Beth's Photos of the Day

Tuesday January 31st 2012 - chicago hike

2012-01-31T21:22:00.002-06:00

Getting ready to head back to Minneapolis this afternoon, but first Elizabeth and I went out for brunch at the Original Pancake House, then walked a while in the Dan Ryan woods (now that the feral dogs have disappeared). We even discovered a new bike trail elevated above the streets that allowed us to walk farther north - it was amazing to find something so peaceful and deserted in bustling Chicago!

Monday January 30th 2012 - chicago at dusk

2012-01-30T21:21:00.001-06:00

Elizabeth, John and I went to the Field Museum this afternoon. We parked down by the Museum campus, went into the museum for a while, then walked into downtown Chicago to people-watch (and visit Anthropologie, of course!) Our walk back was brisk as it was getting dark and John was getting hungry...but I was still lucky enough to capture this shot of the Chicago skyline lights illuminating the dusk sky.

Sunday January 29th 2012 - baby john

2012-01-29T21:21:00.001-06:00

Day two of my Chicago trip, second adorable baby. I'm staying with Elizabeth, Tim and their seventh-month old, John. He also loved getting his picture taken and thought the camera was the funniest thing ever. I love the face he's making in this picture!

Saturday January 28th 2012 - crawling lorelei

2012-01-28T21:20:00.002-06:00

Visited Courtney, Jason & Lorelei in DeKalb today. Lorelei is just starting to crawl (she wasn't this mobile when I saw her over Christmas) and she was enthralled with my camera and getting her picture taken. She kept making these hilarious, super-intent faces anytime she charged at me!

Friday January 27th 2012 - pop-up park

2012-01-27T21:19:00.001-06:00

Ellen and Margo came over for lunch and we decided to go for a walk despite the blustering snow. We headed over to the Minneapolis Institute of Art for a short walk both outside and inside. When we arrived we found a seasonal exhibit had sprung up in the lobby - the MIA's Pop-Up Park! Margo enjoyed the fuzzy seats and crawling on the astroturf. It sure was a lush warm oasis on this cold snowy day!

Thursday January 26th 2012 - allee aline

2012-01-26T21:19:00.003-06:00

Went to the new Wilde Roast for happy hour tonight, and was totally digging the name of the building (shown here in tile in the main vestibule).

Wednesday January 25th 2012 - barefoot snow runner

2012-01-25T21:16:00.004-06:00

Saw this footprint on my way to the gym this morning. I'm sure it's someone wearing Vibram toe shoes, but it sure looks like a crazy barefoot person running amok through the snow!

Monday January 23rd 2012 - don't walk rock

2012-01-23T21:15:00.003-06:00

The "Don't Walk" crosswalk sign is looking ready to rock out these days.

Saturday January 21st 2012 - birthday bingo brunch

2012-01-21T14:21:00.002-06:00

To celebrate Lauren's birthday, we headed to Lucky's 13 in Bloomington for some brunch and bingo. It was a fabulous time and I can't wait to go back. Congrats to Jennica for getting a bingo and for Lauren for having such a great birthday celebration!

Friday January 20th 2012 - button nostalgia

2012-01-20T14:21:00.002-06:00

As part of Operation Apartment Makeover I cleaned out all the kitschy things I had on my bookshelves before giving them (the bookshelves, not the kitschy things) away to Naomi and Mark. I found a bowl with all of these buttons in it, spanning the last ten years of my activist and artist life. It was fun to sort through them and hard to decide which ones to keep. (Don't worry Mick's Office...you made the cut!)

Thursday January 19th 2012 - frosted window sun

2012-01-19T14:00:00.003-06:00

Same bedroom window in the morning. Today's the first day all winter with below-zero temps. I can always tell how cold it's going to be by how frosted over my window is...and today it's completely covered. Better grab my parka for the morning commute!

Wednesday January 18th 2012 - roasting cauliflower

2012-01-18T13:59:00.002-06:00

Late dinner tonight so I'm roasting up cauliflower with cumin seeds. It's a delicious snack when topped with yogurt, pomegranate seeds and mint leaves. Sadly I don't have any of the amazing toppings, but the roasted cauliflower is perfectly good by itself, too.

Tuesday January 17th 2012 - ikea screws

2012-01-17T13:59:00.002-06:00

I always forget how annoying it is to put together IKEA furniture. I hope my downstairs neighbors don't mind the pounding (and swearing!)

Monday January 16th 2012 - ikea car

2012-01-16T13:59:00.003-06:00

As part of Operation Apartment Makeover I headed to IKEA to buy some new furniture. I had my eye on a new bookshelf, kitchen cart, and bed frame. Luckily my mom came with me to load everything in the car. Despite the Honda's diminutive size, we got it all to fit! Now I just need a buddy to help me put everything together...

Saturday January 14th 2012 - operation bronzer cleanup

2012-01-14T13:58:00.005-06:00

This weekend I'm embarking on Operation Apartment Makeover: over the next few weeks I'm purging closets, putting together new Ikea furniture, and deep-cleaning all the corners of my apartment that have been neglected over the last three years.

Today I started in the bathroom, but sadly didn't get too far before Operation Deep-Clean-the-Bathroom became Operation Clean-Up-the-Broken-Bronzer-compact. I dropped my makeup bucket and this bounced out, ricocheted against the toilet, and shattered next to the pedestal sink. At least I know this corner of the bathroom is going to be super clean when I'm finished!

Friday January 13th 2012 - sittin' chicken

2012-01-13T13:58:00.002-06:00

Went to Scott's for dinner and we had a Sittin Chicken (with a side of Chik'n for me!). It was apparently very good as the carnivores devoured it...despite its rather macabre appearance here.

Wednesday January 11th 2012 - sun spire

2012-01-11T13:57:00.002-06:00

A view of the sun rising over Hennepin Methodist church on Hennepin and Groveland Ave.

Tuesday January 10th 2012 - skyline+birds

2012-01-10T13:56:00.004-06:00

Today might be the last burst of the spring-like weather in January, so we all left the office early to take advantage of the unseasonably warm temps. I biked the long way home, first west to Plymouth Ave across the river, then south on the Cedar Lake Trail to Cedar and then Lake of the Isles before hitting the Greenway home. The sunset and reflection of the skyline over the river was magnificent - it's not often I see downtown from this direction.

Then on my way south on the Cedar Lake Trail I saw a very creepy collection of crows settled on dirt mounds and in trees along the trail. It felt like a scene from The Birds and definitely propelled me home!

Monday January 9th 2012 - morning skyline

2012-01-09T13:54:00.003-06:00

More balmy mornings. My bike commute to our new office in Northeast takes me west of Hennepin Ave to pick up the Cedar Lake Trail just north of Dunwoody College. Here is the view of the Minneapolis morning skyline from the hill above the Walker Art Museum - it feels good to be alive on mornings like this!

Saturday January 7th 2012 - rubber band heart

2012-01-07T13:54:00.003-06:00

The rubber band from my newspaper fell into this natural heart-shape on my counter this morning.

Friday January 6th 2012 - yellow curry

2012-01-06T13:53:00.004-06:00

One of our seasonal employees had her last day today, so we went out to lunch at Ginger Hop to celebrate. Here is the image of my delicious yellow curry before I stuffed myself full!

Thursday January 5th 2012 - skyscraper reflection

2012-01-05T13:53:00.002-06:00

It's been quite balmy these last few days so I've been riding my bike to work. My commute home takes me right through downtown, and tonight I snapped this view of the Wells Fargo tower illuminated in the IDS Center at Nicollet and 7th Street.

Tuesday January 3rd 2012 - yellow window glow

2012-01-03T13:52:00.002-06:00

The streetlight on 26th illumines through the foggy frost on the upper panes of my apartment's south facing window, casting a yellowish glow over my bedroom.

Sunday January 1st 2012 - post-party

2012-01-01T13:51:00.002-06:00

Accoutrements from the parties over the last few days!

Saturday December 31st 2011 - new year's snow

2011-12-31T13:27:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year's Eve! Winter finally decided to arrive and blanketed Minneapolis with an inch of freezing slush snow, just in time for midnight. This is the view of Bryant Ave as I waited for the 4 bus to take me downtown. The snow dampened all sound and the quiet street was very peaceful for such a busy night of the year.

Friday December 30th 2011 - emily+colby wedding

2011-12-30T12:58:00.006-06:00

Happy wedding Emily & Colby! It was a beautiful day with family and friends. One of my favorite pictures was of the quick lipstick prep before the ceremony with sister Katie, Emily, and Ellen. Such a great party!

Thursday December 29th 2011 - makeup session

2011-12-29T23:08:00.000-06:00

Emily had all the girls in her wedding party meet for lunch at Punch Pizza to kick off the weekend's wedding festivities. Katie brought along her makeup kit to test some colors before the big day tomorrow, right in the middle of Punch Pizza's dining room. The bride took the multitasking in stride!

Wednesday December 28th 2011 - lorelei visit

2011-12-28T23:05:00.000-06:00

I took some time for lunch with my friend Courtney and her 7-month old daughter Lorelei today. Lorelei was alternately fascinated by my camera (top) and bored with the whole scene (bottom). It was so fun to see them, and to pinch those cheeks!

Tuesday December 27th 2011 - chocolate fondue

2011-12-27T23:02:00.000-06:00

We headed out to the Melting Pot for Emily's bachelorette, and enjoyed delicious cheese and chocolate fondue. Here Emily and Tara are roasting marshmallows over flaming dark chocolate! Delicious!

Sunday December 25th 2011 - christmas hike

2011-12-25T23:00:00.000-06:00

It's a brown Christmas after all, but we took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and went for a hike in Farmington to work off our Christmas dinner. Thanks to Brynn for walking with me!

Saturday December 24th 2011 - cookie ribbon poem

2011-12-24T22:55:00.000-06:00

For as long as I can remember, we've been eating a cookie a day from our cookie ribbons, just to get to December 24th and the bell at the end (and all of the goodies that signified). My grandma transcribed the poem that we read at the beginning of each December:

Dec 1st til Christmas

Is the longest time of year

Seems as though old Santa

Never will appear!

How many days til Christmas?
It's so mighty hard to count

So this little cookie ribbon

Will tell the exact amount

Untie a cookie every night

When the sandman casts his spell

And Christmas will be here

By the time you reach the bell!

Thursday December 22nd 2011 - sidewalk heart

2011-12-22T22:39:00.000-06:00

I've long admired artist Yann Arthus-Bertrand and his epic journey to capture the Earth From Above, and his corresponding essays on the effects we humans have on this beautiful landscape. Here is my attempt to mimic his genius - a small crater on the sidewalk outside my work is shaped like a heart, similar to the artist's photographs of a naturally occurring heart-shaped grove of trees in Voh, New Caledonia, France.

Wednesday December 21st 2011 - graffiti proposal

2011-12-21T22:36:00.000-06:00

This graffiti proposal is seen in an alley off of Nicollet Ave between 7th and 8th streets in downtown Minneapolis. I hope Erin said yes!

Tuesday December 20th 2011 - street art

2011-12-20T22:30:00.001-06:00

Beautiful, inspired, community-accessible art on the power boxes along Hennepin Avenue.

Sunday December 18th 2011 - evergreen glasses

2011-12-18T22:28:00.000-06:00

Testing out Katie's new Christmas-themed sunglasses on Margo as we head to Schmieg family Christmas. They sure look snazzy!

Saturday December 17th 2011 - margo birthday

2011-12-17T22:26:00.000-06:00

Happy birthday (plus 4 days) Margo! We celebrated by seeing The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at Steppingstone Theater, then on to Ellen and Scott's for "pin the mustache on Margo" along with some homemade cupcakes to celebrate the occasion. Margo wasn't sure what to think of it all, but she sure did like the feel of the cupcake!

Friday December 16th 2011 - work sunrise

2011-12-16T22:23:00.000-06:00

It's almost the shortest day of the year, and my work days are getting longer and longer as we approach the end of December and the end of our fiscal year. Today I watched the sunrise through one of the east-facing windows in our fifth-floor office...it was early but still beautiful.

Thursday December 15th 2011 - ugly ornament tree

2011-12-15T22:13:00.001-06:00

In the spirit of ridiculous holiday traditions, my colleagues decided to set up a tree for ~~ugly~~ underappreciated tree ornaments. There was an angel riding a candy cane, a demonic Santa Claus, and of course a merman ornament that was too heavy to hang on the tree and therefore had to be perched to the side. I'm certainly feeling in the spirit of the season!

Tuesday December 13th 2011 - frozen river

2011-12-13T23:39:00.001-06:00

I visited the craft market at the Mill City Museum with Carrie and Jeff and took a walk over the Stone Arch Bridge afterward. A dusting of snow last night had gathered in unique patterns on the partially frozen river, with the shadow of the bridge's arches superimposed.

Monday December 12th 2011 - pomegranates

2011-12-12T23:39:00.002-06:00

I found the most amazing recipe for cauliflower roasted with cumin seeds and topped with yogurt and pomegranates. Even though the seeds is so difficult to remove from the rind, the fresh pomegranates are so worth it. Read the full recipe here, and enjoy.

Sunday December 11th 2011 - ice boating

2011-12-11T23:38:00.002-06:00

It was warm enough for me to bike around Cedar Lake this morning, but that didn't stop these people from ice skating and sailboating on the frozen lake. It's supposed to be 40 later this week so I'm glad they got on the lake while they could.

Saturday December 10th 2011 - morning cider

2011-12-10T23:37:00.001-06:00

I spent this sunny, lazy Saturday morning drinking apple cider with cinnamon sticks. Delicious!

Friday December 9th 2011 - circus train parade

2011-12-09T23:37:00.001-06:00

Of course we picked the coldest night of the year to watch the Holidazzle parade down Nicollet Mall. Luckily that meant that the streets were mostly empty so we had prime viewing of the circus train as it came down the block...and easy access back to the Local for some warm drinks afterward!

Thursday December 8th 2011 - christmas bells

2011-12-08T23:36:00.001-06:00

Steph and I continued our annual tradition of seeing the Concordia Christmas concert at Orchestra Hall again this year. In the break between the two concerts I watched to the bell choir in action in the lobby.

Wednesday December 7th 2011 - downtown view

2011-12-07T23:36:00.002-06:00

The southern windows in our new office face southwest, so we get a great view of downtown and the setting sun. And in the summer we just might hear some Twins games!

Tuesday December 6th 2011 - morning snow

2011-12-06T23:35:00.002-06:00

A fresh dusting of snowflakes covered my car this morning - despite the nuisance, they sure were beautiful.

Monday December 5th 2011 - advent lights

2011-12-05T23:34:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was the second Sunday in Advent so I headed down to mom and dad's for our weekly Advent dinners. Afterwards we turned on the lights, including the advent star - what a panorama of color!

Sunday December 4th 2011 - shower friends

2011-12-04T23:34:00.001-06:00

Happy wedding shower to Emily! Here she is celebrating with her maid of honor, Tara, and Tara's daughter Amelia.

Saturday December 3rd 2011 - snow light

2011-12-03T23:33:00.002-06:00

First snow of the year and of course I have to be out running errands. But the snowflakes do look beautiful in the bright lights of Southdale mall parking lot!

Friday December 2nd 2011 - sunrise commute

2011-12-02T23:32:00.002-06:00

While the commute is much longer to our new office, my bike ride takes me over the Hennepin Ave bridge, which is sure beautiful in the morning sunrise.

Thursday December 1st 2011 - city salvage tub

2011-12-01T23:31:00.002-06:00

I've been taking the bus to our new office, and the bus stop drops me off right next to the City Salvage shop. I love the sight of this bright mosaic bathtub on my walk by this morning!

Wednesday November 30th 2011 - stars for somalia mural

2011-11-30T23:30:00.002-06:00

At the Run to Unite in October 5K in October, artist Jesse Golfis made this amazing mural, entitled "Stars for Somalia." During our office move last week it lived at my house, but I had to surrender it back to the office today. See more pictures from the Run to Unite and of artist Jesse in action here. And learn more about the Stars for Somalia here!

Tuesday November 29th 2011 - new office

2011-11-29T23:30:00.001-06:00

Welcome to our new office! You can visit me at the American Refugee Committee's new headquarters: 615 1st Ave NE. Our offices moved from a maze of offices split on two floors to the 5th floor of the Old Banks building; and I moved from a flourescent-lit office to a bright open cubicle. It's not decorated yet but will be soon...come visit!

Monday November 28th 2011 - plant leaves

2011-11-28T23:29:00.002-06:00

It's getting cold but my pothos plant is still growing. Three years later, I haven't killed it yet!

Thursday November 24th 2011 - lego mosaics

2011-11-24T23:06:00.002-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! This morning we participated in the annual Walk to End Hunger at the Mall of America. We circled the first floor of the mall to raise money and awareness for nonprofits intent on eradicating hunger in MN. While walking, we stopped at the Legolandar to see these amazing mosaics...made entirely out of Legos!

Wednesday November 23rd 2011 - before & after office

2011-11-23T23:21:00.002-06:00

Our offices are moving this weekend, from Oak Grove Street to 1st Ave NE, so today was spent cleaning and boxing things in preparation. This is the before (above) and after (below) picture of my office cleanup. I hope there's enough room for all my decorations in the new space!

Tuesday November 22nd 2011 - smashed guardrail

2011-11-22T22:59:00.001-06:00

The roads were slippery after the freezing rain from the weekend, and it looks like a car lost control and slammed into the guardrail outside our building. The fence sure was a mess this morning...I hope the driver was okay!

Monday November 21st 2011 - skeeball

2011-11-21T22:58:00.002-06:00

Tonight Anna, Jennica and I went to Pat's Tap on Nicollet for happy hour. The free skeeball was just a bonus!

Thursday November 17th 2011 - salad dressing

2011-11-17T17:17:00.001-06:00

Back to my usual routine of spinach salad for lunch. I love the mixing combinations of the olive oil and vinegar this morning!

Tuesday November 15th 2011 - plane sunrise

2011-11-15T17:16:00.002-06:00

My flight from San Antonio left before sunrise, and I was lucky to have a whole row to myself. I snapped this shot of the sun cresting over the horizon as we reached cruising altitude on our way home to Minneapolis.

Monday November 14th 2011 - riverwalk at night

2011-11-14T17:15:00.000-06:00

On my last night in San Antonio Sarah and I headed to the Riverwalk, a must for any tourist visiting the city. We wandered through the market and back and forth along the riverwalk forever while I made up my mind about where to eat my last San Antonio meal. Sarah humored me and we finally settled for a touristy Tex-Mex place, which was still delicious (I had fajitas and a Shiner Bock...when in Texas...=) As we walked back to the car I snapped this shot of the trees along the canal, already decorated for Christmas and twinkling in the warm night.

Sunday November 13th 2011 - a day in austin

2011-11-13T17:14:00.000-06:00

Today Sarah and I ventured into Austin for the day. We shopped at the outlet mall on our way in, then went straight to the state capital, where I took the above picture of the capital dome and the star in the Texas flag. Afterwards we had a picnic on the capital lawn, where we ran into a bunch of these creepy, aggressive birds (below) - they are like the squirrels in Loring Park! We finished the night with some shopping, a beer on a patio, and then Indian food for dinner at G'Raj Mahal. What a great day in Austin...I can't wait to come back!

Saturday November 12th 2011 - north spur view

2011-11-12T17:12:00.000-06:00

Spent the morning walking around Sarah's neighborhood, and spent the afternoon hiking in Eisenhower State Park! The weather was warm, the company was lovely, and the scenery was beautiful. We even got to see a sunset on our way home. This view is looking northwest, away from the city, at the North Spur View point.

Friday November 11th 2011 - mi tierra

2011-11-11T19:10:00.000-06:00

Spent the weekend in San Antonio visiting Sarah Topp. After I landed tonight, she took me to experience Tex-Mex in its gaudy, delicious form - at Mi Tierra. After having a margarita in the bar while waiting for a table, we were finally summoned to the dining room...and walked, and walked. This place was huge! They brought us back into the back room, which until recently had hosted a grooms dinner. We marveled at the murals on the walls, the giant fiberglass swordfish above the bar, and of course the food! What an excellent introduction to Texas!

Wednesday November 9th 2011 - outdoor toilet

2011-11-09T19:09:00.000-06:00

This toilet appeared overnight on the 2500 block of Harriet Ave S. I'm sure it was set out for trash pickup, but it sure brings a new meaning to en plein air!

Monday November 7th 2011 - suspicious bus ad

2011-11-07T18:59:00.002-06:00

The dangling modifier on this bus ad makes me laugh. I can't wait to see something suspicious grab a bite to eat!

Saturday November 5th 2011 - flat earth

2011-11-05T18:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Jeff! We went to the Flat Earth brewery to celebrate. It was delicious!

Friday November 4th 2011 - window over art

2011-11-04T18:58:00.000-05:00

This summer I went to Adam Turman's garage sale and purchased a few prints, including this one with all of Minneapolis' neighborhoods superimposed over an image of a bicycle. Today the sun shone brightly through the eastern windows of my apartment to create a third image of the trees outside...too cool to pass up!

Thursday November 3rd 2011 - night mural

2011-11-03T18:51:00.000-05:00

We are moving offices in a few weeks to the Banks building in Northeast. They are gutting and remodeling our current office suite, so I plan to take some pictures of the building before the move. Here is a picture of the giant windows and murals in the entryway of the building. I won't be sad to leave this building behind, but you can't deny it has style!

Wednesday November 2nd 2011 - safety shrug

2011-11-02T18:43:00.000-05:00

I was running errands after work today and so brought along my bright biking safety jacket. The jacket's sleeves zip off into a vest I can wear over my coat in the winter. Unfortunately I had packed only the sleeves part of the jacket, not the vest! So off I went pedaling into the night, wearing my safety shrug. (Thanks to Therese for the picture.)

Monday October 31st 2011 - face painting

2011-10-31T18:42:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween! We celebrated with the kids at Families Moving Forward...doing a trick or treat trot, wearing costumes, bobbing for apples, and painting faces. It was a busy and fun Halloween!

Sunday October 30th 2011 - popcorn treat

2011-10-30T18:33:00.000-05:00

A weekend at Lake Ida is the embodiment of laziness and our last afternoon was no exception - we stayed in sweatpants and watched movies all afternoon long. The day was even more sweet due to the fresh popped corn kernels from this nifty space-age air popper. If only every day was this relaxing!

Saturday October 29th 2011 - flying kites

2011-10-29T11:47:00.000-05:00

Kite flying at Lake Ida with Lauren, Amanda, Anna and Jennica.

Friday October 28th 2011 - bathroom collage

2011-10-28T11:46:00.000-05:00

Visited Lake Ida Paradise with the girls this weekend. This is my favorite room in the house - the bathroom filled with photos, postcards, and mementos from the Schultz family. It definitely gives you an excuse for why you spent so much time in the bathroom!

Monday October 24th 2011 - commuter gear

2011-10-24T22:56:00.007-05:00

After many days of unsuccessfully trying to install new panier racks on my bike, I finally got them fixed at The Alt bikeshop in Uptown. Now I'm all set to be a bike commuter to my work's new office in Northeast!

Sunday October 23rd 2011 - morning sun

2011-10-23T22:55:00.003-05:00

Bright fall sunrise through the trees in my neighborhood...it made me happy this morning!

Saturday October 22nd 2011 - pumpkin heads

2011-10-22T22:55:00.004-05:00

In an annual October tradition, I helped mom and dad set up the pumpkin people at the end of their driveway, Norman and Normina. Its always fun to drive by and see the jolly pumpkin heads lit up to celebrate the season!

Friday October 21st 2011 - morning frost

2011-10-21T22:54:00.003-05:00

Today was the first fall morning that I drove my car after an overnight frost. I scraped the frost from the driver's side window and these trails of ice particles were left, captured in their glittering glory by the early morning sun. I'm not quite ready for winter but this was a beautiful easing in!

Thursday October 20th 2011 - folded fork

2011-10-20T22:54:00.004-05:00

Walking around town today, I saw this crushed fork on the sidewalk. It posed all sorts of questions: where did it come from? how did it get to the intersection of 2nd Ave and 1st St? why was it folded in half? I don't know any of these answers but I did think it was both beautiful and forlorn on this street corner.

Monday October 17th 2011 - halloween in the hallway

2011-10-17T22:53:00.003-05:00

My neighbors are quite crazy. I never hear them but I know they exist because there is a constant rotation of shoes outside their door. Then tonight this thing appears in the hallway. I assume it is something to do with Halloween? I can't explain exactly what it is but it definitely creeps me out...I hope it disappears soon!

Sunday October 16th 2011 - bato bato music

2011-10-16T22:29:00.001-05:00

This morning I joined colleagues and friends at the Run to End Hunger...a run to join our community together to raise awareness about the famine that is still occurring in the Horn of Africa. The Bato Bato marimba band from Breck School was the entertainment and they were awesome! And I finished the 5K in 29 minutes...it was a nice way to start a Sunday morning.

Saturday October 15th 2011 - pumpkin prizes

2011-10-15T22:28:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Carrie and Jeff for hosting a great pumpkin carving party this afternoon! I'm sure we were quite the sight - 15 or so people carving pumpkins and playing games along the Mall and Irving Ave in south Minneapolis. Afterwards we voted on scariest pumpkin, most pitiful pumpkin, and best overall pumpkin - and I won! No, not most pitiful - my Minneapolis skyline/jack'o'lantern face was voted best overall...and I received a bomber of Arrogant Bastard ale as my prize.

Above: my prize-winning pumpkin

Below: Carrie with all the candidates!

Friday October 14th 2011 - clean plate club

2011-10-14T22:27:00.002-05:00

Ellen, Julie and I went to see the Putnam County Annual Spelling Bee tonight at the McKnight Theatre in the Ordway. It was a wonderfully fun show (song and dance! audience participation! spelling!) and the drinks and dessert at Pazzaluna afterward was just as divine.

Wednesday October 12th 2011 - sunrise trees

2011-10-12T22:26:00.002-05:00

Morning sun through the trees turning rust from the frosty mornings. Everything is so beautiful this time of year!

Monday October 10th 2011 - more beautiful trees

2011-10-10T22:25:00.005-05:00

The beautiful weather from the weekend just won't end. Here are more beautiful, beautiful trees.

Sunday October 9th 2011 - pumpkin picking party

2011-10-09T22:31:00.002-05:00

Time for the annual Schmieg hayride event. Over 50 people gathered to eat, talk, and be merry...oh, and pick pumpkins too! We rode in two hay wagons to the field where everyone fanned out to find the perfect pumpkin. Thanks to Cindy, Leon and Eddie for hosting another great party!

Saturday October 8th 2011 - lake shore trees

2011-10-08T22:31:00.004-05:00

Another gorgeous day of fall colors on the North Shore. We hiked the Superior Hiking Trail in the morning, then ate another late-afternoon lunch on a rock on the beach. The sun was warm and so delirious-inducing that we decided to take a dip in the frigid waters of Lake Superior (twice!) before drying off on the sun-warmed surface of the rock face, drinking wine and playing cribbage. A perfect day.

Friday October 7th 2011 - coastline picnic

2011-10-07T22:31:00.002-05:00

It's camping time! Ellen, Naomi, Sierra and I headed up to the north shore for a weekend camping getaway, taking advantage of the warm sun and gorgeous weather. Today we hiked in Tetteguche State Park, then had a picnic "lunch" (at 4pm) overlooking the lake before heading south to Split Rock Lighthouse to spend the next two nights. This is the second year in a row we got lucky with the weather...maybe the camping gods are finally smiling on us!

Thursday October 6th 2011 - early morning sun patterns

2011-10-06T22:32:00.004-05:00

I walked to work today in rising sunlight, the early morning rays dappling onto the walking path paralleling Lyndale Ave. Everything looked glowy and beautiful in the early morning fall light!

Tuesday October 4th 2011 - fresh raspberries

2011-10-04T16:38:00.002-05:00

The aforementioned raspberries looking perfectly glorious in my new ramekin dish. So delicious, I can't wait to eat them all week!

Monday October 3rd 2011 - orchard apples

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Carrie and Jeff and I headed to Afton Apple Orchard yesterday to pick apples and raspberries. The fruit was delicious and the weather was even better - 70 and sunny in October in MN? Yes please! I can't wait to make apple crisp and eat my raspberries until my fingers turn red!

Sunday October 2nd 2011 - marathon

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I love, love, love watching the Twin Cities Marathon. It's one of my favorite days of the year...the crisp fall air, the cheering crowds, the crazy running people - I love it all. Today I was watching for my colleague Mark, who ran in one of our "I AM A STAR" jerseys (see below). I got to see him at miles 2, 18, and 24 - and got a sweaty hug each time.

Here I am at mile 2, watching the entire crowd go by, from the very first runners to the sag bus at the end. This is a shot of the start of the pack. Go runners!

Mark is a star for Somalia! Learn more at www.iamastar.org

Saturday October 1st 2011 - river vista

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A morning hike along the Mississippi showed off this amazing view of the river, the Lake St Bridge, and the gorgeous foliage from the overlook east of St Thomas.

Friday September 30th 2011 - STAR jumpers

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Today was our self-proclaimed "I AM A STAR" day. All of our colleagues wore their t-shirts (see this post) to spread awareness about our new campaign to change the story about Somalia. We encouraged people to wear their shirts around town, and took this picture at one of the most iconic Minneapolis landmarks, the Spoonbridge and Cherry.

Learn more about I AM A STAR at our website, or follow us on Facebook for the most up-to-date info!

Thursday September 29th 2011 - glowing tree

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The leaves are changing and with the morning sun it looks like the tree is lit from within. This is my favorite part of fall!

Saturday September 24th 2011 - moving crew

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The crew that helped Ellen move this morning. We transported a couch, bed, table, chair, two dressers, and boxloads of clothes, books, and kitchen items from one 3rd floor apartment to a 2nd floor...all in three hours! We celebrated with a beer in her new living room.

Wednesday September 21st 2011 - t-shirt paint

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We hosted an "Insider Event" at work today for volunteers and donors to learn more about our new campaign, I AM A STAR. One of the activity stations involved spraying our branded t-shirts with fabric paint to show that we were the first embracers of the new campaign model. I went a little crazy with the paint in the upper corner as you can tell!

I AM A STAR is a new approach to bringing relief to Somalia. To learn more, visit www.iamastar.org

Tuesday September 20th 2011 - server lights

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At 6:30 today the power in our building went out. Luckily for the handful of us that were still here, the emergency lights on the exit signs came on, and enough daylight was coming through the windows that we were able to grope our way to the exits. It was a bit creepy to be plunged in total darkness, though. This is a picture of the server room (next door to my office) and the surviving blinking lights.

Sunday September 18th 2011 - rainy bleachers

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Another Twins game with Allison and Marlow, another bad weather day. We started in section 204 but were eventually enticed to come down to the mini donut stand. We finished out the game in the bleachers in right field, where the remaining raindrops still glistened on the benches.

Not surprisingly, the Twins lost.

Saturday September 17th 2011 - margo in the sand

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We took Ellen and Scott's visiting UWP cast members to some Minneapolis landmarks today. First, the Mill City farmer's market and the stone arch bridge. Then on to one of my favorite natural spots in the city, the white sand beach on the Mississippi, nestled between Franklin and Lake St bridges.

Margo had her first taste of sand...literally. She wasn't satisfied with just putting her feet in the sand and every few minutes she would grab fistfuls of sand to stuff into her mouth. Despite the gross-factor, her unbridled joy at being at the beach was very fun!