Tag Archives: Snow

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Junco Jam 2013


The backyard has been all a buzz with these little birdies for a few week now.  The last few days though have been crazy-busy with activity. No doubt due to this crap-tacular Spring weather we been having.

They are curious little buggers with a furious appetite.  They just keep eating and eating and eating.  The are plenty enjoyable to listed too. I am fairly certain that they have hopped around every inch of the yard – along with the squirrels and other critters that frequent our backyard sanctuary.  There are Junco tracks everywhere.

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Revisited – March 2013


This month’s revisited will be short and sweet in narrative.  March was a great photography month filled with all sorts of subjects.  At the moment, though, Spring is knocking a bit harder on the door.  The forecast-ed full day rain did not come to fruition.  Instead, there are blue skies and some clouds and it is 50 degrees.  It is time to get out of the house and go for a walk, a drive – something.

Here are my favorite March 2013 shots converted into black & white.  Happy Saturday all.

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Beautiful Sunday Drive


The sunlight was high in the sky, harsh and the shadows it cast where long.  A few clouds graced us with their presence overhead throughout the day.  It was only in the low to mid 20′s, but with the sun, I would have sworn it was 40.  It was one of those Sunday’s that you welcome a drive; some time to be out and about – out of the house.

Today’s mission was simple…some cheese from the Eau Galle Cheese Factory.  The outing was different in that we actually planned to go here rather than happening by it an hour early or 10 minutes after it closed.  It is a somewhat narrow window to hit on a Sunday, 11-4:30.  Blueberry Cheddar, Cranberry Cheddar, Buffalo Wing Jack and even Chocolate cheese…all seriously yummy.

While en route to and the return trip from our destination, we happily took in familiar sites.  The drive through Porcupine, WI area and surrounding bluffs and valleys always affords spectacular views.  The deer where out in numbers this day – no doubt soaking up some sun.  They too seem anxious for Spring, or at the very least look it.  These are not your common yard-fed critters.

Crazy Tree
Sand Washing plant – Grange Hall, WI
what is left of the porcupine farmsted
St. Sophia
Stockholm, WI
The Stockholm Pie Company
The Stockholm Pie Company

Our last stop of the day before home was in Stockholm, WI at the Stockholm Pie Company.  Oh my.  Yes, I would love a slice of pecan pie.  Small and quaint place with lots of character.

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Assorted Photos – 2013: Week #10


Another interesting week in photography and weather.  It is a crazy time of year; this transitional weather certainly affords a certain level of variety.  Huge dump of snow early in the week, hoar frost and fog mid-week and now rain at the tail-end of the week.  The rain will turn to snow,  ice, or both here shortly because that’s just the way it works around here this time of year.

Hwy 52
Hwy 52
Cannon River
Cannon River
Vermillion River
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Assorted Photos – 2013: Week #8


It was an eventful weather week.  It started out windy and cold and ended with lots of snow.  The wind really whipped down Lake Pepin on Tuesday; it was quite the sight.  The eagles were out in numbers fishing away in the wind.  There was a magnificent rainbow sherbet sunrise mid-week.  I spied a pile of discarded household crap on a country road.  What the hell are people thinking when they do that?  And to wrap it all up, Friday brought several inches of white-fluffy-commute-lengthening stuff.  Eventful week.

Lake Pepin
Lake Pepin
Minneiska
Minneiska
Rainbow Sherbet
Big Stupid Head
Refinery
St. Paul
Road I live on
Wabasha St Bridge
Halfsies
Plowed
Dead Ends
St. Paul Skyline Pano
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Assorted Photos – 2013: Week #7


Another installment of weekly shots.  Who knew Mallards were so carnivorous?  I certainly did not.

Maiden Rock, WI
Sunset – Lake Pepin. Maiden Rock, WI
Sunset – Lake Pepin. Maiden Rock, WI
Sunset – Lake Pepin. Maiden Rock, WI
Boathouses – Red Wing, MN
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Country Drive


After all of the rain, sleet, and snow last week Cyn and I drove a quick loop through a local favorite area right out side of town.

Hay Creek is not only a township in Goodhue County, but also a lovely spring-fed trout stream and a day-use recreation area just outside of Red Wing.  I used to fly fish it all the time until the mass blow down of trees along its banks several year back now.  It is extremely hard to walk along and fish in my favorite sections.  There are also countless horse, walking and bike trails through the recreation area (Hay Creek Day – Use Area).

It is a short drive from town to country and sites suitable for capture.  There are usually numerous opportunities to photograph wildlife.  I just missed a bald eagle shredding a trout on the stream bank.  We moved along the road and spent time with some horses.  We also happened upon a native of the area; an old co-worker of mine and his very photogenic sheepdog.

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Assorted Photos – 2013: Week #6


In an effort to shoot more; shoot more often, my backup camera has become an extension of hands.  I try not to leave it at home and am successful most days.  You never know when the clouds are going to form up just so or when the light is going to be amazing.  You never know when you are going to see something interesting, amazing or even disturbing.  Last week I saw someone on their phone looking at Pintrest @ 60 mph on I94 in crappy weather on slippery roads.  And other times, it is just capturing the everyday.

These days I am usually always caring my Nikon D60 with the kit lens 18-35 mm or my new 18-270 mm (thank you honey) set to auto ISO with a minimum shutter of 1/60 sec.  I am usually able to get the shot if it isn’t too dark or something isn’t moving too fast.  I like to shoot right from the car.  I try not to be moving if at all possible, but sometimes the shoot isn’t standing still.  I just point it out the window and hope I get it.  9 times out of 10 I get what I was looking for.  Auto ISO is a handy setting.  If it is dark you get some grain, but that doesn’t concern me much as it usually adds to the photography.

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Old Schoolhouse – Elgin, MN


I did the obvious Google search to no avail.  I haven’t had much luck locating any information on this old schoolhouse.  Cyndie and I spotted it last August while out on a drive.  At that time is was surrounded by corn.  It stands on the edge of a farmer’s field Southwest from Elgin, MN; off CO Rd 24 NE.  The interior wasn’t all that spectacular, but the chalkboard was interesting.  The chipped and pealing paint and vines certainly added texture to the old structure.