More Christmas Lights

Another lights display from a photo I took in 2010.

Little Green Store

Hopefully someone from the Inver Grove Heights area can comment here as I'm not positive on the history of this place. I had visited the Little Green Store a couple times twenty plus years ago, I had a friend that lived not far from here. I thought I remember it being called the 'Green Store', as the faded sign above the store reads 'Little Green'. I'm sure that must have been it and I just don't recall it correctly. However, this place must have changed ownership as the official sign, which is not pictured, now reads 'Heights Superette'. Anyone in IGH land know any additional history on the place or can you fill in the holes of my story?

5th Avenue Plaza

I've seen the 5th Avenue Plaza sign many, many times before....but the plaza is rather small in comparison to today's strip malls. This sign can be found on Upper 55th Street, which is the border of Inver Grove Heights and South St Paul and of course 5th Street. However, it's called 5th Street in South St Paul, but once you cross the border into Inver Grove, the street name changes to Carmen Avenue.

Class Of 2010

On Friday I attended the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2010 at Inver Hills Community College. There was a little over 200 graduates earning their diploma in several different career paths. I am proud to say, my wife was among the Class of 2010. Way to go, you did it!!

The Plow

Found this....some sort of plow. My first thought was it was farm equipment, but the more I look at it, I don't know for sure. None the less, it is located near Concord Street in Inver Grove Heights, one block south of Highway 494, take a left and you've made it.

Not Quite Rockafeller Plaza

I always wonder how one gets Christmas tree lights so high up in the air like you see in this tree....after all, it is twice as tall as the house!

Across The Mississippi

Rain Or Smoke

Driving home in late July, I noticed this very large flume of white smoke trailing up to the sky off in the distance. Now I knew it couldn't be smoke, it was too large of an area. Perhaps I caught a photo of the sky falling and those are clouds trickling down to earth. From where I took this photo it was mostly sunny, with the sun behind me, but across the Mississippi River and into Wisconsin, it was rainy weather. I figure the suns rays were at the right angle to brighten up the raindrops to give it the appearance of smoke or the clouds falling.

Train To Nowhere

The train was moving around 35 mph, I was waiting for it to pass, about 15 feet from it. It took me a few shots, but I worked on my pan and shoot technique the other day to kill the time.

Mississippi River Fishing

I caught this group of boys fishing in the Mississippi River while I was in Inver Grove Heights. I made a visit to the construction site of the Wakota Bridge. It was quite a colorful photo shoot as this picture shows. A lot of the colorful things in the photo, a urinal, a power generator, waters reflection, rusty iron, plus some green. I really didn't notice all of the color until I was digitally processing the photos.

Boat Lift

Just your typical 'boat lift' one could find in the Twin Cities area.

Wakota Bridge Progress

After too long of a delay over funding, the Wakota Bridge replacement project is back in full action. While originally scheduled to complete in 2007, the south bridge is scheduled for completion in the year 2010. Yeah, that's a very long delay don't you think for road construction? The big square is where the foundation will be formed. If you look closely, you can see the other side where the bridge will connect.

Poo Removal Mitt

Best of all, the poo pick-up mitt is degradable.

The Busiest Photo I've Ever Posted

There is so much going on in this photo, the object I was shooting, is hardly visible. Do you see it, the rainbow? Right there as it trails into the advertisement billboard. Not yet? Perhaps if you click on the photo, you'll see that there really is a rainbow in this photo. I really didn't like this photo at first, and I didn't capture the rainbow photo I wanted, but I'm posting it any ways because I really like the stormy direction I'm heading into, but with the side mirror view, you see the storm has passed, the weather is going to clear up any minute. I'm traveling east in my vehicle, stuck in traffic. The clear skys are to the west and soon to be where I am.

My 3 Daily Photo Favorites:
Radonvilliers, France
Melbourne, Australia
Ioannina, Greece

Just Married And Sitting In Traffic

Congratulations to the bride and groom whomever you are. I was sitting in traffic on my way home and the SUV with the words Just Married written on it slowly made their way past me. I had to grab my camera and take a photo of it. This was on a Thursday when I took the photo, not your normal Saturday wedding. I am happy for them and wish them well.

My 3 Daily Photo Favorites:
St Paul, Minnesota
Torino, Italy
Montreal, Canada

On The Road Again

Just a truck I was following while driving down highway 494 as it exited in Inver Grove Heights. It was headed to a place where a bunch of very thirsty people were eagerly awaiting the trucks arrival. Who knew water was carried around in trucks around the Twin Cities?

My 3 Daily Photo Favorites:
Honolulu, Hawaii
Rabaul, Papua, New Guinea
Budapest, Hungary

Hit The Lights

I believe this was a five second exposure time while on the highway one evening. I've been experimenting with this type of shot from time to time and pretty much like how this one turned out. I've had better and I've had much worse.