West End, Downtown, West Side 24.6 Miles September 1, 2021 When it comes to bike rides for the blog (which I call “Official” rides), regular readers know I do the majority of my biking on St. Paul streets. (The word ‘street’ is in the subtitle of the blog, after all.) I’m not averse to dedicated […]
What happens when a fast-food manager opposes a drive-through as anti-transit? That’s right: He gets fired.
Like many others, our extended family started having regular Zoom gatherings during the stay-at-home phase of the pandemic. Before Covid, we’d never had a group call of any type, but suddenly our four households in St. Paul, Jersey City, Baltimore and the Gulf Coast of Florida were spending an hour together on Zoom every Sunday. […]
“If it keeps on rainin’, levee’s goin’ to breakIf it keeps on rainin’, levee’s goin’ to breakWhen the levee breaks, I’ll have no place to stay.” -Excerpt from “When the Levee Breaks,” a traditional country blues song first recorded by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie “Warmer air also can hold more moisture, leading to […]
As an avid miniature gardener, I try to keep an eye out for other miniature gardens when I see them in public places. I’ve toyed with the idea of trying to organize a miniature garden tour, but I don’t think I will ever get it together since I’m too shy to go knock on strangers’ […]
As the ground thaws each spring, edible perennial plants wake up and are there for the taking if you know where and how to look. Follow a few rules so you’re safe and there’s enough for everyone.
Meet Pat Thompson, one of the many stellar volunteers who keeps streets.mn moving.
This is a follow-up to my March 20, 2019 post, “The New Neighbors,” about the pair of bald eagles that moved into a big cottonwood tree two doors down from me in the middle of my south Minneapolis neighborhood. They actually have a street address. Last year, the eagles built a nest, although it looked […]
Much has changed since initiating Stepping Up MN, a virtual cleanup launched at the end of April to mobilize eager volunteers for community betterment. COVID-19 had us cloistered and adhering pretty religiously to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines against viral transmission. Litter accumulated in the streets, with city workers reassigned or […]
During this era of isolation due to COVID-19, I’ve found myself walking, biking, and generally spending more time outside. I’ve had a lot of time to notice the natural world more than I used to and I’ve been able to experience the landscape and soundscape of my yard and neighborhood with a more profound appreciation. […]