Where is this eagle? At the Minneapolis Convention Center park. This is an original artifact from the 1927 auditorium - there were originally four posts which had inscriptions relating to citizenship that were located on the four corners of the auditorium. Two of the eagles currently reside at the park entrance from 2nd Avenue and the other two are across the street from the Convention Center entrance. There is a small sign that explains the history near this statue. It had me thinking as to the year the convention center was built - that would be 1991. I didn't get to Minneapolis much growing up, as I lived in St. Paul so I don't remember the auditorium. I do remember the St. Paul Civic Center and some of the events there in the adjoining auditorium.

round and red and ripe

It must be summer. I have my first ripe tomato! Okay, this is a big deal since it's the first one on my balcony for my new place. Figure in the plant (purchased from the farmer's market downtown), soil, pot and lots and lots of daily watering. That small tomato will be well worth it on the next salad. Sigh....




Here is a poem called MAY that I have on a postcard



This will be the season
in which time stretches before us
like the recesses of space itself,
the season in which leasure
swells like a slow tomato,
until it's round and red and ripe.

--from Verlyn Klinkenborg's "The Rural Life"

A rural girl at heart living in the city, that's me.

What are the other signs of summer?

Should I mention the gin and tonics at twilight with my "intimate other"? (I found that term in a textbook - like it) Azure sky, full moon, planet Mars - the moon moved from one side of the church steeple to the other in the space of a couple hours as we sat on my balcony.

Reading "Russian Mythology" outside. Reading anything outside.

Playing hooky from work. Dang, have to go in shortly. Planning the next vacation.....

It's not the MN Orchestra...

More on that remark later.

The July 4th weekend - or Independence Day - is when everyone is out of town. Those of us who prefer to stay in the city are left with peace and quiet and few offerings of things to do with whoever is left. The man I'm in a relationship with left the city as well, unexpectedly, so I had a bit of a writing retreat, which turned out to be mostly getting organized. Independence Day is not exactly my favorite holiday and I would prefer those in charge just change it to a weekend every year and give us all a long one and leave it at that. When I did venture out I went up to my apartment roof on the 35th floor and watched the fireworks with strangers. A bit surreal - at least a dozen, maybe even twenty or so clusters of color and pops sounding off on the horizon above the Minneapolis city lights. One by one they had their grand finales as the smoke hung low.



On the 5th Lynette mentioned that she was asked to play violin

as part of the 331 Club's "Le Cirque Rouge Cabaret & Burlesque" (there she is in the photo at right). No, it's not the Minnesota Orchestra, but a campy, vaudville-like act with a hostess in a Marilyn Monroe accent and a safety pinned dress and several ladies of the evening flashing their body parts at the audience to the jazzy music. The guy in a tux onstage perfomed his 'innocent' act as he gathered the tossed articles of clothing from the stage. I came a bit early to get a seat at the bar so I wouldn't have to stand and met a nice woman who works at the Swedish Institute.



Sunday was uneventful. Hanging out with my kitty, just the two of us. Here she is enjoying her perch on the table on the balcony.