Historic Summit Avenue House

 "Summit Avenue is St. Paul's most renowned street, a mansion row that extends for nearly five miles. Historian Ernest Sandeen pronounced Summit 'the best preserved American example of the Victorian monumental residential boulevard,' and it is hard to dispute that judgment." (AIA Guide to the Twin Cities, Larry Millett) If you would like to learn more about this house, read this article describing its history and the current owners who had opened the house for a tour in 2016:  Go here: Go here:

This is the  Carlos Boynton House at 955 Summit, A Tudor Revival house with Baroque elements.

Starbuck Stalwarts!

If you want to listen to important political views and analysis as well as opinions on the state of the world, you just have to come to Starbuck's in the morning to listen to these men and other regulars  who discuss important aspects of modern society. I've even received valuable advice on myriad important and critical issues of life. What would I do without their jokes and good humour? A good way to start the day!

The Catwalk!

For decades this sidewalk between two streets in our neighbourhood has been well-used.   Kids and adults on bicycles, rollerbladers, mothers with small children in buggies or on trikes, strolling walkers and those people looking for a shortcut have enjoyed this path. It is a favourite sniffing trail of Wild Wendy, too!

Yarn or String Preferred?

I think that yarn is much superior to string. This wrap is very colourful but yarn bombs look more finished and complete.

Gardening

I think that a very serious gardener lives here!

A Castle All Its Own!

This house in Tangletown in the Macalester-Groveland neighbourhood has always been one of my favourites. It is situated on  wedge shaped lot on a corner and seems to dominate the area in a very positive way.  Recent owners have changed its colour and added contrasting trim.  The beautiful front porch is now obscured by the landscaping but it doesn't detract from the overall impression of this fairy tale-like house.

Location! Location! Location!

It is fairly easy to photograph large, stately houses on Summit Avenue or Crocus Hill, but I discovered that attractive homes can also be found in less affluent neighborhoods.  I was attracted to this well maintained house and decided that hanging baskets, flower boxes and shutters with some trim in a contrasting color would turn this house into a real beauty. Agree?

Punch's Woodfired Pizza

Good pizza and a cold beer at a neighborhood restaurant. What more is needed on a hot, humid day?

Life Goes On!

Not much changed while we were gone: road construction and repairing infrastructure continues!

Journey's End #23

Leaving the beautiful Shangri-La hotel to fly home.

Tourist Attractions-#22

The concierge sent us here as a fun tourist attraction. Interesting art, restaurants, and people watching. We didn't stay long! Instead we hopped a short ferry and went to the aquarium (see previous photos of jelly fish) and beautiful Stanley Park. By  this time I was tired of taking photos (gasp! and put my camera away).  We'll just have to return to this remarkably beautiful city to enjoy more seafood restaurants and Stanley Park at a later date.  You can wait for photos of this outstanding park, can't you?

Vancouver 2010 Olympics-#21

 Within walking distance of our hotel

Approaching Vancouver-#20

 Our skillful Captain smoothly navigated the narrowest part of the Inner Passage as we approached Vancouver, B.C.

Journey's end---the last port was the beautiful city of Vancouver

A Sunny Day at Sea-#19

 People of all ages enjoyed the pool, jacuzzi, lawn chairs, running track—all outdoors on a sunny day

Ketchikan-Historical Photo-#18

Ketchikan-Eagles and Bears #17

"Look, there's another one! And, another one!! And, another one!!!

Eagles seemed to be everywhere I looked.  One of the locals explained,

"They're as common as pigeons here."

The American bald eagle loves Alaska, with populations so robust that it was never listed as threatened or endangered there. With an estimated 30,000 eagles in the state, it’s easy to spot one of these national symbols, especially in Southeast Alaska.

With wing spans up to 7.5 feet, eagles are powerful, but can only lift 3 or 4 pounds. They don’t seem to know their own limits though. We’ve seen more than one eagle stranded on the beach waiting for its wings to dry so it can fly again (usually after it gets dragged into the water a bit after an unsuccessful attempt to pick up a fish it couldn’t handle.)

Spotting eagles is a highlight of any visit to Alaska. Ketchikan has 30 nesting sites weighing in up to 2,000 pounds and measure 6 feet deep. Eagle's remain in Ketchikan because eagles know they won’t starve here. Eagles are carnivores and live to eat fish, so you’ll see them plenty at the mouth of salmon streams, Ward Cove, Herring Cove, Ketchikan Creek. Salmon pass through the area from April through September. Eagles even hang around in winter; the water remains ice-free, and the fish keep coming. 

Visit Ketchikan in May and you’ll start to see mature eagles preparing their nests. Their eggs hatch the following month, and through June and July you can watch adult eagles feeding their young in the nests. From mid-August through early September, the baby eagles are learning how to fly, honing their flying skills and practicing hunting pink salmon. You can see some of this nesting activity from the town’s roads and others from the water.

Eagles are thought to breed for life, and in Alaska can live into their early 30s. The iconic white hood and tail don’t show up for about five years, so if you see one with brown feathers, it’s probably a juvenile. (You can also tell by the beak; young eagles have a black beak that later turns yellow). 

More interesting sights near a stream filled with salmon.

Linking to Skywatch Friday

Ketchikan-Totem Heritage Center #16

The Totem Heritage Center preserves and perpetuates the living artistic traditions of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples that gave rise to the original totem poles on display and provides the opportunity to discover, learn and practice Native arts to inspire cultural understanding. The knowledgeable staff and interpretive panels help visitors gain a historical context with which to approach contemporary totem poles and the cultural traditions present in the community.

Alaska-Skagway White Pass Railroad Summit Excursion-#15

The Skagway White Pass Railroad Summit Excursion is very popular. We took an 

unforgettable journey aboard the "Scenic Railway of the World" to the White Pass summit. We started our   excursion as we boarded the train in Skagway and traveled 20 miles from tidewater to the Summit of the White Pass - a 2,865-foot elevation.We enjoyed vast canyon views and remarkable scenery along the historic route. As we rode in vintage coaches we retraced the original route to the White Pass summit, passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point, and Dead Horse Gulch. The scenery included a breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles, and historic sites along the White Pass Railroad. We saw the original Klondike Trail of 1898 worn into the rocks, a permanent tribute to the thousands of souls who passed this way in search of fortune. 

 Lucky to be in the last car, I was able to photograph the train as it curved ahead.

 One of the signs marking our route

 The summit with the appropriate flags at the Canadian border.

Linking to ABC WEDNESDAY

A Tasty, Tasty Treat! #14

You really haven't eaten salmon until you are in Alaska!

While the salmon was being grilled outdoors, our friendly bear whom you saw yesterday waited patiently in the tree, overlooking the scene. Because employees at the Lodge and visitors were sternly warned never to feed bears, he had a technique of his own. As soon as the food was grilled and moved indoors, the bear moved down, jumped on the edge of the pit and greedily licked up all the drippings. I watched his technique safely through the glass window inside the lodge. He teetered on the edge of the grill with his bum in the air as he bent and feasted on the remains.
We feasted inside on the delectable salmon and then later reluctantly climbed aboard out float plane for return to port. The view of the glaciers was as outstanding as seen on the first flight.

Our Master Outdoor Chef

Taku Glacier Lodge-#13

 Our float plane dropped us off at Taku Glacier Lodge for a few hours and we were unceremoniously greeted by an Alaskan native who was watching the whole proceedings from a tree not too far from the main building, one of his favorite places to sit and observe the frequent visitors. Come back tomorrow and I'll show you his main interest.

Views in front of the lodge

Linking to Saturday's Critters

Glaciers-#12

Why is glacier ice blue?

Glacial ice is a different color from regular ice. It is so blue because the dense ice of the glacier absorbs every other color of the spectrum except blue - so blue is what we see!

It's Not Just Frozen Water!

Sometimes the glacial ice appears almost turquoise. Its crystalline structure strongly scatters blue light. The ice on a glacier has been there for a really long time and has been compacted down so that its structure is pretty different from the ice you normally see. Glacial ice is a lot different from the frozen water you get out of the freezer.

It's Not Just Frozen Snow!

Glacial ice is not just frozen compacted snow. There are other things in the ice that make it much different from the ice in your home. Glaciers move through rock and soil as they carve their way down a slope. This means the ice is going to have a lot more ingredients than just water.