A Sunny Weekend Ahead on Grays Bay

Grays Bay, named after Amos Gray (1824-1902). He moved to Minnesota from Pennsylvania after marrying Susan Chowen in 1847. He became one of the orginal land owners on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, and the Bay carries his name. Susan's brothers William and George Chowen homesteaded farms nearby. Deephaven's Chowens Corner still carries the family name.

-Just a bit of history.

Stay tuned for Minnetonka Ghost stories,"real'& imagined.

Carson's Bay Bridge

The bridge was improved and updated a few years ago. This view is from the bench... well actually a few feet in front of the memorial bench in Burton Park.

I shared the 5:20 am view with a few mosquitos and the odd croaking (barking) sound of frogs. There was the rustle of fishes beneath the surface of the water.

Carson's Bay Sunday@5am

He launched his boat alone at 5:30am. It promised to be a busy day on the Lake.
The fishing has been good.
The sailing magnificent.

A Lake or a Pond? Try this!

How do you know if it is a Lake? I borrowed this from a real lake expert's web site. It is interesting,, Minnetonka- Lake. Behind my house- pond...er, "wetland".

Answer these questions to score your pond or lake.
First number: Yes, Second number: No
1. Rooted plants grow to near the middle of the pond 0 1
2. Roughly the same water temperature top to bottom 0 1
3. Deep water is much colder than surface during summer 2 0
4. Waves taller than 12 inches are common during storms 4 0
5. Outlet or feeder stream is wider than 15 feet 1 0
6. Maximum Depth is greater than 20 feet 1 0

Sub Totals:    
Grand Total:  

The scores will range from zero to ten. If the body of water scores a 5 or higher, it's a lake. Scores of 4 and lower are ponds.

Number 3 reminds me of the qualifications for: A hill a mountain? A mountian spans 2 climate zones.

Fishing boats in the morning - Carson's Bay

Standing on the dock at 6:30am, shooting inwards toward the boulevard. It has been a very warm and sultry week, broken this morning by some needed rain.

Keewaydin

A walk along Lake Avenue in Cottagewood takes you past Keewaydin Avenue. To my knowledge "Keewaydin" means a "northwest wind' in the Dakotah language.
During Minnetonka's guilded age (1870-80s) there was a Hotel Keewaydin at this location. It was owned by Henry Schomberg. Still standing at this loction is the Hotel's Water tower, an odd and mysteriously out of place shape looming on the penninsula.
I sometimes imagine I can hear the long-past guests chatting as they stroll down to the boat launch to take a ferry ride out to Big Island Amusement Park. Clinking glasses, and a trail of cigar smoke in the air.
The lake is lovely,lively, and at times exasperatingly hectic but there are many ghosts on Lake Minnetonka. In the evening they drift in on a northern breeze.....

One Oh One

The Hennepin County Roads Projects website put a broad project completion date of Fall 2007 for Highway 101 construction. Why do I find myself rubbing my chin (like Brian Keith in Family Affair) with frustration? My basic pessimism about any government projection? Probably. The progress is visible, and the construction involves a lot of work on the infrastructure, ceramic tunnels and cranes line the road - still a year has passed since my "crossroads" story about this work. The Hennepin County vehicles still crowd the Blockbuster Video Parking lot. The bright orange cones still cordon off the road into, unnmarked narrow lanes. - Those construction outbuildings are starting to look permanent.

The Dry Cleaners and Tailor on the corner of 101 and Minnetonka Boulevard should have a sign: "You can drop you pants here".

Excelsior Art by the Lake - Marla Mullaney

Marla looks like her artwork. I recognized her work from a small painting I saw in a gallery on Water Street, Excelsior. Colorful and personal. The patterns in her attire ond on her tablecloth were reflected in her work... or vice versa.

I remember attending a talk by a "Cy Twomblyesk" artist whose clothes looked exactly like one of his featured minimalist paintings. He looked at his sweater, then at his painting.... and was truly a bit shocked.

Stratavarious clouds

There is music in the air! Art by the Lake in Excelsior this weekend.

Minnetonka Art and Movie Update

(Minnetonkascenes file foto)

It is movie (in the park) night at the Cottagewood General Store on Friday, June 8. I do not know the name of the movie, the sandwichboard outside the store did not say. If the night is warm I suspect it would be a treat for children and children at heart. Friday night is also grill night at the store. Phone: 952 470-8400

Excelsior: Art In the Park begins Friday night too! I will attend on Saturday, camera in hand. This free event is really a great Minnetonka showcase and I encourage you to visit the Lake and peruse the arts and crafts. In the past it has featured some of the finest and most varied crafts around.

Found!

I rushed through Cub Foods buying ingredients for an impromptu dinner party. When I returned to my car I found a white carton lying in the passengers seat, next to a pair of my reading glasses I had (purposefully) left behind. The package was a Clearwater Creek white shipping carton with this generic description:

84543
SKU#018085453 999
Abalone Organic Inlay BR
Color: Mul
Size:
Pictured above, the contents.

I had left the passenger side window open. I have had things removed from my car, but never placed in it. A gift by an admirer? Doubfull. - An abandoned 5 finger discount? Probably.

I rarely wear jewelry, but it might function as a good luck charm.