State Capitol Building at night
We recently took a special starlight tour of the Minnesota State Capitol Building, one of the most majestic and beautiful buildings in Saint Paul. Designed in the late 1890’s by Cass Gilbert and opened to the public in January, 1905, the building towers over the city. The exterior is made of white marble and granite, and the unsupported marble dome is the second largest in the world. At the center of the first floor, under the massive dome, is a brass and glass star representing the North Star State. We toured the chambers of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Supreme Court, and we climbed to the roof and the base of the capitol dome to see the golden sculpture that’s called the Quadriga. Titled “The Progress of the State” it is a chariot drawn by four horses representing the powers of nature: earth, wind, fire, and water. At night the statues, which are covered with gold leaf, glow with the warmth of the lights illuminating them. From this high vantage point we could see the Cathedral of St. Paul which is down the boulevard from the Capitol, we could see the lights of the High Bridge spanning the Mississippi River, and we could look across the western sky to the downtown skyline of Minneapolis. It was the perfect late summer night to take in the beauty of this wonderful building and its surroundings.
Spring’s welcome
I awoke on the first day of spring, stepped outside, and inhaled. Brrrrrrr; the temperature was 4 degrees and all the hairs on the inside of my nose froze. As I looked around, the landscape was knee-deep in snow. There was nary a blade of grass to be seen or a flower shoot to encourage to grow, but there was a blue sky above and a bright sun shining. Spring (as commonly defined with blooming trees, flowers, and green grass) has not physically arrived in Minnesota yet…we remain hopeful. Rather than post another photo of snow, I went searching for evidence that we were at least starting the transition from winter to spring. I headed to the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Paul where I joyfully found it is not frozen solid, but the water is actually flowing in this area. There were chunks of ice drifting by on their journey southward from our cold northern climes. As I stopped and listened I could hear geese calling and I saw ducks flying into the open water. And there was also a hint of warmth in the bright sunshine. Soon our snow will be gone and we will see green grass and green leaves and know that spring truly has arrived.
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