Sinclair Lewis Days Parade, and Storm Photos

Sunday, July 17, 2011. Another storm is coming as I'm writing this, about 10:40 p.m. - but the Sinclair Lewis Days parade did not get rained out. There was even a (comparatively) refreshing breeze now and then. Since the Minnesota government shutdown made it impossible to close Highway 71, the parade went along it's old route, more or less - right past my house.

That made it possible for me to get much of it recorded on YouTube, via my webcam. (Small Town America: Minnesota) The videos are at Apathetic Lemming of the North on YouTube. Or, rather, all but one is. I'm hoping that it's caught in a buffer, somewhere, and will eventually show up.

About last Sunday's storm. My house was without power for about 21 hours - with telephone, television, and Internet connections coming back a few hours after that. The Sauk Centre Herald has done a good job of covering the storm, and the cleanup. I'll be back, with more photos, as I get them ready.

Somehow, between the storm and the heat, I've been a little off my game this week.


Green clouds, part of a tree in the street, and lots of wind. July 10, 2011.


Candles, and a battery-powered radio. That was about it for amenities Sunday night and Monday. July 10, 2011.


Nobody hurt. Not one, that I've heard of. Remarkable, under the circumstances. July 11, 2011.


These trees were on South 9th, near Ash. July 11, 2011.


Cherry-pickers - lots of activity around town. July 11, 2011.


I don't know if a city crew got that tree trimmed, or if it was someone in the neighborhood. From what I've heard, it wasn't State of Minnesota employees who dragged debris off Highway 71/Main. July 11, 2011.


South Main - folks had been cutting downed trees into manageable chunks. July 11, 2011.


Same thing, another angle. July 11, 2011.


South Main - this light pole had been snapped off. July 11, 2011.


Yes: That's a house, under the tree. July 11, 2011.


Curb damage. July 11, 2011.


Nobody hurt - remarkable. There'd been more to that tree, before I got there with a camera. July 11, 2011.


Quite a few folks were working with front-end loaders. July 11, 2011.


More of the same. July 11, 2011.


That truck had been taller, Sunday afternoon. July 11, 2011.


Repair crew's truck. July 11, 2011.


And news media. July 11, 2011.

I've got more - including quite a few photos of pickups hauling greenery. But this is enough for tonight.