Wind

There's been a wind advisory for this area, since last night. Just now wind is coming out of the west-northwest at a little over 25 miles an hour, with the occasional gust.

I've been able to stay inside all day, listening to the whoosh and whistle outside. I hope everyone who had to travel paid attention to conditions. "High profile vehicles," and all that.

A Warm, Cold, Sunny, Overcast Week

Sunday, March 25, 2012. Next week is Palm Sunday. This week was warm, cold, sunny, overcast, and clear with occasional rain and a noisy thundershower on Monday. All of which is about par for the course this time of year, here in central Minnesota.

The Unger Furniture stock liquidation sale is still going on. The radio commercials are saying that it's almost over. That's the impression I got, anyway.

Knights of Columbus have been bringing an Our Lady of Guadalupe image through this area for a few years now. It was at the church I go to today.


An Our Lady of Guadalupe image at Our Lady of Angels church. Knights of Columbus arranged for it to be here. March 25, 2012.

Apart from that, and my household almost having a working garage again, I haven't noticed all that much out of the ordinary. I'll admit to having been a bit distracted, though.

Sounds of Summer

At this moment, about 5:50 p.m., it sounds like summer. There's a noisy little thundershower going over. With rain.

Snow that Melts in the Spring, Tra-La

Sunday, March 18, 2012. Spring is here. Not the sort of 'flowers that bloom in the spring, tra-la' thing you read about. Springtime, Minnesota style. It's warm: in the '70s. The snow is gone. Most of it, anyway. Here's a quick review of the month so far:


Snow: It'll make even a construction site look good. March 1, 2012.


Yep. No question about it. It snowed this week. March 1, 2012.


Next stop on the holiday line: St. Patrick's Day. March 4, 2012.


Kids know what snow's for. March 11, 2012.


Snow, and dirt, and mud. Snirt? Smud? Not entirely pleasant, although the clean snow looks nice. March 11, 2012.

That was then. This is now:


Springtime, Minnesota style. March 18, 2012.

One of my kids saw a gnat the other day, so the other invertebrate critters will be adding to the ambiance soon. I've been hearing - and enjoying - birdsongs for several days now. I've seen the usual sparrows, and a junco or two. At least, I think they were juncos. A little smaller and trimmer than sparrows, and gray. I'm no bird expert.

Grass is turning green in the damper and warmer spots: by the time we get something that looks like the sort of 'blooming meadow' version of spring, it'll be summer. And I'll probably be getting nostalgic about winter.


Before Mass at Our Lady of Angels. March 18, 2012.

St. Patrick's day went by this week, so the next holiday is Palm Sunday (two weeks), or Easter Sunday (three weeks), or National Jelly Bean Day (5 weeks).

Goodbye Sauk Hop Diner; Hello Spring

Sunday, March 11, 2012. First, the good news: the Hair & Body Connection salon on the corner of Sinclair Lewis and Main is open. Now, the bad news: next door, the Sauk Hop Diner isn't.


Sauk Hop Diner, downtown: Open last summer, now closed. March 11, 2012.

The sign they've got on the window says it all.


Sauk Hop Diner: I'll miss that place. March 11, 2012.

Before moving on, two pictures from last summer.


"Sauk Hop?" "Shear Paradise?" Folks are having fun with business names. I like it. June 24, 2011.


Definitely '50s theme inside. Good coffee, too. I haven't had a meal there yet. June 24, 2011.

Some of last week's snow either has melted, or is melting. Quite a bit hasn't gotten around to acknowledging spring yet.


Kids know what snow's for. March 11, 2012.

It's only a matter of time before even the biggest snow piles are gone. Temperatures were in the mid-50s today.

Speaking of time: I enjoyed, if that's the word for it, the 'spring forward' part of daylight saving time today. I'd say something witty on the subject - but today my heart's just not in it.

That's it for this week: see you next Sunday.

"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" - There's an Alternative??

Sunday, March 5, 2012. We got a decent cover of snow late Tuesday and early Wednesday. ("Weekly Summary for February 29, 2012," wunderground.com) Quite a lot of it is still here, although I'm not expecting the snow to last too long. If next Tuesday's high of 40-plus comes, it'll feel like an early spring.


Snow: It'll make even a construction site look good. March 1, 2012.

I suppose part of the small town stereotype is true: we do talk about the weather. Considering how much of the local economy depends directly or indirectly on agriculture, that's no surprise.


Yep. No question about it. It snowed this week. March 1, 2012.


Next stop on the holiday line: St. Patrick's Day. March 4, 2012.

That's about it for this week. I'm enjoying the wintry scene while it lasts.