Colorful — Toadstools?

Sunday, May 1. Finally, another entry in the Sauk Centre Journal. The last one, December 27, 2015, ended with "I plan to be back next week.

"Next week" turned out to to be about four months later. Sorry about that. I've got a few photos to show, besides the two I took this afternoon: but those will wait until later. Next week, I hope: but that's what I said last December. We'll see.

Bright blue skies, sunshine, and similarly-pleasant conditions got me outside this week: and enjoying the experience.


Colorful: toadstools? This photo doesn't really do them justice. That little yellowish-green thing on the far right one is a cartoonish "worm."(May 1, 2016)


Garage sales and yard sales are routine. "Craft sale," not so much. (May 1, 2016)

That's all for today. Next week: I'm hopeful I'll have more.

Flowers, Sign Work, an Anniversary, and a Sunset

Sunday, June 8, 2012. Another week, with the usual bright blue skies, leaden overcast, sweltering heat, and chilly evenings. I like Minnesota: the weather isn't boring.

I noticed a sign being set up - or possibly repaired - at the Central Minnesota Credit Union on south Main Street. 'Set up' is more likely, since the framework is where the CMU's sign-on-a-pole used to be.


Looks like Central Minnesota Credit Union's going for a lower-profile sign. June 8, 2012.

Yards and gardens in town are looking good: we've had a pretty good mix of sunshine and rain. My webcam, "Small Town America: Central Minnesota," shows mostly lawns, streets, and sidewalks. On the other hand, I nudged it over a little and fixed the focus: so the view of the hummingbird feeder is a little better.

Now that I've got that shameless self-promotion out of the way, a couple more photos.


Flowers. Sign. Bright colors. June 8, 2012.


Sunset Friday's sunset, south and west of Sauk Centre. June 8, 2012.

Finally, Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas has been a deacon for 25 years, as of this weekend. He's attached to Our Lady of Angels and St. Paul here in Sauk Centre; and St. Alexius in West Union. He spent another 25 before that, serving around the altar in one capacity or another.

Summer, Finally: Also Lilacs, Whirling Seeds, and a Portable Fire Pit

Sunday, June 5, 2011. Weather and the calendar are finally on the same page. It feels like summer, and has for several days.


Lilacs: I like the way they look. I understand the odor isn't everybody's favorite. Still - they're pretty. May 28, 2011.


This belongs with last week's post - 'better late than never?' Our Lady of Angels church, Memorial weekend's Sunday. May 29, 2011.


Maple (I think) seed - fun to watch. June 5, 2011.

I'm no expert, but I think that's a maple seed. They're ripe - and fun to watch as they whirl through the air. I ran into an interesting article and video about the science behind the seeds. Dandelions have been in bloom, too - colorful, and it's fun to blow seeds off the ripe heads. I think so, anyway. The things are also weeds, since they grow like, well: weeds.


Wildflower, or weed - depends partly on where they are. June 5, 2011.


A sort of raised fire pit. June 5, 2011.

My wife and #3 daughter went to a Soo Bahk Do tournament in St. Cloud today, so I walked to church this morning. On the way back, I noticed something I don't remember seeing before: a sort of raised fire pit that somebody's obviously been using to have a sort of 'sitting around the campfire' experience in their front yard. Neat!

Finally, Amy Poepping & Family, and Nick Lahr have made a music CD, Perfect Love. I understand it was recorded on Wednesday of this week - and isn't out yet. Proceeds will go to St. Paul's Church - the next parish over from Our Lady of Angles, where I go. That's an interesting variation on the usual 'bake sale' fundraiser.

High School Band Concert, and Lilacs by Lake Wobegon Trail

Wednesday, May 19, 2010. The big deal for me, so far this week, was the high school band concert, Monday night. My son's in one of the bands, you see.

This year they tried something a little different: a massed band, with all the high school bands playing at once. Someone had arranged some of the pieces so the younger members could join in. Besides the bands, there was flag-waving going on in the aisles: with the house lights on so we could see what was happening.

I'm pretty sure it's not called "flag-waving:" but you see what I mean:










Massed high school bands and banners. May 17, 2010.

The householder who set up a sort of wooden sculpture garden in his front yard, back in 2006, started another project. Here's what the place, on State Road near the school, looked like yesterday. It's unconventional - but I like what I see developing there.


Someone's doing major work on their yard<. May 18, 2010.

I walked down to Wall-Mart today, to get a printer cartridge. It was the sort of day that seems to make up for that long dreary run of rain we had. We needed the water - but day in, day out: for that long?

Oh, well. Today was bright, clear, warm, just enough wind to let you know you're outside.


Lilacs by Lake Wobegon Trail, near Ash Street. May 19, 2010.

Nice, isn't it?

There's more, including an item or two I read in the paper: but that'll all wait for Sunday.

Mother's Day Weekend: A Little Rain, a Little Snow

Sunday, May 9, 2010. Mother's Day. A little rain, a little snow, a little more rain: It was a pretty good weekend, anyway.


Agribusiness is a big deal around here: You'll see sprayers like this, livestock trucks, flatbeds with hay bales downtown.May 6, 2010.

I goofed, back on April 28, 2010. I said that Marc'ette Floral was adding a bed and breakfast to their operation. Bed, yes. Breakfast? Not so much. Breakfast? Not so much.


This sign, in Marc'ette Floral, just about says it all. May 6, 2010.


This is about as close as Marc'ette Place will get to being a bed and breakfast, it looks like. May 6, 2010.

All that rain - and snow - got the grass growing. Also a marvelous assortment of - ah, wildflowers - on the berm in front of my house. Actually, much of the front yard is not just grass. The volunteer growth is thickest were Ash Street Project dug up the soil.

Along the berm, it's so thick I'm tempted to claim tat the area is a botanical diversity project, and say that we mustn't disturb this yard.


Fire hydrant and - a weed, or a wildflower: depending on how you look at it. May 6, 2010.


Dandelions: There always seem to be dandelions. May 6, 2010.

So, we're spraying this year.

It's not all weeds, of course.


Lilac flower buds. May 6, 2010.

I had a good time at a family get-together this weekend. I hope you had a good Mother's Day weekend, too.

A Duck, a Drake, a Yard, a Lake

Sunday, April 18, 2010. We've been having wonderful weather lately: clear blue skies, warm(ish) winds, lots of sunshine. That's probably why so much of Minnesota, north of here, had a 'Fire Weather Warning' a few days ago.


The 'other' specialty coffee shop in Sauk Centre. April 14, 2010.

I mention Jitters Java, the specialty coffee shop near downtown, from time to time. There's another place where you can get specialty coffees, too: The Main Street Coffee Company, on Main near the corner of 6th, across the street from Marc'ette Floral. Main Street Coffee Company is quite a combination: They've got specialty coffees (and that "famous bread pudding" you see on the sign) and a few tables. There's an antique store integrated with the coffee shop: and it looks like they rent bikes. That last actually makes sense: They're close to Lake Wobegon Trail.


Sauk Lake. Waves. Another month or so, and most of this view will be obscured by leaves. April 15, 2010.

I haven't run into many daft ducks this year. The fact is, I've never actually run into - or over- a duck. But a few addled avians have had close calls in front of my vehicles.


A duck following a drake. Both apparently oblivious to everything but each other. Lovely, romantic, and a traffic hazard. April 15, 2010.

One of Sauk Centre's more decorative front yards, during spring cleaning. April 15, 2010.

One of my favorite front yards in Sauk Centre is on the north side. I've made a point of driving by, at least a few times a year, to enjoy the view. Last week I found out a little more about the place. Apparently the same person has been living there for about 40 years, adding to and adjusting that remarkable collage bit by bit.

The yard was in the middle of what I'll call 'spring cleaning' when I took a look last week. I was assured that it'll look better when the job's done.

A pair of peacock statues moved in last fall. I plan to be back later, when the place is more presentable.


Main Street, Sauk Centre, looking north from Lake Wobegon Trail. April 18, 2010.

Here's something I read in the St. Cloud Times online edition:

"Safety project to cause I-94 lane closures"
St. Cloud Times (April 17, 2010)

"Motorists will encounter lane closures beginning Monday on Interstate Highway 94 while a 17-mile median guard rail is installed between Sauk Centre and Albany...."

There's a little more: like how much it's expected to cost ($1,800,000) and just where it is (I 94 from Stearns County Road 186 to just west of County Road 157). The important part, for most of us, is that the project should be finished by the end of July<

That's "weather permitting," as the St. Cloud Times put it.

Melting Snow and a Crazy Weekend.

Sunday, March 21, 2010. April 15 is coming up, and I've been scrambling to collect and organize the tax information that I'm responsible for. On Friday, I thought I still had nine days. That afternoon my wife reminded me that I had to have everything ready. By the morning of the 22nd.

Well, I was only off by one week. It's been a crazy weekend: but I'm pretty sure I'll have everything ready by sunrise.

Normally, I'd write about a thing or three that I'd noticed in or around Sauk Centre since the last entry. I hope you'll settle for some photos. That's about all I've got. I should have my ducks in a row by Wednesday. (Famous last words?)


I figured I'd see snow: I didn't realize how much. It's the storage service at the west end of Sinclair Lewis Avenue. March 18, 2010.


More snow: that building makes a pretty good sunshade. March 18, 2010.


I've seen folks shovel snow onto sunnier parts of the lawn. This year, that might more sense than usual. March 18, 2010.


Not exactly scenic, is it? I figure that after the snow's melted, a good raking or two, rain, and growing grass should take care of the dirt left behind. March 18, 2010.


A delightfully funny - and strange - lawn decoration. March 18, 2010.


Civic Arena playground. March 20, 2010.


Yes: Those are eggs in the smoke. March 20, 2010.

I'm really looking forward to Monday this week. For once, it'll be the day I can relax.

Sauk Centre Americana: Sawdust Plant, Basketball Nets, Gardens, Race Track and All

This post is mostly for people who don't live in Sauk Centre, or any other small town: which is why I'm pointing out some obvious things.

Sauk Centre, like most small towns, doesn't have the heavy industry that places like Detroit have. Considering the way things are going these days, I don't mind a bit.

We've got 'industry' here - but it's more along the lines of 'light industry.' Like Felling Trailers Inc, the Minnesota Sawdust & Shaving Company, Engle Custom Tank Builders, Kane Transport and Advanced Lighting Systems. (ALS got acquired by Nexxus Lighting in September, 2007 - not bad for a small-town outfit).


Like most small towns, this isn't the sleepy - or festering - backwater you read about in stories. We're pretty much like New York, Detroit, or Los Angeles. Except the air's cleaner, there isn't as much crime per capita, our traffic jams clear up in minutes, and the cost of living's lower.

It's rough, living without all that major metropolitan areas have to offer: but I can stand it.


Like most places in America that I've been, you'll see basketball hoops on driveways: permanent ones like this, or something that can be taken down and stored in the winter.


Quite a few folks around here have the usual flower gardens: and sometimes their own produce. You won't be able to feed a family on what'll grow on a city lot: but it does help with the grocery bills.


Speaking of groceries: this is Coborn's, a couple blocks down from where I live. Don't let the appearance fool you: The folks working here are my neighbors, friends of my kids: a great bunch. If you don't live in town, they won't know enough about you to ask about your family - but my guess is that they'll be friendly.


Picturesque? I suppose so. This is in the Prospect Avenue area. It could have turned into a sincerely high-end residential enclave. Instead, it's a really nice-looking neighborhood.


Propane tanks: lots of them. Lake Wobegon Trail is behind that line of trees, and the back yards of a house or three are past the right edge of the picture. Industrial blight or contemporary landscape sculptures? Take your pick. I like the way sunlight shines off them.


Quite a few householders have set those ground-level lights along walkways or around their house. I'd think they're a bit hard to mow around, but they look like a low-power way to light things up.


As it says on the City of Sauk Centre's Tourism page: "I-94 Raceway / Racing every Saturday night." The raceway's own website seems to be down right now. Too bad. They put on fireworks displays now and again: we can see them from an upstairs window. There's advantages to living this close to everything else in town.


You want Americana? We got Americana. Home-grown, spontaneous. The sort of thing that happens when there isn't a neighborhood association to keep people from expressing themselves.

News, Photos and Back Yards

Wednesday, September 2, 2009. One reason I've heard for reading the news is that it makes you feel better. Between fires, floods, earthquakes and the occasional or wild- or car fire started by a flaming squirrel: no matter what's happening to you, odds are there's someone who's worse off.

I'm not sure I believe that, but it makes a good story.

I see in this week's Sauk Centre Herald that two men have been charged in the July 20 burglary at the GreyStone Golf Club. Melrose's Meadowlark Golf Course got burglarized around the same time. And, apparently, vandalized. As if stealing wasn't enough. The Saint Cloud Times ran a short article on the arrests, too. Can't say I'm sorry they were caught: I just hope the damage done at GrayStone gets paid for, and the stolen goods replaced.

There's also an article, available online, about how the family of Bryan Silbernagel is coping with his suicide, back on July 11 (or 12, according to a Fergus Falls paper). I've had some personal experience with suicide, and appreciate what an unpleasant, awkward topic it is. Hats off to the Herald for printing that.

Time for something that's not quite so depressing.

Again in the Sauk Herald, I see that Emily Lahr was a runner up in this year's Princess Kay of the Milky Way contest.

My second-oldest daughter's getting married this Saturday, which is a pretty big deal for this family. And definitely not depressing.

School's starting next week, which is probably why I've been seeing more kids going by lately. And hearing more squealing tires.

Coborn's had a spot of color out front this week: pots of red and yellow (mostly) flowers.


Local color. September 1, 2009.

I spent some time, yesterday and today, driving around town: mostly on errands. I'm still impressed by the many ways people have of using their yards.


One big garden of a yard on the north side. September 1, 2009.


A quietly understated collection on south Ash. September 1, 2009.


This household moved their 'bathtub Madonna' - this year, I think. It's probably not, strictly speaking, a bathtub Madonna: but the effect is about the same. September 1, 2009.


Now that's the way to be a birdwatcher: buy one, set it out by the grill, and watch at your leisure. September 2, 2009.

Finally, the Sauk Centre Journal has a Blog, named, unimaginably enough, the Sauk Centre Journal Blog. Mostly, it'll just be a repeat of what's written here: but I'll put commentary and extra photos there from time to time.

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And now I've got it copied over here.

I plan to be back tomorrow, with some more photos.