Category: Place

And then it was gone

I looked away for a moment and the eagle vanished. It’s one of a pair raising chicks across the river from where we live, but it likes this safe perch on our side of the river where it presumably scopes out meal options. I then spent way too much time trying to track down a quote about the prey being dead the moment its image touches the retina of an eagle. AI assures me Saint-Exupéry never wrote anything like that, but I’m not so sure.

Don’t judge a book by its cover

Led my friend visiting from the UK along a dirt path, past abandoned grain elevators to the seemingly dilapidated Harris Machinery Company building. Closer inspection reveals thorough stabilization. The rebuilt first floor now hosts The Market at Malcolm Yards, a food hall where my friend chose Argentinian cuisine and I, Korean.

“Shop and swap wishing well of free sh*t”

My goals on two wheels today were to 1) photograph an eagle (FAILED) and 2) find new potatoes (FAILED). However, my ride in Nordeast Minneapolis did lead to an interesting discovery: a wishing well outside a home containing a “Chrono Decoder” (a 60-minute countdown timer for a board game), books, a ball of string, and (drum roll, please) a package of fresh bratwurst.

A wiggling rear end gives hope for hatchlings

Across the river from our home, there’s this eagles’ nest. Some years a pair raises chicks; other years, nothing. This morning’s walk surprised us with the sight of an eagle’s wiggling rear end (just visible in this pixelated photo), apparently while tearing apart something lower down the food chain. We’re hoping to see chicks soon. Sometimes one of the eagles swoops past our windows, riding the thermals.

Where do I put my eyes?

Clearly, I tried to fit a lot into this photo today: the modern Pierre Bottineau Library in the foreground, with the former Grain Belt Brewery (now offices) behind it. I do like the ghost staircase. Next is my old hoss taking a breather, and across the road, the former brewery office, now apartments.

A link to the past

After our respective Thursday volunteer gigs, we’re usually unwilling or unable (exit row airline-speak) to summon the energy to make dinner. This evening we walked the two blocks to Maxwell’s Pub. When I first moved to Minneapolis over 45 years ago, this was a rough industrial area with abandoned rail yards where our home now stands. I’d be sad to see remnants of that time, including the Maxwell’s building, disappear.

Temple plumbing 2025: the tradition continues

I’ve often posted about the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage, a 700-mile circular route around Shikoku, one of Japan’s main islands. Over the years, I’ve hiked to 31 of its 88 temples, some multiple times. Today I continued my tradition of posting one photo of a purification station from each temple I visited this year. Click through for the post.

Temple plumbing 2025

I’ve often posted about the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage, a 700-mile circular route around Shikoku, one of Japan’s main islands. Over the years, I’ve hiked to 31 of its 88 temples, some multiple times. This year, I visited temples 71 through 75 for the first time.

A pedestrian/cyclist freeway

We modified our usual Sunday morning walk along both sides of the Mississippi because three out of four bridges are currently being repaired or replaced. Here, a new pedestrian/cyclist trail is being built above the entrance to a dock then through a tunnel under Plymouth Avenue (just beyond the crane). The tunnel will lead to a recently opened park, Graco Park. The Minneapolis park system is a big reason we live where we live.