One of Each Please!

I would NEVER brave the crowds and go shopping on Black Friday, a huge shopping day after Thanksgiving in the US. Merchants rely heavily upon sales on that big day, and consumers race from store to store looking for bargains. Some even camp out overnight to get special deals, especially at electronics stores. This year one of the WalMart stores had to close their doors when a fight broke out among shoppers who wanted the same merchandise. Madness!!

Despite refusing to join the hordes, I made my way to a Rug Cleaning establishment that was offering 30% discount on that day only so I brought in an area rug that I want to use to spiff up my new "room of my own." The highly reputable shop also sells oriental rugs, and, of course, they were on sale for Black Friday. In addition to salivating over the rugs I decided to take some photos. Not the best light, but you get the picture!!

Minnesota's Wild!

These two guys had their tickets to the Minnesota Wild's hockey game against Colorado and didn't have to look for theirs on the street as did the man I showed you yesterday. I hope that he found someone with an extra ticket! (Wild-5, Colorado-3!) We left the morning St Paul Chamber Orchestra concert about 12:30, and the streets were alive with people going to the hockey game that started at 1 pm. A slightly more festive crowd than the one we had just left at the Ordway Center where the concert had taken place!

Need tickets!

I met this man on the streets in downtown St. Paul on Friday, November 27. Can you guess what tickets he wants? I'll tell you tomorrow.

Bass Lake, Wisconsin

Yesterday I introduced you to my friends; today I want to introduce you to the view of Bass Lake from their deck. Nice, isn't it?

Giving Thanks!

I am grateful and thankful for many things in my personal life: health, good neighbors, family and friends to name just a few. Last month six of us gathered together at the beautiful lake home of one couple. The men have been friends since elementary school and high school. All five of those pictured grew up in St. Paul, but I'm the only Wisconsinite. I'd like you to meet them! Seated around the table from left to right are Jim F, now living in Colorado; Jim N, my DH; and, Joe and Sylvia P who live in the lake home we visited. Standing are Carol F and I. Joe and Jim N lived across the alley from one another for years from early childhood. Before marriage and moving away, Jim F grew up just down the block from where we now live. I wonder how many people are friends from childhood and still see one another? Can't beat it!!

51 Novels!!-Stephen King

Talking Volumes: A book club where the author shows up! My previous post featured Barbara Kingsolver who wowed the crowd at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul and last Wednesday night, Stephen King showed up to be interviewed by Terri Miller of Minnesota National Public Radio. He, too, was a huge hit with the audience. I wasn't seated as close to the stage as during my previous visits, but even at a longer distance my camera caught his facial expression that demonstrates his wit and humor. Again, it was a sell-out and to accommodate the crowd, part of the audience was seated on the stage behind King. He talked about the history of his literary career and read some passages from his most recent novel, "Under the Dome." Responding to audience questions about his books, he revealed that his favorite novel is "The Shawshank Redeption" and his favorite character is Gordon Lachance in "The Body" which was made into a movie called "Stand By Me",(somewhat autobiographical because the main character is a writer). We always wondered how he could get into the mind of a kid so well! His favorite movie is "Cujo." Although my husband is more of a Stephen King fan than I am, I loved the evening.

Barbara Kingsolver

Although I am still on my self-imposed sabbatical I felt that I should share these photos of writer Barbara Kingsolver. I saw her being interviewed by Terri Miller at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul last Wednesday as part of the Talking Volumes series, sponsored by The Loft Literary Center and NPR. Great evening because T. Miller always does a superb job of interviewing the writers who are engaged for this popular program, and Kingsolver was fantastic. She held our attention talking for approximately an hour about the craft of writing and how it applies to her own methods.

Camera Critters-Saturday and Sunday Meme

This photo speaks for itself!

To see more Camera Critters from around the world on Saturday and Sunday, click here.<

NOTE: FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS I'LL BE TAKING A BLOG SABBATICAL TO TAKE CARE OF SOME PERSONAL BUSINESS. ALTHOUGH I'LL NOT BE COMMENTING OFTEN, I INTEND TO VISIT YOUR BLOGS FREQUENTLY. SEE YOU LATER!!

Alley Art

Earlier this summer I went in search of the homes that had received "Best Alley Flower Gardens"--an annual award that encourages residents to beautify their alleys as well as their lawns. I found many outstanding gardens bordering the alleyways. I was struck, however, by another kind of art--beautifying the garage doors. When I was young, we played "kick-the-can" in alleys but I do not recall either gardens or decorated garages. Perhaps people are getting more creative and sensitive to their environments, even the most humble areas. What do you think?

Camera Critters-Saturday and Sunday Meme - Another Flower?

Maggi's favorite bed!

Wanna Play?

I've been told that when a dog has this kind of stance, it really wants to play. Our dog Maggi often "bows" like this after she greets us. In this guest photo by Jeremy, Maggi has just been approached by another dog at the dog park.

Photographers, Jeremy and Joe-100 Strangers #16

"Nothing happens when you sit at home. I always make it a point to carry a camera with me at all times…I just shoot at what interests me at that moment." – Elliott Erwitt

I met these two photographers, Jeremy and Joe, at the dog park which lies adjacent to the Twin Cities International Airport (See yesterday's post). Their cameras and lenses created much envy on my part, and we had a pleasant discussion.

100 Strangers Project-#15-Jeremy-ABC Wednesday "J"

"The photograph itself doesn't interest me. I want only to capture a minute part of reality." ~Henri Cartier Bresson

This week the letter is "J" and I met the perfect subject. I met JEREMY, a "real" photographer, at the dog park near the International Airport. Many of the dog owners enjoy watching the airplanes takeoff and land on an adjoining runway while the dogs scamber with one another. I noticed JEREMY with a friend who was visiting from Wyoming for the express purpose to do a photo shoot. Both of the men were taking photos of the aircrafts, as I often do with my little point-and-shoot Canon. Their equipment acted like a magnet for me so I chatted with them for awhile. What I wouldn't give for lenses like they own!!


For more ABC photos that bloggers from around the world have posted, visit here.

Senior Speech

The school where I previously taught has a senior speech requirement for graduation that the students enjoy, especially AFTER they've completed theirs, and which the community loves. When a student's speech is scheduled before the all-school assembly, family and friends also attend to enjoy the performance, offer support and supply congratulations. I recently went to a former student's fun-filled and humorous speech which was delivered with great poise.

Benches

“A throne is only a bench covered with velvet.”
Napoleon Bonaparte (French General, Politician and Emperor (1804-14). 1769-1821)
I got interested in benches after visiting RuneE from Visual Norway. (Note the similar blog names! Great minds...) The variety of styles of benches offers many opportunities for photos plus restful periods to just sit and think. How many times have you done that in the past?!

CAMERA CRITTERS-Saturday & Sunday Meme

Last week-end we spent some time on Hawk Ridge, spotting soaring raptors above the bluff and watching the activity around us. This photo shows a volunteer demonstrating the wing span of one of the raptors that was netted earlier and was about to be released. See this post for more information about the migration.


To see more Camera Critters from around the world on Saturday and Sunday, click here.

Lecture

During the migration, trained volunteers exhibited the raptors and gave instructions on how an individual could hold the bird before releasing it. People stood in line to make a contribution to "adopt" a bird for the privilege of holding it briefly and then releasing it. It was fun to see how rapidly the birds soared and flew away.

Mystery Motion

If you have been following my posts about my week-end in Duluth, you'll immediately recognize what this man has just done. Care to guess? If you aren't sure, click here.

ABC Wednesday-"I": Cigar Store INDIAN

I was surprised to see this wood-carved cigar store INDIAN statue in front of a souvenier shop at Park Point in Duluth, Minnesota since our Native American INDIANS are not happy about the way that they are depicted. Because it is not PC anymore to use sterotypical images of INDIANS, it seemed somewhat out-of-place, but it certainly offered an IMAGE for ABC Wednesday!

Hawk Ridge in Duluth, Minnesota USA

Tens of thousands of raptors pass over Lake Superior in the fall, and Hawk Ridge in Duluth is the best place to watch. During migration in September and October, the birds do not cross Lake Superior but rather travel along the bluffs at the southern end of the lake, soaring high when their flight then becomes effortless by rising columns of warm, rising air: the thermal effect. To read more of the history of Hawk Ridge, click here.

The collage records some of the activities that takes place on week-ends during the birds' migration when people from all over the country (and some birders from outside the United States) come to watch and photograph the soaring birds. Experts are available to instruct the onlookers, birders record their life lists, and photographers have a field day. Earlier some of the hawks are netted, banded, and then offered for "adoption." Those who adopt a bird for a small fee are then given the privilege of releasing the raptor, giving back its freedom.