18th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival (in St Paul, MN)

It was a perfect day to watch and listen to many musicians and bands on Friday, the second day of the free 18th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival, held in Mears Park, a beautiful little gem situated in the middle of downtown St. Paul. 

On the main stage, the Jazz Women All Stars lit up the crowd, followed by many other musicians performing on four different stages that surrounded the park.  Friday's evening of music ended with a performance by veteran and legendary New Orleans pianist Ellis Marsalis, the patriarch of several other well-known jazz musicians and composers.

If you missed the music on Thursday and Friday, hustle downtown  to enjoy more jazz today, the last day of the festival.

"Jazz music creates so many phenomenal figures." Wynton Marsalis

Tree Doctors

Parker and Reed, two University of Minnesota students, are working this summer with RainbowTree Care. When I met them this last Thursday morning while walking Wild Wendy, these tree doctors were working valiantly to save this boulevard tree from Dutch Elm disease.  They clean the bark and clear away the turf around the surface roots, drill some holes and then infuse them with chemicals that are supposed to keep the tree from succumbing to the disease.  Both of these friendly and personable young men are from Buffalo, Minnesota; Parker attends the University in Duluth and Reed goes to the U.  in the Twin Cities.  Their personalities  and work ethic are going to make them successful in their careers. I still miss teaching young people this age!


“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” 
― John Muir

Amusement in Weisman Museum

When DH and I visited the Weisman Museum last Friday, from afar I noticed a man working diligently in one of the galleries.  When I got closer I realised that he was part of the artwork, and my initial error made me laugh.  After a few minutes I saw a "twin installation" with another man, a  visitor. Jim thought it was terrible of me to take a stealth photo and pair him with the artwork.  It amused me so I, of course, ignored Jim's reaction.

Untitled

 Wordless Wednesday

Linking to Signs, Signs & Outdoor Wednesday

Washington Avenue Bridge

The Washington Avenue Bridge crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota and connects the East Bank and West Bank portions of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. The bridge is unique for being a double-decker bridge, with the lower portion designated for roadtraffic and the upper level used for pedestrians and bicyclists (lanes specifically for bikes are on the north side). It is a utilitarian structure with simple architecture, but it has cultural significance because thousands of students, faculty, staff and visitors walk across it every day.

I don't know how many times I walked across this bridge while I attended the U.  Wonderful in the summer but quite different in the winter months!

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Cowboys and Indians

Kachina Dolls

 During our visit to the Weisman Museum last Friday, I was surprised to see these lesser-known Andy Warhol's art pieces, ten large and colourful U.S. images.  The Geronimo poster and the original piece in the gallery were impressive and all came with informative written narrative.  If you live in or near the Twin Cities, the museum and this particular exhibit would be great to visit. Go here to see another outstanding and interesting installation of a former student of Saint Paul Academy.  It was a terrific Friday Field Trip for DH and me.

"Pixelated Bromide" - Friday Field Trip

Our Friday Field trip last week took DH and me to the Weisman Art Museum at the U of MN campus,  Designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, it was completed in 1993.  The exterior is stainless steel and brick and is situated on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The art work exhibited inside is as striking as the exterior of the museum.

,

Much to my surprise and delight in one of the galleries I found a large installation by Richard Barlow, a former student  in the school where I used to teach, a fine young man whose mother, a language teacher, was one of my colleagues. 

The inspiration for the art piece is a photograph, Trees and Reflections, by Wm Henry Fox Talbot, 1842. Although he was fascinated by the photographic process, Barlow found that he was constantly referring to a JPEG image of the photograph, which led him to realise that the basic building block of photograph is now the pixel. This insight led him to "Pixelated Promide," made of thirty-six thousand plastic billboard spangles.  These "pixels" respond to the moments of air currents.

Lawn Decorations

I need to photograph more of the many whimsical decorations on the porch and lawn of this neighbourhood house.  Makes me smile whenever I pass by.

Linking to Camera Critters & Saturday Critters

Europe or Minnesota?

Because of my appreciation for our home's close proximity to St. Kate's campus, I have posted many photos of this beautiful urban campus on Facebook, including this one on June 2nd. It is definitely worth posting here, too! I have enjoyed many walks through this campus and my children and grandkids have spent hours playing near its ponds and fields. The beautiful sky and the cloud formation with the Chapel situated on the rise of a small hill gives it a bit of a European look, don't you think?
Linking to Skywatch Friday

A fence railing

It is not easy to find fences that correspond to the ones that I usually see on the Good Fences meme; the ones I find could be more accurately defined as railings, but they will have to suffice, I guess. This one helps stabilize walkers going up and down the steps. I alway like black heavy railings; good looking!

Linking to Good Fences

Ramadan

When we first moved into our neighbourhood 40 years ago, it traditionally was Catholic and Jewish. Over the years it has gradually diversified with a variety of religions and ethnicities. I was heartened recently when I noticed several of these lawn signs during my morning walks with Wild Wendy.  Sure beats some of the predictable political signs that are sure to appear during this election year.

Linking to Signs, signs

My world, My neighbourhood

Every year I wait for this red geranium display on the  backyard deck of a neighbour's yard.  I am never disappointed.

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Raven, the Hunter

Because our former bird baths are makeshift ones that we  placed low to the ground, we have to replace them since Wild Wendy decides she needs to have some of that water, too.  Not a good idea since the birds tend to dirty the water while enjoying it.  I found a light weight portable bird bath that I can affix to a backyard pole at Wild Birds Unlimited--a perfect Father's Day gift.  While making my purchase, the shop's cat, Raven, decided she would like to share Wild Wendy's treats that I had stored in my purse,  sitting on the counter. She is a good but impolite hunter!

Ah, summer!

Another summer scene on St. Kate's campus!

National Get Outdoors Day

I posted this yesterday on Facebook but don't want to neglect my blogging friends!

National Get Outdoors Day is Today!! Admission is free at all 75 Minnesota State Parks and recreation areas. Instead of doing Friday Field Trip yesterday we postponed it until today. We are not strong enough anymore to lift our canoe (darn. . .no, damn it!) so we will picnic instead at Fort Snelling State Park. Go anywhere, folks! Support your parks and trails. Minnesotans: support our Department of Natural Resources. Go camping and canoeing. Hug a tree!!

Info on Fort Snelling State Park: Located in the heart of the Twin Cities, this park offers extensive hiking, bike and ski trails that link to Minnehaha Park and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Canoe on Gun Club Lake, play golf, swim in Snelling Lake, or hike on Pike Island where the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers converge. Interpretive exhibits and films on display in the Thomas C. Savage Visitor Center give visitors a good background on the history and resources of the park and area. Trails also allow visitors to hike up to the historic Fort Snelling for a view of military life in the 1820s. This is a day-use only park; no camping is available.

Photo is Split Rock Lighthouse on the shore of beautiful

 Lake Superior.

Summer Fun

A GREAT way to spend a summer afternoon!!

Attractive entrance

A well-placed and attractive flower pot can really dress up an entrance.

My kind of Kid!

 Hope Springs Eternal ! !

Nature is still a big draw over electronics!

Peonies

Peonies have been spectacular this year!!

Linking to Tuesday Afternoon & Our World Tuesday

Week-end Retreat

It has been several years since I have gone on a retreat, but I had a great experience this past week-end. . . so good in fact, that I think I will re-establish retreats as part of my life again.  The topic of the retreat that was held at Wellsprings Farm in Annandale, Minnesota explored the different aspects of intuition and its relationship to one's life. It rained sporadically the first day when I snapped these photos during a walk on the farm, but the sun shown beautifully on Sunday. Part of the retreat included outstanding meals in the farmhouse prepared by three very talented cooks chefs! The ten participants and two facilitators were very compatible and agreed that each of us are a Goddess in our own right!! How could you not enjoy a group like that!!

Linked to Monday Mellow Yellows and Good Fences