Winter Camping

A couple months ago I wondered what I could do to make this birthday special. I thought camping would be a good change of pace. A healthy dose of nature would hit the reset button and prepare me for another year. So on Friday after work I drove to the campsite where I had reserved a camper cabin. The cabin had heat and electricity. Snow had fallen but then it rained. The parking lot at William O'Brien state park was as slippery as a skating rink. I wished I had thought to bring my ice cleats. I was warm inside the cabin but, man oh man, that outhouse in the middle of the night was c.o.l.d. I sat down on the cold seat and a draft of cold air came up toward my nether regions. Jeez Louise it was cold. In the morning I tried to make coffee on the porch. The air was cold and there was a slight wind so it took a very long time to get the coffee percolating but it sure tasted good.

In the morning I had planned to hike around the area next to the Saint Croix.  I did not know they shut the road that goes under the highway. I had to park by the Interpretive Center and walk down that long and winding hill. Since the road had not been plowed it wasn't as slippery but it was still slippery.  As long as I walked in the deeper snow where my foot could get a grip I was fine.  I thought about just lying down on the road and sliding down on my winter coat but there is a big curve and I didn't want to go off the cliff or get the guard wires across my neck. The longer I hiked the more confidence I got and the faster I could go. Here is the lovely brook that forms the north boundary of the park. There is something extra beautiful about seeing open water next to a snowy bank.

Here is that giant climbing tree near the group camp site. I walked down past the amphitheater and past the boat landing and past the swimming beach and past the Riverside campgrounds. I made it back up the long and winding hill.  I had just arrived back to the cabin and was making a pb&j sandwich when Offspring #2, her friend, and her friend's dog arrived.

We left on another hike. I think I must have hiked more than six miles on Saturday. I feel so lucky to be able to do that because for many years I could not hike that far. On Sunday morning we went for another hike. I can definitely feel the medicinal benefits of being out in nature (even though it was freezing cold).

The Grave's a Fine and Private Place

Ironically I finished reading The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley the same day I went to a funeral. If I had known it was a mystery I would not have selected it. The heroine in the story is 12 year old Flavia.  She lives in England in 1952. The author wrote a series of novels about her crime solving abilities. Flavia is a child prodigy with chemistry.  The dialogue is cute and the book went by quickly. If you like mystery stories you would probably like this book.

Coins in a Fountain

On this bench at the Marjorie McNeeley Conservatory at Como Park, I am at peace. I love this spot by this fountain.  I love the sights, the sounds, the smells, the temperature, the humidity, the people and the atmosphere. How many coins have I thrown into this fountain over my life time? Quite a few coins I think.  I wish I could remember all the wishes I have made here. If I could remember all my wishes I could tally up  how many came true and how many have not come true.

Barn Bluff

Years ago I took Offspring #2 and several nephews to hike up barn bluff in Red Wing, Minnesota. On that trip it was fall and the colors were beautiful. Today Offspring #2 and I took the trip again. After a scenic drive down the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi through Prescott, we arrived at the bluff a little after 1 p.m.  The parking area at the trail head was a thick layer of very slippery ice.  Somehow I managed to change out of my shoes and into my hiking boots without falling to the ground. As we proceeded to hike up to the bluff the path was icy. A few oak leaves and some branches lay in the ice and those helped me keep my grip but I was glad I had my hiking sticks. At first we were hiking next to Highway 61. The traffic noise was unpleasant.  We saw about ten people on the trail and they all looked happy. I liked to feel the cool air expanding my lungs as I hiked up the cement stairs. At the top of the stairs we hiked some more until we came to a cross roads.  We could go up more stairs or head north through the prairie. We chose the prairie route. After about 10 minutes of walking the prairie route got narrower and narrower. We came to realize that this was not a main path. This was a probably a high school student hang out path. At one spot the path made a fork. One fork was up the bluff. When I say up I mean literally up. The other path went under a tree and pretty much ended. So we chose to go up the path. I started up first. A red oak tree helped me about five feet up. After that it got difficult. The flat spots where I could put a shoe were far apart. My artificial hips are not used to taking such large steps.  I was on my hands and knees.  Sometimes rocks rolled out from under my feet. Once I grabbed a large triangular hunk of limestone. The big piece of limestone moved. I tried to put it back but with all my weight on one foot I did not succeed.  Sometimes I pulled at prairie grasses while thinking how deep down the roots of prairie grasses go (very deep). A couple times Offspring #2, who was behind me, put one of the hiking poles into the buff soil so my foot would not slide backwards. As we crawled up this seriously steep bluff we questioned ourselves. Was it a wise choice to take this path? Once we were past the halfway mark it made sense to keep going. Eventually we struggled to the top and could stand on two feet again. We both had muddy knees on our jeans. We found evidence of a bonfire. We meandered through the prairie until we found an official path. The weather at the top of the bluff was warmer than at the bottom. We could see the city of Red Wing far below us. Church bells were ringing. Cars were going up and down the streets. Red Wing looked very quaint from this angle. We could see the bridge from Wisconsin that we had passed over on the way here. The river was free of ice.  I saw an eagle soar above the bluff right at the tree line. We could see the water tower of Red Wing and a water tower to the north too. I tried to guess how far we could see. I thought we could see 25 miles in every direction. The hike to the south side of barn bluff was easy. The sun warmed up the soil to the point that the mud became slippery.  Mud clung to my boots.  Prairie grasses added to the mud and pretty soon my boots had mud/grass pancakes on the bottom of them.  On the south side of the bluff the steam from the power plant rose into the air.  As we headed back down the trail head we did not take the way we came. We went down the stairs instead.  We kicked out boots against the cement to knock some of the mud off. After a two hour hike we were back to the car again, pretty proud of ourselves for accomplishing such as feat as hiking barn bluff on a winter day.

My Hopes

On this long winter night, I hope you are cozy

I hope you have enough to eat

And I hope that you are not lonely or tired.

Happy Solstice

My work Christmas cactus is blooming today, the shortest day of the year. It's all down hill from here.  Each day will gain a moment or two more of light and lose a moment or two of darkness.  Or, as I said today, (twice) it's all down hear from hill.

Cashew Bait

At work the other day we were discussing mice in the house.  I am not the only one to have mice in my house.  I don't like mice in the house.  I hate finding mice droppings in my kitchen and in my laundry room. I loathe taking the mice and the trap out to the trash.  Disposing of the rodents is the worst part of the entire process. This year hasn't been too bad.  I found a most effective bait to put in the traps. Where I work we sell nuts as a fundraiser.  The nuts come from some company in Wilmar, Minnesota and they are deliciously fresh roasted.  I bought six pounds already.  Anyway, when I put a fragment of a delicious cashew in the mouse trap I have success. I caught three mice using cashews.  I told this to my coworkers. Today I was told that one coworker got three mice last night with the cashew bait. Another coworker got four mice with cashews. I am lucky in that I have not found any more mice droppings nor any more mice in the traps.  I hope the mice season is over.  I look forward to the ants in the house season which is sure to come around in only a few months.

The Luminaries

Reading The Luminaries by Eleanor Cotten took me a long time. This is one huge book. Much like stories about the gold rush in California in the 1850's, this book is about the gold rush in Hokitika, a settlement on the south island of New Zealand in the 1850's. This story is organized by the 12 signs of the Zodiac. Each Zodiac sign is associated with a man in the story. Capricorn, for instance, is associated with Aubert Gascoigne.  Gascoigne was one of my favorite men in the story because, as a legal clerk for a justice, seemed to be one of the  more genuine and kind men in the story. Like all stories about gold rushes, there are miners and bankers, claims and speculators, bars and opium dens, and whores. The book was entertaining but I would have preferred it to be at least one third shorter than it was.

Wobble!

See this new and blue piece of office equipment in my office?  Guess what it is? No, not a frisbee.  No, not a pasta bowl. And no, I didn't accidentally stand on a Smurf. My office neighbor gave me a inflated stability wobble cushion to use when I stand at my stand up desk. Seems to be there is an oxymoron in the name of my inflated stability wobble cushion. If it was stable it would not wobble. If it wobbles it is not stable. When I stand on the cushion, I am not stable. I wobble. Wobbling negatively affects my ability to focus on the task at hand. A couple times while standing on my wobble cushion, I looked down to see one foot on the blue cushion and one foot on the carpeting. I image that defeats the purpose of the inflated stability wobble cushion. What is the purpose of the inflated stability wobble cushion? I am not sure but I suspect the purpose of the inflated stability wobble cushion is to provide an unstable surface requiring me to use more muscles to remain upright on my feet. I will give it a try again tomorrow and hope don't wobble so much I fall over. That. Would. Be. Awkward.

Strange Day

Today at work the doors were locked. All visitors to the building had to come in the front door and be let in my two police officers.  I wasn't sure what was going on but I saw people coming and going so I went for my normal walk around Laddie Lake with my walking partner.  A company of men were roofing a house. At another house a group of 8 children played outside in the yard. I suspect that family does day care. As we walked in the warm sunshine I could see a helicopter flying overhead for the entire time we walked. Later I learned than an intoxicated armed man was in the neighborhood.  Local schools plus the senior center were on lock down too. The police department recommended people stay inside their homes. By 1:30 in the afternoon the man had been taken into custody less than a mile from where I work. Isn't it odd how one person's crisis can create a crisis for so many other people?

Winter Fun

At the fairgrounds in Anoka they have a Christmas village. Thousands of lights decorate the area creating a magical space for families to explore.  At the corner of the fairgrounds is figure eight space shaped with hay bales. In the center of the figure eight is an oval also made of hay bales.  Inside the hay bales are 6 or 8 tiny snowmobiles.  Each snowmobile has an orange flag on the back on a long pole.  Kids can ride around the figure eight on snow mobiles.  My father used to have one of those tiny snowmobiles.  He bought it for the kids.  The kids had a blast on that little machine in the winter.  I remember one winter at the farm.  I was in the bathroom downstairs.  Outside the window was a five foot tall bank of snow. I watched in amazement as a certain ginger haired nephew came roaring up on that tiny snowmobile.  He made no move to throttle down as he approached the snow bank. He hit that snowbank full tilt.  As I quickly zipped my jeans to go outside and assist I saw that the headlight on the snowmobile was pointed straight up at the night sky.  I went outside. He was fine.  He had no idea why I was concerned.  I saw the snowmobile parked upright against the snow bank, resting on the tail lights.  I think it was at a 90 degree angle but who knows for sure. I was full of adrenaline at the moment. Oh, gosh, that was a moment. Now I want to go snowmobiling again.

My Grandpa!

My Grandpa is pictured here.  See the row of six men?  He is the fourth from the left in the jaunty pose.  His sisters are the two women on the far right. Photo credit to Carver County Historical Society. The photo shows the Peltz and Petermann Threshing crew on the  Stenger farm near Victoria, MN  Just this week I was thinking of him.  My Christmas cactus is full of buds and will be blooming for the holidays. He helped me plant a piece of that cactus in soil. I miss my Grandpa.  I sure wish I did not inherit his osteoarthritis though.

Escape Into The Woods

My walking partner and I decided at work today that we have had enough of the stairs in our four story building.  Today it was nice enough outside to escape into the woods.  The sun was shining and a few birds were singing.  Here we are entering the woods.  In the distance you can see Laddie Lake. We walked along enjoying the weather while I played "You Are My Sunshine" on my harmonica.

Here we are at the lake looking back at the path we had just walked.  How lucky we are to be outside on such a lovely day, able to walk a mile in the December weather, breath deeply in the fresh air, and soak up some medicinal nature before heading back into work.

The Art Forger

My book club read The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro this month. We had a lively discussion last night about it and about art in general. Many of the people in the group go to the Minnesota Institute of Art.  I have been there too but not for many years. A  year ago I went to quite a few art museums.  I saw a couple in Poland and quite a few in Amsterdam.  It is really something to see an actual painting by a renowned artist. When I see an actual Van Gogh on the wall, I can't help but be impressed that Vincent himself touched this canvas. This book tells us that art forgery is quite difficult to distinguish from the real thing. Experts don't know as much as they think. If an art forger uses an old canvas and frame, paints the forgery exactly, covers it in India Ink, wipes it off, and bakes it in an oven, it is virtually impossible to tell the real thing from the copy. In this book the work that is forged is a Degas painting from a museum in Boston. The story is based on the theft of many paintings from an art museum in Boston.  The paintings have not been recovered yet although the FBI knows who took them. The story is interesting but it is also a 'how to' manual for future art forgers.

The Reminders

I judged a book by it's cover and picked up Val Emmich's novel called The Reminders. The cover was bright yellow so I liked it. The story involves a girl who has a condition called HSAM (highly superior autobiographical memory).  The girl is named Joan and she can remember what day a friend of hers came to dinner and what he talked about.  All this information is highly comforting to Gavin.  Gavin is a friend of her father and is mourning the loss of this friend. Because of his grief he is making some poor choices.  Joan helps him through his grief and he helps Joan accept the changes in her life too. Reading this I assumed HSAM was a fictional brain condition but it turns out to be real. Imagine your life if you could remember everything you did and said on every day of your life.  Would you live your life differently?

Woody's House

Today I spied an eight point buck eating sunflower seeds out of my squirrel proof bird feeder.  Well, it is no wonder the black sunflower seeds are going so fast. I went outside to move that squirrel proof bird feeder to a spot that would be too high for the deer to reach. On my way back from doing that I noticed foot traffic coming in and out of the wood chuck hole. Is the wood chuck family coming out some times or are other creatures coming into their den for a visit? Maybe both.

Russian Art

A friend of mine wanted to get together.  I suggested we tour the Museum of Russian Art. So we met at the museum which is at 35W and Diamond Lake Road. This museum has three floors. We started on the lower level.  There we found a collection of porcelain art. Porcelain people, porcelain animals, porcelain birds, and porcelain houses were on display. There was a television playing a Soviet version of the Nutcracker ballet animated movie. They had several holiday trees covered with Russian ornaments. A poster explained that during the Soviet rule, celebrating Christmas was outlawed. During that time celebrating New Years Day became a big event.  They used decorated trees to celebrate New Years and made ornaments of Grandfather Frost (who looked a lot like Santa Claus). Upstairs on the main level was more art.  One of the first pieces we saw was a large canvas of black polka dots on a white background. At first glance it didn't look like much but something about it drew me in. I stood close and could hear breathing and a heart beat.  As I watched the canvas expanded and contracted as if it was breathing. Nearby were three white vases on three white pedestals.  On each vase was the image of a naked woman doing back flips. One naked lady was yellow, one green and one red. The image of her came out of the top of the pedestal and was projected onto the vase. In another area was a interactive pad on the floor. If you stood on the pad a camera caught your image and recorded you.  If you stood there long enough the images and voices of the people who did this ahead of you also showed up on the screen.  We really hammed it up for the next people. In another area was a black shelving unit about 6 feet high, 10 feet long and 5 feet wide.  On the various open shelves were robots.  Some had eyes that moved and blinked when you walked by. If you stood there long enough a duck like robot would flap the wings and shake the webbed feet back and forth while quacking. On another shelf a headless robot dog would bark and wag the tail. They had a section of feminist art that was very interesting.  On the third level was a display called "Inside the Bee Hive." Along with the wall art of honey combs and bees were several honey comb pieces carved out of onyx.  The third level also has a museum store with lovely but expensive books, art, jewelry, clothing, toys, coffee, tea, and food. We spent two hours going through the museum and it was definitely worth our time.  I wonder why I never thought to go there before!

T Shirt Rug

I got the idea to make a t=shirt rug from a do-it-yourself article on the internet. Using a hula hoop as a loom you take one inch strips of tshirts and weave them together  I started with black and went to my three grey t-shirts. I had a couple bueoes and a tan one and finished it up with two orange t-shirts.  I don't like wearing words on my torso.  I don't liketo think people are reading my body. But I seem to collect t-shirts anyway so this would be a good way to get rid of them.  One of the gray t-shirts was from a Human Society Walk for the Animals in 1992. It had also served as a paint shirt and had quite a few color splotches of paint on it.  I was glad to see it go.

Here is the final product. Maybe it will flatten out with use but right now it appears to be a major tripping hazard. I don't think I will ever make another t-shirt rug on a hula hoop.

Many Truths Are Told In Saunas

Last night after work I went to the gym.  I started my workout by relaxing in the sauna. Nothing like 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees to warm up the bones and joints before I get started. I usually sit on the top seat where it is warmest and try to meditate. Last night the usual guy in black sweatpants and a hooded black sweatshirt was in there reading the paper like he always does.  In came a extremely muscled young man of about 25.  He had a tattoo of bird wings on his back.  It is very evident he works out frequently. A couple minutes later he was joined by his three friends. They take the same muscle improvement class together. They were talking about their plan for the day. Some were going to work on their biceps and others were doing squats. They all agreed that squats are a great workout because the leg muscles are so stressed the pain doesn't arrive until three days later. These three guys went to high school together. They are talking about their exercise routine and their muscle.  My attention to them ebbs and flows as I practice my meditation techniques.  I focus on my breathing and the sweat that is popping out of  my pores.  Suddenly the man with the wings on his back says, "Don't be in any hurry to have a girl move in." His friends ask him what is wrong. He is looking at his phone.  He explains that nothing is wrong.  He explains that with women, sometimes they get bored so they make up things that to argue about.  He explains that it was this way when he lived with his mother and two sister.  He would be alone in his room and the mother or sisters would come in and start trouble. He explains that now that the girlfriend has moved in he can't go to his room and shut the door because now it is "our" room. The other guys are snickering and glancing at me.  By now I have my hand over my face and I am snickering too because he is pretty funny in his explanation. He glances at me and says, "She is laughing because she knows it is true."  I stand up to leave.  "Yes," I agree, "I do know that is true. That is why I live alone!  Peace in the valley all the time for me."  They are all laughing now and they wish me a good night.  Many truths are told in saunas. Tonight was no exception.

Six Pack Abs

I was standing in line at the Anoka post office.  I heard the postmaster tell the customer ahead of me that the baby on this stamp had six pack abs. Another customer and I locked eyes and burst out laughing. When I got to the counter I bought two pages of stamps.  One page, naturally, features the child with the six pack abs. I just couldn't resist such a strong baby!

No Party For Me!

For weeks I have been looking forward to last night.  I was invited to a German themed holiday party and I was excited to go. I had a container of veggie sausage and home made sauerkraut in my back seat ready to share with my friends.  Unfortunately a storm brewed up. One minute there is no snow and the next minute it is snowing  and blowing wind. In the 3 block walk to my car from the birding day at the U of M, an inch of snow fell on my shoulders and head. Driving in the snow was like driving the USS Enterprise at warp speed with James T. Kirk at the helm. The roads were icy and slick. I thought the storm was stay to the south but it snowed like the dickens all the way to my house.  I decided not to go to the party but hibernate instead. The photo is from inside my car on my very own road. When I turn on the right blinker the camera on the mirror turns on. If there is a car where the red line is I know not to move over into the lane.  If there is a car where the first yellow line is, I can safely move over.  You might not be able to see the double yellow line above the singe yellow line.  If there is a car at the double yellow line it is very safe to move over. I often find that the view from the mirror camera is more beautiful that the view ahead of me.

Paper Session

Today I traveled to the Northstar Ballroom on the farm campus of the University of Minnesota for a birding event called the paper session. There I met many other birding nerds. Some of them I have met before and some I met for the first time. We heard talks about the new Bell Museum, growing hemp for bird food, bird genetics, tracking birds using MODUS towers, the status of grassland birds in western Minnesota, common nighthawks migrating through Duluth and the biological surveys in north central Minnesota.  I am definitely going to have to visit Duluth in mid-August this year to see the nighthawks fly through the town. Normally sitting still at a table listening to speakers all day is not my idea of fun but the topics are interesting and they show lots of bird photos, the time flies by like  a night hawk flies through Duluth. 

A Dozen Eyes On Me

Last night after work I came home to find some snow in my driveway.  I could have shoveled it. Instead I drove back and forth up and down the driveway 4 times to pack it down. That is why my car was in the garage facing outwards this morning.  I opened the garage door this morning and turned on the car. My headlights come on automatically.  Straight ahead of me I see 12 wide eyes looking back. Six deer were looking at me. Three were standing and three were lying down. This was a strange sight to behold first thing in the morning. I carefully proceeded out of the garage slowly so as not to disturb them. The ones who were lying down didn't get up. The three who stood started walking away as soon as I turned my car to the right and they weren't staring into the headlights anymore.

Looks Like Winter This Morning

This morning I saw this as I went out on the deck to add water to the heated bird bath. Snow had fallen overnight. Ahh, winter is here. The season of rest. The coldest part of the year where I live.  The solstice is still three weeks away but it definitely looks like winter out there.

All About Me!

I learned something new today. In wasting time on the internet  exploring scientific materials I found a website that told me the following facts about myself.
1. 46 pounds of me is muscle and 22 pounds of me is bone.
2. My middle finger nail has grown 7 feet in my lifetime. My big toe nail has grown 3 feet 8 inches.
3. My heart has beat 2.7 billion times.
4. I have peed 1,002,462 fluid ounces of urine. I have excreted 328,652 ounces of sweat.  I have cried 774 ounces of tears.
5. 54% of me is water.
6. I have 5 million hair follicles.
7. I have shed 400 eggs in my lifetime.
8. I am made up 3.8 trillion cells.
This is all very personal stuff.  You can find out personal things about yourself at this website: http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/the-making-of-me-and-you

I Saw Another Moose Today!

Moonglow

I just finished Moonglow by Michael Chabon this morning on my morning drive to work.  I really enjoyed Chabon's previous book, The Yiddish Policeman's Union so I thought I would enjoy this one too. This book was published in 2016 and includes some of the death bed memories of the author's grandfather. His grandfather was a remarkable man who was very interested in science, rockets, our moon and outer space. The story jumps back and forth in time from the grandfather serving in Europe during world war two to his death bed in the 1980's. Some parts are very sad and others very funny. The grandson's love and respect for his grandfather is very evident in this entertaining story.

The Couch

Here is my couch on the side of the road awaiting the garbage truck tomorrow morning. This worn out couch deserved throwing out a dozen years ago.  The arms had lost their plump shape. The cushions sagged lower than they should of even with the added support of flattened cardboard boxes under them. There is a hole in the fabric of the back of the couch where a run-away gerbil bit a hole and made a home there for a couple days.  Later that gerbil died.  I suspect the cause of death was couch thread poisoning.  Offspring #2 helped me get the couch out the garage the other day. I found 97 cents under the cushions.  Today I used my two wheel dolly to haul it out to the street.  Years ago, when Offspring #2 was small, I used to kneel on the floor with my back to the seat of this couch. She would stand at the end of the opposite hall, near her bedroom, and wait for me to open my arms.  When I opened my arms should would come running at me full tilt and slam into me forcing me back onto the cushions on this couch. We would do this routine over and over and over.  I certainly got my moneys worth out of this couch.  Today is the day I express gratitude for all the memories and send it to the landfill.

A Time of Dormancy

I am always thankful to see wild turkeys in my yard on Thanksgiving Day.  Here is a photo of 2 turkeys out of a rafter of 6.

Later that day I walked down a steep hill down to the shore of Block Lake. The walk from the house was bitterly cold. The wind blew the misty air right through the clothes I was wearing. Once we got a few yards into the basswood forest the wind was slowed and I was much warmer.  This log on the left has a series of icicles hanging from the trunk.  I suppose the splashing lake water dripped off the log or else the snow on top of the log melted downwards. I wonder if the icicles will remain all winter. The mist was so thick we could not see across the lake. Everything looked lifeless and stark. Appearances can be deceiving because this place is not lifeless.  There is plenty of action going on under this lake ice.  Fox and deer made tracks in the snow. A few birds flew around. A time or dormancy has begun for some creatures.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Great Crested Crane

A friend at work asked me how I got interested in birds. I didn't have to think long. Almost 11 years ago I was in a van going down a country road in Kenya. We were passing a grassy field. There in the field was a big bird.  My guide, Migwe, said it was a great crested crane.  I looked at the great crest on that gorgeous hunk of a bird and thought to myself that I wanted to show people birds like Migwe was doing for me.  He showed me other birds too such as weaver birds, lilac bee eaters, secretary birds, flamingos,  hornbills and ostriches.  The funniest one was the cory bustard because in his excitement it sounded like he was saying "hairy bastard."  But it was the great crested crane that started a birding spark in my brain that still burns to this day.

Other Duties As Assigned

Today at work, under the category of "other duties as assigned," I drove a new Ford 15 passenger van from Blaine to Anoka and back again.  On the way there I let the other passengers choose the radio station.  They chose the Anoka radio station that has been playing (kill me now) Christmas songs since last weekend.  This van is very long.  On the way back I had the radio to myself. Besides singing along to some current music, I also sang what I remember of this fine, classic song.

What Part of the Cow Do Pork Chops Come From?

I talked to a friend today who disclosed that her father worked at the Polar Meat Market on Snelling Avenue. Suddenly my memory takes me back to 9th grade.  Our home ec class is on a tour of the meat market.  A butcher is there showing us what meats are from what part of the cow.  He shows us the rib, the sirloins, the round steaks, and the T-bones.  My new best friend is standing next to me and she raises her hand to ask a question.  The butcher calls on her to ask her question.  She asks, "What part of the cow do the pork chops come from?" I was astonished that she didn't know that pork chops come from pigs.  The butcher was nice though.  He didn't laugh.  He took her question seriously and answered her with all seriousness. 

White Mist of Tiny Water Droplets In The Air

I always enjoy watching my laundry steam when I put it outside on a cold morning such as this morning. The dry air in this cryogenic season of the year just yanks the moisture out of the cloth.

SE Minnesota

On Friday night I rented an AirBnB in Minnesota  City. It took me awhile to find the house because the roads in Minnesota City are  not well marked. Lucky for me it is a small town and if you drive around long enough you eventually find Iowa Street where this lovely Lustron home is located.  Lustron Homes were made after world war two.  Made of enameled stainless steel a Lustron home is a rare place to rent for the night.  The floor is steel. The walls are steel. The ceiling is steel. The doors are steel pocket doors. The cabinets are steel. The drawers are steel. This particular model has two bedrooms and one bath. Since I had to be in  Winona before 9 a.m I was glad to spend the night in Minnesota City which is just a short drive away.

We met other birders at the visitor center in Winona. We boarded a bus and headed into Wisconsin. Here is a view of Lake Onalaska, one of the pools formed by the many locks and dams on the Mississippi. We were here to view the thousands of tundra swans. These swans are on their way from their summers on the arctic tundra to the Chesapeake Bay. They stop here to load up on carbs such as the tubers that are in the mud under arrowhead plants. At this point we could see thousands of canvasback ducks and also mergansers, coots and loons.  Bald and golden eagles flew overhead. I learned that between 40 and 50% of the population of canvasback ducks on our planet come here in the fall. 

Our bus continued south along the river before crossing back into Minnesota at LaCrosse.  From there we headed to the Brownsville overlook. Here the tundra swans were closer to the road. We watched the tundra swams swimming and eating along with mallards, a great blue heron, canvasbacks, Canadian geese and several Trumpeter Swans. All the bird songs resounded over the water and bounced back and forth off the rocky cliffs and high bluffs on both sides of the river.

The lock and dam systems are getting old.The Army Corp of Engineers wants to keep a 9 foot channel clear for the barges who are bringing grain south. How much longer will this system be in place?  How much sand can we keep dredging out of the river? The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish refuge is a beautiful place to visit. I wonder how different it will look one hundred years from now.

No Monkeys!

I am glad we don't have monkeys here.  I read a story yesterday about a young mother in India. She was at home nursing her 12 day old child.  A monkey came in the house and tore the baby out of her arms. The monkey bit the child's head and carried it up to the roof of the house. Other people threw sticks and stones at the monkey.  Eventually the monkey dropped the baby off the roof and left the scene of the crime. The child died from severe bites to the head and the trauma of being dropped off the roof.  I can't imagine.  When I was in Africa there were monkeys and baboons.  One day we parked in front of a lodge. We went in the lodge to check in. For those few minutes it took to get our room keys some monkeys entered the van through the sun roof. They opened the bags. They tore open the bag of trail mix and left a big mess all over the van.  Our guides ran out to the van yelling. They chased the monkeys away.  Later, at that same lodge, I was swimming in the pool one afternoon.  I put my backpack on a deck chair with my towel and sandals. While I swam a monkey came up. Before I could say a word the monkey unzipped that backpack and was taking items out.  I had to chase that monkey away.  At dinner that night we ate on an open air patio.  A Maasi young man was there with a slingshot.  His job was to keep the monkeys off the tables and the buffet table.  Every single time he got distracted the monkeys took advantage and jumped up to grab food. One member of our party lost her phone. She looked everywhere. She called the phone from another number and it rang so she knew it was still in service somewhere.  Unfortunately her ring tone was frog noises and there were a lot of frogs in the area.  After 6 hours the phone went dead. She suspected the monkeys took her phone. Monkeys are trouble. I used to want a monkey like the one Tarzan had in the movies but no more!  No monkeys for me thank you very much!

Wild Flowers

Last night my chapter of master naturalists had a meeting.  Dave, a former park ranger, spoke about winter wild flowers.  He talked about how some seeds are dispersed. Seeds with fleshy fruit around them, like rose hips, are usually eaten by birds or animals.  The seeds can tolerate the travel through the body of the bird or animal and are spread that way.  Other seeds are flung out by the force of the seed pod springing open in a sudden manner that throws the seeds out some distance.  Others float away like milkweed seeds.  He put up slides of wildflowers as they appear at this time of year and asked us to identify them.  I thought one was bergamot and I was right. I thought five other ones were also bergamot and they weren't. Without seeing the flower in color and location, these slides were difficult for all of us. We have two members in our group who are really talented at identifying wildflowers and neither one of them was there last night. I don't know a vetch from a aster from a Canada puccoon from a zig zag goldenrod.  What I can do is look at a plant and study a dichotomous key and figure it out.  Or ask somebody, I can do that too.

A Small Hotel

A Small Hotel is the first book I have read by Robert Olen Butler.  If you listen to the audio version you can hear the author's voice reading his own words. The story is about a couple, Michael and Kelly. They meet at Mardi Gras. The hotel is also in New Orleans. The hotel is the Olivier House which is an actual hotel located in the French Quarter. The story is about the people more than the hotel.  I liked the book but I have one complaint. The word tits is used about a hundred million times.  I know Mardi Gras can be crass but if I never hear that word again it will be too soon.

Every Time She Turns Around She Goes Putt Putt!

I visited a good friend of mine today in Sartell. She was in a rehab place recovering from a joint replacement. I wanted to cheer her up so I went to visit. I brought her a gift of a pumpkin with a poem on it. Doesn't everyone who just had a total joint replacement want a poetic pumpkin as a gift?

Mouse In House

Today I made a list of chores. I started doing the chores so I could enjoy crossing them off the list.  Go to the bank. Check. Feed the birds.  Check. Feed the chickens. Check. Give chickens fresh bedding.  Check. Shovel the sidewalk. Check. To shovel the sidewalk I had to move a big old black walnut log off the sidewalk where it sat all summer long. I rolled it down the hill toward my boulder.  I tried to lift it on top of the boulder.  That did not work. The log was too heavy so I let it sit beside the boulder. The boulder and the walnut log can sit together all winter.  As I walked by the blue bird house I thought I would open it so no mice would live there all winter. I opened the house and saw a mossy nest. As I moved the mossy nest a pink mouse snout poked out of the moss.  I yelled and put it back. I said aloud, "Don't live in this house. Also, don't live in my yellow house. I am not sure what I want from you but seriously, do not live in the yellow house."

The One In A Million Boy

I picked up the book The One In A Million Boy by Monica Wood at the library.  I was attracted to the cover.  Turns out I got a marvelous little story about an 11 year old boy and an 104 year old woman who become friends. Both the boy and the woman are unusual people. Their friendship is genuine and each one of them sparks the other one into living life more fully. 

Winter Headquarters Already?

I got home after six o'clock tonight. I went to check on my flock of egg laying chickens.  I opened the egg door.  All the hens were snuggled together all tight in their bed. I politely asked them to move aside. As my hand drew out one warm blue egg I got to thinking - is the going to be the winter headquarters?  I was hoping to move the coop to a fresh spot of territory one or two more times in 2018.  Maybe that won't happen. Maybe winter has set in already and this is going to be where they will stay until spring.  In any case, I used that blue egg already in a batch of corn muffin which turned out to be a most delicious batch of corn muffins.

Short But Intense Conversation

Today was window cleaning day at my office. All window ledges needed to be cleared off.  I was in my office when the Squeegee Squad came in. I had a short but most intense conversation during the two minutes it took to clean my window. I started off by complimenting the catchy name of the company. The man wished he had thought of it himself.  I told him I went outside with some Windex and paper towels last month because there were bird droppings on the window and I didn't want to look at that all window.  He said he would take care of it because I shouldn't dirty my hands with that stuff. I told him I am used to it because I have chickens.  He asked if I cooked my chickens. I said I only eat the eggs because I don't eat meat.  Turns out he is becoming a vegetarian too. He told me what he had for breakfast that morning.  By then the windows were clean. He thanked me for the conversation and went on his way to the next window. I was pleased that two strangers could connect in such an real way in so short of a time.

Brunch!

The Ginseng Hunter

I am not sure why I picked up this little book called The Ginseng Hunter by Jeff Talarico. I think the cover drew me in.  Also the size was right.  I wanted a little book to read for a change. This story is set in Korea and it is about a solitary man. The man is a farmer and he hunts for ginseng to sell. He is across the river from North Korea. The North Korean guards study him and know all his habits. He is just a man doing the best he can. He farms and hunts and eats and sleeps. Sometimes he goes to town. He studies nature. He never travels very far from home.  His life sounds boring but it isn't. His life is actually full of drama.  I liked this book. I felt as if I was living in the mountains of Korea as I read it.

Deer Season

I can tell something is up in my neighborhood. Tensions are running high. The deer in the yard are anxious.  They look around more. They run instead of walk. The deer seem more reckless. More risks are taken.  I can almost smell the extra testosterone in the air.  The bucks have a one track mind. Under the spell of their own hormones they barely eat or drink. I read that the male deer can loose 20% of their weight during the rutting season. When the season is over some males will lie still for two full days and nights before getting up again to start browsing again. If I can get through this rutting season without striking a deer with  my car, I will be grateful.

Talk To The Wrist

This morning I had a meeting. I was the oldest person in the room. Three people were in their 50's.  Two others were in their 20's.  One of the 20 somethings got a phone call.  He excused himself and stepped out of the meeting room.  I could see, through the window on the door, his profile as he talked to whomever was on the phone.  He had his phone in one hand but he was speaking into his watch.  He has an Apple watch.  He was looking straight ahead and talking into his watch.  Just. Like. Dick. Tracy! If you don't know, Dick Tracy was a comic strip about a police detective that started in the 1930's and ended in the 1970's.  As I watched this fellow talk to his wrist, I realized that I am officially old.

Guess What I Saw!

Today on my walk around Laddie Lake in Blaine I heard a group of three crows angrily shouting.  I looked up to see what they were shouting at. There was a great horned owl. A GREAT HORNED OWL! At 11 a.m. I was looking a great horned owl in an oak tree with rusty orange leaves and a blue sky.  The owl was looking at me. The picture I took is not great but if you look close at the middle tree you will see a branch off to the left about a quarter of the way down the trunk.  Above and below that branch to the left of the tree you can see two crows.  The owl is sitting on the branch close to the trunk midway between the two crows.  I stood in utter awe of this amazing sight. The owl looked down at me. Then the owl spread it's wings and flew around the oak tree farther back in the park to another tree that had no leaves on it. The three crows followed it and began harassing it there. Holy smoke, was I a lucky duck today!

Happy Halloween

Normally I don't dress in costume at work.  I had a conversation with a young, red haired geologist this weekend and she gave me the idea to wear a blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a red scarf in my hair.  So I did that. A few people recognized who I was but not everyone.  At the gym after work I saw a T-Rex on the treadmill with a young boy on his back and that was pretty funny.  The inflatable dinosaur costume went up to his waist and he held the reins on the T Rex as he walked along. When someone clapped for him I just had to clap too.  You ever try clapping your hands on the stairmaster?  It's not easy!  I almost fell off.  The funniest costume I saw today was a duo at work.  One of the guys I work with is clean shaven, brawny muscles, a shaved head, and pierced ears. Sometimes he wears a white tshirt.  In my mind I have called him Mr. Clean for years but never told him that. He tends to wear sports clothing.  Another guy usually has a beard, has long brown hair, wears jeans, eye glasses, a tshirt or a plaid shirt.  These two guys work closely together every day.  Today they dressed up as each other.  The Mr. Clean look alike shaved his beard and shoved his hair under a ball cap.  He wore a sports jersey and shorts.  The actual Mr.  Clean guy wore jeans, a plaid shirt, eye glasses, a wig and a fake beard and mustache.  I come down the hall at work this morning to the sound of much laughter so I go to check it out.  These two guys look at me. My jaw drops.  I bust a gut.The looks on their faces was just hilarious.  All day long people are laughing at these two very creative fellows.  Halloween these days is not as fun as when the  offspring were young. No one comes to my door to ask for candy anymore.  Actually I hope they don't because I didn't even buy any this year. I think my driveway is just too long and dark and scary.  Many of the kids around here go to churches for something called trunk and treat.  Overall,though, I have to say this Halloween was a pretty good Halloween.

More Photos from the Nibi Walk

Here we are at Lake Phalen before the ceremony.

I am not visible on the far right by the life guard chair.

Here are some of us tying yarn on to the pieces of artwork that line our path.  The blue metal bar is the shape of Phalen Creek and the outline of Lake Phalen.

Here we are at the spot where Phalen Creek enters the Mississippi.