Before and after pictures of a dozen 30 year old Ash trees being removed from 5th street July 25th 2008.

I work on 5th street in downtown Northfield and was privy to the vast and rapid change that took place on Thursday and Friday of this past week.  I am attaching a photo gallery of 5th street construction along with just one video of the tree felling.  There are more under my youtube collection. 

On Thursday they removed the cement from the road exposing the soil below.  I have no idea how long it had been since that dirt has seen sunlight.  An enormous piece of machinery pulled it right up and dumped it into waiting trucks.  I don't know where that cement went. 

On Friday they cut down trees.

I collect all sorts of pins, buttons, pinbacks, etc, mostly from Minnesota celebrations including Defeat of Jesse James Days, Bullhead Days, the St Paul Winter Carnival and the Minneapolis Aquatennial.  The Aquatennial started in 1940 and has had solid annual celebrations accept the 1945 and 1946 during the war.  As I write this, there are 66 pin years available and I have 60 of them. 

These are very interesting to view.  I especially love the re-occurring skipper wheel theme.  

I haven't had time to post a lot this month so far because I've been so busy shooting everything.  I've had one after another great set of photo opportunities.  Have a look for yourself.  I encourage you to post your comments on any photo for everyone to see. 

By Brothers Fish Fry in St Louis Park

Taking My Girls to the Rice County Fair

Laps for Logan

Books and Stars

It was so nice to come home Saturday night, take off a perfectly clean shirt and hang it up to be worn again.  I was out at a bar all night watching a hard rock band and there wasn't a bit of cigarette smoke in the air.  I love the smoking ban.  But, that wasn't the best thing about the evening.  My wife's brother is in a band called "Flatrate" that frequents the night clubs in the Twin Cities.  They are a 6 person band that mostly covers 93Xish (heavy modern rock) stuff, with a hand full or originals mixed in. I was very impressed with the vocals.  Russ and Jimmy team up and trade off throughout the evening.  I was especially impressed with their vocal exchanges in P.O.D.'s "South Town". (P.O.D. by the way stands for "payable on death", as in your sins, not "prince of darkness" as I once thought.  The contradiction of the two acronyms is quite the paradox though). You can listen to South town at the end of this video.  Sorry about my camera's poor sound quality.  In it's defense, it was around 130 dB. Can you also click on their photo on the right to view their site (after you look at my video and photos).

The mosquitoes stayed away, low humidity, 75 degrees, friends, family, great food, drink, some background music, meeting new neighbors, plenty of laughter, a beautiful sunset, some fireworks in the street and a front row seat to the local display.  It couldn't have been a better day.  We started the celebration in the cities at my brother Andy's house.  His oldest son has a birthday on the 4th of July (his 2nd son's birthday is on New Years Eve).  I would love have a birthday on the "fourth".  It's my favorite holiday.  The weather is always favorable and everyone is in such a good mood.  It's the "New Years" of summer.  Not to mention my love for fireworks.  I love the smell of sulfur after the blasts.  Really!  It's weird but after the fireworks last night around eleven, there was this smog-like haze of sulfur hanging around.  It's a unique olfactory experience.  Call my crazy, I know. 

I love all those John Phillip Sousa marches they play around I.D. It's so patriotic yet corny.  It's just appropriate for this day.  So, when you put all this together you have one of the most sensoral events possible.  Every sense has it's little treat all day long.  This is what makes it so memorable to me. 

In the photo below are (L to R) Esta Cox-Freeland (grandma), the my dad Al, then Chad & Juley Jenkinson with their 3 kids Sebastian, Isabella and Boden.  Then my wife Lori, me, my mom Sonja, then Bill & Pat Jenkinson (Chad's parents).  Pat & Bill live in the cities.  I grew up in Iowa with the Jenkinsons before we all moved to Minnesota in the early 80's.  We moved up here August 15th 1981.  That will be 27 years in Minnesota this summer.  I'm 35. 

This is a video of 2 "Patriots" being lit at the same time.  Caution: Loud!