Nocomo in the Rain

Nocomo Beach,  Deephaven

Minnehaha Creek is flowing!

The Gray’s Bay dam is open and flowing at some rate with the number 50 attached to it. 50 cubic feet per second?

is flowing and lively, I shot these this morning,

Second Galaxie. A bench at Minnetonka Mills.

A passing Prince - Paisley Park

Passing Prince

The Sheriff of Carver County stood at the podium and answered questions from themdia about Prince. In a touching moment (I will paraphrase) he responded that he thought of Prince, not as a just rock star, but of him as a friend, a community member and a good citizen. He said this sincerely and with honest emotion.

I never new or really followed Prince too closely. As a creative person, I have admired him, and his loss is significant loss to Minnesota and the arts.
We drove by the endless stream of fans and admirers this weekend, and I just leaned out and took some photos in passing.

Thorpe Park 2016

Near the Shorewood Marina, Gideon's Bay

Excelsior is rated "cool"

One thing I have always thought is that if you tried to be cool you probably wouldn't be. But you can be engaging, involved,  interesting, even exciting... and a whole range of other things. In the end Excelsior has a sense of self and yet it is changing.

I

t is difficult to take a photo on the street however, and I can never get a good photo.  As the saying goes - you can't go there because there are so many cars.....

Minnehaha Creek at the Burwell House

Low water levels Minnehaha Creek at the Burwell House.
The pictures tell the story at the Burwell House and Park.

Geese on the Pond

 Pretty and pretty messy, geese. The dogs love to chase them.

Note: This photo has received over 4,000 views on FlickR Explore.


"Canada geese are everywhere in Minnesota. From farm fields to golf courses.

Identification

General description: A large goose.
Length: 22 to 40 inches - wingspan is about 5 to 6 feet.
Weight: 2 to 18 pounds.
Color: Light brown with a white chin and a black neck, head, bill and feet.
Sounds: Various "honking" sounds.

Reproduction

Canada geese mate for life, and both parents help raise the young. The mating season runs from March to April, after which eggs are laid. Hatching begins 25 to 30 days later. Baby geese (goslings), which are covered in yellowish down, leave the nest shortly after hatching.

Food

Canada geese eat aquatic plants, insects, grass, soybeans and other crops.

Predators

Mink, raccoons, great-horned owls, fox and dogs.

Habitat and range

Lakes, ponds, marshes and rivers. Many Canada geese stay in Minnesota throughout the winter, although some migrate south to any number of states. They breed statewide, but are most common in the western and southern portions of the state."

- Minnesota DNR

Poke Carson's Bay

This serene scene was shattered unexpecteidley by the roatating blast of the Tornado Warning siren. Carson’s Bay at 6:15am.
“The sky was blue,  and the moon was yellow, and the walls came tumblin down”

Okay, it is  a stretch to relate to the lyrics of one of my favorite songs;  “Poke Saga Lee”, but what the heck.
The siren took many residents by surprise.

Wetlands

The River Edge

 Standing on the water's edge. Watching the river flow.
 I thought to myself, what are the longest rivers in Minnesota? -  and I found a DNR web site that listed them and the miles they covered within Minnesota. I went to 11 because, well,  I just  like the name "Rum River".  From what I read, it earned its name when  a Canadian trapper lost his precious cargo when overturned  on this river. Myth or not it is fitting and .... well,  Minnehaha Creek  is also named after a fictional character from Longfellow.

1    Mississippi River    681.3
2    Red River                457.1
3    Minnesota River    370.6
4    Rainy River            292.1
5    Red Lake River    252.8
6    Bigfork River    220.7
7    St. Louis River    197.1
8    Otter Tail River    195.7
9    North Fork Crow River    178.3
10    Wild Rice River    173.5
11    Rum River    168.7

Minnehaha Creek April 7, 2016 6:20am

Here is the visual of the Creek.
 As I watched in the very dark, grey dawn it began to snow lightly.  Cloudy, cold and  we are in a drought. You know, happy thoughts. The traffic lights going through the motions, In the distance a police siren.

Shorewood. The Hooded Merganser visits our Hood

Hooded Merganser in the pond

I looked out the window at the pond. I have been keeping track of the visitors and reidence.   In the distance  a strikingly marked duck was diving under the surface and then coming up. I had never seen one like this, but then that is not saying a lot. I am new to the birding world.

My National Geographic Bird guide led me to identifying it as a Hooded Merganser. This photo is with my wimpy 3X zoom, but it clearly shows the markings.

The first boats appear.

Boats, like clouds, they are soon not lonely. This Sunday should be the first wave of activity on the lake.