I have written previously about my dear hibiscus plant. I have nurtured it for many, many years. My hibiscus loved warm temperatures and in the summertime it would happily sit on our deck and bloom and grow and bloom some more, all summer long.
A bloom from my hibiscus plant when it was healthy.
And, as much as I don’t like indoor plants I brought in my hibiscus each winter. Often times I’d threaten to put it in the compost and then it would start blooming or showing- off so I would tend to it another winter.
My hibiscus also had an advocate… my friend Jayne always talked me into giving the hibiscus one more chance when I was going to toss it out. My hibiscus’ life was lengthened many years because of her!
Good-bye hibiscus. It’s sad to see you go.
My hibiscus had tiny specks (mites) on the leaves, last winter and again this winter. I didn’t want the mites to get on my other indoor plants. Also, the branches of the hibiscus were old and gnarly and woody, so I decided it was time to say good-bye and set my hibiscus in the garage.
My Christmas cactus.
As much as I love flowers and gardens and nature, I don’t like to tend to indoor plants so much. But I have four (now). One is the Christmas cactus; from a parent plant that is generations old I’m told.
My healthy palm plant.
Another is a palm plant that will occupy the hibiscus spot in our home during winter and will be put outside in summer. The palm plant was from an arrangement we received when Gary’s mother passed away several years ago.
The palm plant moved into new winter home, former location of my hibiscus.
The other two plants are hardy pothos plants I bought for pops of greenery in our house.
One of my pathos plants.
Although I think it was the right time, it was a very hard decision to say good-bye to my hibiscus.
As I looked through my kitchen window over the weekend I noticed a flutter of bird activity on our crabapple tree out front. On closer look I noticed the birds were robins. I was able to capture a photo of two as several flitted in and out of the tree, enjoying the berries still hanging on the branches. Robins and winter…I’d fly south if I were them.
Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park held their annual Candlelight Ski/Snowshoe/Walk over the weekend. We enjoy this event. This year all conditions were just right for cross-country skiing…the trail was well-groomed, the temperatures were above average, and there was no wind.
The beautiful twilight when we started skiing.
It was a delight to be out there in the woods, lit by luminaries. It was calm and peaceful which made for an enchanting evening.
On of the larger luminaries, made of ice. A lot of the lights on the trails were white plastic buckets illuminated with candles, interspersed with balloon ice luminaries and big bucket luminaries. This event requires a lot of volunteers. I’m grateful for the people who set this up for others to enjoy.
There were a lot of visitors to the park…walking, snowshoeing and skiing. Thankfully out on the ski trail it was not crowded.
As it grew darker, sometimes it was hard to see the track in front of us between luminaries, which made it dicey at times. We chose to not use headlamps. The moon was shining through the trees, casting shadows.
Keeping skis in the track. My flash went off when I took this photo.
This was our second time out skiing that day…we skied at Riverbend Nature Center in the morning and that, too, was beautiful. It also gave us reason to believe skiing conditions would be favorable to venture out again in the evening for the much anticipated Candlelight Ski.
Skiing along the Straight River at Riverbend Nature Center.
This little guy greeted us the other day when we drove into our garage. We watched him make his way to the opened garage door and fly away. I’m sure he was anxiously waiting for us to come home.
We took a Sunday afternoon drive recently, and headed down a gravel road we had never been on, about three miles from our house. The corner of this intersection is familiar to us because we usually turn right on asphalt to a friend’s house. On the corner sits an antique truck, which is always full of flowers in the summer or greenery in winter.
An antique truck on display.
Continuing straight through this intersection the pavement turns to gravel and on this gravel road we had a fun afternoon of discovering new territory to us.
An interesting old dilapidated building.
Right away we noticed a dilapidated building that must have been really spectacular in it’s day. At first we thought it was a huge barn…but unlike any barn we’ve ever seen. It sits far off the road so it was hard to get a good look. I would have loved to get up close; to walk around and to take photos. It had a gabled roof on the main structure with two wings sections on each side making it look massive and impressive, even in the bad shape it is in. We wondered about the stories it could tell. It was on farm property.
Next door, a ways down the road, was a unique dome house. In contrast to the old building, this modern house stood out. Dome houses are unusual dwellings and you don’t see them very often. Our friends lived in one for years, in a different part of town.
We had never heard of Fagen.
Then we came upon a sign “Former site of Fagen”. I was very surprised to see this marker reminding us of a former town, with a history, and it being within five miles of where we lived. Yet, I had never heard of it. I wondered if the farm with the old building considered the former town of Fagen it’s home address?
The Oxford Mill Ruin.
Driving further we found what my husband was searching for…an old mill. He had ridden by this old mill on his bicycle one summer but couldn’t quite remember how to get there, so we meandered the roads until we found it.
The eagle taking off when we opened the truck door.
We noticed an eagle perched in the treetop as we pulled over to the side of the road to park, but then it flew away as we got out of the truck to take photos of this beautiful, but decaying and crumbling three-story mill made of limestone, with its walls tumbling down.
With a little research I found out it is called the Oxford Mill Ruin and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The mill was built in 1878 and burned in 1905 and never reopened after that. Click here for more history about this old flour mill.
It was a large mill on the Little Cannon River. Apparently it was one of 27 flour mills in Goodhue County at that time.
A lone brick silo.
Continuing on our way we saw a brick silo standing solo, on the side of a road. Brick silos always look strong and sturdy and are usually in good condition. We did not see any farm houses or barns nearby this lone silo, and again we wondered… if only these structures could talk.
A neat looking farm.
We did drive by many farms, some very well kept, others not so much. Out here in the country the vast fields were covered with freshly fallen snow, dotted with some drifts caused by the strong winds.
White on white or gray on gray…
The roads were icy and the sky was gray, but it was a delightful drive and a fun day of discovery… so close to home.
The weekend snowstorm brought fresh snow, and enough of it to make it decent for cross-county skiing.
We went out skiing the day before the snowfall and it was icy, cold and cloudy.
A fork in the trail.
We went out a day after the snowstorm and it was sunny, warm (relatively), and good skiing conditions.
A well-groomed trail.
We’ve been going to Riverbend Nature Center to cross-country ski. It is a nice park, close to home. The trails are well groomed and there are a lot of trails – both flat and hilly.
Looking out over the horizon.
We stop every once in awhile to look at the horizon and listen to the silence. These are peaceful stops.
Recently this quote caught my attention, from the book, Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple.
“When your eyes are softly focused on the horizon for sustained periods, your brain releases endorphins. It’s the same as a runner’s high. These days, we all spend our lives staring at screens twelve inches in front of us….”
Another horizon at Riverbend.
Taking pictures while skiing requires a different kind of stop. It more complicated than a listening/peaceful stop. You have to stop, unstrap your ski poles, take off your gloves, get the camera ready, and shoot. Then put the camera away, put your gloves back on and poles back in place and continue skiing, all the while hoping you don’t drop the camera in the snow. It slows us down and that is another reason I don’t take many photos while skiing.
I am always attracted to tree lined paths or streets.
On cloudy days it’s easier to get better photos because I can see the screen. On sunny days I cannot see the screen on my camera so I just point and shoot and hope for the best.
Ornamental sumac pods hang on and stand tall in the winter landscape.
Cross-country skiing helps us enjoy the great Minnesota outdoors for fresh air and exercise in the winter. Our stops along the trail to look out over the horizon seems to be an added benefit.
I like to get outside and walk when I can. However, in Minnesota it can be challenging. The winter weather is not always conducive to walking outdoors.
Since I was a previous employee at St. Olaf College I have access to their indoor track. It’s a retirement benefit and I’m thankful for it…but walking outside is my preference. Even in the cold. It’s the ice that is the problem. And this year the ice seems to be especially bad…early on we had an ice storm and many public sidewalks were never cleared properly, leaving icy spots in several places and making it unsafe to walk, probably for the whole winter.
Behind my favorite tree on campus is the 1887 Goodwill Observatory (listed on the National Register of Historic Places).
Fortunately there are two colleges in town and both keep their sidewalks cleared of snow and ice for the many students walking across campus all day long. Carleton College is a little over a mile from our house so I tend to go there often to walk outdoors.
I thanked these two custodians for their hard work, as they walked by carrying shovels.
I can count on Carleton’s sidewalks to be cleared down to the cement with not many traces of ice anywhere…and pretty much within a few hours of a snowstorm…or at least it’s always cleared when I’m ready to get out for a walk.
Carleton College is a beautiful and interesting place to walk: the academic and administration buildings are impressive,
I believe this is the newest building on campus…still being worked on, Anderson Hall which houses Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Astronomy.
The curved elevated seating is an outdoor classroom space.
Another view of the outdoor classroom…in winter. I can only image how lovely it is in fall and spring.
the chapel is stunning,
Marvelous Skinner Chapel. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
and there are a variety of trees and ponds and bridges.
Beautiful winter-laden trees.
Interesting branches.
The sidewalks meander all over campus…some tucked away and fun to follow.
An inviting but obscure passageway.
And if one gets too cold you can always duck into a building to warm up for a few minutes.
It’s great to see the occasional bicycle…not a fat tire. It can ride on the sidewalks because they are clear.
Carleton College campus offers me, and the community, a safe place to walk outdoors and I am grateful.
The smile costs nothing, but gives much. It reaches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory can last a lifetime. None is so rich that he can get along without it and none is so poor that he can’t be made richer by it. A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters goodwill in business, and is a mark of true friendship. It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged and sunshine to the sad. It can’t be bought, begged, or stolen, for it is of no value until it’s given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.
Ever since St. Olaf installed a state-of-the-art ice arena on campus in January 2019 I have wanted to attend a hockey game. I liked hockey in high school but I can’t remember going to a game since then…so that was over 40 years ago!
Beautiful new ice rink at St. Olaf College.
I missed out on last year’s season but I remembered to check the schedule for this season and finally made it to a men’s hockey game in the new arena.
The game we attended St. Olaf played against Gustavus College, and lost….badly. The final score was 6 -0. Ouch.
O well, it was fun to see how fast the players skate and how well they maneuver the puck. It is a fast paced game…there is no on-going announcer and not very many “stops-on-the-clock” so the 3 twenty minute periods go rather quickly.
There are 15 minute breaks between periods however, but that is for smoothing the ice with the Zamboni…which is also fun to watch but I forgot to take a photo.
The disappointing final score.
Even though St. Olaf lost it was fun to experience the hockey game. I don’t know anything about the ratings of the college teams…if Gustavus was favored to win this game we attended or, if St. Olaf had a bad night…but I think the next time I go to the ice rink I may try open skate time.
We went to visit a special friend of the family…she is like a dear aunt…and she celebrated her 99thbirthday on December 26th. We went to offer her congratulations and wish her many happy birthday blessings for the year ahead.
Florence (99) and me. I purposely wore the Norwegian sweater that Florence and my aunt brought back for me from their 1984 trip to Norway.
Florence has a caretaker that comes to help her in the mornings but otherwise she lives on her own in a beautiful house she and my aunt (best friends for 70 years) bought together in 1968. I’ve written about their house before…it’s like stepping back in time…the house has the original gold, wool carpet…gold, heavy draperies…most of the olive green appliances(!)… and a worn linoleum floor in the kitchen. They bought the house by assuming the mortgage…it was only 2 years old when they moved in fifty years ago.
Florence talks about her various jobs she had, with wages that ranged from 33 cents an hour to her favorite job as a bookkeeper for 20 years, starting at $1.00 an hour. We wanted to ask her how she could survive financially after all these years and no pension but we didn’t. We just listened to her wonderful stories. We always enjoy our visits with her, and we always wonder how much longer she will be with us. She told us that her grandmother lived to be over 100 years old. We hope Florence will too.
Uncle Bob.
Another family member in his 90’s is my Uncle Bob. Last month, during the Christmas season we spent time with my uncle, my dad’s brother. He is 92 years old and in good health and is still driving. We also enjoy visiting with him. I asked him his favorite Christmas memory and he told us this story:
As a child his parents (my grandparents) had very little money, and no money for Christmas presents. One Christmas, Bob’s brothers, Herb (my father) and Earl, who were several years older than Bob, found a beat-up old tricycle in the trash with a missing wheel. They repaired the trike, painted it and gave it to Bob. It was a very special gift – one that Bob has always remembered.
I love hearing stories of my father since he died so young (age 55 in 1974).
Gary and me, Uncle Bob and Aunt Joyce.
I relish and appreciate visiting with these two special people, Florence and Uncle Bob. Along with Bob’s wife, Auntie Joyce, they are the only people in the world who have known me all my life – since I was born. That is significant.
