Sunday sundown

Goobye J.D. Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye
by J.D. Salinger, 1945

"What I was really hanging around for, I was trying to feel some kind of a good-by. I mean I've left schools and places I didn't even know I was leaving them. I hate that. I don't care if it's a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I'm leaving it. If you don't, you feel even worse. ~J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 1"

Eat Sea Food - The Blue Point

The entryway to the Blue Point Oyster Bar is inviting, and offers sound advice. "Eat seafood, Live Longer" - This pictured has been altered on the whim of the writer.
On a rainy Saturday evening in January my wife and I headed over to Wayzata to “The Blue Point” where we have always been thrilled with the quality seafood. She had the live Maine Lobster, and I decided to try something I had never had. Sword fish - on a bed of garlic mash potatoes with a “duxelle sauce”. I was assured that ducks have nothing to do with this lovely sauce:
From the On line dictionary: "Duxelles, pronounced dook-SEHL, is a finely chopped (minced) mixture of mushrooms or mushroom stems, onions, shallots and herbs sautéed in butter"
And really, what guy doesn’t like fish, especially ones with a sword? So I chose the Swordfish and added asparagus with bleu cheese dressing.... and, believe it or not a cup of clam chowder to start.

North American Pond Hockey in the rain

The biggest danger at the NAPHT was slipping and falling on the wet ice. It was pond hockey on actual ponds. The temperature was 34 degrees and there was a steady drizzle of rain to glaze the surface of Lake Minnetonka. Still, an enthusiastic member of "The Chicks with Sticks" raved about what a great tournament it was. The local law enforcement made sure cars were not parked on the ice to avoid any submersions. A steady stream of competitors and their people took little baby steps across the ice to the rinks. This is one of the few January hockey tournaments with fans carrying umbrellas.

Lake Susan Park

Relax everyone...

He doesn't even know how to play the French horn.

The Underbeats

My recent reference to the Underbeats “Foot Stompin” got me to thinking about the early “Garage bands” of the Twin cities in the 60’s. The popular Underbeats tore up Reggies Danceland in Excelsior.

This excerpt from a Reggie's Danceland reference about the now-defunct Excelsior hot spot:
“A popular local dance tune in the early sixties was by a group called The Underbeats. “Footstompin’” got the kids at Danceland stomping their feet so hard, according to Castaways keyboardist Jim Donna, that “the owner came up and stopped the band; he was afraid of structural damage.”

I never heard them play live - I lived in So. St. Paul “Cowtown” and was blasted by the Battle of the Bands at Wakota Arena. I saw the Fabulous Flippers (Sour Finger!) and many other Chicago blues groups live. I did hear the Underbeats play as their later incarnation "Gypsy". In the late 60s and early 70s The Underbeats progressed to a more voluminious studio sound and headed to California where they became "Gypsy".
"Warning... Warning!
(Gypsy Queen part 1).

Warm up to Pond Hockey

"Pond Hockey North American Championship
January 22, 23, and 24
The Pond Hockey North American Championship is on Excelsior Bay again this year."
from the Bayview Web site.


A shot from last year's Pond hockey tournament. I was late to the event last year, and I regretted it. Teams of all ages and gender rallied on the rinks and sidelines. Unformed police were scattered about to maintain parking, traffic and the traditional hockey decoram, It was very cold.
Check it out and check out my photos, - I am hoping that I will not let my lens frost up as I did in the above "hooking" shot.

In the above shot, from last year, girls Pond Hockey participants shoot it out. Great competitors!

Drive Ronny!

Little GTO, you're really lookin' fine
Three deuces and a four-speed and a 389
Listen to her tachin' up now,
listen to her why-ee-eye-ine
C'mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO

You oughta see her on a road course
or a quarter mile
This little modified Pon-Pon has got plenty of style
She beats the gassers and the rail jobs,
really drives 'em why-ee-eye-ild
C'mon and turn it on,
wind it up,
blow it out GTO

An excerpt from - Ronny and the Daytonas "Little GTO"

Look, I know this is not a GTO, and at 18degrees below zero this is not Daytona. Just dreaming.

The General Store. Closed in Winter.

The Hump

It is my fault. I got lazy after the fifth time shoveling my 68ft driveway and wooden front steps I got slack. When I reached the street, I did a half hearted effort at shoveling- just enough to get a vehicle out. My standards were adjusted to how fast I thought I could hit the pile safely without getting hung up. I decided on "pretty fast".
Well.... our City of Deephaven snowplows continued to service our roads, and a small and very solid glacier was formed at the end of my driveway. I think it may be Winter-permanent. It is not all bad though. It is kind of a challenge, a little piece of Valleyfair in my own front yard. Whether approached driving in forward or reverse, a bouncy thrill ride is delivered.

Scenes from Excelsior- The Polar plunge 2010

I arrived at the Bayview Center with "Foot Stompin" by the Underbeats blaring on my stereo. I would soon be stompin my feet just to keep warm. "Dive time" temperature was 3 below, but a brisk wind crossed the lake and welcomed all to Minnetonka.
The participants waited indoors in robes and blankets. At 9:30 they cued up, and with much less fanfare than in the past, began to plunge into Lake Minnetonka for their 20 foot swim.
The event has now established a new category of divers. These are ones that have participated for even more that the "Shark Level' - which I believe is 10 years of participation. The new category of maniacs: Orca Level.

A couple of the original Polar Plungers - Orcas!




A Cub Scout from Troup 91 of Zimmerman MN- lets out a Pre-dive cheer.








After the thrill is gone.