Toes or Trees. . .or tree toes. Today's T's at ABC Wednesday compliments of our Minnesota woods. Totally!

enough already!

In an effort to curb my complaining about our late spring, I found some lovely reminders of the hardiness of Minnesota flora with these examples to send on to Today's Flowers.

Lady Bird Johnson once wrote: Where flowers bloom so does hope. Words to remember for the week ahead. Dr. Daughter is coming for a few days' visit this week so I concur. That will mean sunshine aplenty.

A multitude of small delights constitutes happiness.

 Charles Baudelaire

its a surprise, no peeking!

Lots 'o' sun for Minnesota this week and at this posting, most trees have leafed out. Its been a week full of blue skies and puffy clouds. Above is my favorite tree in the area where I walk--not yet dressed for summer it seems. Below is another part of my walk where I usually see wood ducks and turtles and hear golfers. Peaceful and busy, full of life.

See more idyllic skies from all over our lovely here.

Poor, dear, silly Spring, preparing her annual surprise!
Wallace Stevens

word-less Wednesday

what a difference a day makes

Today was our second day of sunshine so I took to the woods to see what's been happening. Life was happening! with tender, limey green everywhere, many lush ferny places and shy wildflowers. Birds sang and this lovely survivor watched me pass by [please enlarge to see her mottled winter fur].

Barring any more Blogger shenanigans, I'll be back!

raining now, more rain all day, possibly forever

I'm fine

really

frick and frack

Our local skies continue to be angry or serene, usually all in one day. This photo captured the rain coming from the west toward Minneapolis one afternoon last week. Below is a blissful view of the sky as the sun was coming up this morning. But don't be fooled, its been raining ever since. I'm just saying. . .

Visit more skies from all compass points here.

word-less Wednesday

All day I think about it, then at night I say it.
Where did I come from,
and what am I supposed to be doing?
I have no idea. My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that,
and I intend to end up there.
Rumi

welcome home

In my weekly quest for the color red, lo and behold, I found some right under my nose. Since we moved to a larger place last September I've been able to unearth all things collectible I've squirreled away for the day when I would have more room. This wishful thinking, combined with a new--at least to me--interest in chickens [see my story about Buddy here] has filled up this 'chicken coop.' There's also room for some of the creamers I have collected as well as vintage crocheted kitchen items and odds 'n ends in some of my favorite colors.

This little nook of red always makes me smile. . .for more smiles, visit Ruby Tuesday.

Patience! she cried.

On the second day of the only two sunny days we've had this week I braved the early spring chill to capture a luscious sky over Como Lake. The water was both choppy and dark from the wind but the sun through the clouds and contrails was warm and promising. Big contrast here. . .so there you have it, blue sky from the Twin Cities! See skies from everywhere else here.

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Snoopy on Grand

Being a Minnesota newbie imagine my delight when I kept seeing big Snoopy statues around St. Paul--each a little different in artist's style and theme, one from another. Turns out, since Charles Schultz was born in St. Paul, he produced 101 different statues in 2000 as part of Snoopy on Parade. This decidedly 'red' version of Snoopy atop his dog house sits on Grand Avenue in St. Paul and honors the late hometown U of M Coach Herb Brooks and his 1980 United States Men's Olympic Hockey Team. Remember, they won the Olympic gold in Lake Placid by first beating the Soviet Union team 4-3 & then Finland. It has become a tradition for us to watch Miracle, Disney's film about the event at least once a year so Dave can relive watching the final game on television.

Both sides of the doghouse lists names of the entire winning team.And then there's that whole Zamboni thing. . . More fun red at Mary's Meme, Ruby Tuesday.