Sunday, December 27, 2015

Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 27, 2015. Merry Christmas!


Christmas morning at Our Lady of Angels. (December 25, 2015)


Neighbors: the view from our front porch. (December 26, 2015)

That's all I've got for this week. I hope you had, and are having, a good holiday season.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Snow and a White Christmas

Sunday, December 20, 2015. We got snow on Wednesday: the perfect-for-snowballs-and-snowmen variety.


The view through my webcam, Wednesday afternoon. (December 16, 2015)


Freshly-fallen snow in the back yard. (December 16, 2015)


Snow on the branches. (December 16, 2015)

It's not quite as picturesque now: quite a bit of the snow has fallen from branches. But we'll almost certainly have a white Christmas.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like - Easter?!

Sunday, December 13, 2015. It's beginning to look a lot like: Easter, actually. The week's rain melted our snow, and it's been unusually warm: nothing record-breaking, but above freezing on occasion.


St. Paul's addition is taking shape. (December 9, 2015)


Christmas yard display in the neighborhood. (December 9, 2015)

We may get more snow Wednesday: or not. Either way, Christmas is about two weeks away.

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Snow, Fog

Sunday, December 6, 2015. We had some clear days this week: but I decided to put off picture-taking until later in the week. That, in retrospect, wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done.


Snow-covered spider web in the kitchen window. Not the sharpest photo I've ever taken. (November 30, 2015)


Sunday morning: fog. (December 6, 2015)

We've also had fog now and then, and snow. That, I got photos of. The spider web was a great deal prettier in person. Each snowflake had a bit of the web to itself. I've never seen that happen.

Sunday, November 29, 2015

More Snow, and Holiday Humor

Sunday, November 29, 2015. It's the first Sunday of Advent, and I haven't taken any pictures this week. I did, however, to a holiday-themed picture for Apathetic Lemming of the North, one of my blogs.



The first winter storm of the season should be here Monday and Tuesday. Mywebcam will give you a look at Sauk Centre, near the corner of Ash and South 9th: assuming there aren't technical issues, of course.

The three Catholic parishes around here, St. Alexius, Our Lady of the Angels, and St. Paul's, did something new this year: 'stewardship fliers' for each household, letting us check off or fill in what we could do for the parish and community.

More than 20% of the households in each parish turned in fliers: more than 32% in St. Alexius. That's a remarkably good response, I think.

Neighbors east and northwest of us had their Christmas yard displays out, and lit, by the end of this weekend. Those will look nice, with the coming snowfall.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

First Snow and Radar Speed Sign

Sunday, November 22, 2015. Thanksgiving nearly snuck up on me again this year. It's coming next week. Some folks have their Christmas yard decorations out already: including our neighbors across the corner, northwest of us.

I didn't get a photo of their display, yet, but did catch results of the season's first snowfall. The image is what my webcam showed at 10:40 a.m. last Thursday.


A week before Thanksgiving: our first snow. (October 19, 2015)


A radar speed sign on South Ash Street. (November 22, 2015)

I went out this afternoon to get a photo of the first radar speed sign I've seen here on Ash Street.

It faced southbound traffic, I'm not sure exactly why it's there: apart from the obvious reminder of the speed limit, and what I see as a convenient opportunity to check my speedometer. It's spot-on accurate, by the way.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Distracted by Paris

Sunday, November 15, 2015. Yesterday and today were the good sort of autumn days: clear skies, sunshine, highs around 60. Coming next: about three days in the mid-40s, with rain.

It could be worse. There was the 1991 Halloween blizzard, and the Armistice Day Blizzard in 1940. I don't remember that one, but my folks talked about it: and the big one in 1888. More recently, we've had November winter storms or blizzards in 1975, 1981, and 1988, and the 1991 Halloween blizzard lasted until November 3. (MN DNR)

A few days of rain doesn't look so bad now.

I thought I'd have more to say, and show, but Friday's attacks in Paris distracted me. That was a very sad situation.

Here in Sauk Centre, though, life goes on. Maybe next week I'll have my ducks in a row: or at least near each other.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Autumn Colors: Nearly Caught Up

Sunday, November 1, 2015. I'm nearly caught up on 'autumn' photos.


Near the corner of Ash and South 9th: I like the clouds in this scene. (October 7, 2015)


I got a little closer, getting a better look at this tree. (October 7, 2015)

Halloween's come and gone, we re-set clocks after the seemingly-inevitable 'fall back' part of daylight savings time, and I'm getting used to the sun setting an hour 'earlier' than it did on Saturday.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Still more fall colors

Sunday, October 25, 2015. Still catching up. It's still autumn in Minnesota: beautifully clear skies followed by overcast, drizzle, and wind. Not necessarily in that order.


Fall color, just one, red. (October 6, 2015)


Looking east on South 9th, toward the public school. (October 6, 2015)


Still more fall colors. (October 7, 2015)

Halloween's coming this week. I'm looking forward to that.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

New Hard Drive, Fall Colors

Sunday, October 18, 2015. I'm back, finally. A few weeks ago, my son heard my computer's hard drive clattering, and said that it was about ready to fail. I agreed with him, so he installed a new drive: upgrading to Windows 10 while he was at it.

The process took a little over a day, after which I started re-installing software, fonts, and all that. I also took a sort of in-house vacation from my usual routines. But now I'm "back," and catching up.


Construction at St. Paul's, a few weeks back. (September 30, 2015)


Fall colors. (September 30, 2015)


More fall colors. (September 30, 2015)


Lots of pumpkins outside Coborn's. (September 30, 2015)

I found what I'm quite certain is the house being driven down Ash Street on September 25. It's now in what had been a vacant lot: the one I showed in the September 20 post.


House movers, at their destination. (October 6, 2015)

I'll try to stay current, and show a few more photos I've taken this month.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Very Slow Moving Vehicle

Sunday, September 27, 2015. The 'supermoon eclipse' is happening as I write this. It's overcast, and likely to stay that way, so I won't actually see it. Wikipedia has a pretty good page on the eclipse, including background on what's happening.

Other than that, and a photo I caught from my webcam, I don't have much to say this week - - -


Friday morning: a very slow moving vehicle on south Ash, seen through my webcam. (September 25, 2015)

- - - except that it's starting to feel like autumn, and some trees are changing color.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

End of Summer

Sunday, September 20, 2015. - - - Three weeks later, not one: but I'm back with two photos.


Construction at St. Paul's: foundation in place, some work showing above ground. (September 16, 2015)


Another construction site in Sauk Centre's south side. This was a vacant with a children's park 'rider' for many years. (September 16, 2015)

I'd say 'see you next week,' but maybe it'll be 'see you later.' Either way: enjoy the end of summer-like weather while it's here.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

School, Labor Day, and a Mural

Sunday, August 30, 2015. The school year starts Tuesday, September 1. Then, a few days later: Labor Day weekend; and school starts again on the 7th.

I took a closer look at the downtown mural this week: and noticed that the Sauk Centre in the mural has a steam engine at the depot, and a building that's not there any more, across the street. The railway depot building is still around: housing Depot Feeds.


Downtown Sauk Centre's mural: complete, apparently. (August 26, 2015)


A closer look at downtown Sauk Centre: as it was. (August 26, 2015)


A well-tended garden on Sauk Centre's south side. (August 26, 2015)

That's it for now. I'll see you next week.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Last Photos from the Stearns County Fair, School Year Coming

 Sunday, August 23, 2015. The school year will be starting soon. I've seen a few recreational vehicles go by outside, probably being driven home after the summer's: recreating?

It's been overcast and raining about half the time this week, including Friday and Saturday: when I made an unexpected delivery to North Dakota. I was filling in for my son, who wasn't able to go: and so spent a few hours visiting with the kids and granddaughter up there.

These are the last photos from the Stearns County Fair.


In the 4-H building, mostly photography displays. (August 1, 2015)


I always stop by the model rocket table, remembering when I made that sort of thing. (August 1, 2015)


Nicely-framed clouds, seen through the 4-H building's west door. (August 1, 2015)


And walking back through the midway, on my way home. (August 1, 2015)


A patch of blue sky, branches being blown about: today felt like autumn. (August 23, 2015)

After spending much of Friday and Saturday either getting as much as what I'd planned to do finished, or driving to and from North Dakota, I'm fresh out of stuff to say. For me, that's an odd sensation.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

More Photos From the Fair

Sunday, August 16, 2015. Another week has gone by, we've had sunshine and rain, the school year is lurking on the calendar, and I didn't take any photos.

There are, however, a few from the Stearns County Fair that I haven't shown yet.


The two smaller critters are leopard tortoises. The big fellow, imitating a rock, is an African spurred tortoise. (August 1, 2015)


Deer are fairly common here in Minnesota. Patagonian cavys, not so much. (August 1, 2015)

Those pictures were taken in the Conservation Club building. The critters are from the Hemker Park and Zoo, north of Freeport, about 15 minutes down the road: a family-run outfit that's been around since 1977. I've never been there, but members of my family have: and say it's a nice place.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Pride of Main Street Dairy Closes; Photos from the Parade

Sunday, August 9, 2015. Last month I talked about the Ding Dong Cafe's owner getting ready to retire. The Ding Dong will, I'm confident, still be around when a new owner's found.

Pride of Main Street Dairy, not so much. This week's Sauk Centre Herald top story, after Jeff Otte's deep fried cheese curds and other Stearns County Fair fare, was "Pride of Main Street Dairy closed indefinitely."


The headline says it all: "Pride of Main Street Dairy closed...." (August 6, 2015)

Sounds like Lifeway Foods, an Illinois-based company, is moving the production processes Main Street Dairy handled to Wisconsin or Illinois. That's put 11 of the 13 folks who worked at Main Street Dairy: out of work.

Someone's working in the office, and another doing building maintenance; the building's up for sale, and the small retail dairy store that was in the building is gone. I remember seeing Pride of Main Street Dairy's skim, 1%, 2%, whole and chocolate milk; and a few ice cream flavors; in Coborn's.

It was nice having locally-made dairy products, and looking for work is anything but fun: my experience, anyway. But I understand that change happens.

On a happier note, I don't think I shared these photos from the Sinclair Lewis Day parade, week before last.


Someone noted that kids scooting out to pick up goodies thrown from Sinclair Lewis Days Parade units reminded him of chickens going after corn. (July 18, 2015)


Sauk Centre's fire/emergency response department: new equipment - - - (July 18, 2015)


- - - and anything-but-new equipment. (July 18, 2015)

I've probably got photos from the Stearns County Fair, too: but those will wait until next week. Or the week after that, or whenever. That depends partly on whether I get any nifty pictures.

Monday, August 3, 2015

Stearns County Fair: Midway and Beyond

Monday, August 3, 2015. Stearns County Fair ended yesterday. I was feeling very relaxed yesterday, which is why Sunday's entry is showing up on Monday. It's a beautiful day, by the way.


The midway: it's noisy, fun, and maybe the most colorful end of the fair. (August 1, 2015)

Oddly enough, Stearns County Fair's midway is at the west end of the fairgrounds. (August 1, 2015)


I like Saturday afternoon and early evening at the fair. It's when you'll see the most families. (August 1, 2015)


The north lane - I don't know if that it's name, or if it has one - where the 'real' fair starts. Vendors and exhibitors are in booths by the lane, and in the buildings. The white roof, at the end of the lane, is one of the livestock buildings. I didn't get that far this year. (August 1, 2015)

There's more, but I'm saving those photos for next week.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

More Photos from Sinclair Lewis Days Parade, 2015

Sunday, July 26, 2015. Stearns County Fair starts next week, and I've still got photos from last week's Sinclair Lewis Days parade to show.


Some folks get quite imaginative: like this furry unit. (July 18, 2015)


A tip of the hat to the River City Rhythm, for a particularly lively performance. They did a very good job. (July 18, 2015)


Here's the head of the parade, coming back past the corner of Ash and South 9th. (July 18, 2015)


And one of my favorite parts of the parade: the Coborn's grocery cart. Make that grocery carts this year. (July 18, 2015)

Next week, I'll have photos from the Fair. That's the idea, at least.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Mostly the Sinclair Lewis Days Parade

Sunday, July 19, 2015. It's been an interesting few weeks for the family. Among other things, my son-in-law and son have been designing and programming an industrial robot for Spiral Light Candle. That brought me and the other Sauk Centre Gills to North Dakota earlier this week. It's not quite 'life in Sauk Centre,' but — I'm a proud in-law/parent.


Spiral Light Candle factory, after hours. (July 13, 2015)

Meanwhile, back in Sauk Centre, the downtown mural on Sinclair Lewis Avenue is getting closer to completion.


Work in progress: the mural on Sinclair Lewis Avenue, at the corner of Sinclair and Main. (July 15, 2015)


Road work near the Interstate. (July 15, 2015)

It's an old joke. Minnesota's four seasons: fall, winter, spring, and road work. There's something to it.

Sinclair Lewis Days is over now. The parade route went by our house twice: which took a bit of coordination, letting an  outbound unit through the intersection while a returning one waited for its turn. It worked out fine, though.


Sinclair Lewis Days parade begins. (July 18, 2015)


Someone observed that the kids running out before another unit came, to pick up candy, reminded him of chickens going after seed. I see his point: and they were having fun. (July 18, 2015)


Sauk Centre fire/emergency department has at least one new(ish) vehicle - - - (July 18, 2015)


- - - and one that's very vintage. (July 18, 2015)

I've got more photos from the parade: but will spread them out over the next few weeks: along with pictures from the county fair. That's the plan, anyway.