Wordless Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Ice Castle Construction 2

This is beginning to look more like a castle now. I hope that I can get downtown after it is completed to take more photos. Check this post to learn more about the Winter Carnival.

Minnesota Medley

The view from my front steps at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon.  A medley of Minnesota beauty!

Building the Ice Castle

Looks like the Ice Castle will be ready on time for the Winter Carnival in St Paul and the Super Bowl in Minneapolis!  The construction site in St Paul's downtown Rice Park was a busy hive of activity Sunday morning when I visited, intent on getting some pictures.  Barriers and fences surrounding the equipment, workers, and blocks of ice made photographing a little difficult, but I enjoyed watching the work-in-progress.

The work crew not only kept an eye on the blocks of unused ice, monitored moving the building blocks to the site and supervised the project.

SKOL

A Different Kind of Critter

I think that this snow "person" qualifies as a very different kind of critter, don't you?

Linking to Saturday's Critters

Another Lovely Winter Image

The way the bark has separated from the trunk is very appealing.

Since the weather has warmed up a bit during the last few days, Wild Wendy and I do not hurry home after just a few blocks during our morning walks.  We take our time and notice our surroundings again!

Minnesota Beauty

Despite freezing temperatures and ice, we Minnesotans appreciate natural beauty.

Wordless Wednesday, 1/17/18

My World: Snowfall Monday Morning

 When I awakened today this is what my world looked like on this snowy Minnesota Monday! The snowfall with beautiful large flakes began yesterday afternoon and ended around 8 pm. 

Library's Outdoor Reading Garden

I am looting my archives so I do not need to go outdoors for a day or two, until the below freezing temperatures change a bit in the other direction. This is the current scene (year after year) of the outdoor reading patio at my local library. Undisturbed, clean snow has a beauty all its own, yet I prefer the floral summer beauty!

Early Morning

It is currently still -5 degrees F at 11a.m. but it was much colder when Wild Wendy and I got up this morning. I just could not bring myself to take her for a  walk or to take photos.  Instead I went to our upstairs porch and photographed part of St. Kate's campus.  It would look much better without those lines across the photo, but what's a girl to do in Minnesota weather? The bottom photo is of WW, waiting for her early morning walk.  But what's a girl to do in this weather?!

Minnesota Winter Beauty

Despite the cold, daily morning walks with Wild Wendy can uncover some winter beauty!

PS.  Yesterday's post was colored "glass" ice balls: Fill balloons with water and food coloring, freeze, break balloons and viola…colored balls! Great for a snowy day!!

Colored "glass" - Fill balloons with water and food coloring, freeze, break balloon. Great for a snowy day!

Wordless Wednesday

Minnesota Winter Construction

 Minnesotans are hearty folks. Construction takes place year round, even when the temperature is in the minus double digit range. I won't even mention the wind chill factor! This is going to be a huge addition for the science and math departments in the school where I used to teach. A 1943 graduate generously donated millions of dollars for this state-of-the-art building: science on the first floor and math on the second. Despite a generous scholarship endowment, not everyone can enjoy the education that is available here. My greatest wish is that all students would be able to attend a school that matched the facilities and faculty of this wonderful school.

Theme Day, January 1, 2018: Favorite photo of the previous year

 Last March I posted several paintings that were in a Joy Liberman exhibit, a former colleague of mine and talented artist who teaches art to lower school students at the school where I used to teach literature and writing. There were so many paintings of hers I loved that it was difficult to chose one for this post. If you want to see others that I used on my 2017 blog go here, here, and here.

To see more favorite photos of other CDP bloggers, click here.