High Bandwidth

The Ames Place

2009-05-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

The Ames house has a double lot with multiple perrenial gardens and flowering trees, detached garage with a beautiful three season porch, central air, updated windows and electric, new kitchen floor, fireplace, hardwood galore, 3+ bedrooms, and a brand new roof and steel siding.

Ames

2008-10-15T16:26:00.001-07:00

Curb appeal. The front of the house faces South.

Below: Sideyard. White lilac tree, several William Boffin rose bushes line the cedar fence that was installed three years ago.

The siding is steel and is being replaced with steel siding, we're looking at a really nice red.

Above:Facing East towards the yard.

Below: Looking towards the front of the house from the tv room to the parlor. The windows in the pic above would be to the left of the camera in the shot below.

The three season porch off the back of the garage.(between house and garage)

Some Gardens: You can see the rose bushes along the posts. They are about twice the zize now and will grow over the fence or along the tops within the next year.

Perrennials galore along the whole front hill.

My Baby - Little Girl Growing

2008-06-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

My Fathers Day Present 2008

2008-06-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

Problems of the World Unite

2007-11-27T19:29:00.000-08:00

I don't know if you've noticed or not, but the world is in pretty rough shape. Sure, there's much pristine in appearance or beautiful in the moment, but overall it seems pretty tough to not become a cynic.

There's war galore and full of gore, and those that think sparing us the nasty details is doing us a favor. There's politrix this, and politrix that, dividing both the masses and the individuals while feeding it's own self gratifying sense of accomplishment, but keeping things from getting done is not an accomplishment.

There's poverty, homelessness, and those living without even the smallest feeling of hope and it's not being broadcast by Sally Strothers filming in a far off land; it's taking place on our streets.
Rough shape I tell you and I don't remember it always being this way.

It's not like I grew up rich. I was poor. My privilege was having a family that cared. From what I can tell, these days, that's worth more than gold.

Then again, gold is worth about 800 bucks an ounce right now and I still can't barter the family away.

My point is; it's easy to take a problem and give an opinion. It's slightly harder to research, do some work, and give an opinion. What's really hard is to actually care about something.

I find that once I stop looking at the macro issue or high level problem and instead see it's granularities; often I'll see that better minds than mine are elbow deep in trying to help.

That can be either very disheartening or it can give hope.

Today, it's like pick your poison . . . school funding? . . . . road infrastructure? . . . . . unlawful detentions? . . . War?

Doesn't anyone have the antidote? If so are they willing to barter?

Want to see how your area compares?

Discuss.

Star Tribune Coloring Contest 2007

2007-11-25T19:39:00.001-08:00

The first few days of vacation on Lake Superior

2007-08-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

We like to stay at Barthell's. At 94 Walter is the oldest living commercial fisherman in MN. It's about 2 miles out of Two Harbors and a great get away. We were visited by friends and family while we stayed and a great time was had by all.

The cabin on the Lake

A giant foot print I'm sure I left last year

Our private beach

The dogs start to run out of energy

The old boathouse

The Wifey and her art.

neighbor cabin

Cat

Wifey's art.

The resort. Note, "Modern" means it was modern when the sign was built a jillion years ago.

(Notice the name on the mailbox?)

Moments from the weekend

2007-06-11T16:44:00.000-07:00

The Wifey and I biked around Lake Phalen and along some state trails; both days the weather was perfect.

I, on the other hand, was unbathed and unshaven.

Commandante Wifey was happy to take a rest at the top of a big hill

Most of our local parks look like this one.

Back in the yard I tended the garden. Check ou the upside down tomato plant.

Why grow a tomato upside down?

They said it couldn't be done.

I've noticed a lot of people are posting pictures of their lovely summer gardens. Check this section out. Not much to look at now, but in another month it will be all Cosmos,sunflowers, and other great flowers.

Scan back and look at last years photos of the spot if you don't believe me.

This piece of exposed earth is a pumpkin patch.

Here's a spruce I just put in the back corner of the yard.

This is one of the tributaries of Lake Phalen. We saw a giant snapper turtle sunbathing on the shore, but it took off when I pulled out the camera. Who says turtles are slow?

Here's the small kataba tree along the porch.

Crimson and clover.
Currently the yard is mostly clover.

Mixing it up a little here's a lake shot.

On the weekends . . .
The sky is the limit.

Finally, in the front garden the lillies are budding and flowering.

Valentines Day Hockey Play

2007-02-15T09:09:00.000-08:00

Here's a few CameraPhone5000 pics from our Valentines Evening.

She Talks To Angels

2006-12-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

The Wifey penciled in some time for art. Tonight we are having a fire and our own personal Christmas. Reach out and touch faith Our own personal Christmas Reach out and touch faith

Leaf it be.

2006-10-07T18:29:00.000-07:00

Look at me! Look at Me!
Maybe I can't glide in this wind, but I can surf on this picnic table.

Porter says thanks for the well wishes The Internets.

Leaves,leaves, everywhere and not a drop of tea.

Beaver lake is all sun,wind, and algae.

That doesn't stop Stella from going for a swink? drwim? A swim and a drink anyway.

She's so very tolerant and full of love. This was an "Action Shot".

CatsAiye

2006-09-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

RenFest2006

2006-09-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

Renfest is a magical kingdom of shops, more shops, costumed nerds, and shows.

One of the shops had this awesome dragon fountain. It could be yours for a meager 7k.

Here you can see the various dress styles. It takes a true warrior to wear blue jeans.

Stop and talk to the guards and another may put a clothspin onyour back too.

This is the giant rocking horse two strangers and LittleSplinkTM

Of the shows we watched this was the best. The old glass blower and his senile act. Just a vase and a bowl, we don't have much time, it's gonna rain any minute.

He takes a blower out of the fire.

Looks like honey

This fellow works to build a monument in my honor atop his head.

Windmill

One of the shows was a sheep hearding doggie named Dan

It rained most of the afternoon.

LittleSplinkTM with his new weapons.

It's an uphill battle for this old youngster.

A pirates cove that looks like an English Inn

The oxen take a break from the petting zoo. I take snap a few pics while the rest of the clan watches the camels, alpacas, and elephants.

Justacoolcat waterproof and warm.

Fireside Forest Tales

2006-09-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

Sweeter than honey

Rain,Rain, Authenticate

Baby Dragons imprint on you

LittleSplinkTM

Honey Hive Triangular Not as Sweet as her

We stopped to watch a glass blowing show. Just a vase and a bowl we don't have much time. Looks like it's going to rain.

It was dry and warm while the MasterCraftsman demonstrated the art and science of glass blowing.

With a touch of hard of hearing, repetitive, and eccentric catch phrases with a dash of snark for show. The glass, well that was pretty.

Isn't that pretty?

It's pretty, looks like honey.

Isn't it pretty?

"Yeah it's pretty" The Crowd2006 chimes all at once

(moments later he breaks it in a bucket)

(Isn't that the way with beauty in this life?)

Time to make a vase and a bowl, not much time. It might rain any minute. Any one have the time? I shouldn't start yet, but you know, it might rain any minute. So we'll do just a vase or a bowl, do you like clear glass? We'll start there with a clear glass vase and a bowl . . . we don't have much time.

It could rain any moment.

Do you like this? Is it pretty?

JACC "Yeah, but last time we agreed on that you broke it on purpose" -- Crowd murmers and laughs

MC "What's that?"

JACC "It's pretty, but last time we agreed on that you broke it on purpose" -- crowd laughs and agrees with purpose

MC "What's that I couldn't hear you?"

MC "Should we make a vase or a bowl first?"

Blue and the Mountain Glorious

2006-08-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

The above sunflower is larger than a human head, and I mean just the center part. Even my orange on a toothpick satellite styled noggin can't compare.

A rose bush of any other name

Cosmos

The big chore today was I harvested corn, tomat'ers, and solved the great pumpkin puzzle. I cracked the code "Oh So Delicately" with a broom. So now the skyward pumpkin is on the ground. There were three pumpkins growing up in that lilac tree and now they are all safely on the ground.

Below is one of my favorite things about pumpkins.

They have beautiful flowers.

The Wifey home from a long walk with Bonnie. Bonnie has this giddy effect on everybody, myself included. Notice the Minnesota History Day shirt, that was prior to today and since I don't know when it's bound to happen again.

Consorting with the enemy requires inspection. Why do you have string, Sir?

Ascot of Burrs for Stella

2006-08-19T22:23:00.000-07:00

Did someone say ascot?

And that was all that I needed
And I said to my friend, "good god, we're lucky men just to even see her"
Take, take, take
Take, take, take
Take, take, take
And I could not resist, I
just had to get close to her
And that was all that I needed
I walked and loomed around her table for a while
And that was all that I needed
Then I said, "I hate to bug you, ma'am, but can I have your autograph?"A
nd that was all that I needed
She pressed her lips against a white piece of paper
And that was all that I needed
Then I saw what she wrote, my heart is in my mouth
And that was all that I needed
Then she handed it to me, and I think that she could see
That that was all that I needed ~ the white stripes

. . . . so you know.

if your name is Rita Hayworth or Jessica Lange or someone close to them

Call me.

Especially you Jessica.

Or as I know you, Mrs Lange.

Grandma says hello.

Wed

2006-08-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

We woke up early on Wed and I started a fire.
I call this one morning wood.

After we lounged around the cabin for the morning we headed back towards the cities to Duluth.

This is the a view of the boardwalk area

Duluth has a constant barrage of ships arriving.

The famous "Lift Bridge" that lifts for ships coming into the harbor.

Tuesday

2006-08-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

One of the many shops on the scenic highway.

Our Cabin

View from the lake

The old boat house.

The pier

What the day was like.

The Wifey being artistic

A piece of metal I found washed up on the beach.

Putting the metal to work.

Ramps for the boats.

The view from the pier.

Some creepy dude.

Some bad dogs.

The water

Mon

2006-08-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

I told you the clouds left

Clear water

The hike to the falls

The river

What good is hiking a river in summer unless you cross on the rocks?

Back down by the lake

Day One

2006-08-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

Our first stop on the shore

Our campsite at Gooseberry

The Shore

My bike bag with tunes inside

The lake at gooseberry

JACC in rain gear

Threatening rain

The Wifey endures

Fire in the rain

Dinner

This is nonproposal rock. The first time we were at this park we sat on this rock and The WIfey thought for sure I was going to propose. I had the ring in my pocket, but did not.

The mouth of the river.

Farmer Brown Goes To Town

2006-06-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what these flowers are called, but I call them my Dr. Seuss flowers.
Don't they look like something that would grow in Whoville?
Also, they smell really really good.

What you are looking at here is a mutant sunflower that reseeds that area and comes back every year. Very unusual for Mn. The bush is Mock Orange and the flowers are pansies, petunians, and the green one's not yet flowered on the lower left are cosmos.

There's been mention of tomatoes at a few sites I visit. Here are mine. This is the earliest I have had actual tomatoes forming on the plant.

The tall plants are Sunflowers and the green viney things on the ground are pumpkins.

Close up of the tomatoes.

Here it the sunflower,cosmo, and pumpkin patch from further back. Remember this picture, because in a few months the pumpkin vine will cover much of the area on the right.

This is one of my corn and cosmo patches. Corn is supposed to be knee high by July 4th. My taller corn is already thigh high.

One of my day lilly patches in front of the house is flowering.

(remember you can click on any of the images for maximum viewing pleasure aka detail)

A day in Stillwater

2006-06-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

This was our later afternoon spot on the river where we enjoyed Keylime Pie and Pinot Grigio.

As you can see we had the best seat on the deck. I may have taken this picture after "someone" dropped the camera from their seat. That someone may or may not have been me, sources are unable to confirm or deny the facts.

The Wifey overlooking The River St.Croix.

We had lunch at a great little french bistro. This was my salad with chevre crusted toast.
The food was amazing, we also had great seats in the window, but the view wasn't great. We overlooked the street and a gas station.

A table with a view.

Main Street.

This is a historic lift bridge filled with controversy. It's insufficient for traffic and some argue ugly, so they want to tear it down and rebuild a fancier bridge. The Historic Society says otherwise. Stillwater, fight amongst yourselves.

Enjoying dessert.

Showing my disdain for the old stuff. I want new. What's with all this history? If history is so great then where is it now? Where? Pictured here I am envisioning tearing down this old and building a new Stillwater teaming with fast food restaurants and sports themed bars where people can buy jello shots for a dollar of the belly of a Bacardi girl. Progress.

A wise sign in one of the shops.

This place is called the commander, I think it's a large excuse to park cars. Pictured here are a lovely bouquet of fine new machinery.

This cat book was in the store where the lady asked me about another cat book. I marked my territory and left.

This is Ollie the Trollie. Ollie spends his days grifting tourists in this parking lot.

They had a clothing store named Stella and I have a dog named Stella, so naturally I figured it was fate I'd take a picture.

I should work here, the tarot shop embedded in the cliff. I would have gotten a reading or whatever it is a person does in a place like this had it not been for the communist propoganda.

On the right is the dude that took our picture. He was nice and his wife was late. She's a professor at the U, he's a dude waiting for his wife.

There you have it. Stillwater a place where water and books go well together.

.

il ferait beau

2006-06-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hello old friend. As you know so very soon it's time for sport. The sport of kicking and running. How are you running? And your kick?

I see you are top 10. As is the U.S.A .

I hardly want to mention you think the U.S. wouldn't know a futbol from a boche ball and the U.S. is world ranked #5 and France is #8. They are practically the same anyway, right?

I agree.

Though Groups & Standings woud not.

Group E is tough and Group G is up and coming.

What do you think?

See you in the quarters?

il ferait beau

il ferait beau

You are wack!

2006-05-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

. . . and a big meany pants.

Peek a' Vous

2006-05-06T12:11:00.000-07:00

Je ne sais aucun français

si désolé

Toujours, soyons des amis de lit

ahhhh

Toujours, soyons les meilleurs amis

----
For my english speaking comrades I said

I don't know any French.
So Sorry
Still, let's be bed friends.
ahhhh
Still,let's be best friends.

Unfortunatly, if you have to think about a joke it's not longer funny. Though, sometimes if you think about it later and figure out it can be funny in an "ahhhh Ha!" sort of way.

Today I had a class where I learned some "automation". Then I worked in the yard and after that we took a walk to Beaver Lake.
Ofcourse, I took the camera and snapped off a scene or so.

So without further delay. . .

Beaver Lake, Will there be a chair?

If so you can see I have my bike courier bag.

The Wifey is laughing at my foolish antics and wearing a very stylish Beatles T-Shirt given to her by Rachel in NY.

The lake has a chart as to some of the types of fish.

Catfish or Bullhead?

Well? Catfish or Bullhead?
I'm certainly not answering that one. I mean catfish. Definantly catfish.

This is Beaver Lake, where we often stroll in the evening. It's a small lake, but has a great breeze on hot summer nights.

We walked around the lake to the North side and marched through some woods on ancient Native American paths. They may have been paths from city dwelling folk having parties and crazy nightime adult fun as well, but I doubt it. I stand by my original findings.

The North side of the lake has little flowering cherry trees.

I'll had a few more pics tomorrow.

Until Next time

les meilleurs amis pour toujours

Hello France - Are you listening?

2006-04-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

Where am I?

Does anyone car to guess? No?
I wouldn't know where to guess T.J.Max maybe? No.
I am in a world more out there than 10 hippies on acid singing Give Peace a Chance.
I am in a world more foreign to me than the spaces between the molecules that make up the solids.
I am in a . . . well you get the point.

Let me further illustrate though obfuscation with a haiku.

Fish out of water.
So grow lungs or suffocate
is this oxygen?

Fine I'm at Michaels.

For those not in the know Michaels is an arts and crafts universe.
A place so immense and so full of things for the crafty that are about to craft or have crafted and have craft. Sort of a be all end all of supplies. If you're an outdoors type this would be a Cabellas superstore or and REI. It's to crafting variety what Sams Club is to grocery quantity, but then again analogies were deemed too hard and dropped from the SAT's and GRE's.

Behold!
Eye glasses for a dollar.

Fake plants and flowers as far as the 1.00 eyeglasses wearing fella can see. It's the Emerald city and I am feeling a lot like McGyver.
I wander around hopelessly lost and overwhelmed by the number of things I could create had I any artistic ability.

The parts start to fall into place, I can see the pieces for a giant flower shooting tank.

Over there, all that yarn, . . . and some of those metal things and I could build a pulley system that could suspend me above it all to direct my army of silk plants.

Then it dawns on me.

I'm no McGyver, I wouldn't use these things to make a quick smoke bomb.

Oh no, I'm some sort of tall crafting Napolean.

Naturaly I begin to assemble my army of decorative planter trikes.

And I'll need something to pay the contractors.

Awards. to the right is second place, below is third and fourth.
What you are looking at is the coveted first place awards. They buy ultimate loyalty.

So now I have funding, an army, logistics, and a plan.

I slowly wander through the halls looking for The Wifey.
One of the employees eyes me suspiciously, but she knows I am a general not to be trifled with the silk plants are already singing folk songs in the hills of yarn.

At that point I almost ask her if they sell camoflage.

Not for me, understand.

At this point I realize I have passed through the store several times and The Wifey is nowhere to be found. I am convinced she has already purchased some "crafting cloaking device" T.M. and is flanking my tricycle army.

My mind reels.

Has she pulled a classic Cartesian line? I look around and she is nowhere to be found.

Though her spies are everywhere.

Watching. Always watching.

To me,Nothing looks familiar.

It all blends together like the mean city streets from an old black and white movie where the protagonist is on a bender stumbling outside a diner at 3a.m. .

I need to get it together. I start the slow search process again.

A sign , something looks familiar. Bliss, friends, it's a Navajo code sent with the plans.

I see even in this strange universe Chelene has her minions.
Search the magic party.

So I shall.

On the quest for my contact, "Destiny Harmony", a Greenwich Village scarf vendor.

That's when I spot The Wifey.

She is wearing crafting camoflage. I knew it.

Now all I have to do is send the call to my amassed hordes

. . . and pay.

The Constant Fashionable Gardener

2006-04-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

Plot: A husband is determined to get to the bottom of a potentially explosive secret involving his wife's constant book reading, big business, and corporate corruption.
All done in style. Dressed in Kenneth Cole Reaction shoes, Calvin Klein shirt, Claiborne pants, and a Perry Ellis belt.

Tagline: Stylish Love. At any cost

Genre: Drama / Thriller

Roma Roma

2006-04-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday Hiking And Stuff

2006-04-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

This is where we started our hike at Battle Creek Park.
The park was named after the Great Alien Wars of the early 1900's where proud Saint Paulites stood ground against vicious Space Invaders.

The Wifey in her new hat.

A look down the hill.

The hounds follow their leader.

Battle Creek

A picnic area

Me chilling

The hills are sandstone

Hiking the hills

Self Portrait in my Jamaican Bobsled Team hat

It's all France all the time

2006-04-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

except ofcourse, where it's not France at all, which may in fact be in most cases.
Though some is Italian and some is American and some is French American and some was an American in France back from Italy, and some was an Italian back from France, and some well it may have not had a connection to France until now. All the same, in so much as their differences and maybe more. Maybe half as much as they deserve to be or twice as much as they think. Or twice the halves of their whole would be eight times as good to the rest. You dig?

another 5

keeping time, in rhythm, out of beats, over easy, one the streets

Some Gardening?

2006-04-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

Freshly planted. The fence parts were to hold them straight while they settled.
Out of sight, Stage left a small shrub. Stage right a Juniper.

Stella will do her best to own you.

Porter will break your heart.

I planted 36 tulips around the base of this light pole.
In person it looks less blurry.

Easter Images. So there.

2006-04-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

Elevensies

Course 5, Dessert

Sis

The parents on The Stone Arch Bridge

The parents in my TV room

The cat in the kitchen

The first course of 5 at brunch

Wifey and I

The Mighty Miss Iss Ipp I

The fam

Madre

3rd Street Bridge from Saint Anthony Main

The Wifey with gifts

The Infamous Butter

Wifey and Madre

High bandwidth

2006-04-08T02:00:00.001-07:00

Boooooyah. You Know it! I know it. We both know it's true.