Trolls

 Jen took Maddie, Hey Mikey and Cee Cee on an adventure! 

In a nearby town there is International Recycling Art by Thomas Dambo.  There is a treasure hunt and a map to find all the trolls.   It is a wonderful way to get out and hike to different areas and see something different. 

Maddie and Jen sent some photos! 

It was a great adventure, the great grandkids didn't think the Trolls would be so big!  

Yesterday was very warm again  91 F or 33 C and gale force winds all day.   I did some things in the morning but napped and crocheted the afternoon away inside in the AC. 

Supper was BLT's and peaches. 

Far Side

Sticks and Stones

 There is a sculpture on Main Street in town that is named sticks and stones. 

A stick, some stones and a metal frame.   Who knew? 

I was reminded of the childhood saying "Sticks and stones will beak my bones but words will never hurt me."  Do you recall that one?  A children's rhyme from 1862.  

I do know that some words can hurt.  I was reminded one day by a very little girl who I had just scolded for doing something or another...as a tear rolled down her cheek she said "You hurt my feeling"  Yes not feelings ...just feeling...apparently one feeling. When you are little you can have just one feeling. 

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Red Man

 There is a  new sculpture in town.  It was installed out in front of the old library building.

It sits outside of Giiwedinong the Anishinaabe  Museum of Treaties and Culture. 

The real name of the sculpture is "Not afraid to look"

Everyone interprets art differently. 

I see a tall red man, with no butt, with a slanted head sitting waiting for something or someone and he does not look happy. 

He does not seem friendly or welcoming. 

Far Side.

Sandhill Cranes

 The Sandhill Cranes are the oldest living bird species,  in fact they have been around for two million years. 

Perhaps that is why the sculptor named his sculpture "Thread to the past." 

If you have heard them flying overhead they make a prehistoric sound.  Here is a link to hear their calls.

Far Guy had a pretty good day.  He is improving a bit everyday.

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bird art

Last Fall I spent some time in the Red Bridge Park taking photos of the sculptures.  

This one is called "Thread to the Past"

This was my favorite sculpture that day, I thought is was very well done.  It too can be purchased for $4,000. 

The Sandhill Cranes have probably started there way up North already.  They could be in for a surprise because our weather has turned cold. 

Far Guy had a good day yesterday but after supper he was real tired. 

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Down Boy

 We are through with the below zero weather for now.  I am sure it will warm up just enough to have freezing rain again. There is much to be appreciated about temperatures down below zero...too cold to snow or rain. 

Down Boy is the name of one of the sculptures in the Red Bridge Park.

I found it interesting.  At least the dog looks happy!  Photos were taken last November. 

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Is it Art?

 I always enjoy looking at the Art in The Red Bridge Park.  Last Fall I took some photos. 

This one is called Nautilus.  It is made from welded and painted handlebars.  I saw that it was for sale ...if you have an extra $6,695.00 it could be yours. 

Our weather has turned cold and windy.  Far Guy's infusion went well yesterday, I cleaned the kitchen at the rental and then we went to Wally World and out for lupper (lunch and supper).

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One word intention

 I do not do resolutions.  I will attempt a one word intention.  Flow as go with the flow...don't cause ripples and don't try to go upstream...meander along at my own pace.  If that is slow flow...so be it. 

This was a sculpture on Main Street in Park Rapids, someone repurposed just a few tools.   I have no idea what the name of this one is...I would call it "A fish out of water"

I have a couple of goals for the New Year.  

#1 To update the grands photo albums with the photos I took of them in 2023. 

#2 Make a hard cover book out of the blog that I wrote about my husbands paternal grandparents. 

#3 To organize all my Mother's photos that are scanned and put them on flash drives for my siblings. 

#4 To back up the photos on my computer...which means going through all the folders month by month sorting many before they go on flash drives. 

All are big projects but good ones to work on over the Winter. 

Lately my crocheting and embroidery are going in spurts and twists and turns with no finishes. 

Oh well I must go with the flow:)

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Town

 This is one of the sculptures on Main Street.  Now that the majority of the tourists have gone home maybe I can photograph them all. 

This one is called Big Money

Not sure what the artist was thinking. 

Yesterday (Thursday) was a busy day.  Medical appointment to schedule after being on hold for what seemed like an eternity, grocery shopping and I made it back to the clinic before Far Guy was done with his weekly infusion...two sticks this week as there was a new gal practicing:(

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Hands

 What would you hold in your cupped hands? 

I read an article about this sculpture called "Hidden Treasures" the sculptor gave his explanation.

Then it clicked.  

Sure enough I recall at my Uncle Ervin and Aunt Violets farm in the summer at dark the fireflies would be out and we would catch them in our hands...your hand would light up...however they left green goo... no doubt firefly poop in your hand.   I am sure the treasure must have been your hand lighting up not the poop.

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The sculptor said in an article“It’s suspended by its own weight,” he said. “I’ve never separated wood into dyads before. The challenge was to separate the piece of white pine, hollow the inside and put the pieces back together. It was experimental, a prototype to see if I could do it.”

Grass Side

 In my opinion this is one great sculpture.   I am a connoisseur  of lawn mower blades....however my used blades were never as good looking as the blades used in the sculpture.  Far Guy says I use my blades up until there is not much left of them. 

Grass Side Menagerie

When you look closer all the parts come together.

Just when you thought you had seen it all...you see a good use of old blades. 

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Brother Unity

 The name of this sculpture is Brother Unity.

I finally found the unity...

I probably would have just named it Unity...but who really knows why a sculpture is named anyways.

We had a fairly quiet day, I finished my book club read for the February meeting.  Made an awesome salad for supper; lettuce, chicken, pears, pecans.  

Far Guy says he feels a bit better....so that is encouraging.

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Red Art

 This is a sculpture called Vision 1.

I am not so sure I like it...I do like the color...it was bright and cheerful.  

We had a quiet Sunday, for entertainment we watched Andy shovel snow, we got about an inch of snow.  Andy made a smoked bbq chicken for supper, I added baked potato, green beans and broccoli....it was all wonderful!

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More Art

 This is called "Hidden Treasures"

I  would have liked to see the piece of wood before he started carving...is it two pieces or just one?

What is inside?  Maybe nothing ...perhaps it is the hands that are the treasure...

We had a quiet day, the snow storm fizzled out we got just a skiff of snow.  

Our neighbor Steve had his open heart surgery and is doing well, we are so thankful for all the prayers for him and Jo.  Jo said  "Surgery successful and the nurses have helped him to sit in a chair with his legs up late this afternoon. We are so thankful this part is over— now to heal and go through the therapy and get home. Thank you all for your prayers - God is good!"

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Art

 Last September I took some photos at The Red Bridge Park in Park Rapids.  It is always interesting to see what "art" is displayed. 

This one is titled "Hand Painter"

Do you see the brush?  Me either...art?  I do like the hair flying in the wind. 

Far Guy and I put another infusion day behind us, just one stick this week and the gals are now getting hot packs on the veins before they try.  Slow learners. 

Grocery adventures are non existent...since I mask up and go in and get groceries...this week the cold remedy aisle was full of people trying to make do with the small supply that was there. 

Far Guy is better than he was last week so he is making progress in the right direction. 

We are in a Winter Storm Warning for the next couple of days....we have no place to go and can just stay put. 

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Home again Jiggity Jig

 We were gone yesterday for 13 hours.  It was a very long day.  We are home and tired.  I have to keep one eye on Far Guy for 24 hours. 

This was my waiting around view...it was better than in the waiting room...a storm moved in it got dark like at night enough for the lights to come on outside...it blew a bit and rained and then it was daylight again.  The sculptures are aluminum...and called "Dialogue."  Believe it or not there was a Bunny running around in the gardens surrounding the sculptures.

Far Guy had his procedure...each team of Doctors have different requirements for surgery.  Of course Far Guy met all his Surgeons requirements...but not the Surgeon that was doing the surgery...go figure.  They wanted us to go home, stop a medication for five days and come back...surgery was too risky and he may drown in his own blood.  Far Guy told them to call his Surgeon...they had a conference and decided to go ahead. ( If his surgeon had been doing surgery it would have gone ahead as scheduled) All four valves were removed.  The consensus was " Your lungs are not compatible with the valves so they did not work as they were supposed to...it happens to a few patients."  Luckily there was no bleeding to speak of and Far Guy did just fine.  Far Guy says he feels less short of breath already...and we hope that continues.

We got home just before dark.  In the morning we saw five deer, three turkeys and a cow in a ditch.  In the evening we saw just one deer. 

It was smoky all the way home...from the fires in Northern Minnesota.  Far Guy took a photo for me. 

Today will be a quiet day.  Maybe a lazy nap day.

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Town Report

The State of Minnesota will be requiring masks to be worn indoors beginning July 25.  There is a fine...but who are the mask police anyways...

Becker County now has 92 cases of Covid -19 and Hubbard County 13 cases (where we get groceries and go to the clinic)

Grocery order pickup was an adventure again...no milk, pretzel rolls,  potatoes or various crackers...who knew.

This is the last of the sculptures at Goose Poop Park.  It is not named.

It looks the same from just about any angle.

Town was very busy...Crazy Days are happening and Main Street is blocked off...I would be crazy to go there.   The clinic seemed busier than normal. 

Before we left town we got our monthly tank of gas and a car wash.

Far Side

Hot Date

Yesterday I mowed in the morning and did some weed control.  It was very warm 80 something and humid.  It got hotter as the day wore on 88 F or 31 C eh. So we decided we could have a hot date.

The special order was ready at the local  helpful hardware place that did not wear masks to deliver at curbside service...they sent out two different people both without masks to double your exposure fun...the second time I said "You all should wear masks"  The dumbass replied "We will"

We waited inline at DQ...and enjoyed watching the tourists try to maneuver the complicated parking lot where the drive through goes right through the parking lot traffic lane. (It is a terrible design)  We enjoyed watching the people...my husband has quite a sense of humor....sometimes a bit warped but a sense of humor none the less.

We took our ice cream to our favorite ice cream eating spot....Far Guy said "Our usual place?"  "Of course" Ice Cream was lunch.

We had a front row seat at this sculpture in GPP.  Far Guy said it was just wire and rocks.  I told him I thought it was suppose to be an ant colony...who really knows for sure?  It is not named.

I wonder how it is supposed to become an artsy fartsy destination if they cannot even name their sculptures.

Anyways we had a good date...a trip to town in the AC and ice cream...hey a hot day could be worse.
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Home

We ventured away from home to the Transfer Station to get rid of our garbage and recycle some batteries.   We were back in about 15 minutes...that was our outing for yesterday.  There is a coin shortage... we always try to have the exact change...from a stash in the cup holder of the car.

I mowed a couple of hours at the neighbors and the back road.  After that I stalked some ants and ant trails in the wild gardens and at Far Guy's resting bench  near the mailbox.   I got my two woodcarvings done after that I worked on my painting plan for them...I made a huge mess...option 1 and option 2 were duds...now I am at option 3 that has some problems...but I will get it worked out sooner or later.  It should not be that difficult!

I finished a shawl in the late afternoon instead of napping...I watched The Help on Netflix...I give it an 9 out of 10.

The skeeters are out in force after the rain this week... sitting outside after supper is a swatting adventure!  Supper was a  freezer meal...I had vegetable soup and Far Guy had Gumbo.  We attempted to bake a loaf of bread...it rose fine then collapsed...we baked it anyway...it was a funny shaped flat bread but tasted just fine.

Here is another sculpture at Goose Poop Park.

It did not have a name...I would  name it Nobody's Home.

Far Side

A storm, groceries and art

I dropped off mail behind the Post Office and picked up my online grocery order.  It is always an adventure to see what they are out of...this week it was ham, dish soap, a cheezy bacon dip and Cara Cara oranges.  Everything was disinfected and put into our own grocery bags...I take ice bags along for the small sub zero cooler and an insulated grocery bag.  This was my 18th online order...my computer printout keeps track of such things.

I headed over to Goose Poop Park...my timing was perfect as it had rained the night before...a heavy rain so most of the goose poop was gone!  ( they had 75 mph winds in town...lots of leaves down and a few branches and one tree that landed on NJ's new pickup...ouch)

There are five new sculptures in the park and three new ones downtown.   Since downtown is a tourist trap I will wait to photograph those sculptures after the tourists leave.  There were several bikers that came by on the trail...I just walked in the grass most of the time I was there...staying far away from everyone.  It was sad to see that the Little Library that used to be there was gone.

Goose Poop Park

This one is called "Dimentomorph"  

If you ask me it looks like a leaf on a stool.  What do you think it looks like?  

Oh well...

I had a nice stroll through the park and was on my way to pick up Far Guy when he called for a ride...so it all worked out! 

A branch at Goose Poop Park.

We got 1 and 4/10 inches of rain at our house, it was very windy.  Some leaves were down.  The storm hit about 2:30 AM...it was thundering and lightening almost constantly.  The power went out a couple of times but always came back on.  I watched the trees sway in the wind for awhile and then read until the storm passed.

Far Side