Cottagewood General Store Oktoberfest, a sign

It was 6am and i took this crumby shot with a flash standing on a darkened road. To my surprise about 3 cars and 4 people passsed by me and watched to see what I was doing. Am I doing the community a public service, or just being a public nuisance?
I don't know. It is funny how people will gather to see what you are photographng, in many situations and locations.
Anyway the information is here- blurrily.

And to remind everyone: October is near.

A visit to Smithtown Road in Tonka Bay -continued.

I was searching out old Beetles. On a tip I went to Tonka Bay Auto, where I found a few. I had a Kharmann Ghia for years, it was my signature car.... and reflecting on this, it was a pretty lousy signature. But I drove it for years, taking my life in my hands each time with bad brakes, no heat and rusty rocker panels.






EEP!

A note from the History of the Beetle Web site:

"The history of the Beetle started in 1934 when in the Hall of Berlin Adolf Hitler announced that the car had not to be an exclusive privilege of the rich. To Ferdinand Porsche, defined by him as "the most famous designer of all time", he entrusted the assignment to construct the Volkswagen (the people's car)"

Cruisin at Smithtown Road

I had never been in the Truffle Hill Chocolate Shop, but I decided to stop in while cruising around Excelsior listening to the Vikings play Detroit (At the time they were leading 20 to O).
The VERY large sign says it all. “Chocolate” and lots of it. Chocolate shaped like Bullwinkle the Moose, power hand tools, or the classic jumping bass.


Truffle Hill Chocolate Shop

End of the line

The Excelsior pioneers were stoic

For some reason only Mary Sheldon gets a qualifier in the photos on page 1 of the book "100 years in Excelsior" by historian Daisy Dillman.

Parked outside Sunsets in Wayzata.

Return of the Honey Mushrooms

It is a wonder to see the “Honey Mushrooms” spring up each year in mid September. They only last briefly and then melt away like wax. I have read there are many varieties (10 North American) and that some of them are not at all good for the woods.
From the descriptions the category is quite broad. These are small, and semi -edible. You can eat them and hope you don’t get mildly sick. Or you can just observe them grow, open, and then quickly disintegrate back into the earth.

Gray's Bay blues

I couldn't resist reposting this with a tighter crop. Tonka Toys

James J. Hill Dachshund races -

Race day was warm and the crowd was a buzz with enthusiasm. I could only stay for a while so I took many shots before the costumed pups arrived.

I was dogless Saturday so I felt a bit out of the canine loop.








Hey, who is that Non-dog in the lead?


Pipp takes eyedrops daily, for an eye problem that sidelined him from the competition.

Apple daze in Excelsior

It was a warm Saturday, even at 8:30am. I wandered thro ugh the booths filled with hand painted sheet metal yard ornaments, bad velevet John F.Kennedy portraits (Camelot that!) and maps of Lake Minnetonka galore. Here and there an apple stand, honey booth, or a 100% pure beef a foot long corn dog stand. Apple days.
I perused the antiques, which now are composed of actual items I grew up with. I felt a bit uneasy.
Later in the day there was an antique boat show at Maynards, but I balked for time limitations and fear of seeing Joe Soucheray.
I bought a 1967 Look Magazine Special Edition called "20 years of flying saucers". That made me feel better than the free standing plastic clown that was leering at me.

Follow the yellow

Smell you at James J Hill Daschund Races

Westward bound

Taken from "About Minneapolis Hotels" website.
1864-1899: Minnesota Central Railroad

The rail line, first built in 1864, was originally known as the Minnesota Central Railroad. In 1867 the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad bought the Minnesota Central Railway, changing the name of the railroad to the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad in 1874 before shortening the name to Milwaukee Road. The old Milwaukee Road Depot was constructed in 1899 and remains one of the last long-span, truss-roofed sheds surviving in the nation.

Renaissance Revival Style by Charles Frost

The Depot, a Renaissance Revival style building, was designed by Charles Frost. Considered conservative in style, the ground floors were paved in white marble with black borders and walls were built with cream and brown enamel brick. The ceiling of intricately paneled oak gave the rooms a large, spacious feel. The total cost of the Depot was about $200,000.

Minnetonka Community Eduction Center Main Entrance 2011

The Minnetonka Community Education Center was expanded and updated in 2010. Although this is the Main entrance, it is the narrower side of the building which runs along Vinehill Road. The is a certain fortress like quality, that is at once reassurring and also formidable. It reminds me of Fort Snelling The new exterior brick matches fairly well with other structures in the complex which includes Deephaven Middleschool (a term I dislike). The typestyle is a the somewhat stoic Avante Garde Demi all caps, lending an early 1900s Art Deco quality to the entrance way.

The final photo is one of the slender florescent lights and no doubt eye-in-the-sky units in the parking lot.

The upcoming James J. Hill and Apple Days Extravaganza weekend

Dueling events? Hardly. Both James J. Hill Days and Excelsior Apple Days are on the same weekend, but considering the scale and proximity of the events I will be able to go to both. Photos to come...