In the night, drawn to the light

The pumpkins lined up, drawn to the last house on the left with the welcoming purple light. There was a book "Serving Pumpkins", and surely the authors would to serve them well. So they went inside.

Hey Joe! The Leaves.

"Hey Joe" tells the story of a man on the run and planning to head to Mexico after shooting his wife. However, diverse credits and claims have led to confusion as to the song's true authorship and genesis. The earliest known commercial recording of the song is the late 1965 single by the Los Angeles garage band, The Leaves,who also had the first hit version of the song with a re-recording in 1966.
... I know, it is a stretch from raking leaves to a song by the Leaves to the song "Hey Joe". Back to raking...

Thoreau, Walden Pond, Lake Minnetonka and things I learned by accident

Kettle Lake - kettles are depressions created by partially-buried glacial ice blocks as they melted. The depressions that filled with water became kettle lakes.


A summer sunset on Lake Minnetonka; a "Kettle Lake" Depth 135 ft.


Walden Pond - A Kettle Lake - depth of 102 ft. In Thoreau's time many thought it was bottomless. HDT plumbed the waters and established the depth of Walden Pond.

Henry David Thoreau, naturalist, philosopher and abolitinist, made one excursion from Concord MA in his lifetime. In1861 he traveled with a friend to Minnesota on the advice of his doctor. At that time many thought the waters here held healing qualities. The country was in the grips of civil war, Minnesota was a fledgeling state, and Thoreau (1817 - 1862) was in poor health. The trip took its toll on Thoreau.
Thoreau was drawn, as a naturalist, to see the western frontier, prairie wildlife and Minnesota lakes. He is timelessly linked to Walden Pond, a lake formed by the same geological events that created most Minnesota lakes. While in Minnesota he explored as best he could, Lake Calhoun, MInnehaha Creek, and even ventured down the Minnesota River. I do not know if he visited Lake Minnetonka, I like to think he did.

Excelsior Boo-seum

This is one of my rare, shameless plugs. This one is for the "Boo-seum" and other activities in Excelsior, sponsored by the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
I listened on the radio (4am) today on "Wall Street Weekly" as they told of haunted houses around the country charging up to $30.00 per 20 minute visit. Frightful. That scared the heck out of my wallet.
The Boo-seum is a bargain.

"I was feelin' a little ill"

I went down to the ghost of Excelsior Drug Store.
I'd been feeling a little ill.
I looked around and there was no Mr. Jimmy,
to get my prescription filled.

Just a old bench with a copper card on it
on the card was a simple taunt
the name on the card was "Mr. Jimmy"
and it said
You can't always get what you want.

Pumpkins reinforcements arrive

News of a national pumpkin shortages due to poor weather and meager crop yeilds has spread throughout. Some have even suggested use of butternut squashes as a substitute. ( I believe Jack's original lantern was a hollowed out turnip, and that is probably why things didn't work out to well for Jack).
In order to squash these Jack-O-Lantern joy-killers, skid upon skid of plump Harvest Moons and Big Toms were spotted pouring into the Minnetonka area to patch-in the pumpkin void.

A jaundiced view of October

This should send a chill to all.
This was taken from "The Minnesota Climateology Workshop"

The last time there was measurable snow in October in the Twin Cities was .2 (two tenths) of an inch on October 20 and .4 (four tenths) of an inch on October 21, 2002. The most snow for the month of October is (of course) the 1991 Halloween Blizzard with 8.2 inches, which all fell on October 31."

Luce Line Trail - Bridge with an early snow

Gale Woods Farm - Minnetrista - Apples!

I wandered over from the Dakota trail fo visit the Gales Woods Farm. It is lovely educational farm stretching for acres across Minnetrista's rolling hills. It is apple time there. Honey Crisps, Zestars, Haralsons, and others that have local history and flavor.

Dreams of The Minnesota Twins '87

The tiny bottle contains confetti from the Twins' victory parade in Minneapolis, 1987. - Minnesota Twins World Champions 1987.
Thanks to the 2009 Twins, congratulations!

Twin Cities Marathon 2009

Male open: Jason Hartmann of Concord, Mass won the race in a time of 2:12:16.
Female open winner: Isla Paulson of New York City won with a time of 2:31
Cool weather- race time 47 degrees F.
A later note: Cool weather and little wind created conditions for some of the best times finishing times in years. Runners looked comfortable and assured as they cruised by at mile 25. The crowds along the roadside were smaller than usual and quieter - Mostly comprised of relatives and friends of the participants. This is my observation. I did not go to the finish line, and I did not linger to view the over-4 hour participants.


A crowd gathered at mile 15. This is a traditional Flamingo gathering place.




The second pack at 15



Takin it to the streets.



A leading woman runner at mile 25.






Jason Hartmann of Concord, Mass blows by me as I wander up Summit Avenue.

The second place runner with a Victorian backdrop.

$2.34

Booya. A dish from the other side of the Cities

It is sometimes spelled "booyah". The origin of the name and the dish has been a source of controversy for a long time. Some say it came from the French Canadian trappers and "bouillabaisse" and that it originally contained turtle meat. The dish really has very little in common with "bouillabaisse" and it seems much more Eastern European. I tend to believe it is Polish. It is a Polish tradition in South Saint Paul. It is really a community dish, kind of like Hobo Stew.
Mine is good but not authentic.

This is a direct copy form my FlickR post on Booya:

Looks great -- beautiful pic, and I like the white bowl too. I wonder what word "booya" came from? Doesn't sound Polish but it must come from a Polish word... maybe I can figure it out.
Posted 2 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

dr_loplop says:
bouillon?
dr_loplop says:
(I know it's not polish, but you never know)
Posted 2 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

minnetonkafelix says:
It is sometimes spelled "booyah". The origin of the name and the dish has been a source of controversy. Some say it came from the French Canadians and "bouillabaisse" and originally contained turtle meat, but the dish really has little in common with bouillabaisse and seems much more Eastern European. I tend to believe it is Polish.
Mine is good, but my Booya is not high cuisine.
Posted 34 hours ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )

muwen says:
I have no odea how it would taste like. Does it taste spicy or sweet sour?
Posted 19 hours ago. ( permalink | delete )

minnetonkafelix says:
Muwen, it is a slightly spicy meat stew. The meat is usually an inexpensive beef, chicken or both with tomatoes, available vegetables and cabbage.
Posted 9 hours ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )

dr_loplop says:
one of the most popular polish dishes, a hunter's stew, is made of beef, vegetables and pickled cabbage. i can't remember its name, but think it begins with b.
Posted 8 hours ago. ( permalink | delete )

minnetonkafelix says:
That sounds about right Dr.L.
Posted 7 hours ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )

bootsartemis says:
I found "bigosz" but that can't be it (includes apples and sausage), but I haven't given up on looking. Am curious about all Slavic dishes and names of dishes.

felix, you say "good but not high cuisine" -- but? not sure what "high cuisine" means anyway, but peasant-origin stews/soups are among the best dishes in the entire world. I've been learning how to make Indian dal lately. The aroma of the spices browning in ghee is paradise on earth.
Posted 6 hours ago. ( permalink | delete )

minnetonkafelix says:
Boots,
It is obvious that you, Dr. Lop and I love cooking and it's traditions.
Posted 5 hours ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )

dr_loplop says:
Too right! it was indeed bigos(z) that I was trying to remember the name of, which is made from whatever meat is to hand. Apparently its name means "big mess" in Polish.
Posted 2 hours ago. ( permalink | delete )