Autumn Skies in Minnesota

 

The autumn skies in November are the most amazing 

blue.  The dry air and the slant of the sun create the intense color.  

This is overlooking Winona. We have two lakes that you can see 

in this picture. The triangle in the foreground is a 

shadow of the bluff.  This is a late afternoon photo.  In the distance, 

past the large white buildings is the Mississippi River.

The clouds in this sky picture are very interesting.  

The is Sugarloaf in Winona.

The tree branches and the clouds echo one another.

This is looking West up river.  In Winona, the Mississippi River 

takes a bend and runs East/West instead of its normal 

direction of North/South.

I am grateful for this beauty.

The sandstone is eroding away.  

See you next time!

Release Ritual down by the River

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wandered across the Mississippi River to do a "Good bye and Release Ritual."  My daughter's father had passed on to the next world on October 31, 2014.  I didn't get to say good bye. I also wanted to honor the art and music that he brought into the world.  I wanted to share some of my truths about our time together and forgive him for hurts I encountered and ask for his forgiveness as well.  I decided earlier this year that I would do it this October 31, 2021.

This beautiful sign welcomes visitors to Aghaming Park and Natural Area.  There is a beach here to the right and a path that winds along the river to end where the river cuts across the land in a canoe trail.

In May 2021, I did a Sacred Creativity Ritual in this area and I wondered if I could find this place again. I was in luck and I did find the area.  This beautiful tree is standing.  The log where I sat was there. Many other trees came down during this year.

I called in my ancestors, my Grandmother and Mother and the energy of the four directions.  Then I did a dance.

I wore my butterfly cape in the dance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The altar I created in the leaves on the ground.  The leaves on the trees are yellow at this Autumn time of year.  In May the leaves were just forming a soft green.

After I spoke my words to release any energy that I didn't want or need into some leaves that  I gathered up. I took them to the river and floated them away.  It was gentle and also powerful release.

I closed the ritual with leaving a bit of nuts and seeds as a gratitude offering for being in this space.

I walked back feeling very light and peaceful.

 

If you'd like to see how the park looked in May, look at the Sacred Creativity Ritual. 

 

May we all walk lightly on this Earth.

Impressions of Prince

Cherrywood is a Minnesota company that creates hand dyed fabrics and they put on this Prince Challenge in 2018.  It was displayed at the Rochester Quilt Show and Conference in June 2019.  Here's a quote from Cherrywood's website:

"We apply our privately designed line of colors to high quality fabrics to offer you the best product for your creative needs. The hand dyeing process we’ve perfected over our 30+ years produces a beautiful tone-on-tone texture that reads as a solid, but has depth and variety that will never be replicated by mass-production. Cherrywood is proudly made in the U.S.A. by women who sew, create and dye a little every day." Go to Cherrywood to find out more or order fabrics today.

Twenty facts you may not know about Prince.

Winter Hikes

During the time between Christmas and New Year's Eve 2018, we had a bit of mild weather and not very much snow in Winona, Minnesota.  That is rather unusual.  We took a hike out to Prairie Island and saw an eagle and a pileated woodpecker. Click on the listen link and you'll hear the call it made as we walked in the woods.

Both birds were flying through the trees at different times during our walk, but a bit too far within the trees to get a good photograph.

These paths through the trees felt magical to walk.

We saw frozen water and some mucky open water.

We came upon some huts that were created with remnants of fires.

I love moving around in nature.

Tundra Swans on the Mississippi River

We took a drive down the river to Brownsville, Minnesota to see the Tundras Swans in late November.

We were not sure, if we'd see them.  Along the shore nearer to home, the water was frozen.  The cold came early in our area this year.  As we got closer to Brownsville and the lookout, we could hear them.  If you look in the distance of this photo, you can see stripes of white.  There are thousands of birds closer to the center of the water.

In 2011, we went down earlier in November nearer to sundown and the area was in a pink haze from sunset. Check out those pictures on Amazing Beauty on the Backwaters of the Mississippi.
That post gives some interesting facts about the marvel of their flight and the distances that they travel.

To learn more about the Tundras Swans and find the observation deck, see  Brownsville, Minnesota.

There is a short video about the swans and shows the large amount present that you may be able to see.  The wind noise in the video detracts from the amazing sounds that they all make.  The website gives some good information about the size of the swans and their nesting habits and habitat needs.

Next November, make a trip to see them!  It is worth your time.

Autumn in Southeast Minnesota

The colors on the deciduous trees are changing in Southeastern Minnesota.  Lots of rain has forced the leaves to the ground very quickly.  It's not been the dry clear sky autumn of times past.  But we're enjoying the days as we can.

The monarch butterflies love the New England Aster in my yard.

The Mississippi River a few blocks from my house.  I walk to see it as often as I can.

A bald eagle outside my window from my Art classroom at Ridgeway Community School stops by on the day that my 4th and 5th grade students are creating eagles. 

Welcome to the neighborhood, national bird.

How's the view from your neighborhood?

Artist Date in Lanesboro, Minnesota

Last Saturday, January 27th was a warm winter day in Minnesota.  I traveled to Lanesboro to pick up some art prints, from the Lanesboro Arts Center, to use with my art students.  And it became what Julia Cameron would call an "Artist Date." An artist date is an activity done solo to look at art, be in nature, or do something to fill up on beauty and breathe in the good air and see new things.

I took a few pictures around this beautiful little town located on the Root River.

I took a walk up a steep hill to the golf course and found some ice along the way to crack.  Oh, that is one of my favorite things to do!  Crazy, but oh so fun!

Can you see the water trickling under that thin sliver of ice?  The water was running all over, tickling and rushing.  I could see it and hear it. Mmmmm, sensations of lusciousness every where.

Here's the road I walked up and down.

"It's Your Planet; Love It! "
These benches were all over down town made by the girl scouts.

"I only want to see you dancing in the purple rain." Prince

I found some delicious coffee at a natural foods grocery on the corner of Coffee St and Parkway.

And a delicious turkey sandwich at the Pastry Shoppe.

"You're the strangest person I ever met, she said & I said you too & we decided we'd know each other a long time." Brian Andreas, Story People.

Commonweal Theatre Company, fine professional theatre--amazing productions.

St. Mane Theatre, part of the Lanesboro Arts Center complex.

Black Crow Art Gallery  
Val is making a basket and lining.

It was a day filled with love.  And it did fill up my well to nurture my artist self.  How do you fill up your creative self?  Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear from you.