Rurality - New York Mills

Farm near New York Mills, Minnesota

Linking to Madge's Rurality Blog Hop.

Monday's Barn - Snow Has Arrived

To celebrate the early arrival of winter in west central Minnesota, a barn from last year with snow. Yes, it snowed Saturday night but luckily I am in Washington for a week.

Broken - New York Mills, Minnesota

Friday's Fences - It's Corny

I have driven past the Sculpture Park in New York Mills, Minnesota many times. I stopped last winter but it was snow-covered and I didn't get out to take many photos. This week after work, I stopped in for the sole purpose of photographing the brightly painted yellow metal ribbon fence. It was harder than I thought. The park is surrounded on three sides by roads including a main highway and off-ramp plus a county road and another street. I was trying to keep as much of the road surfaces as possible out of view.

It wasn't until I got up closer to the fence that I noticed the fence adornments were metal ears of corn. Then I got even closer and noticed the differences in the pieces. Each one was personalized in some way. One ear of corn was stamped "Cast Iron Corn 1997". In doing an internet search, a sculptor by the name of Coral Lambert was involved in this fence project. The ears of corn were done by residents of New York Mills during a community pour. I really enjoyed some of the work that was done. I hope you enjoy it, too! (click on each picture to see a larger version)

Linking up to Friday's Fences hosted by Jan & Jer.

Pedal Faster!

How would you like to try racing in one of these?

Lund Drag Boat

After the Lund Mania fishing tournament, folks gathered in downtown New York Mills for the Second Annual Boatville Drags, the awarding of the tournament prizes and then the parade. I cheered on my office mates in the "boat" races, watched the awards presentation but I skipped the parade. By that time, I was tired and ready to head to my house. I wanted to beat the incoming thunderstorm, too.

On Your Mark! Get Set! Go!!!!!

Pedal Faster!

Top Team (seated) and Runners-Up (Standing)

Barn Charm - Hooping it Up

The snow still needs to melt before any basketball gets played here.

Barn near New York Mills, Minnesota

Linking to Tricia's Barn Charm at the Bluff Area Daily.

Starting this coming Sunday, join me and Beth from e.lizardbreathspeaks here for InSPIREd Sunday - a weekly meme to share pictures of churches or spires.

Barn Charm - In Town Charmer

Right across from the grocery store in New York Mills, Minnesota is this barn. It's for sale - no pasture, needs a few repairs (okay ALOT of repairs!) but just think of the possibilities.

New York Mills, Minnesota

Friday's Fences - Bright Spot on a Gray Day

Driving down one of the local backroads, a flash of color caught my eye. Luckily it was easy to pull over, back up, and see what it was. There weren't any houses close by, but someone took the time to put up a pretty pink birdhouse.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Pink Birdhouse on a Fence Post

Linking to Jan & Jer's Friday's Fences.

Another Nyberg

Good thing he really isn't out working the fields...it's too darn cold!

Ken Nyberg Tractor Sculpture - New York Mills, Minnesota

Another sculpture by Ken Nyberg.

I Learned Something New Today

The past month here in Minnesota, and especially this week with the brutal well-below freezing temperatures, I have seen several sun-dogs that were almost vertical on the horizon. Of course, these sightings have been in the morning and late afternoon hours on my way to or from work. When I saw two at once, I knew I had to find out more information on the cause.


This is what I found (information courtesy of livescience.com):

Patches of light that sometimes appear beside the sun are called sundogs. The scientific name is parhelion (plural: parhelia) from the Greek parēlion, meaning "beside the sun." Speculation is that they are called that because they follow the sun like a dog follows its master. Sundogs (or sun dogs) are also referred to as mock suns or phantom suns.

Sundogs are formed from hexagonal ice crystals in high and cold cirrus clouds or, during very cold weather, by ice crystals drifting in the air at low levels. These crystals act as prisms, bending the light rays passing through them. As the crystals sink through the air they become vertically aligned, refracting the sunlight horizontally so that sundogs are observed. 

So now I understand why I am seeing these with increasing frequency lately. Of course, I might trade seeing these for seeing palm trees in 70 degree weather instead.

Morning of January 9th near Perham

Morning of January 21st near New York Mills

Afternoon Double with the Sun in the Middle on January 23rd near Perham

Linking to SkyWatch Friday.