Yo' Mama!

This mural was hard to photograph because it is several stories up from the ground on a tall building. It's slightly askew but the colors are interesting. I have no idea about its background, but the pink and blue "MOM" appealed to me.

Many flowers!

Back from the flower market, 4-yr-old granddaughter Olivia poses with the posies she has chosen. Seems to me that there are many flowers in the photo!

The Bacchus Society

My favorite store -- check the bargain sale prices!

Dogi Pot

The University of Minnesota has a world-class Veterinary School of Medicine on the St. Paul campus. We've taken our dogs to the Small Animal Clinic there for decades. Recently I noticed that the groundskeeper means business when considering the dogs' business!

EXTRA EXTRA--COMMENTARY!

I'm trying to learn how to link to other blogs so.......don't despair if your name isn't on my list yet. It's slow-going because I'm not a techie. It'll happen!! I hope to work on it this coming week-end.

An urban frontyard

This little critter stayed still long enough for me to "shoot" him for our pleasure and enjoyment.
Aside: Couldn't get into ANY blogs until just now (3 pm CDT)!!

An urban backyard

This aluminum canoe, several years in disuse now, spent idyllic, lazy days floating down the St. Croix river in the past, carrying two happy children, an occasional dog, and my husband and me. Many stories to tell: a wonderful Minolta 35mm camera still resting somewhere on the bottom of the river after a careless but nasty canoe tipover, neighborhood camping trips with wild revelers, sunbathing on sandbars, and scary thunder and lightening storms that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. The grandkids are now old enough to go canoeing, but those darn canoes get heavier and heavier every year!

One of our Boys!

St. Paul's native son, F.Scott Fitzgerald, has a theatre named for him, topped with this marque sign hanging above the entrance. Garrison Keeler tapes many of his live shows there, and it is the very site of the filming of A Prairie Home Companion, starring Meryl Streep and a number of other Hollywood notables.

Santa Fe Influence

One of our local cafes, Bread and Chocolate, has this pseudo fireplace and Sante Fe-influenced cabinet doors in a corner of the room. It's restful and beautiful in its simplicity, different than the rest of the busy place.

Mickey's

Mickey's has been a local downtown landmark for generations.

Fantasy Land

Despite less-than-perfect weather, yesterday the white tents that hold a variety of crafts of all kinds were slowing going up, displaying a variety of items: clothing, furniture, jewelry, paintings, photographs--you get the picture. Traffic is blocked from four long blocks on one of our main streets for three days so vendors can sell and customers can delight in the many treasures, while eating goodies from the many food trucks and carts. This booth can satisfy any little girl's imagination.

Today Starbucks-Tomorrow the World!

Two of my favorite servers at Starbucks, Jason and Abdul, who always remember my name, know what I usually order, and give me a Grande Latte with a smile! There are many more servers there, though, that are just as friendly and efficient. They just weren't there when I had my camera.

The Gov's Pad

St Paul is the capital of the state of Minnesota. Upon each election, the govenor and family reside in this formerly-private residence of the Irvine family , who donated it to the state several decades ago.The brass plaques, one on each side of the wrought iron gate, indicate that it is on the National Register of Historical Places. Of course it is located on Summit Avenue.

St.Luke's Front Door

Although tastes have changed, historically Summit Avenue has been the premier street in St. Paul. St. Luke's parish has been around for a long time and has nurtured the spiritual lives of many Roman Catholics in the city. The building is huge, and its main entrance on Summit is shown here. PS. Something has occurred along the way, and I can't fix the 404 error; consequently, a click will not produce an enlarged image as it did when I first posted it. Too bad because the detail is wonderful. I think it's computer voodoo!

Supermarket Cheese Lady

The cheese lady, like her product, is prominently displayed where customers can ask her questions as she cuts, weighs, and seals the cheese packages. The "caution-hot" sign is there to warn both children and adults about the equipment she uses. Apparently they can't resist touching the hot machine, and, adults are worse than the children--even with the sign!

Supermarket Floral Display

I really prefer the Farmers' Market flowers, or any flowers grown outside in the summer, but when it's winter, I'd gladly fetch a bouquet like these that are still on display in our supermarkets. I wonder why anyone would buy these in the summer when others are available?

Hungry?

This display case in Lunds in Highland Park, one of our local supermarkets, has both national and international cheeses on display. Not a bad selection!

A Foaming Fountain

Bath anyone? This was an arresting spectacle on Kellogg Boulevard. I wonder how all that foam developed in the fountain? Surrounding it were benches on which were a few sleeping homeless men, both young and old. It would be tempting to use it as a personal bath, I imagine.

One of Many

Fountains in the city are both small and large. This is one of several that dot neighborhoods in St. Paul.

Market Musicians

The downtown Farmers' Market has musicians who entertain on Saturdays. Go to kate-musings to see more photos.

Whole Foods

A day late and a dollar short---now, when was the super mart theme??

Highland Theatre

One of the few small theatres left in St. Paul and its suburbs. Lucky for me, it's within walking distance of my house. It has an art deco facade which is not visible from this shot, though.

Body Worlds

The exhibit of plasticated bodies and body parts has created lots of interest in the Cities as well as in other cities where it has travelled. (This larger than life mural is on the entrance wall of the Minnesota Science Museum in downtown St. Paul) Some medical people have written letters of protest, feeling that the human body has been desecrated in the name of art. I took my 12-year-old grandson to it, and we both learned a great deal from it. The atmosphere in the galleries as people moved from one section to the next was hushed and very reverent. The poses of the athletes, ice skaters, and dancers were remarkable. The diseased organs were not my favorite and scared the devil out of me! If you are a smoker, you would quit after seeing all the blackened lungs on the bodies. All in all, if it comes to your city, don't miss it!!

Saturday Farmers' Market

This young, beautiful woman is the favorite flower vendor of many customers at the market.
Almost every Saturday I go downtown St. Paul to see the wares and to buy bread, cheese, vegetables, and flowers from the sellers at the various stalls. Pretending to be Eliza Doolittle I often bring an umbrella along as I stroll the aisles in my private fantasy!

The Game or the Girls?!

The cheerleaders of our local soccer team, The Minnesota Thunder, accommodate their fans after a game by doing more acrobatics.

A Tree Falls....

The aftermath of a tree falling...

Campus Art

These metal images on the campus of the University of St. Thomas make me smile. Don't know why they are all female; guess I need to find out why. They're on the corner of Summit and Cretin Avenues on the sidewalk leading to the Science Building. Wonder why they were placed there near that particular building?

A Cliché?

Flags of Old Glory are abundantly displayed over the 4th of July, but recently buntings are becoming more commonplace and are seen often now, draped on private homes, fences and porches.

"It was a dark and stormy night"...

For several years (three-in-a-row, I think) our city fathers had Schultz's characters made and distributed throughout the city to honor the creator of the comic strip, who was born and reared in St. Paul. One year it was all Charlie Brown, the next it was Lucy, and, of course, Snoopy. Later all the sculptures were sold to individuals, businesses, schools, and other places where they now stand. This one is owned by a local Half-Price bookstore, appropriately so.

For the last few days I've been in Duluth, Minnesota (see my Kate-musings and Kate-travels). I still don't know how to do links and other necessary postings, but I'll learn!