Over the past couple of weekends, I've been photographing St Paul Park and Cottage Grove a bit more than I normally do. While waiting for the light to change on 70th Street and Highway 61, I snapped this photo of the intersection. Upon further review this evening, that speck of dust on the lens is a Bald Eagle. I've cropped and blown the photo up to see it a bit. It is way off in the distance and I never saw it while taking the photo, but it was surprise to see it after the fact.
Since my last photo was the Welcome To St Paul Park sign, I felt it was fitting to post it's neighboring town of Cottage Grove and their welcome sign.
I wanted to use today's photo, March 26, 2009 to do a bit of bragging and to encourage all of the new couples out there. Today, my wife and I celebrate our 15th year of marriage. I'm bragging because 15 years is starting to get up there in numbers. It's getting to the point where I'm forced to do some math to figure out how many years it's actually been. Next year I will need four hands to count the number of fingers for each year of marriage. This is the last year one can use three hands. I'm encouraging because in this day and age, we are proof that it does work if you make it work. It certainly has not been easy, we've had to work hard with our relationship. More at the beginning years than the latter, but it will pay off in th end.
Though if you looked at the St Croix River today, you would see a much different free flowing water way. However a good month ago, the temps were much colder than today, the river was frozen. Frozen over enough for someone to make a path, a very long path down the heart of the icy river. I didn't get close enough to tell if the tracks in the snow were made from walking or if they were made from a snowmobile.
One more of the 'Tilt-Shift' technique photos I mentioned in yesterday's post. Photo was taken on 35W, heading north into downtown Minneapolis.
If you have not heard of the photo technique called 'Tilt Shift' do a google search for it to find some more examples. You do have to have the correct type of photo, one with a lot of depth. Plus it needs from the right angle, typically higher vantage point, for it to look miniature as I've been experiencing.
Been a bit pre-occupied the past few days with my Final Four web site, but now that the bulk of what I need to do to get it up and running is over, I can concentrate here once again.
It's my shameless annual plug for my other website I run this time of the year. It is a free, online office pool that correlates with the NCAA Men's Final Four Tournament. Hope to see you in my final four pool this year. I also have blank brackets and printable brackets if you're in need of one.
Along the Mississippi River in downtown St Paul you'll find this stretch of buildings.
Dedicated to my coffee drinking cat. You were an outstanding photo subject though out your 15 years. You will be missed dearly by me and my family. Peace.
I do wish there was a bit of explanation to some of the graffiti I see. I can make out the letters, not sure what they mean exactly, but the heart with an 'F'? in it, the circle with a star and "II" what do those mean or are they just a bit of doodling by the spray paint vandal?
One of the big chain, local sports stores has a unique idea for a birthday party. The stores gives exclusive access to their climbing wall for two hours of climbing for 10 guests. They have four main climbs from beginner to expert. The easiest climbs on this wall are on the right, with the left side for the more agile climbers. Really the difference is the amount of grips to choose from and the protrusion near the top of the expert climb. It was very enjoyable for all of the boys at the birthday party.
I've posted a very similar shot from this location over a year ago. The difference being the smoke stack in the background. The reason for this post is, the smoke stack is no longer standing and this is one of my few night shots with the tower. Last summer, Xcel Energy Power Plant converted their coal operation into a different form of energy production. See a photo of the falling smoke stack here.
The Bald Eagle wing span is much larger than my arms spread apart. Seeing it up close gave me an appreciation of just how big it's wings can be. The photo captured the several layers of feathers and one could literally count how many are one of it's wings.
I really like the contrasting colors between the red brick and the blue sky in this one. I've had trouble in the past getting the sky to stay sky blue in some of my photos. I'm sure it has to do with the aperture setting, but that is a work in progress.
Theme Day for the first day of March is simply: glass
