Ding Dong Café For Sale

Sunday, July 12, 2015. The Ding Dong Café has been around for 69 years, this week's Sauk Centre Herald says. It is not, the current owner says, going to become a bicycle shop: according to the Herald. Amazing, the rumors that get started. It is, however, for sale. The current owner, Judy Bailey, says she's getting ready to retire: after 20 years as owner, and four before that working there.

The Ding Dong is a cultural/community landmark here: small wonder this news made top story on the front page.


Ding Dong Café: front page news. (July 9, 2015)


Lots of lightning, thunder, and rain. From my webcam. (8:46 p.m. July 12, 2015)

A big thunderstorm has been rolling over Sauk Centre, and a large swath of central Minnesota. There've been reports of wind damage in Albany, St Joseph (Semaphore traffic signal down): and trees down here in Sauk Centre. Still, it could have been a lot worse.

St. Paul's Construction, Re-Roofing the VB Building, and a Raffle

Sunday, July 5, 2015. There's a severe thunderstorm/flash flood watch on for a swath from eastern South Dakota to Minnesota's arrowhead region. One line went over a bit earlier, but it looks like there's more behind that one: so I'll be up for another hour or so, at least. It's an 'abundance of caution' thing.

St. Paul's construction/expansion continues. That's a huge project.


Construction at St. Paul's continues. That "Road Closed Ahead" sign was on the street west of the church. (July 1, 2015)


I'm glad to see a new roof going on the old Vocational Biographies building. (July 1, 2015)


Sign announcing/advertising a Holy Family School fundraiser. The drawing will be at Greenwald Pub, August 14. (July 1, 2015)

I was glad to see a crew on the old Vocational Biographies building roof, putting a long-overdue new set of shingles on. That's a fine old mansion/funeral home/office building: with a remarkable fraction of the original woodwork intact.

That Holy Family School fundraiser sign caught my eye. It's in the Our Lady of Angels parking lot: a logical place, since the St. Paul's lot is part of the construction project. Folks in the two parishes cooperate pretty well.

That's all I've got this week: and more than I remembered, when I started writing it. Next week: who knows?

Finally: Spring!

Sunday, May 3, 2015. Finally: rain, sunshine, warmth. Trees are beginning to leaf out, lawns are turning green.


This is what spring is supposed to be like. (April 29, 2015)


A breezy spring afternoon. (May 3, 2015)

This is what spring is supposed to look like.

Rain and Green Grass

Sunday, April 26, 2015. It's rained, which resulted in a few dreary days: and very welcome moisture. In town, lawns are perking up and trees starting to sprout leaves.


A duck, napping on the lake access dock. (April 22, 2015)


Lilac buds. (April 26, 2015)


Green grass: Finally! (April 26, 2015)

The local Knights of Columbus council had our annual "Tootsie Roll" drive: it's called something else, and we give the money to Special Olympics, but that name stuck. We offer Tootsie Rolls to folks who contribute.

Anyway, I was at Coborn's, down the street, yesterday afternoon, and we had K. of C. members at the doors at church this morning. I haven't heard how much Special Olympics gets this year: not yet.

The three clustered parishes had First Communion this afternoon at St. Paul's. I didn't go: my guess is that with all the families gathered, it was packed.

I'm either feeling more like getting outside now: or less like staying indoors. Either way, it's a nice change of pace from winter.

Blessing a Billboard

Sunday, April 19, 2015. We got a little rain this morning: but not as much as forecast, or hoped for.

I've heard that Nick's, downtown at the corner of Sinclair Lewis and Main, has a new owner.


Monday afternoon, Sauk Centre public school. (April 13, 2015)


Blessing a billboard last Sunday, from the Sauk Centre Herald. (April 12, 2015)


Billboard blessing got pretty good coverage: front page, and back of the 1st section. (April 12, 2015)

The 'Divine Mercy' billboard near Interstate 94, east of town between here and Melrose, got blessed last Sunday. I wasn't there, but the Sauk Centre Herald did a pretty good writeup on the event.

And yes, that's a slingshot they used to deliver the holy water: in a balloon. That billboard is a long way from the ground.

Yesterday's Post, Snow, Rain, and One Photo

Monday, November 24, 2014. These 'Sauk Centre Journal' entries generally get posted Sunday evening. I thought there was something I was forgetting last night: and I was right. Now, following the 'better late than never' principle, is yesterday's entry. Except not it's today. And by the time you see it, it may be tomorrow, or the day after.

Never mind. Here's the one photo I took last week:


Lake access between Sauk Centre's campground and lakeside park. November 19, 2014.

We had snow, or rain, depending on what time it was, yesterday. This morning it was definitely snow: not much, but enough to notice.

Rain, Ducks, Old Song Lyrics: and a Corpus Christi Procession

Sunday, June 22, 2014. It's summer: the season for rummage sales, sunburn, and the occasional tornado warning. We've had quite a lot of rain lately. After a little checking, I learned that July is the only month that hasn't seen snow in Minnesota: since we've been keeping records, anyway.


Conservation Park. I thought the river looked high - - -


- - - and I was right. June 18, 2014.

I saw this anatine pair Wednesday afternoon.


If I see two ducks, is that a paradox? June 18, 2014.


"Love is a many-splendored thing" - - -


- - - "and the world stood still." June 18, 2014.

On a more serious note, our Corpus Christi procession didn't get rained out.


Corpus Christi procession: first leg. June 22, 2014.


Not everybody participated, of course. June 22, 2014.


I'd say "we're approaching St. Paul's" here: but I was across the street, taking pictures. June 22, 2014.

I put other, larger, photos of the procession on my A Catholic Citizen in America blog.

Nic's Diner Changes Hands

Sunday, June 15, 2014. It's been one of those weeks: I haven't gotten much done, and took all week doing it. The weather isn't helping: it rained on three days this week. I've heard that crops around here are not looking good. Water is good for plants: but too much at the wrong time: not so much.


Thursday's Sauk Herald. June 12, 2014.

On a happier note, the Sauk Centre Herald put the new owners of Nic's Diner on the front page: Gary and Karyn Nelson. The paper says they're planning a Grand Opening for Sinclair Lewis Days.

Rain, Clear, and Undecided

Sunday, June 8, 2014. There's a flood warning for the Sauk River, around St. Cloud, effective until next Sunday. I can believe that. We've had a great deal of rain. At one point, some of the water outside got inside, into the basement. I don't remember that happening since the time we got an unusually heavy rain while the ground was still frozen.

Wunderground.com's almanac for our area shows rain or rain and lightning four days this week, clear skies for two days, and one undecided: that was today, with leaden overcast but no rain.


Lilacs. June 2, 2014.

Between heavy rain, wind, and their natural cycle, flowers on the lilac bushes have withered or been blown away. I noticed near-ideal light on them Monday, snatched my camera, and got outside when the clouds were reasserting themselves.

Rain, Lightning, Lights Out, and Lilacs

Sunday, June 1, 2014. We had a power outage in the small hours of Saturday morning, during a thundershower. Power was back around sunrise, happily. We've been getting rain quite a bit, which I like: as long as I can stay inside.


Gardening begins. May 27, 2014.


Lilac cluster. June 1, 2014.


Lots of lilacs. June 1, 2014.


The sky this evening. June 1, 2014.

Lilacs are blooming: I like the way they look, and haven't a clue how they smell. That sense doesn't work in me, which has come in handy when a particularly pungent mess had to be cleaned up.

The lilac blooms will be gone soon. Very soon if we have more heavy rains. No matter: I'm looking forward to summer.

Springtime in Minnesota: After the Rain

Sunday, May 18, 2014. Our youngest child was confirmed today, along with 54 other young people in the three parishes: Our Lady of the Angels, St. Paul's, and St. Alexius in West Union. I also took a few photos this week.


Sauk Lake, and very green grass. May 14, 2014.


The 'umbrella' fountain and gazebo, Sauk Lake Park. The fountain isn't there yet, apart from the base. It's typically re-installed for Memorial Day Weekend. May 14, 2014.


Nic's Diner, downtown. May 14, 2014.


This house, and matching birdhouse, has been one of my favorite spots in town, ever since my family and I moved to Sauk Centre in 1986. May 18, 2014.


The birdhouse is a reasonably accurate scale model of the house. Someone had a nice idea. May 18, 2014.

I heard that 12 out of 19 days recently had significant rain. I believe it. It's been damp: and cloudy more often than not. This week it was cold, then warmish, then around freezing again: from one day's morning to mid-afternoon. Springtime in Minnesota: there's nothing quite like it.

Two Ducks and a Newspaper

Sunday, May 4, 2014. The ducks are back, daftly waddling through traffic. It's a wonder more aren't hit this time of year. Maybe they're paying more attention that is apparent Two unattached drakes had found themselves a puddle by the Sauk Lake boat ramp.


Don't worry, the one on the left is okay. He's at a duck's equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet. April 28, 2014.


Sauk Centre Herald's front page, bottom half, a week or so back. April 24, 2014.

The hydrant flushing notice is routine, but not the "frozen pipes" headline in the lower right corner. Even here in Minnesota, it's usually not that cold this late.

I'll have more next week, most likely. Good night!

Minnesota Spring: Another Week, Another Winter Storm.

Sunday, March 30, 2014. It's springtime in Minnesota, with another winter storm due to arrive late Monday night. The parish priest joked that God gave us this climate, so folks living elsewhere wouldn't envy the natural beauty of central Minnesota.

Thursday's storm encouraged the public school to lock up at 4:00 p.m., and cancel all afternoon and evening activities.


About noon, Thursday. March 27, 2014.

I'm just about ready for summer. Most of the snow should be gone by then. Here's a quick look at the week's weather.


Wednesday, and the band shell benches are nearly free of snow. March 26, 2014.


Thursday, 7:47 a.m.: mostly rain. March 27, 2014.


Thursday, 10:29 a.m., and snow has started. March 27, 2014.


Thursday. 1:07 p.m., and we're getting picture-postcard snow. March 27, 2014.


Saturday morning: clear blue sky, sunshine, fresh snow, and the streets have been cleared. March 29, 2014.

I'll say this for this spring's weather: it's kept our snow cover fresh. Here's another look out the front window.


Springtime in Minnesota: noon, March 27, 2014.

I checked the weather, and now we're looking forward to ice pellets Monday night. Either way, I'll be glad to stay inside.

Harvest Time, and Looking Forward to Winter

Sunday, November 10, 2013. It's harvest time, we've had rain, snow, and dry spells. The dry spells are good, since harvesting goes easier then: but the process kicks up an amazing amount of dust, grain, dust, and assorted respiratory irritants. That's probably why I feel like I've had a cold for more than a month now.

I'm not alone, but 'misery loves company' doesn't apply in this case. I'm looking forward to winter.


Southern sky, where Ash Street crosses Lake Woebgone Trail. November 4, 2013.

Just one photo this week. I'd been taking a walk, and caught one of our more interesting skies.

Rain, Blue Skies, and Photos

Sunday, September 15, 2013. I drove about 125 miles through more-or-less heavy rain yesterday afternoon. That's not my favorite thing to do, but we needed the precipitation. Today was more inclined to provide drizzle and finally clear skies.


Early evening, looking north from the St. Paul's church parking lot. September 10, 2013.


The end of a street on the north side. Most of the field there was green, happily. September 11, 2013.


Near a quiet corner on Sauk Centre's north side. September 11, 2013.


Not a particularly cheerful scene, at the corner of Ash Street and South 12th: but we needed the rain. September 15, 2013.


Grass on vacant land between (The Original) Main Street and Fairlane Drive. September 15, 2013.

It's starting to feel autumnal: which figures, since it's the middle of September.

A "Million Dollar Rain," Sinclair Lewis Days, and Changes on Main

Sunday, July 14, 2013. Sinclair Lewis Days started today. It's a week-long set of civic events, including a kiddie and pet parade, and Crazy Days downtown: that's when retail stores set up tables on the sidewalk by their storefront, and hope for sunny skies.

Someone called today's weather a "million dollar rain." We had drizzle or light rain most of the day: not good for picnics or outdoor shopping, but great for getting moisture into the soil.

I noticed some changes along Main Street, between the Lake Wobegon Trail bridge and the Interstate.


Hillcrest Motel on South Main. It really is on the crest of a hill. The slope is on the side away from Main. July 12, 2013.


A little north of Hillcrest Motel, on the other side of Main, a new(ish) building has occupants. July 12, 2013.

That building across the street from the Hillcrest Motel, the two-story one with tannish-brownish-gray siding, was under construction for a long time. Last September I'd guessed that it would be an apartment building.


The new building on South Main may be ready by winter: or, not. My guess is that it'll be apartments. or something else. September 8, 2012.

I still think it looks like a multiple-unit housing facility, but it's being used as a professional/office building.


At least two outfits, an insurance office, and "Dentistry for Children," have moved in. July 12, 2013.

Folks coming to town for Sinclair Lewis Days shouldn't have much trouble seeing where the pedestrian crossings are. We've got new paving and paint on some of the major near-downtown streets.


Friday afternoon near downtown Sauk Centre. That's St. Paul's church in the background. July 12, 2011.

I want to check out the parade route for Sinclair Lewis Days. It went by my house for several years: which made getting pictures very easy.

Slightly-related post:

• "Construction and a New(ish) Name on Main Street"
  (September 30, 2012)