Saint Paul

The fog comes

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Yesterday I awoke to a rare treat — a cool, foggy morning.    For me, there is a special stillness and quietness that settles over the landscape when everything is shrouded with a soft blanket of fog .  I found myself walking quietly so as not to disturb the air and the peacefulness that surrounded me.  And because it was an early Saturday morning, the usual hustle and bustle of work  routines were non-existent with few people out and about.  Since moving to Minnesota I’ve realized that fog is one of the atmospheric conditions of the Pacific Northwest that I miss.   As I was photographing this scene, I was reminded of the beginning of Carl Sandburg’s poem “Fog” where he writes “The fog comes on little cat feet.”  It moves in quietly, settles, and then travels on.   And as was the case yesterday, the sun and heat of summer eventually broke through the fog and we returned to blue sky and bright sunshine.

A drive-in delight on a hot summer’s night

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It’s summer here in the mid-west.  We’ve had temps in the 80’s and 90’s, and humidity that sometimes matched those temperatures.  One of the best ways to cool off on a hot summer’s night is to be on or near the water, whether it’s a pond, a lake, or a river.  So last night we headed over to Hudson, Wisconsin and with our feet in the water, we watched the sun set over the St. Croix River.  It was beautiful and delightful, especially with all the sailboats and recreational boats on the river.  Afterwards, it seemed only appropriate to finish off the evening with some cool ice cream.  We were on the east side of Saint Paul and stopped at the Dari-ette Drive-In.  Here you can order from your car or walk up to the window.  We ordered our ice cream and sat outside at a table to enjoy the evening.  With its neon sign, the flashing ice cream cone, and the lights of the cars going by, I couldn’t help but pull out my camera to photograph one of the last few drive-ins that still exist in the state.  If you’re in Saint Paul or passing through, I’d certainly recommend a stop at the Dari-ette Drive-In.

Roses after the rainfall

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We’ve had a couple of days of constant and sometimes heavy rainfall.  Although it’s wonderful for the lawns it’s also pelted some of the flowers.  We have a beautiful John Cabot climbing rose in the backyard that has been full of blooms.  With the weight of the rain it has pulled some of the canes so far forward that the blooms have been touching the lawn.  Those blooms that were past their prime have been knocked down and have created a carpet of petals on the lawn under the bush.  At first I wanted to clean up all the petals, and yet upon a closer look I realized that they were truly quite lovely as they lay scattered about.   Sometimes the “untidiness” of nature has lessons for us all to learn.

Peonies and roses of late spring

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Our spring garden is in full bloom right now — a delight to all the senses!  We have three peony bushes that are all beautiful.  The white bush is one we purchased here in Minnesota, but the two pink bushes are from my parents’ yard in Overland Park, Kansas. It’s always a treat to see it bloom and think of them.  Our roses are also in full bloom, making for a wonderful and delightful compliment in this arrangement.  The John Cabot roses in this image are from a large climbing bush in the backyard.  Our early spring and summer weather has the gardens about two weeks ahead of their normal schedule, but I’m not hearing anyone complaining.  It is such a treat to enjoy the blooms not only outside in the garden, but to be able to bring them inside to brighten our home.

Spring passages

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In amongst the hustle and bustle of the past week I noticed the whitest of lilac blossoms peeking out amongst the green leaves.  Whereas the purple lilacs are now past their bloom, the white lilac is at its peak.  So similar yet so different, not only in its blossom but also its scent.  Our house has been filled with the fragrance of spring, although that too will be coming to a close as the last of the lilacs fade away.

We celebrated another ritual of spring this past weekend — a quick trip to the Kansas City area to attend my niece Alyssa’s high school graduation.  With her high school studies, sports, dance, and other activities behind her, she’s now looking forward to attending college in the fall.  Congratulations, Alyssa — you’ve made us all proud and we’re excited for you and your future endeavors.