One More Holiday, and We Can Relax

Wednesday, December 30, 2009. I see in the paper that we got an estimated 15 to 18 inches, Thursday through Saturday. That seems about right. My household's gotten the driveway and sidewalks cleared - several times - and now my son's working at excavating my oldest daughter's car.

Ads saying "no payments until 2010!" and Christmas decorations on discount signal the end of 2009. Sauk Centre's about the same now, as it was a year ago. Except for stuff that changed.

For example, Coborn's Pharmacy has a drive-through now.


It'll be interesting to see how this works: Coborn's Pharmacy drive thru. January 10, 2009.

Ace Hardware's storefront got finished early this year.


Let there be no mistake: Ace Hardware is open! February 18, 2009.

Spring came, along with a bit more water than the streams and storm drains could handle.


Not every small town has street fountains. Or wants them. This pair was gone the next day. March 16, 2009.

Part of the Conservation Park was underwater. Good for the ducks, I suppose.


It's actually rather restful down there, with the sound of rushing of water in the air. Bitterly cold, that day, though. Felt that way to me, anyway. March 25, 2009.

Main Street Press, downtown, is now Main Street Printing. They've gone by that name before, I heard. It's the same outfit, same people: just slight name change.


Rather classy sign, I think. April 6. 2009.

The County Road 186 bridge over I94 looked like it was unraveling, but it's been rewoven. Or repaved, or something.


Most of the bridge deck's off Sauk Centre's County Road 186 overpass. That wad of steel bars puts me in mind of a bird's nest. A really big bird. May 19. 2009.

AmericInn, by the Interstate: I really ought to stop by there and get a closer look at their addition.


AmericInn, Sauk Centre: Looks like they're adding maybe two dozen rooms. June 11, 2009.

The Sinclair Lewis Days Parade, alpaca and all, didn't go by my house again. The Chamber of Commerce Sinclair Lewis Days page has 2010's events listed already.


Someone called this fellow a llama. I'm pretty sure it's an alpaca, though. Also quite tired after walking the entire parade route. July 18, 2009.

Next stop, the Stearns County Fair.


A colorful affair: Ferris wheel and tractors at the Stearns County Fairgrounds. July 28, 2009.


There's a reason why that skunk looks odd. It's two skunks. August 1, 2009.

Our Lady of the Angels church has a Marian garden now.


The Marian Garden by Our Lady of the Angels church: statues, a bench or two, flowers and plantings. I'll want to spend a little time there. September 6, 2009.

Flooding in the spring, drought in late summer. Too bad we can't average out the water.


From the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, U.S. Drought Monitor
The way it was, Almost a week ago September 8, 2009.


From the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, U.S. Drought Monitor.
The way it was, almost three weeks back. August 25, 2009.

The Marian garden at Our Lady of the Angels has been used for at least one wedding now. Which isn't when I took this photo.


The Marian Garden by Our Lady of the Angels church. October 25, 2009.

Getting back to "now," that foot-and-a-half of snow gave us a sort of picture-postcard 'white Christmas. And nearly buried some of the yard displays.


There really is a manger scene under the star. And snow. December 30, 2009.

In a way, it'll be good to have a vacation from the Halloween-Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Years holiday marathon. That's hardly a new thought.

"If all the year were playing holidays, To sport would be as tedious as to work." (William Shakesepeare, "King Henry IV Part I", Act 1 scene 2, from The Quotations Page)