Sunday, February 28, 2010

My Elvis sighting in Waconia.

Elvis reduced
Stand up Elvis. You ain't nothin, but a hound dog. You have been reduced to this. 49 bucks.

I stopped in to visit a main street antique store in Waconia, where the antiques are starting to wink at me (from familiarity). I have wandered in many times, taking pictures and buying odds and odds. Familiarity breeds contempt.
I bought a book on 1940's science and a Wizard of Oz hand puppet -(really- to be featured later).

Friday, February 26, 2010

Tracks

Tracks - Wayzata
Wayzata tracks at 6:30am.
Tracks

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The Guard is Down- Deephaven Beach

No guard on duty
no-antifreeze
There is a small "road" leading onto the lake. Cross country skiers and crossover vehicles file onto the ice and snow covered lake.
The memorial benches are still deep into the last snowfall.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Off season Santa

Seasonal worker

Santa is working off season now. He gets a few gigs in February as a Valentines Day doorman, or a "greeter" at a Birdseed and Gift shop. But it's tough. He keeps smiling though.
The Elves... well, they do the usual "Keebler production work" and get all hopped up on sugar. But they're used to that.
Toys? Most of the off season toy manufacturing is done in China now.

Monday, February 22, 2010

A glint of light - from the last days in February

back shard
The Romans made February the shortest month for a reason.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Old-New France

The French explorer Duluth (Duluth, Daniel Greysolon) declared a great expanse of Minnesota (New France) and surrounding areas for the King of France in 1660 , when he planted the French flag on the shores of Mille Lacs.
French trappers traded with the Native Americans, trading good for furs, for European markets. Furs were scarce, fashionable and warm. These isolated trappers were solitary rugged individuals, accomplished woodsmen, and they left little mark on the Minnesota landscape.
In the 1860s, according to local Minnetonka lore (Picturesque Minnetonka), settlers along the northern Minnetonka shores were surprised to unearth an old French flintlock pistol root-bound in a century old tree.
French flintlockThe abandoned Flint lock pistol was thought to be a remnant of a French trapper who met with an untimely fate. The black powder pistol held one shot, and perhaps that was not enough - often kept for last ditch efforts against human or animal attacks, ... but surely a human adversary would have taken the pistol as a prize.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Thought for the day

Great men speak of ideas, average men speak of people, small men - NANOSYSYTEMS!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Wyer-Hill in Excelsior

Wyer_hill

Friday, February 12, 2010

Wayzata lite - 6am.

Wayzata lite

A little caffeine and a photo taken through my windsheild - or as the anchor from channel 9 once called it - "the window screen".

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Wayzata Chilly Open on Saturday

Chilly_golf
From the Wayzata Chamber Web site:
The Wayzata Chilly Open is a unique event that was started in 1984 to celebrate our "chilly" Minnesota winters. This year we have 800 golfers registered to come out on frozen Lake Minnetonka to enjoy food, fun and frozen festivities! Golfers play "frozen" golf on one of two 9+ hole courses with tennis balls. This year's event will also include a chili cook-off and live music in the 19th Hole Tent!

There. That is my public service announcement.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Pegasus in winter

Fallen

Monday, February 08, 2010

Generic Ice Fishing House

Basic ice house
It was a drab Sunday, and I was luck enough to get a little hazy sunlight.

Remember "generic packaging"?. Plain yellow or white boxes with bold faced Helvietica or Ariel type, stating the contents to the mildly depressed consumer. Corn flakes - Rooster extra. Tuna - no Charlie. Granulated sugar - no little woman with tropical hat. No nuthin. Eat. Fish. Sleep.
Just the basics... 5% reduction in cost.

Friday, February 05, 2010

Spock's Lament

Spock's lament
It has always been my contention that many Americans express little interest in the US Space Program because they have been inculcated with Star Trek, Star Wars, Battle Star Galactica to the point of cognitive acceptance. The ubiquitous1960s Star Trek series where space travel is pedestrain, and so is interstellar life. Who cares if, in 2010, we have a space station in a 200 mile orbit above earth, when William Shatner has already gotten bizzy with half the Milky Way inhabitants a millioin light years away?

Note: This is not an endorsement of NASA.

Turn tracks

turn tracks

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Caucuses

Vote Now!
A couple of my buttons in my collection.
The caucuses are tonight - I will be heading to Minneonka High School. I wonder if cameras are allowed? I suppose this is a mute point considering the capabilites of cell phones in our world.

cau·cus
Pronunciation: \ˈkȯ-kəs\
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1763
: a closed meeting of a group of persons belonging to the same political party or faction usually to select candidates or to decide on policy; also : a group of people united to promote an agreed-upon cause

Etymology from on-line Etymolgy: cau-cus: 1763, Amer.Eng., perhaps from caucauasu “counselor” in the Algonquian dialect of Virginia.

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