Ordway

Outside Excel Energy Center looking across the street to Rice Park in St. Paul, Minnesota. In the background is the Landmark Center. Directly to the left is the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts.
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Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/20
Av( Aperture Value ) 8.0
Metering Mode Partial Metering
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 17.0 mm
Image Quality RAW

I am Batman

Batman on ice
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Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/6
Av( Aperture Value ) 8.0
Metering Mode Partial Metering
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 47.0 mm
Camera on tripod

French Baking

Bonus image - Robin Red Breast shot today.
While we were eating lunch, I noticed a large group of birds out our front window. Birds typically flock around our North Metro feeder stations, but these birds caught my attention. They were Robins - a flock of two dozen or so! Robins here in Minnesota on February 3rd with temperature at 10 degrees F (-12 degrees C) is quite odd. Robins typically return later in the spring after much of our snow has melted. Could this be a sign of an early spring? I sure hope so!

Dough is final proofed for 1.5 hours. Ready to be slashed then baked.

Finished French bread.

Key Reflections

Long Keys

We got the tickets for Pink Martini's June show. I sure hope they play Bolero.

Bolero - Pink Martini

2 Things Challenge - Many / Few

The Stone Arch Bridge

Two Things Challenge, Many / Few.
This scene has many lights, many unnatural lights illuminating Minneapolis. However, there are few natural lights, a few faint lights. Look real hard, there are five faint stars in the sky shining. Also, there are few lamps on the Stone Arch Bridge.

Elm Creek Crossing

Looking down onto Elm Creek from the trail bridge. Many small critters have crossed the ice for travel ease.
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Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/80
Av( Aperture Value ) 11.0
Metering Mode Partial Metering
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 17.0 mm

Landmark Center

Landmark Center - Rice Park, St. Paul, Minnesota
Landmark Center was built in 1902 and originally served as the Federal Court House and Post office for the Upper Midwest. In the 1970s, a group of determined citizens saved the building from the wrecking ball and restored it to its previous grandeur. It was on the National Register of Historic Places and reopened to the public as Landmark Center in 1978. Today, Landmark Center serves as a cultural center for music, dance, theater, exhibitions, public forums, and hosts countless special events.

Tropical Winter

Ice sculpture competition at Rice Park in St. Paul, Minnesota.
In the depths of January, winter can be brutal. Cabin fever sets in. The remedy, a winter carnival! There, now don't you feel warmer than the -4 F (-19 C) temperatures?

Garlic and Peppers

Garlic and Peppers hang in front of Cossetta's upstairs windows.

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Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/6
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.6
Metering Mode Partial Metering
ISO Speed 400
Focal Length 59.0 mm
Image Quality RAW

Vices

Espresso, an all day affair.

Obviously imported. One day I shall visit St. James Gate in Dublin and enjoy a n authentic Guinness.

Eyes

Luminous Cat Eyes
This evening, just Roaming the Cities, Mr. J, St. Paul Photos, Snapshutter, myself and Mrs. DL met up at Cossettas in St. Paul for a winter photo walk about. Despite the balmy -4 degrees F (-19 degrees C) we strapped on our mad bomber hats braving the y winds. We spent the time admiring the ice sculptures throughout Rice Park for the annual St. Paul Winter Carnival.

The cold can be difficult on cameras and hands. Best to keep an extra battery in your pants pocket and change the camera batteries when the camera stops working.
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Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/6
Av( Aperture Value ) 8.0
Metering Mode Partial Metering
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 85.0 mm
Camera on tripod

2 Things Challenge - Local / International

Local - 3rd Avenue Bridge

International - Ponte Vecchio
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This week's Two Things Challenge is Local / International.
For this challenge, I chose a bridge reflection in a river. My Local image is the 3rd Ave. bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My International image is Ponte Vecchio over the Arno River in Florence, Italy.

Crystalice

Growing ice crystals.

Blue Mirror

Looking back at last year's spring thaw. Three more months of winter...

Birch Skies

Looking back at autumn's warmth.

W Lavendar

The main floor lounge at the Westin W Hotel, Foshay Tower downtown Minneapolis.

On Lake Superior

Gliding out of Duluth harbor into Lake superior.

Edna G
The last coal burning steam tugboat on Lake Superior retired ot service as an interpretive center in Two Harbors, Minnesota.

Movement

A male house finch feeding it's young. I captured this one while sitting on our deck one afternoon. The birds returned to the feeding station after a summer rain. I had never seen a male feed it's young seeds in this way. The youngster must really enjoy the seed I put in the feeder.
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The shutter speed was 1/15 aperture f3.5 on my olld Canon Powershot S2 IS.

Rum River Stone House

One of three remaining stone houses built in the 1920's by Thaddeus P. Giddings (1869-1954). The stone houses were part of the landscape of Gidding's home along the Rum River in Anoka, MN.

Medusa's Lamp

As seen outside Oak Grill Restaurant at Macy's downtown Minneapolis.
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Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/100
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.6
ISO Speed 800
Focal Length 66.0 mm
Image Quality RAW

A fun little questionnaire from Aurel's laurels
If I lived on a desert island, and could only watch one film featuring each of the following stars, these are the films I would chose....

(Tough choices, especially for Cary Grant as my favorite is To Catch a Thief.)

Cary Grant: Operation Petticoat - it's an island thing

James Stewart: It's a wonderful Life - I know, cliche

Humphrey Bogart: African Queen

Audrey Hepburn: Roman Holiday

Bing Crosby: High Society

Katherine Hepburn: Bringing Up Baby

Marlene Dietrich: Morocco

Clarke Gable: Mutiny on the Bounty

Ingrid Bergman: Casablanca

And, if I could add one more star and film of my own choice it would be:

Lauren Bacall: The Big Sleep

Pass it on, choosing films for the stars listed , plus one of your own....

Yellow Festoon

I sure wish I had one of these overhead hoist cranes in my garage! The electric cable festoon caught my eye.

Donald Ducks

These ducks are braving the frigid waters of the Rum River in Anoka, MN.

Alone

Sometimes we feel alone in the wilderness.

Then we realize we always have a friend.

DFP Challenge - Favorite Places

Rooftop View

My first favorite place is Pisa Italy. I shot this image from our room window at the Grand Duomo Hotel room 409. Quite a tiny room; we had to stack our suitcases on the desk in order to get around the room. There was a nice 3 foot wide balcony to step out onto and observe the city scene. I must add, the cafe next door served a fabulous tiramisu gelato. I do regret not having enough time to climb the tower or visit the cathedral.

A Recycled Photo

My second favorite place is along the Mississippi River downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota near the Stone Arch bridge. Here I crossed under the Stone Arch Bridge on the river's edge to capture the classic downtown scene nearly every Minneapolis photographer has shot. Note the Heron standing in the river in the reflected red light. On one side of the Mississippi River is St. Anthony Main with it's restaurants and shops. On the other side is downtown and the Guthrie Theater. There is a lot to photograph in this area of the river.

Two Things Challenge - Partial / Whole

Partial Tractor View

Whole Tractor View
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Which view do you prefer, partial or whole? With the whole view of the tractor, you get to see the entire tractor. No kidding, you say. The big overall picture seen here in the whole view although interesting to see the entire tractor is rather boring. It does not leave anything to your imagination to figure out what the rest of the tractor must look like.

In the partial view, what we see is an enlarged, more detailed shot of the tractor. This partial shot leads the viewer wanting more to see. Details appear larger in a partial view making this type of image much more interesting.
This is one of my photographic goals for this year; concentrating on creating more partial views than whole views.

Crystal Ice

Elm Creek, just below the horse trail bridge.

Inspirational Blues

Autumn Flashback

Camera Model Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/320
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.6
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 85.0 mm
Image Quality RAW

Wintery Bridge

Remember the old Elm Creek horse Bridge? By popular request, here is a wintery image of the same bridge.


Marley has a great idea of showing the same scene throughout the year to see what each month brings in. I only wish I were more organized to post on the second of each month. However, I shall give it a go even if I am a bit late. I shall refer to this as Changing View as Marley has.

Time To Get Up

Why do sunspots keep moving across the room?

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Camera Model Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/10
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.6
Metering Mode Partial Metering
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 66.0 mm
Image Quality RAW

Snow Catchers

Snow Catcher

Snowy Pods

Pane Siciliano

The Sicilian - Sicilian No Knead Bread

Finally the Holiday blitz is over. Now I have plenty of time for baking artisan breads again. I subscribe to Breadtopia; an excellent online source for bread baking information. This is where I found the recipe and video tutorial for today's bread, Sicilian No Knead bread.
My quest was to find durum flour for this recipe. Semolina, a flour mainly used for pasta, is close, but not the desired mill of flour. All around the Minneapolis metro area I called in search for durum flour without success. My last resort was ordering online from King Arthur Flour. A bit expensive, but necessary.
This bread is simple to bake and I must say, it is quite delicious! I expect this bread will be baked many many times here in the North Metro Easy Bake Bakery.

A couple of things. The dough is more wet and sticky than I am used too, more care in handling is necessary. The aroma is enticing. I broke the cardinal rule of not slicing until cooled to room temperature. That is why the bread appears flattened, squished in this photo. But dang was it so delicious hot off the loaf!

Camera Model Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/6
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.0
Metering Mode Partial Metering
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 41.0 mm
Image Quality RAW

Two Things Challenge - New / Hope

A new year, 2009. A new hope for a better year. Cheers!

Comb

Snowcomb

Sweet Delights

Chocolate, perfect to start the new year!

2008 is over,; the year went out with a bang. As Mrs. DL and I were dining on our traditional New Year's Eve dinner fondue of steak, shrimp, and scallops, our electric service quit. Our entire neighborhood went dark for 45 minutes. We continued by enjoying a bottle of wine in candlelight. Afterward, our internet service was down until late in Years Day. What a way to end 2008. I just hope this isn't a sign of things to come for 2009.

Happy New Year!

From Dusty Lens - North Metro and Beyond

Life is anticipation of the future and reflection upon the past.
A time to reflect upon what we have accomplished this past year and what we have left undone. A time to create new goals and and resolutions; a busy new year.

Happy New Year!