Mostly Photos

Sunday, July 6, 2014. I mentioned the Sauk Herald's "Mural project to spruce up corner on Main Street" article back on May 25, 2014. As I said then, I like the red-on-white paint job that the Belmont building has been sporting lately: but the mural could look good, too.


The 'umbrella fountain' at Sinclair Lewis Park. June 30, 2014.


Downtown Sauk Centre. June 30, 2003.


"Let's Get The Red OUT!" June 30, 2010.


The park by the Sinclair Lewis Museum. June 30, 2003.


Fireworks being sold from a truck. June 30, 2003.


North Dakota sky. July 4, 2003.

"North Dakota?" There's an explanation for that. My wife, son, and #3 daughter went to North Dakota over the weekend to visit #2 daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. Elizabeth was fascinated by what was going on across the room when I had a camera handy: so I got a picture of her left ear.


Our granddaughter, Elizabeth. July 22, 2010.

That's it for now: but I'm pretty sure that there'll be something to show again next week.

Fourth of July Weekend

Sunday, July 7, 2013. Fourth of July/Independence Day weekend is almost over. I didn't hear as many fireworks outside this year as before. Maybe I wasn't listening hard enough.


Flags lined  ("The Original") Main Street and Sinclair Lewis Avenue for Independence Day. July 3, 2013.


We didn't see  quite as big a fireworks stand this year. July 3, 2013.


The 'umbrella fountain' - with new(ish) colors. July 3, 2013.

I don't know when the 'umbrella fountain' got new colors. The green and white are nice: but I liked the yellow and blue, too. The last time I can be sure I saw the older colors was two years back, just after that big storm.


What's remarkable is that the gazebo and the 'umbrella fountain' came through in one piece. And that nobody was hurt or killed. July 11, 2011.

Back to the present, and Sauk Centre's newly-painted water tower.


New paint on the water tower. July 3, 2013.


These folks do a nice job with their yard displays. July 7, 2013.

I'll be back with more pictures next week. That's the plan, anyway.

Independence Day, 2012

Related posts:

• "Freedom Rosary: Two Days Left"
  (July 2, 2012)
• "Independence Day's Coming"
  (July 1, 2012)
• "Independence Day, 2011"
  (July 4, 2011)
• "Fireworks, Families, Flags, and the Fourth of July"
  (July 4, 2010)

Independence Day's Coming

Sunday, July 1, 2012. I've got mostly photos again this week: only not quite so many. Actually one of them is from last week.


'Fireworks tent' in a parking lot on Sauk Centre's south side. Independence Day's coming this Wednesday. June 23, 2011.

The next three photos show part of what I've been doing this week. As many as 98 folks have been gathering in the garden next to Our Lady of the Angels church each evening to pray. Tonight there were 92: I suspect some of us decided to stay inside, out of the heat and humidity.


Freedom rosary, in the Marian garden at Our Lady of the Angels church. June 24, 2012.


Freedom rosary, violins, folks singing. June 25, 2012.


Freedom rosary: photo by Dr. Erik Rivers. June 26, 2012.

There's been more going on in Sauk Centre: folks buying food and fireworks at the grocery; hummingbirds refueling at feeders, including mine; all the usual routines.

Down the road in Alexandria, KSAX television stopped broadcasting. Alexadria's Echo Press ran an article on the closure:

• KSAX: No More Broadcasts
  Sauk Centre Journal Blog (June 29, 2012

If something special happened here in Sauk Centre: I missed it, but will try to catch up next week.

Independence Day, 2011

Monday, July 4, 2011.

Crisis Drill, Utility Work, and Independency Day

Sunday, July 3, 2011. This week started out with lots of sirens going by my home. Sauk Centre's emergency responders had a sort of crisis drill at the athletic field, behind the high school. I didn't time it, but I think they were there for the better part of an hour: starting around 6:00 p.m. or so.


I'll say this - from a distance it looked real. June
27, 2011.


Ambulances were ferrying 'injured' folks out - not as fast as you see in the movies, but this is a (simulated) real-world situation. June 27, 2011.


No, it's not a picnic. June 27, 2011.

Then, on Thursday, a crew came out and pulled up a utility pole on South 9th near Ash. Last week they took out a tree, now a pole: Sooner or later they'll run out of things to pull out or cut down.


Neatly done - one utility pole, pulled up, swung over, and stowed on the truck. June 30, 2011.

Tomorrow's another day. Specifically, it's Independence Day. The Fourth of July. I hope you have a good one.


Now I know what that inflatable flag reminded me of - one of those air mattresses I've seen at beaches. July 3, 2011.

My plans for Independence Day are pretty simple: wake up, and see what happens after that. Have a safe and happy Fourth!

Wrapping Up the Fourth of July

Wednesday, July 7, 2010. The emergency sirens went off this afternoon, as usual: it's the regular first-Wednesday-of-the-month test. Here are a few photos, left over from the Fourth.


Sinclair Lewis Park. July 4, 2010.


Now, that's a nice way to spend Independence day. July 4, 2010.


Sinclair Lewis Campground, and the public lake access. July 4, 2010.


This looks like water skiing: except you don't need to work so hard to keep your balance. Or maybe you do. July 4, 2010.

There's a horse show at the fairgrounds this weekend. The Sauk Centre Soo Bahk Do group will be helping out there, mostly behind the scenes.

The fairgrounds has newly-surfaced asphalt roadways now. I'd have taken a photo, but decided that asphalt really isn't all that exciting.

Fireworks, Families, Flags, and the Fourth of July

Sunday, July 4, 2010. Independence Day. That 'cheesy' sculpture wasn't in Sauk Centre. The carved block of Wisconsin cheese was on display in New York City two years ago.


(from Oddly Enough / photo by Lucas Jackson, Reuters, used w/o permission)
The cheese went back to Wisconsin food pantries. July, 2008

The last whizzing, banging, popping and whooshing fireworks are, I hope, fading away as I write this. I don't mind folks celebrating - but I also need sleep.


Folks with this fireworks tent were waving and showing a sign to drivers this afternoon. July 1, 2010.

I suppose the flags downtown will go back into storage now that the Fourth is over. They put on quite a show this year, thanks to the wind.


Flags and wind downtown. Both in large quantities. July 2, 2010.


There aren't all that many bicycles on Main Street. July 2, 2010.

The Sinclair Lewis campground was full - or nearly so - today. This afternoon, at the south end of Sauk Lake, folks were sitting in the shade, on the lake, and at the playground with their kids.


Overcast - and enough wind to discourage mosquitoes. July 4, 2010.


Let's take a closer look. Yep, they're fishing. July 4, 2010.

Red-white-and-blue banners were up in Our Lady of the Angels church this morning.


Our Lady of the Angels church. July 4, 2010.

Which reminds me: L. N. Kaas, on south Main, is repairing violins now. He's built one, too: but I haven't found out if he's selling it or not. Which is an odd gap in my knowledge, considering that he's my father-in-law.


Clock repair - and now violins. That sign on his van reminded me, this morning. July 4, 2010.

There's more - there's always more - but that'll wait until Wednesday.

Beautiful Weather, Trouble at Andy's Wok, Fireworks

Wednesday, June 30, 2010. I've enjoyed being outside this week: the weather is just about ideal, plants are still lush and green from the rains, and there's been enough wind to discourage mosquitoes. For the most part.


Clear skies, near-ideal temperatures: it's been a good week. June 29, 2010.

I wasn't happy about one of this week's front-page items from the Sauk Centre Herald. Andy's Wok, downtown, is in trouble with the county health inspector. Again. The place was closed for three weeks last year. The Chinese-Mexican restaurant is closed again. Maybe for good. There's a hearing scheduled for July 22, the paper said: but the outlook for Andy's Wok doesn't look good.

According to the paper, Stearns County Environmental Health Division Director Hank Schreifels said that Andy's Wok's owner, Faxu Lin, "has not demonstrated any ability to comply with the regulations - We've given him many opportunities."

I suppose a person could present what's happening as a case of cultural differences. Americans are picky about food services keeping foods at safe temperatures - and the staff washing their hands.

I've written about Andy's Wok before (June 22 and May 16, April 4, 2008), and the other Chinese restaurant in that location (June 24, 2007) I hope that the owner of Andy's Wok is able to get his ducks in a row where it comes to operating the restaurant - and convince the county Stearns County Environmental Services Department that he's done so. That restaurant has been a colorful part of downtown.


"Caution" tape across the fairgrounds entrances. June 29, 2010.

Meanwhile, a crew is getting the Stearns County Fairgrounds ready for the end of July and the start of the fair.


I don't think that's a shadow (being cast by nothing): It looks like they've repaved that stretch of service road. There's a section with new asphalt at the main entrance, too. June 29, 2010.

The Fourth of July is coming: Sunday. I checked the forecast. This wonderful weather is supposed to last through Friday. Then we're in for a 30% chance of rain, lightning and thunder.


Fireworks for sale at Coborn's. June 30, 2010.

Fireworks displays are up in the stores. On the whole, I'm rather glad that the Minnesota legislature is no longer protecting us from dangerous things like sparklers.

Even if it rains, I'm pretty sure folks will find a way to set off fireworks. Within the limits of Minnesota state law, of course.

Mess on Birch Cleaned Up, Fireworks Tent, Weather

Sunday, June 27, 2010. Good news. Debris from the house on South Birch that burned down last September isn't there any more. I haven't been by the lot recently, but the dirt looks fresh. I'm very glad that the mess cleaned up. But not as much as the neighbors, I'd guess.


That's more like it! Debris from last year's fire is finally gone June 27, 2010.

"Before," in early April:


Maybe it'd help, if I looked at this as a sort of modern art sculpture? Unhappily, even as 'found art,' it's an eyesore. April 8, 2010.

It's a week until the Fourth of July. This weekend, someone set up a tent on the parking lot shared by Westport Liquor, Gerards, and other businesses.


A 'fireworks tent' in south Sauk Centre: a sort of tradition. June 27, 2010.

The storms that hit Minnesota this week missed us, for the most part. We got rain, wind, and a bit of lightning: but that was about it. I see on FOX9 News that over 5,000 homes didn't have power today, down in the Metro area. (That's the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area: "The Metro" takes much less time to say.)