This morning, flags were still at half-staff outside the American Red Cross building near our home, a tribute to the children killed in a recent school shooting. Meanwhile, the president has ordered flags at half-staff at federal buildings for a man who believed that gun deaths are a price we must accept for the Second Amendment. (The light and dark blue flag is the Minnesota state flag.)
Category: Minneapolis
Beyond the pretty path
Cycled with a friend visiting from the UK. Decided the route didn’t need to be pretty all the way, so we included some industrial areas. This GAF roofing shingle plant fit the bill, especially since the asphalt fumes seemed… robust.
Smoky Sunday Stroll
On our Sunday morning walk, an overnight multi-alarm fire had done a number on the air quality. Here we’re standing on the 10th Avenue Bridge looking across the river towards the East Bank Campus of the University. Normally we’d cross by the truss bridge, Northern Pacific Bridge Number 9, but it’s closed for repairs.
A “de-colonized” meal at Owamni
Walked over to Owamni by the Sioux Chef where Dwight had reserved this window table for an excellent “de-colonized” meal with ingredients restricted to those available to pre-colonial indigenous Americans. The chef has won several James Beard awards at this nationally recognized restaurant.
Next up: a bumpy ride
Early in my bike ride today I paused before riding this section of wood plank trail. It was replaced in recent years, but it’s still like riding a washboard. To the left the stabilized ruins of the Washburn A Mill are a feature of the Mill City Museum.
Praise the Lard: church, flag, and meat pie
Popped into the rectory office of Our Lady of Lourdes, the oldest church in Minneapolis. They have a great side hustle: not only do they dispense religious services, but they also sell French meat pies, handmade by parishioners. I was reminded of this decades-old tradition today while looking for inspiration on the Atlas Obscura website.
How to get rid of excess gas
Almost home, this scene caught my attention. Behind the grassy berm, the gas company was burning off natural gas. AI assures me that “flaring” is a safe way to dispose of excess gas, though I imagine it’s best not to try this at home. Across the river from the flame, the chimneys belong to a university heating plant.
Building a 15-minute city
For us, aging in place means living in a “15-minute city.” Today I aligned my primary care with that goal and signed up at a clinic just a short walk from our home. My new primary care physician used to be an actor (Juilliard graduate!) at the Guthrie, just across the road from the clinic, before deciding to go to medical school.
All we are is confetti in the wind
Spotted this on our Sunday walk: A tram had just dropped off a wedding party for photos on the Stone Arch Bridge, apparently leaving behind some expired wedding guests. I started imagining ways of incorporating this into the wedding vows: “Till death do us part. All we are is confetti in the wind, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”
4 a.m. wakeup call
A storm brought an early start to my day. Looking west from our home, I watched the storm approaching around 4 a.m., well before sunrise. There were periods of constant lightning in the clouds, illuminating the area. I never did see ground strikes. Visibility was poor due to a downpour, which delivered over an inch of rain.