Flowers

Sunday, May 31, 2015. Another week, and I don't have much to show, apart from these photos. The lilacs are almost through blooming.


Not many lilac blossoms left. (May 31, 2015)


The spirea is pretty close to its peak. (May 31, 2015)


I don't know what they're called, but they come back every spring. (May 31, 2015)

Next week I may have more: or less.

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.

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.

Warm, Windy: Summer, Eventually

Sunday, April 12, 2015. It got up to 70, roughly, today: lots of wind, and a few blades of grass are turning green. I think maybe, just maybe, summer will happen. Eventually.

No photos this week. Maybe next Sunday. Then again, maybe not.

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.

Next Week May be Better

Sunday, March 22, 2015. Spring is officially here, although today looked and felt a bit more like a dreary autumn day.

I heard that the nursing home isn't allowing any visitors: so I figure there's a bug going around town. Again. That would explain the way I've been feeling.

Still, it could be worse. It could be better, too: any I trust that it may be by next Sunday.

Spring!

Sunday, Marcy 12, 2015. Whoops. I missed last week's entry. Sorry about that.

We've done the 'spring forward' part of federally-mandated jet lag, which didn't help what I think was a slight almost-a-cold I caught.

Never mind. I'm back, almost awake, and have some photos.

Spring is here, by the way: warmish weather, no snow on the ground, everything.


Monday: snow is melting. (March 9, 2015)


The boat landing, near downtown. I've no idea what we're looking at. Maybe someone did a 'polar bear plunge,' and thoughtfully plugged the hole. Or maybe something else happened. (March 11, 2015)


The bridge and band shell, lakeside park. (March 11, 2015)

Now I really should try to get some sleep.

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!

Happy (Snow-Free) Easter!

Sunday, April 20, 2014. Easter Sunday. Some folks from Kenya are visiting our parish. I've wondered what they think of springtime in Minnesota.


Wednesday around 6:00 p.m., after more than a foot of snow fell. April 16, 2014.


A more reasonable facsimile of spring weather this afternoon. April 20, 2014.

That's about all I've got for this week. Happy Easter!

Springtime in Minnesota: Still More Snow

It's snowing again.

Schools closed at 1:00.

That's what my webscam saw, about 20 minutes ago.

Palm Sunday: With Easter and Snow Coming

Sunday, April 13, 2014. Palm Sunday. That's embarrassing: I'd put "2013" as the year for every photo in March, and several in February. The good news is that it was an easy fix.

I saw my first two robins this week; some of the grass is not only visible: but turning green; and temperatures were above freezing today. Not much above freezing, but above nevertheless.

I don't want to start any wild rumors: but Spring may finally be here.

Our new granddaughter, Elizabeth, was baptized yesterday. ("Baptism: Elizabeth Grace," Through One Dad's Eye (April 12, 2014))


Elizabeth Grace, waiting: fairly patiently. April 12, 2014.

The house was anything but quiet yesterday afternoon, since we had some folks over to celebrate.


Palm Sunday at Our Lady of the Angels. April 13, 2014.


A sign of Spring: the street sweeper making its rounds. April 9, 2014.

I checked the forecast, which has no winter storms: so far. We do, however, expect snow and a bit of wind on Wednesday.

Another Week, Yet Another Winter Storm: Springtime in Minnesota

Sunday, April 6, 2014. I see I mislabeled last week's post "March 24." That's embarrassing, and has been corrected: but I've got an excuse of sorts.

I haven't been as ill as others in the household, but we've all been participating in whatever's going around town. We call it "stomach flu," although there's probably a more accurate term.

These three pictures, from my webcam, show what sort of a week it's been.


Tuesday, 8:40 a.m.: Springtime in Minnesota. April 1, 2014.


Thursday, 8:20 a.m.: snowing, again. April 3, 2014.


Friday, 8:56 a.m., and we're getting picture-postcard snow. April 4, 2014.

Thursday's springtime winter storm encouraged the public school to lock the doors at 4:00 p.m. and cancel all afternoon and evening activities. Or, rather, they cancelled the activities and then locked the doors.

Snow is off the yard across the street, and most other places with no drifts and exposure to sunlight. I've heard that we'll have highs around 70 next week. I won't mind a bit.

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.

Snow that Melts in the Spring, Tra-La: Springtime in Minnesota

Sunday, March 23, 2014. Minnesota's weather isn't boring. Here's what my webcam saw at about half past noon on Tuesday.


Snow, wind, school's closed. March 18, 2014.

Same scene, about 12:45 Thursday:


First day of spring: in Minnesota. March 20, 2014.

And again, a few minutes before 7:00 this evening:


The grass isn't exactly green yet: but it's visible. March 23, 2014.

Tuesday's winter storm left us with another eight inches of snow, and no school that day. It's been above freezing during the day, for the most part, since then: so yards are starting to look more like lawns and less like snowfields.


Tuesday's snow, during Wednesday's melt. March 19, 2014.


No concerts at the band shell this month. March 19, 2014.


The boat landing, north of downtown. Those are snowmobile tracks: and a patch of blue sky. March 19, 2014.


That sign describes what sort of plants folks see in that low spot: or will see, after spring gets through melting. March 19, 2014.

I'm looking forward to "spring" days that are the sort of "flowers that bloom in the spring tra-la" thing I've read about: by which time it will probably be early summer.

First Day of Spring: Sunshine and Snow

It's warmer than it looks: about 37° Fahrenheit. That's what my webcam (Small Town America: Central Minnesota) saw a few minutes ago.

The calendar says it's the first day of spring: but I'll be putting on a jacket to go outside for a while yet, anyway.

Related post:

• "Spring is Here: Minnesota Style"
  (March 16, 2014)

Spring is Here: Minnesota Style

Sunday, March 17, 2014. I've been a bit distracted this week. Our new granddaughter has been visiting, and her parents, of course. My wife set up a "Welcome" display in the front room/entry, spelling out "welcome A + S & Elizabeth."

Elizabeth is a little over a month old, so she won't be reading for some time: but it was a nice gesture. It's good to be a granddad.


Some folks shovel, some folks use snowblowers, and then there's more snow. March 11, 2014.

Meanwhile, spring is here: Minnesota style.


Mostly melting snow: and a suggestion of dirt and grass. Spring is here! March 12, 2014.


I doubt that any birds have used it yet, but some of the birdbath's water wasn't frozen. March 13, 2014.


Clear sky, sunshine, melting snow, water running in the gutter and — yes — a little grass. March 13, 2014.

Now I really should start catching up on sleep.