"berried 'n chocolate"

What do children do when school is not in session on a sunny, but cold winter day? Perhaps find a bakery and juice shop and sit next to a sunny window while eating a pastry?  Sounds just about right!

Safe Crossing?

If you can see over the plowed snowbanks, I guess it might be safe to cross.

Two Views

On a Clear Day

Interesting to see how weather affects images. 

A Repost (Dec. 16) A Blizzard

Bus Stop

New York and the eastern seaboard have nothing on us!

F.Scott

DH and I often stroll through Rice Park downtown when we are going to a performance at Ordway. This sculpture of F. Scott Fitzgerald (one of our boys, you know) is a prominent statue among many others in this little jewel of a park.  F. Scott is a familiar person to me since I've taught his short stories to middle schoolers and The Great Gatsby to high school students...at St. Paul Academy, the school that he attended as a youngster before going off to a private school in the East. Whenever we walk by, I stop to chat with him or give him a hug, much to DH's consternation and the amusement of passersby.

Obviously this was taken during the summer.  The snow and my wounded wing have severely curtailed my photo shoots so here you have it...more photos from the past.


So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." The Great Gatsby, 1925

Glass Masks

I have a similar mask hanging in the window in my kitchen.  It always cheers me when I see it. Yes, these are creations from Peter's work.

My Purchase

Peter will make a wall hanging for me of the Zen stones similar to this one.  I intend to

place it  in "the room of my own" that I redecorated  last year as my very own personal space. It will send off good vibes for me!

Merry Christmas!

My Favorites!

Selecting a favorite in Peter's showroom is not easy, but I was quite taken with these Zen stones.  Come back tomorrow to see what I commissioned Peter to make for me!

Objects to sell

Here are just three of the many beautiful glass pieces Peter has in his showroom, ready to be purchased and brought home. Come back tomorrow and I'll show you my favorites.

Almost completed!

It almost looked like magic whenever Peter put an object into one of the furnaces, removed it, and then placed it back in another furnace to continue the shaping process.  Each step seemed to take on a life of its own. Fascinating to watch.  This bowl is going to be a beauty after it has cooled and is truly finished. I  can't show any of the pieces Peter made during the demonstration because they each needed to be placed immediately in a special case in order to cool.  Tomorrow I'll show you just a few of the many pieces for sale in his showroom.

Glass Blowing Process

While we were watching, Peter made three different objects: a snowman, a vase and a bowl. These four photos show him at work while shaping two of them.

Glass Blowing

This is Peter's studio where I was able to snap a few pictures during the Glass Blowing demonstration at his open house. The large furnace heats at 2400°F and the small furnace on the upper right heats to 2000°F.  Tomorrow I'll show you a few photos of the steps in the process.

Meet Peter

Meet Peter who was one of my students when he was in 8th grade.  Not only was he one of my favorites then, he remains so now, not as a student but as an artist.  Yesterday we went to his studio for his annual Holiday Sale and to watch his glass blowing demonstration. Come back tomorrow, and I'll show you some of his work.

Air Bag Demonstration

After buying a new car, we went back to the Toyota dealership in Maplewood for an evening seminar on basic features and safety devices.  It was an interesting evening, which began with a grab bag of goodies (flashlight, notebook, Swiss Army knife and various other objects), dinner, followed by the information lectures, prizes selected by lottery (of course, I won nothing), and then a trip through the shop to look at different Toyota car models with salespersons, managers, and mechanics who were there to answer questions. My favorite was a demonstration that deployed an airbag, as seen above. I was assured that none of the airbags would result in greater injury to my wounded wing.

December Blizzard #3

Although this was not snapped during the blizzard, the figures look like everything else on the horizon...surrounded by snow!!

St. Paul Blizzard December 2010 #2

I was not kidding!

Just to let you know that I was not kidding! Check out the bandage on the right shoulder. Now both the sling and the bandage are gone. Alleluia!

St. Paul Blizzard December 2010

This is my first photo on my new iMac, and I sure wish that I knew what the heck I'm doing. I wonder how this is going to turn out on the portal? If this works, I hope that I can duplicate it again tomorrow!!

For those of you who have asked, my medical recovery is going along quite well!  Yesterday my doctor said that my progress has EXCEEDED his expectation.  Can't drive yet, but I no longer have to wear the **^&!!%$#!** sling at home but need it when I go out so as to forestall anyone jostling me or slapping me on the shoulder. Freedom!!