One Colorado sunset

It is tricky to capture in words how much I love Colorado sunsets, especially in the parts of the state with wide, wide open spaces. Last week, I got to see a true gem.

Looking south:



And looking straight west:



And the view to the north (perhaps my favorite because of the red-gold light on the fields):

I couldn't believe it. What an amazing sight.

A year of monthly photos

Yesterday, all of a sudden, I realized that my monthly photo goal is complete!

#73 on my 101 in 1,001 list: Take a photo of the same place every month for a year.

Last summer I chose a spot on Summit Avenue that I run by fairly often, a place that's open enough to illustrate seasonal change. And as simple as it was, I loved this project. I loved snapping a photo once a month and seeing the changes over the course of one year.

The most consistent time period turned out to be the summer, with quite a bit of month-to-month contrast in almost every other season. One of my favorite pairs is December 2013 and January 2014, two photos I expected to look nearly identical: blue sky, bare tree branches, deep snow. I loved seeing that the footprint paths in the snow had changed over the month.

Here are my 12 photos, from August 2013 to July 2014:

August 2013

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

July 2014

I liked this project so much I think I'll keep it going for another year, in a different place.

Visiting Mill Ruins Park

Last weekend I got to practice some local tourism in Minneapolis for a marvelous, unexpected window.

Josh needed to go into work for a couple of hours before we met our friends at Medicine Lake, so rather than driving separately later, I decided to go with him and visit the Mill City Farmers Market while he was in the office. I've always wanted to check out this farmers market but in past summers had been doing long runs on Saturday mornings when it's open, so it never worked out.

The market is next to the Guthrie Theatre, with many of the vendors in the Mill City Museum's historic train shed. I got there at 11 a.m. (too late for blueberries!) and there was a great crowd. I liked wandering through a farmers market in a new-to-me place.

I've been picking up a bouquet of flowers at the farmers market (usually the St. Paul one) most weekends this summer, so although it wasn't entirely practical given that day's upcoming trip to the lake, I still had my eye out for flowers. At one table, I noticed a bouquet composed entirely of snapdragons of all colors, and any sense of practicality flew out the window.

I liked my market visit a lot, but here's where the true little adventure begins: I decided to amble back to Target Field (and maybe the main Minneapolis Farmers Market) the long way, via the river parkway. I walked down the street toward Mill Ruins Park, across the street from the Mill City Museum. Just for fun, because I wasn't in any hurry, I wandered a few steps into the park and saw a new view of the museum and theatre right away:

And then I noticed that people were walking on paths way below the ruins and the Stone Arch Bridge. (I think I really said "What!?" out loud, followed by "How did they get there?!") Cradling the huge bouquet of snapdragons in one arm a tad awkwardly, I followed the sidewalk around the corner toward the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam, an area I had previously thought was restricted.

And all of a sudden, I found myself almost literally under the Stone Arch Bridge...

...and then literally under the Stone Arch Bridge!

I've run over the Stone Arch Bridge many times, but always with a focus on getting across and turning left to make my way back to St. Paul (or admiring the skyline at bridge level). I had no idea it was possible to wander under the bridge's first few arches. The museum, theatre and "Gold Medal Flour" sign are an iconic view of Minneapolis, and it was pretty amazing to be gifted with an entirely different perspective.

I love being caught by surprise like this in a place I thought I knew well.

For one of the marbles

Spotted on a rainy walk:

My grandma has jars and jars full of these pretty little marbles at her house, and I was fascinated by them when I was a kid. I'm glad they are still around.

Spa day

Someone is pleased that he (finally) got his paw fur and nails trimmed!

He has been Most Reluctant about nail-clipping in the past, but thanks to a very helpful Petco employee today, he was practically at ease. The highlight, I would say, was post-trim when Josh gave him a little dog cookie that looked like an Oreo, and Wish trotted across most of the parking lot with it held neatly in his mouth, upright like a little O, and chomped on it only when he was back in the car.

Into the sunset

This evening I took Wish for a run-walk - our second this week! - and we trotted around the streets of St. Paul, spending part of the run heading west to watch a blazing winter sunset. Two great things about this:

1. The sunset is late enough again for me to see it after work. Huge!!
2. I got to experience a few minutes of life that combined running, a sunset and my dog. If you've ever read this blog before, you know I was loving it.

It was a happy way to start the weekend.

Small victories

Today I won a race (because I simulated an 8K race by myself on the blustery and practically deserted pre-dawn streets of St. Paul) and I also got email notification that I won a pizza.

And that, Reader, makes for a pretty good Thursday.

I resolve...

...to use our mantel more. (If that's not a cue that a terribly dramatic post is about to unfold, I'm not sure what else I need to do.)

And yes, I just had to look up its proper spelling of mantel. That just shows how underused this piece of real estate in our home is!

Sure, it holds our TV. And a music box that plays "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" when you twist it up, a gift from my grandparents from a long, long time ago. (I love that music box.) And last winter, it held a basket of scented pinecones.

But as I learn more about how I'd like to decorate my home, I need to really get the proper mileage out of this mantel. I've been chopping away at paper with a pair of scissors for another craft project anyway (more details on this later, perhaps) and got this brainstorm yesterday. It took all of five minutes!

I have to concede that it must not have been too helpful, because the Broncos lost their football game last night. But I would like to swap out this message regularly! Even before the holidays come around and I can deck the mantel with stockings, garland, leaves, gourds, etc., the possibilities are endless:

• GO TWINS!
• GO ROCKY TOP!
• GOOD LUCK!
• HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
• HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
• NO CAVITIES!

Honestly, even though I was the one who made the sign, it still brought me a little cheer when I opened the front door after work that day. It's the little things.

What three-word pep talk would you most like to see on the mantel?

Today is brought to you by the letters...

You might know by now that I revel in finding joy in small tiny things.

Sometimes, all it takes is...

...a brown bag with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich inside.  

Extra points: Labeling it as such.

Man! I forgot what a terrific combination this is!  On Wednesday, April 11, 2012, let's hear it for peanut butter and jelly!