How Swede It Is !!

The Minneapolis Tribune recently published "How Swede It Is" an article that described the small town of Lindstrom, MN, which according to some visitors from Sweden, is more Swedish than they!  Naturally I had to visit,  and found the unique water tower and one of the barn quilt designs.  About 4o miles from St. Paul, it's a sweet little Swedish-influenced town with a wonderful bakery and a store that carries hundreds of clogs.  Read the article in the link above for more information.

1907 Frida Kahlo

Linked to Monday Murals

Disrsuption

What the city considered "necessary" reconstruction of Randolph Avenue in Highland Park in St. Paul, many of the businesses, customers, and home owners label it as a disruption. One owner of an independent coffee shop said that despite the continued attendance of loyal patrons he estimates that he has lost more than $7,000 in sales since the work started a month and a half ago.  He also figures that he has lost 60 percent of drive-by customers since the start of the construction, and, as a result,he has had to cut hours and lay off staff.

I am disrupting my normal routine and going Up North for a few, too-short mini vacation days  to a housekeeping cabin with no wifi, tv, phones and a limited kitchen.  I'll spend my time reading on the porch overlooking Lake Superior and eating at the wonderful Scenic Cafe! (Check the menu-Num)

1889 Jean Cocteau

Happy Birthday, Maggi

Forgive me for posting Maggi again, but it is, after all, her 15th birthday!  A perky and energetic
1-year-old, she came to us from a rescue shelter.  Despite being close to death several times during these past few years, she rallied (after considerable vet bills at the University of Minnesota's Small Animal Hospital), but we dread losing her.  Hard of hearing and arthritic, Maggi is still with us.  She and I have a lot in common: both of us need hearing aids (unlike me, Maggi doesn't have one). Maggi actually developed vertigo about a year before I did…honest.  After these two parallel maladies, I told DH "no more dogs" because I don't need any more uncanny similarities brought on by a canine, which I felt compelled to follow!  Next time a cat?  Don't worry, Maggi. . .you're still number one!!

Happy Independence Day!!

The day in 1776 that the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress

1826 Stephen Foster

MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ARTS BOOK CLUB

Each month the public is invited to read a book that is selected by the museum.  Throughout the month docents conduct an one hour tour that are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays to review art works that in someway reflect an aspect of the book: theme, setting, characters, or quotes.  In June I reread Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and attended one of the Tuesday morning tours.  Of the many pieces of art chosen for the novel, I was delighted and amused to see the top painting  that aptly illustrated the character of the evil Mrs. Danver.  Great choice! The Veiled Lady, a sculpture by Raffaelo Monti, c. 1860 represented the narrator/protagonist, a shy non-assertive young woman who remained nameless throughout the book. I intend to reread the July selection, To Kill A Mockingbird, a novel that I taught numerous times to adolescents and am anxious to see what objects will be selected for that book.  What fun!!

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." 

1883 Franz Kafka

Upside Down #2

I was originally going to use this photo for my July, Upside Down, theme until I came up with the "brilliant" idea for yesterday's post.  I've been living with it for so long now that I think it affected my judgment.  Perhaps I really am unbalanced!!

1877 Herman Hesse

July 1, 2015 Theme Day-UpsideDown: Vertigo

 Small approximation of how Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) feels like!

Click here to see more Upside Down photos.

Rouge

Reflections and Rouge on the car in front of me 
as seen through my car's windshield.

1917 Lena Horne

University of Minnesota Medical Complex

Because I tend to prefer small educational environments, I am surprised at how much I loved going to the University of Minnesota.  The opportunities and energy I found on the campus appealed to me and made me happy. This photo is a long-range shot of the medical complex as seen from across the Mississippi River.  If you max the photo you can see the "Health" sign in the middle of the prominent red building.

It was on this campus that Dr. C. Walton Lillehei taught and practiced. Dr Lillehei pioneered a direct, safe approach to open heart operations in the 1950s, he was known as the “father of open heart surgery.” Indeed, hardly any other cardiac surgeon has introduced a greater number of innovative techniques and concepts.

Another leading heart surgeon at the U was Dr. Richard Varco. On Sept. 2, 1952, Dr. Varco and colleagues at the University of Minnesota performed the first successful operation on a beating human heart, saving a 5-year-old girl who had been born with a heart murmur.

Until then, surgeons had found it impossible to perform open cardiac procedures because the heart pulsated with blood. Dr. Varco's team, led by Dr. C. Walton Lillehei and Dr. F. John Lewis, used a risky technique that had worked on animals: cutting off the flow of blood to the heart and lowering the patient's body temperature, stretching the amount of time she could survive without oxygenated blood.

1900 Antoine de Saint-Exupery

17th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival

The 17th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival was held again in downtown St. Paul this past week-end, with one change.  The biggest draw, Dr. John and the Nite Trippers, performed in the new Saint Paul Saints baseball park.  It gave us a chance to see the newly opened facilities, which were quite nifty. The rest of the musical acts were held in the usual sites in and around Mears Park.   I think the crowd was much larger this year.

Family Fun

It was a beautiful day with many people, including DH and me, enjoying the park. Even though I chided them for getting off the water and docking their canoe before I could photograph them, this family cheerfully agreed to pose for me.  Although Anais, Nick, and Mechelle live close to Como Park  this was their first canoe trip on the lake.  Have a feeling that it will not be the last time!

1872 Paul Laurence Dunbar
1850 Lafcadio Hearn

Grill

Perhaps I should have saved this one for Halloween? Found on the grill of a pick-up truck.  I think that you can guess who was driving it.  Yup, a young man doing construction work down the street.

Don't forget July 1st Theme Day: Upside Down

1892 Pearl S Buck

A Great Summer Job

"This is the greatest summer job I've ever had, " Dylan told me when he explained that he works four days a week during the summer as the Assistant Manager of the boat rental area at the Como Park Pavilion.   It's convenient since Dylan doesn't live too far from from the lake.  After graduating from Como Park High School, Dylan enrolled at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.  Next September he will begin his junior year advancing his major in communication and a minor in business administration.  Dylan's final school semester will be at Erasmus University Rotterdam.  Without definite plans at this point, when he graduates he plans to travel the world. Great idea, Dylan!!

Don't forget July 1st Theme Day: Upside Down

Danger-Signs, Signs

Two of the prettiest city drives meanders along the Mississippi River on both sides.  West Mississippi River Parkway on the Minneapolis side has bike paths and parks bordered by very attractive homes.  The sign clearly states what occurred a year ago along one of the most attractive sections.  In the distance you can see the Univ. of MN Medical complex that I will feature in a few days.

Linking to Signs, signs.

July Theme Day: Upside Down-Keep your eyes open and your camera handy.  Let’s see how YOU interpret “Upside down!”

Franklin Avenue Bridge

The underside of the Franklin Avenue bridge over the Mississippi.  From this angle the river looks narrow, but the view is deceptive since it is much wider here than it looks.

July Theme Day: Upside Down-Keep your eyes open and your camera handy.  Let’s see how YOU interpret “Upside down!”

Food - Monday Murals

We did something different for Father's Day this year.  We had to postpone the family celebration for one week, but DH and I went to dinner to a favorite small countryside restaurant in rural Wisconsin.  It was a pretty drive on a very pleasant day filled with sunshine.  By the parking lot, the wood building  had two food-related and attractive murals painted on it, The restaurant serves fresh locally raised food so the murals were very appropriate.
Link to Monday Murals

International Yoga Day, India-Sunday, June 21, 2015

When I saw this wonderful AP photo by Ajit Solanki in Saturday's newspaper, I knew that I had found a perfect image for CDP's July theme day, "Upside down."  Since it is not my photo but that of an outstanding Indian photographer, I decided to use it today to acknowledge the event in India and to honor the gifted photographer's work.  It's also the first time that I posted two photos on the same day, but I also had to recognize Father's Day, too!

July Theme Day: Upside Down-Keep your eyes open and your camera handy.  Let’s see how YOU interpret “Upside down!”

A Great Dad!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY,  DA!!

Our children and grand-kids are lucky to have this wonderful man in their lives!

To all those men who are fathers and to those who adopt the role for others who need loving Dads, I salute you all. May you have a happy and memorable day.

Details

Detail of the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum on the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus.  I often like to view the building from across the Mississippi River because its appearance changes with the color of the light during the day. The galleries feature wonderful exhibits of modern art. Not everyone feels as I do about this museum. I  love this Frank Gehry building!

Sacred Indian Burial Mounds

The Indian Burial Mounds in St. Paul are sacred grounds, legally protected from intrusion or vandalism.

Link to Indian Mounds Park and 
Good Fences 

More Tall Trees

Earlier this month I posted a tall tree in our neighborhood but noticed a number of different trees on St. Kate's campus that can be seen from our house since our property borders the college's soccer field. Much to the consternation of the neighbors, a number of years ago the college cut down hundreds of trees in order to build their soccer field. The row of trees that were left looked scrubby and sick.  Plus we lost many species of song birds and small wild animals. Up to that point St. Kate's had been a wonderful neighbor, but I have held a grudge ever since. These few remaining trees are now enormous and have showy white blossoms that cover the branches from top to bottom.  It's a beautiful sight and this is the first year that I have seen them in blossom.  It makes up just a tiny bit for the loss of the other trees sacrificed for the soccer field. I've called the gardener at the college to help me identify the species but haven't heard back yet.  My google images leads me to believe that it just might be a deciduous tree called a Northern Catalpa.