Memories-ABC Wednesday "C"; Taphophile Tragics

Quiet Little Church

Picturesque Cemetery

Long lost relatives

This is the church and the cemetery where my parents and other members of my family are buried in Maplewood, Wisconsin.  It's a quiet little hamlet, reminiscent of small European towns.  Whenever we drive to Door County we make a stop here.  The graveyard is a perfect little place for a picnic, too.

The large tree is where we normally enjoy our meal among our long lost relatives, chief among whom are my parents, brother and his wife, and infant sister.

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To visit the Taphophile Tragics meme, click here.

Extraordinary Woman and Volunteer

 Lover of Greyhounds

Makes Kelly an Exception--

 Owner of Thirteen Dogs!

Meet Kelly from Rochester, Minnesota. I stopped and spoke with her at the MN Greyhound Rescue booth at the St. Paul Highland Art Festival. With her were three dogs that represent some of the dogs available for adoption. Kelly herself owns 13 Greyhounds! Living with them in the house with 3 kids must be an incredible experience! Kelly has been volunteering for 6 years now and is currently a co-director of the MN Greyhound Rescue. I'll post photos of the dogs next Saturday on the Camera Critters meme.

To learn more about the 100 Strangers project, click here: www.100strangers.com/  Kelly is my 89th "stranger" since I started posting with this group in 2009.

A Photo Shoot

Granddaughter and I

A Photo Shoot Together

Many Local Scenes

Cooperative

Camera Critter

Floats Lazily - St Kate's Pond

Peaceful Afternoon

One of my granddaughter's favorite activity is visiting and feeding the ducks on the pond on St. Kate's campus, located behind our house.  As long as we bring food, they are most cooperative.

To see more camera critters, please click here.

Light and Distance

Our Capitol Dome

Building is seen from afar

Sky bathes it in light

Coal Fired Pizza

Glowing Coals Afire

Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza

Best Thin Crust in Town !!

ABC WEDNESDAY-B-Benched

DH benched again...

After two college seasons

Quickly quit football!

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ABC WEDNESDAY-"B"-BEACHED BOAT

Beached boat with no bay

No backwater nor bayou

Summon Sailors now!

To see more photos posted on the ABC WEDNESDAY meme, please click here.

What's Next?

Sunday... Fiber Art

Today...Tattoos Are in Style

Tuesday...Ship Ahoy!

Fiber Art

Annual Art Fair

Trio of  Fiber Art Dolls

Talented Artist

  Barbara Riegel Bend is a sculptural fiber artist in Roberts, Wisconsin.  Her booth was one of the most colorful at the St. Kate's Art Fair, an annual event which is held on the green campus lawn of the university. It's a sea of white tents with juried arts and crafts of all kinds.

Safety

A Bird in the Bush

Better than Bird in the Hand

Hidden Among Reeds

To see more Camera Critters, please go here.

Blowin' in the Wind

A Powerful Windy Night

Frail Tree Blowin' in the Wind

Tumbles to the Ground!

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.  The next best time is now.  ~Chinese Proverb

IMPORTANT RED ALERT:  If you are a member of CDP and have a Facebook acct., you can join the CDP group at FB and add your very own post every day.  Check it out at Facebook!  Since the portal is down, I've missed some of you and your blogs and this is an easy way to keep in touch with one another.

The August theme day is...Numbers

Sunflowers

Woman's Sunflowers

A market vendor sells them

Sunny Summer Days

IMPORTANT RED ALERT:  If you are a member of CDP and have a Facebook acct., you can join the CDP group at FB and add your very own post every day.  Check it out at Facebook!  Since the portal is down, I've missed some of you and your blogs and this is an easy way to keep in touch with one another.

ABC WEDNESDAY-A-Arboretum?

An Arboreteum?

No, Just a Floral Delight

Someone Loves Flowers

To see more ABC Wednesday posts from around the globe, please click here.

IMPORTANT RED ALERT:  If you are a member of CDP and have a Facebook acct., you can join the CDP group at FB and add your very own post every day.  Check it out at Facebook!  Since the portal is down, I've missed some of you and your blogs and this is an easy way to keep in touch with one another.

ABC WEDNESDAY-A-"Angelic"

Meet Maggie who was the flower girl and is the niece of the bride at the wedding we just recently attended.

Today marks the beginning of another round of ABC WEDNESDAY and what better way to begin than with this angelic-looking little girl.  It is also the last of the wedding photos which I have previously posted.

To see more "A" posts on ABC WEDNESDAY,  go here.

Restore the Rangelight

Meet Cristina

Meet Cristina from Bucharest, Romania. We met her in a very fine restaurant in Bailey's Harbor, Door County, WI called the Harbor Fish Market and Grill. Cristina comes to the County each summer to work as a hostess and staff member in one of the restaurants there. Three years ago she participated in a students' Work and Travel program, and lucky for her and us, she was assigned to Door County. She is a personable and beautiful young woman and served us very well at breakfast the day after the fourth of July.

To learn more about the 100 Strangers project, click here: www.100strangers.com/

Jazz Fest Regular-#7

This woman, a Jazz Fest regular, appears every year clothed in passion pink or Kelly Green. I wonder what color she'll come up with next year.? She really needs three shades since the festival is three days long...one for each day.

Jazz Fest #6

A Belly Dancer

Promotes the Renaissance Fair

Music the Attraction?

No longer a stranger!

Julie is a librarian in a Minnesota Public School system and is very knowledgable and expert on Children's literature. I initially "met" her on the internet where we both post on our individual photo blogs. We recently met for real at the Como Park Pavilion in St. Paul, Minnesota and discovered that we have lots in common: love of literature, a shared desire to learn more about photography, great satisfaction in teaching children and adolescents, and former Wisconsin residents...she from Wausau and I from Green Bay. What fun it is to blog and then meet "the stranger!"

To learn more about the 100 Strangers project, click here: www.100strangers.com/

ABC WEDNESDAY-"Z"-ZANY Village Cuisine

 I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the so-called appetizer that was brought to the table next to ours at the outdoor patio where we were dining. At the time I thought it was pretty unusual.  The small French fried onion rings were molded into a rectangular shape about the size of a regular bread loaf. The five men who were preparing to feast on it were pretty good sports and let me photograph the appetizer. I still think it is unusual but also pretty disgusting.  After eating this unusual appetizer, they all ordered huge hamburgers! Equally amazing, during our meal, three more patrons ordered the same appetizer.  I can assure you that the other cuisine we ate in Door County restaurants were more sophisticated and far more appealing.

To see more ABC WEDNESDAY posts, click here.

ABC WEDNESDAY-"Z"- Z is for...? Jazz Fest #5

The music was loud and the crowd was large, but Michael certainly did stand out in the crowd!  Born in St. Paul, he did not always live here, but moved around a bit yet returned to the city of his birth.  I commented on his colorful clothing, the material of which came from west Africa.  Michael does not consider himself a designer but he created his outfit himself. Like all jazz afficionados, he was enjoying the music and talent at the 14th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Fest held in Mears Park in St. Paul.

I couldn't decide what label to use for "Z"...so YOU decide!  For more ABC WEDNESDAY posts from bloggers around the world, go here.

The Wedding Party

Meet the newlyweds, Catherine and Luke

Matron of Honor: Lori, friend of the bride; Bridesmaids are Samanatha and Elizabeth, daughters of the bride.

At one time Catherine was our own children's favorite babysitter.  Her family and ours were quite close, and we've  maintained our friendship and connection through the years.

Captain Charlie

Captain Charlie piloted the cruise ship, The Grand Duchess, on the St. Croix River where we attended a wedding and reception on July 1st. Born in Iowa he found his way to Minnesota and Wisconsin with the rivers, lakes and streams. He wouldn't live anywhere else now while enjoying his own boat docked in Prescott, WI, when he's not taking passengers up and down the river.

Camera Critters-Canadian Geese

While waiting for our meal on the patio of a restaurant close to a marshy lake area,we watched a group of Canadian Geese feasting on their own repast.

To see more Camera Critters, go here.

Jazz Fest #4-Meet Mayor Coleman

Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman was identified as one of the people who help make the annual Jazz Fest possible by throwing his political support to the group that organizes it, which is pretty sophisticated after 14 years of development.

 Although it's called The Twin Cities Jazz Fest, it should be named The Saint Paul Jazz Fest because it is now held in beautiful Mears Park downtown with neighborhood volunteers taking care of the venue...planting flowers, taking care of the park and then doing necessary clean-up and care after the festival is over.  Surprising how cooperative the crowds are over this annual 3-day affair; thousands of people actually are pretty careful to limit damage and trash. St. Paul Police offer security so people are pretty well-behaved, despite the availability of beer and wine. It's a terrific community gathering for terrific jazz music, getting bigger and better with each passing year.

Jazz Fest #3

Baritone Saxophonist Lauren Sevian was a delightful addition to the otherwise all-male musicians in Marsalis' group.  Her solos were met with a round of applause and many cheers!  Wonder why?

Yum, Yum, Yummy-ABC WEDNESDAY: "W"

Oh they're so fresh and fine
And they're just off the vine
Strawberries, strawberries, strawberries

"The Strawberry Woman" Porgy and Bess


****************
Virgin Raspberry Daiquiri
3 oz raspberry puree
2 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz lemon juice
1 tsp caster sugar 
1/2 oz raspberry syrup      

                                                  

Blend briefly with half a glassful of crushed ice in a wine goblet. Garnish with raspberries, and serve.

To see more ABC WEDNESDAY posts, go here.