Garden Update

Say what you will about our dreadful winter that has just past, but I am amazed at how my Garden has emerged unscathed. Over the last two weeks I have slowly been digging it out and seeing what remains. At this point only 2-3 plants have yet to show green - and they are usual late bloomers. For some bizarre reason, this is better than what I find on normal years.??

Granted we are about a month behind and the rebirth is a slow process. Perhaps that is what has been helpful; the slow warm-up rather than a quick thaw that is jarred by cold snaps to fresh shoots? I did put down a good coat of mulch and that must have been enough of a blanket.

At this point only a handful of crocus, tulips are gaining and daffodils are barely poking through. I bought a bonanza of bulbs (that is some turn of phrase) last Fall, so when it hits its prime in a few weeks it will be lovely. Yesterday was putting the firepit out and the filling the fountain. Today a few lights on the trellis and more heirloom seeds in ground. Looking pretty spiffy here on 34th!

Glorious Easter

What a difference a day makes. I'm less interested in talking about the weather than I am in a total change of mood. Easter is always a great gathering of dear friends, but usually also a great sign of things to come with the changing of the seasons. Yesterday was no exception. 

I was blessed with a few hours of solitude and wonderful temperatures in which I took trusted companion Waylon for a walk to the lake. People were out in hordes; eating on rooftop patios, renting Nice Ride bikes, picnics on the damp grass. Tin Fish was open for the first time with a line that stretched a long path. Although the water was cold it was not frigid, we both got feet wet. Shorts, sandals - attire that just weeks ago was beyond thought. The air smelled fresh and moods were high. So lucky that the day was mine to explore.

My Minneapolis

I am often aware that I have landed where I am supposed to be. Much like Feng Shui, certain things just feel aesthetically right when they line up. I somehow knew when I visited in 6th grade for the summer that this was a place I belonged. So with that in mind, I am share 2 bits of tourism this morning.

The first is from City Pages Best Of issue. I generally don't grab it as it is so large it overwhelms me. But as I was thumbing through it last night in the People & Places section, I was tickled to find the Best Intersection in the Cities. It is just home to me, but some people think it is a bit more...

Best Corner Minneapolis 2014 - 34th and Lyndale

Unless you're really into churches and gas stations, there's a dearth of excitement on Lyndale south of 32nd Street. However, one intersection consistently proves to be a golden nugget of fun. At this corner, you'll find the fabulous Bull Run Coffee Bar, which brews with a mighty bean selection. Crema Cafe does the impossible, offering delicious Sonny's Ice Cream along with beer and wine. They also have an adorable patio filled with flowers and plenty of shade from the sun. For fashionistas, June Resale offers high-end finds, while Belle Weather boutique sells gifts, purses, and other fun items. Music lovers can shop for gear or take lessons at Twin Town Guitars, and OM offers yoga classes. Painter Park, also found at this intersection, boasts a playground, tennis and basketball courts, a baseball field, and plenty of grass for picnics. With so much on offer, you never need to go anywhere else.

And then in my morning reads, a great new promo for tourism in the greater MN area. For me it is like watching a home movie of all the places I frequent so often. how many do you know? #OnlyinMN

Congrats Kathy Hamilton

Leave it to the Onion to throw a chuckle into a dreary spring (supposed-to-be) day. It is one of the few feeds that I check infrequently but should be a daily ritual.

This one is for any of us that have been part of the brutal casting process that is theater. We pour our heart into each audition thinking that we are the perfect fit and it is the role of a lifetime, only to find out we didn't even merit a callback and HE was cast in the role???!!! Thus the Old Mill production of Streetcar will feature Kathy Hamilton in the plum role of Blanche duBois. The article goes on to point out that the 41 year old real estate agent got the part despite a lack of both talent and experience. Read the entire hilarity:

The Onion 

 

Dancing Fiend

Say what you want about Christopher Walken. He's weird enough that I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark subway station or beside me at a urinal, but I'm thinking the guy would pretty fun at a swanky party. Definitely some fun stories to tell with a few drinks in him.

BUT - I have always known he had his background in old vaudeville days. I don't think he did much in terms of actual musical theater on stage. But somewhere he picked up some good rhythm in his feet. So it was no surprise to see this montage. I would like to know where maybe half of them come from and pull up a Netflix viewing list. In addition to that, the editing is masterful in lining up the soundtrack. May have to label it a favorite.

To Do in the Cities

Another item that has been on hold in my queue for a short while. Now that weather seems to be loosening up and we are coming out of hibernation, it might be time to put it in print. I can't tell you how great it was to be outside with the dog this weekend, hands in the cool earth, with green starting to show

We tire of countless lists that tell us what to watch, who to look for, what to eat. This is a Cities Pages list but not the predictable Best Of issue. It is 50 Things to Do here before you die (a bit dramatic - but that's what they wrote.) I like to think of myself as a go getter and my 25 years here would brand me a master, but I was surprised how many are still on my bucket list. I certainly knew where almost all of them referred to, but... a few of the quaint restaurants and sporting events have eluded me. There are of course the obvious ones like the Powderhorn May Day parade, the State Fair and the St Paul Winter Carnival. But also off track things like a pub crawl in Nord East or an ethnic outing at Moscow on the Hill.

So as you are itching to venture out, try for the unexpected or unpredictable, Plenty to choose from here.

50 Things To Do 

Travel and other Mullings

(With a noted shout out to Jeff A.) I have had a short absence from both my blog and Twitter over the last 5 days due to travel. I made the choice to hibernate rather than connect. As is usually the case - there is always a desire to come home to what is comfortable to me.

I was away in Dayton OH for a weekend of color guard championships and decided that since I had friends there, to extend the stay. Part work/ Part pleasure. These trips always begin with an adrenaline rush of getting out the door and this was no exception. What followed were a few extremely long work days judging (you may ask really?) which are more taxing mentally than physically as you watch 35+ units and make sure that you score them in a correct order. A quick evening rendevous with friends over a great meal. And then a day of free time to explore, geocache, read and find adventure. All provide great photos to bring home and share. But as I said prior; there is always the resolve to just return home where comfort is known.

In the last hours I was very aware of this amidst surroundings where I could compare what I have to the world there. I am much more fortunate and blessed than many of the stricken souls in Downtown Dayton. The nervous energy of travelers on a bus and at the airport that seemed to be getting ulcers just by glancing at their watches, when they ultimately have very little control over how the day might play out due to weather, delays or mechanics. And eventual boredom reading a book in an awkward chair in a terminal longing for my own bed. No matter how many times I leave, I love the first glimpse of the skyline that is so familiar to me, turning a corner and seeing my own house and being greeted by a dog with an eager tail.