Memorial Day and Corpus Christi

Sunday, May 29. Memorial Day weekend: the unofficial first day of summer vacations, and something more serious. I've talked about that before. (This Season: Memorial Day)

The other big deal this weekend, for folks at the two Catholic parishes, is the Corpus Christi procession from Our Lady of the Angels to St. Paul's.


Starting out, near Our Lady of the Angels. (May 29, 2016)

A spot of sunshine on the way. (May 29, 2016)

First stop. (May 29, 2016)

And - arriving at St. Paul's. (May 29, 2016)

That's all I had the energy for this week. The family is (slowly) getting over whatever this bug is, and I'll end on that 'up' note.

Epiphany Sunday

Sunday, December 27, 2015. Epiphany Sunday. I took a few more photos. There's a larger version of that first one in one of my blog posts: "Jesus, the Magi, and Me," (A Catholic Citizen in America)


Our Lady of Angels church, Saturday afternoon. (January 2, 2016)


Work on St. Paul's addition/annex continues. (January 2, 2016)


Snow, lots of it, on the WalMart parking lot. (January 2, 2016)


Icicles: sparkly! (January 2, 2016)

There's no question about it. Winter is here. I plan to be back next week, probably with equally-obvious observations.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Father's Day 2015

Sunday, June 21, 2015. I took it even easier this week, so there's no photo. It's been a beautiful Father's Day here; I had a fine time with my family, including two calls from the out-of-town kids; and otherwise sat back and relaxed.

Speaking of Father's Day, fatherhood, and all that, here's something from a few years back; a guest post on my A Catholic Citizen in America blog:

• "Pride, Walking by Faith, and Fathers"
  Deacon Lawrence Kaas (June 17, 2012)

Next week, I'll probably have more: almost certainly will, I'd say.

Memorial Day Weekend

Sunday, May 24, 2015. Memorial Day Weekend. Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer's vacation season. It's also a time to remember folks who died while serving in this country's military.



The weekend has been overcast and damp so far. These photos are from Wednesday.

The "house with no 'front yard' " is on Sauk Centre's north side, near the water tower. It sits behind two newer one-story houses, with only a driveway connecting it to the street. There's a story behind that: but I don't know what it is.


A house with no 'front yard.' (May 20, 2015)


Lilacs. Again. (May 20, 2015)

That's it for another week. I'll be back next Sunday, most likely.

The Day After Mother's Day

Monday, May 11, 2015. Mother's Day was yesterday: a grey, rainy day. Today, around noon, the street is still wet here at the corner of South 9th and Ash: damp, anyway. Wednesday, in sharp contrast, was picture-postcard weather.


Sauk Lake and the Rotary Club display. (May 5, 2015)


Sunshine, a brightly-colored umbrella, and clear skies at the lakeside park in Sauk Centre. (May 5, 2015)

I'm pretty sure something's happened over the last week. If it's interesting, and I hear about it, I'll mention it next week.

Easter, Spring, Summer: Hail, Sleet, Snow

Monday, April 6, 2015. I'm feeling better: finally. Whatever it was, I'm pretty sure it wasn't strep. Someone else in the household had that. My guess is that quite a few folks in town are feeling better. Regular visiting hours are back in effect at the nursing home.

Let's see, what's happened? Spring is here, or maybe summer. Either way, snow is finally off the ground: and I figure the grass will get around to turning green when there's some rain.


Happy -- April Fools day? (April 1, 2015)


That's more like it. A tip of the hat to neighbors, for a bit of seasonal humor. (April 4, 2015)


Easter Sunday at Our Lady of Angels, Sauk Centre. (April 5, 2015)

It's about 6:00 in the evening, it started as light hail, and now — it's snowing. Or maybe it's sleet. Oh, well: this is Minnesota, after all.

Another Week in Small Town America

Sunday, March 1 2015. Days are getting longer, a snow flurry almost happened this afternoon, and that's about all I've got.


Neighbors on the corner opposite our house are set for St. Patrick's Day. (March 1, 2015)

Next week I may have more. Then again, maybe not.

Valentine's Day Approaching

Sunday, February 8, 2015. I'm still feeling better, but not convinced that I'm feeling "good." Or is it "well?" Anyway, I got one photo this week: of our across-the-street neighbors' yard. These folks have a nice variety of lawn decorations: including a Valentine's Day set.


Next Saturday is Valentine's Day. (February 8, 2015)

My son couldn't wait any longer, and took his bike out a few days ago. It was — seasonably — warm, and he had a fine time.

Happy New Year 2015!

Sunday, January 4, 2015. I'm still writing and typing "2014" as the year. Experience tells me that this will probably keep up for another week or so. Maybe a month.


Happy New Year, 2015! A larger version is on Apathetic Lemming of the North. (January 1, 2015)

Between holidays and not-quite-having-a-cold, I don't have much to say this week: except that it's 10 below outside, with a wind chill advisory; but should be warmer tomorrow. Not warm: "warmer." I gather that means it'll be above zero in the early afternoon.

There. That's all I've got. Next week I'll probably have more: or less.

Christmas 2014

Sunday, December 28, 2014. It warmed up a bit, so Christmas came with some grass visible: again.


Christmas Eve at Our Lady of Angels. They hadn't turned the tree lights on at this point. December 24, 2014.


Still Christmas Eve. As usual at this point in the Christmas season, the wise men haven't quite arrived. They're on the floor, to the left of the poinsettias. December 24, 2014.


Okay: Now the tree's lit. December 24, 2014.


Christmas lights. December 28, 2014.

That's it for this week. I'll be back with more, or less, next Sunday.

Sunshine, Frost, Snow: Christmas is Coming

Sunday, December 21, 2014. I'll say this for the climate here. It's not boring.


Wednesday afternoon: beautifully clear blue sky, sunlight on snow by the Coborn's parking lot. December 17, 2014.


Thursday afternoon: overcast, fog, hoarfrost decorating trees — and cars. Frosted branches in the trees were lovely, frosted roads: now so much. December 18, 2014.

We're into the fourth week of advent, and there's snow forecast for tomorrow and Tuesday. I'm pretty sure we'll have a "white Christmas."

Advent, 2014, Starts

Sunday, November 30, 2014. I see there's a Wind Chill Advisory for this area. I'm not surprised. A brisk northwest wind this morning let me know that winter is here as I went to church. It's more of the same tomorrow, only cooler.

Advent started today, some folks have Thanksgiving and Christmas yard decorations out, and the Knights of Columbus Nativity set gets lit up in a few days.

No photos this week. I've been been dealing with a 'nothing serious' bug: not enough to be worrisome, but quite sufficient to keep me inside except when really necessary. Next week should be better. That's the plan, anyway.

Feeling Better — not Good, but Better

Sunday, November 9, 2014. I've still got "nothing serious." My immune system finally kicked in Thursday: fever, chills, the works. That's good news, since now maybe I'll be done with the bug: whatever it is.

I've heard that something like this has been going around town. I like to feel like part of the community - but could have done without this. Oh, well: as my Norwegian forebears might have said, "it could be worse;" and, now that I think about it, has been worse.

One of the advantages to logging the six-decades-plus that I have, is the opportunity to develop perspective. Enough of the philosophizing.

Thanksgiving is coming up, And - more importantly for me - Advent and Christmas. I'm looking forward to seeing more holiday decorations, when I get out and about again.

Halloween, 2014: Missed it, Mostly

Sunday, November 2, 2014. We set the clocks back an hour overnight: so it's darker earlier now. We'll do the same thing in Spring, going the other way.

Happily, my computer checks the 'official' time for me, so the 'clock' at my desk is 'legal,' whether I pay attention or not.

I've been feeling under the weather this week: nothing serious, just enough to make me look forward to not feeling this way. That limited how much I got out and about: so I missed the Friday night/Halloween Mass at St. Alexius in West Union - I was looking forward to that.

Next week there should be more here. That's the plan, anyway.

Polka Mass and an Owl-O-Lantern

Sunday, October 26, 2014. Our Lady of Angels church had our yearly polka Mass today. I hope Nathan's Oldtime Band comes back next year.

Nathan's ... Band know their polka: and have the good sense to keep the tempo 'up.' They describe themselves as "Minnesota's youngest and most energetic polka/country band."


Before the polka Mass at Our Lady of Angels. October 26, 2014.

Halloween/All Hallows' Eve is this Friday. I'm looking forward to the trick-or-treaters.


An - owl-o-lantern? October 26, 2014.


Sunset. The sky lit up: just after I got back inside. October 26, 2014.

That sunset was mildly spectacular: right after I got inside and had the camera stowed. Oh, well: it's nice to know I've still got the old sense of timing.