Sunday, June 30, 2013

The Circus Comes to Town

Sunday, June 30, 2013. The circus came to town this week: the Carson & Barnes Circus. I saw the tent, but not the show. With the kids in their teens to 30s, going to the circus isn't quite the priority it used to be. It was fun, though, seeing the tent set up at the fairgrounds.


Carson & Barnes Circus tent on the county fairgrounds. June 27, 2013.


The circus was here: complete with elephants. June 27, 2013.

Aside from that, it's been a fairly quiet week. Folks are observing this year's Fortnight for Freedom at Our Lady of the Angels church; we've had no major storms; street work continues; and several days were wonderfully sunny, with just enough clouds to give the sky character.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Sunshine, Storms, Trees Down: Another Week in Minnesota

Sunday, June 23, 2013. I've had an eventful week:
Coming back from Alexandria on the Interstate, I got a picture of transmission towers being built.

They're using a helicopter to string lines between those towers: but not when I took this photo. June 17, 2013.

Back in Sauk Centre, we're having a fairly normal summer.


Morning in downtown Sauk Centre. June 17, 2013.


Street work near downtown. June 17, 2013.

A strong line of thunderstorms - or is that a line of strong thunderstorms? - rumbled through Thursday evening. Folks south of us had a worse time than we did. I read that upwards of 130,000 people were without power on Friday.

Here in Sauk Centre, I watched trucks go past the house carrying parts of trees to the dump.


Someone found our birdbath bowl, leaning it against a signpost on the corner. Thanks for recovering and returning that. June 21, 2013.


This could have been worse: the tree fell away from the house. June 21, 2013.


That's a nest. It landed in our front yard. I hope the eggs had already hatched and fledglings left by the time it got, ah, relocated. June 21, 2013.

Friday evening, another line of storms was coming through.


Again, most of the excitement was south of us. 6:21 p.m., June 21, 2013.

I'm hoping for a comparatively quiet, uneventful week: but "hope" and "expect" are two different things.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Blue Sky: Wow!

Sunday, June 16, 2013. Father's Day. It's a little difficult to remember that I don't need to put on a sweater to go outside. I've even seen a patch of blue in the sky two days in a row: June is not like May was, and I don't mind a bit.


Actual, unretouched photo of the sky, taken in Sauk Centre. That's blue sky, something I'm glad to see. June 16, 2013.

All that rain and overcast seems to have suited the grass, though. Lawns are looking lush: even ours.


It's looking like summer. June 16, 2013.


Some lawns are beautifully maintained. Ours has more of a lived-in look. June 16, 2013.

I'll have more next week. Then again, maybe not. Sitting on the front porch and enjoying summer looks pretty good just now.

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Corpus Christi Procession and Lilacs

Sunday, June 9, 2013. I had planned to take photos of the Corpus Christi procession last Sunday, from Our Lady of Angels church to St. Paul's. Instead, I went to North Dakota to help my son-in-law and #2 daughter. Actually, my son did the helping. I just provided transportation. #1 daughter took photos, including these:


Corpus Christi procession. June 2, 2013.


A scheduled stop on the Corpus Christi procession. June 2, 2013.

It's been raining, or overcast, or both, most of this week. I suppose it's better than a drought, but it's not exactly mood-lifting weather.


Lilacs. June 8, 2013.

There seems to be something extra in the air, too: pollen, probably. My eyes are fuzzy, and I'm sincerely looking forward to a change in the season. Which, since this is Minnesota, will almost certainly include mosquitoes.

On a more upbeat note, the grass is very, very green.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Change in Plans

I'm spending the weekend in North Dakota, helping with a family business.

Sadly, I missed Sauk Centre's Corpus Christi procession today: which may or may not have been rained out. I haven't had a chance to check. #1 daughter may (or may not) have had a chance to take photos for me.

If plans don't change again, I'll be back late Monday: and may have something ready here by late Tuesday.