St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park

It was a balmy day for December in the low 20's so I visited a new park for me, St. Croix Bluffs. If there had been more snow on the trails, my regular hiking boots would not have been adequate. I was glad I packed the handwarmers, too. Taking photos meant removing my gloves and my hands (fingers) really cannot handle the cold.

Here are a few of the photos. To get to the St. Croix River meant going down-down-down which the park's name would have given you a clue. And hiking down means you have to hike back up. It was a good workout.

Lots of deer tracks and as you will see, beaver action. There were also lots of birds including song birds, woodpeckers and mallard ducks.

I got to walk on the frozen river. It is always exciting and a bit un-nerving walking out on a large body of frozen water.

This tree wasn't in the park. It was in a field but was so beautiful I had to stop to photo.

Hoarfrost on everything.

More hoarfrost.

Some serious beaver action.

The view down on the river.

I love symmetry and I love trees.

"THE LOOKOUT" I found this on my hike up from the river.

Snowy February

Record breaking snowfall this February and the month isn't over yet!

A cold week

To say it has been cold is an understatement. Over the past weekend it never got above zero and we've had a sting of below zero mornings. But through it all my old Christmas cactus has been blooming.

Saturday, Dec. 30

Sunday, Dec. 31

Monday, Jan. 1

Tuesday, Jan. 2

Theodore Wirth winter

One of the things I love about traveling is the contrasts. Just a few days ago I was on a sunny and warm beach. Today I'm back home it was cold and it snowed over night.

Annual ginko tree leaf drop

It happens every year. Pretty much every ginko leaf falls of the trees on my street in well fell swoop. And this year it happened the day AFTER the street was swept by the city.

Street view six days ago.

A Sure Sign of Winter Coming

When I finally bring the geraniums in means there is no turning back. I won't leave them with their flowers but they just looked so nice.

I've been successfully over wintering these particular geraniums for several years now. I rescued the two pink ones from my neighbor Irma's front steps after she died. She is the one who told me about keeping them over the winter. The people who bought her house have still to this day never removed the dead marigolds that the realtor planted. It has been 10 years maybe!

Now we're talking low temps

Even -5 at my house in Uptown.

Recording those nasty temps

I think this is our lowest temp so far this season. Definitely the lowest so far in 2017 but it is early yet. Little snow on the ground.

The sparkle of a winter morning. Near zero temps....crispy, crackly, shiny.

Less than 24 hours

 It doesn't take long for the weather to change. Less than 24 hours after 60 glorious degrees, it is snowing.

Not a lot of snow but it was coming down at a good clip.

City of Lakes Loppet

The City of Lakes Loppet was this weekend. It is an outdoor winter activity smorgasbord. Activites are at Theodore Worth park, Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles or for some events on all three.

Jenny and I went onto Lake Calhoun Saturday for speed skating, ice biking, skijoring, cross-country skiing and snow sculptures.

The speed skating was on a one kilometer oval of cleared ice on Lake Calhoun. Eight or nine co-ed skaters started at 1:30. It was a 50 lap race! That's 50 kilometers! We saw the start and a few of the laps before we realized that event was going to take a long time.

We headed over to ice biking that was very close by. The course this year on Lake Calhoun was boring compared to previous year's races on the lagoon between Calhoun and Isles. Nonetheless we had fun with another spectator. There is an odd 20 minute the final lap format bit we had fun cheering the competitors.

We then turned around for the start of the skijoring. Skijoring is cross-country skiimg with one or two dogs pulling the skier. The start is fantastic with dozens of dogs and their humans flying past. Most of the dogs were crazy excited to be running at full speed. Others were excited to be out with their humans. Others were distracted by all the other dogs. It all was so much fun.

We headed over to the event village to see the snow sculptures. The photos speak for themselves. We also got to watch the skiers crossing the finish line.

On the way back home we got to see the finish of the 50 kilometer skating event. The two leaders had been together the entire two hours! The skater in second had drafted the lead skater for 49 laps. The lead was out of gas and was easily taken over by the guy behind. I felt bad for the guy who had done all the work but ended up in second.

Jenny and I had a great time.

50k speed skating

ice biking

skijoring

skijoring

this white poodle ran full out the entire race

frozen pizza oven

Liked this snow sculpture

very artsy

Brrrr. November has finally arrived

It was bound to happen. The cold has arrived in Minnesota. It has arrived with a fierce wind. Got below freezing this morning and is now crazy windy.

This has been a very warm fall. October was so nice and November has been warm and rainy. The past few days we've had rain with thunder. Supposedly it would have been over 10 inches of snow had the temperature been lower.

Some weather

We are having a very cold February here in the upper Midwest. A few mornings have been below zero with highs in the single digits. It isn't really typical though most people think it is always cold here. I guess I am perpetuating the story.

The Cancer Survivors Park at the office building where I work. It is grass with just the slightest bit of snow.

Race morning,

Monday morning.

A cold week

It is January so it shouldn't be a surprise but this past week has been a cold one. Below zero every morning and super wind-chills. Thursday it 'warmed' into the teens and snowed. Only three inches but it was and is so cold that the snow doesn't melt on the roads or sidewalks,

Lots of accidents due to ice and snow. My bus ride home on Thursday was interrupted by a multi-car incident at Hennepin and Franklin. The intersection was blocked by several cars and a truck so the bus was not going anywhere. I couldn't tell who did what but it was a mess. I walked and jogged a ways before catching another bus that uses a different route.

Today was the warmest in several so went for a run with another person from my running group.



Monday

Wednesday



Thursday

icicle art

A week of freezing temperatures and another week of same or colder is forecast. This cold be the longest stretch of below freezing in over a hundred years.

Cabin fever

I am not the only one experiencing cabin fever. There is still a lot of snow and it is almost April 1st.

Frankie has been asking to go outside. That is not going to happen. It got to the mid-40's today with lots of beautiful sunshine. I had to let Frankie experience it somehow. The bathroom window is.one of his favorite places.

The dangerous roads and beauty of the lake.

We got ice and snow more than a week ago. The temperatures have been 20-30 degrees below normal. The roads are in such terrible and dangerous condition. If the road surface isn't completely covered with ice, then there are these amazing junks and gaps and ruts.

28th Street in front of Isles Bun and Coffee. Pure ice.

Another shot of 28th Street.

And then there is the beauty of the lakes. The extreme white snow has been drifted by crazy winds. Many thanks to the brave men and women who keep the park paths clear for us runners and bikers.