Duluth or bust!

It was a perfect winter day in the Minnesota Northwoods yesterday when we were in Duluth for the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. There were mushers from Minnesota, Michigan, California, New Hampshire, Montana, Canada and New Zealand, and 17 sleds left on a 390 mile, 3-day marathon race and as well as another 37 for a mid-distance race that will take the mushers and dogs to the Canadian border and back to Duluth. We were fortunate [and cold] to watch at the starting line.

The most fun is wandering around the dog area to meet the dogs before they are harnessed to their sleds. It is full of cold, yapping huskies anxious to get going. Once they are hooked to the sled they stop barking completely becoming four legged athletes in their zone.

I saw lots of snippets of the color red yesterday, my favorite being the dog harnesses themselves. The Canadian flag flew proudly atop one musher's truck and some of the dogs sported red collars. Dave and I have promised each other as long as we can we'll make the last weekend in January a date in Duluth, even if it does make us lonesome for our dear, old Pashka.

More red can be seen at Mary's MeMe, Ruby Tuesday.

'if you ask me for a nickel, I'm gonna hand you a dime', or. . .

Scenes from the same sunrise last week. Yes I did run around from the front to the back to capture these. Well, run might not be the exact term. Either way, this was the sun coming up over Lake Owasso with the neighborhood tucked in snow.

Thanks to the crew @ Skywatch Friday for offering a photo album for me to use for my Minnesota odyssey where I, daily, try to get in touch with my inner winter.

So, its comes down to this--post no. 600! Let it be understood that in the deportment box on my first grade report card I was marked down because it said she 'talks too much.' If those sisters could see me now. To celebrate, I've attached a catchy Yo La Tengo tune from the past to brighten up the last weekend of January. Enjoy!

word-less + ABC Wednesday

Blue ribbons of shadows on our snow supply. The 'blue' snow is one of my favorite parts of winter. Today's ABC Wednesday letter du jour is was 'B" so this photo should hi-lite my favorite color nicely, though I'm late once again.

Winter--you gotta love it!

One thing to count on in a Minnesota winter, besides a lot of snow, is a bright blue sky a few days each week. Two sky views here are both of frigid water. Speaking of snow, the levels in the Twin Cities is currently 53.9 inches (and counting).
The pic below is a view down my street toward the lake, also frozen and usually dotted with fish houses. Note my mailbox up to its neck in drifts.
I recommend visiting SkyWatch Friday for more seasonal skies.

Winter is not a season, it's an occupation. Sinclair Lewis

Hooray for new beginnings!

I just love new beginnings with a clean slate, fresh Big Chief tablet, sharp Crayons and a new typewriter ribbon. Therefore, I present my addition to ABC Wednesday's letter du jour:

A--a photo of my ancestors. The year is 1957 at the upper level of Ross Park in Pocatello, Idaho. I'm sitting between my dear Aunt Carmela** on the left and my godmother, Aunt Yolanda on my right. There's my cousin David [who I'm sure wears contacts now] with my Grandmother Filomena and Grandpa Vito. Looks like it was a birthday picnic. When you're seven and you have braids with ribbons, I'm guessing everyday is a picnic!

Visit Mrs Nesbitt for an easy 'A' as we begin Round 8, and possibly more trips down Memory Lane.

**The feel of your smooth, small arms around my neck and the
Kiss stuck to my check from the peach you just swallowed.
My head sprouting curly wires where a mane once flowed
And in the mirror it is Aunt Carmela, patron saint of garlic,
Whose face–and hair—I see.

[see the rest of my poem in the Poems tab above]

Are we having fun yet? or farewell Round 7

Although I haven't been a reliable blogger since we moved in, umm, September, I couldn't let this last round of ABC Wednesday pass on without my contribution to the letter 'z.'

Does anyone in blog land read Zippy the Pinhead in the daily newspaper besides me? It's not your ordinary comic strip, but grew out of the underground comics of the 1970's era of Robert Crumb et al. Zippy lives in Dingville with his wife Zerbina and two kiddos, Fuelrod and Meltdown. Don't let the fact that they wear yellow polka dot mu-mus distract you from the smart, funny and perhaps a little off commentary on our 'modern' American culture. Remember, the strip got its start in the Berkeley Barb. Need I say more except that it was Zippy himself who coined the phrase in my title?

See more Z's at Mrs. Nesbitt's place here. Happy reading!

Three more days of cold

Is how the local legend goes when you see three sundogs at once. I had never seen sundogs until I moved to Minnesota but couldn't believe what a beautiful show three at one time can be. I took this from an empty grocery store parking lot on Tuesday morning when it was -9 [or -14 with the wind chill.] What a nice beginning to 2011!To see more awe-inspiring skies from all over the planet, visit Skywatch Friday.

Happy New Year too!