Epic Icicle

The next few weeks' weather forecast looks to be a lot of thaw and freeze. This epic icicle from last season measured probably close to 6 feet. We are excited to see what this upcoming round of weather will bring. Stay tuned.

Fall is our favorite time of year

Downtown Red Wing looks spectacular in the fall. The colors absolutely pop and the well preserved buildings look fantastic.

Wetter than water

Wow. It has rained nearly every day for the past two months.

We had a very heavy and wet snowstorm in early May and it has been raining almost every day in June.

But this is farm country and this is the growing season, so nobody is complaining.

Reading outside weather

A Late Spring Brings Unexpected Benefits

This year, spring arrived 16-18 days later than usual. It was an especially long winter with heavy snowpack and a slow warm-up.

Typically, a late spring is seen as a hindrance to the economy. Crops are planted later, shortening the overall growing season.

However, there are benefits to a late spring. Postponed projects and maintenance issues can be addressed, and when spring finally arrives, we can sit in the sun and enjoy a good book.

Barge season begins

Mississippi River Ice Breakup Signals End of Winter

The ice on the Mississippi River has broken up enough to allow barge traffic to begin moving upstream. This is significant for the area as it officially signals the end of winter weather.

We experienced a significant blizzard in December, and without a mid-winter melt, the snow accumulated all winter, resulting in the fourth snowiest winter on record.

This has led to flooding concerns along the Mississippi River. However, just as the days began getting longer, we entered a prolonged period of weather that hovered around the 32-degree mark. This substantially slowed the melting, and the river crested just below the flood point. Another crest is expected in about three weeks when the runoff from up north reaches this area.

The photo above was taken from the Eisenhower Bridge.

Writer’s block

Breaking Through Creative Roadblocks

In the creativity industry, there's a tongue-in-cheek rule of thumb: if you hit a mental roadblock, run headfirst into the nearest wall. This jolt will reset your mental wiring, and you'll either cure the writer's block or forget what writer's block even is.

Alternatively, you could simply look out your window and write what you see.

Right outside my work window, there's a small mountain of snow. It has been larger before and was actually completely removed at one point. Now, it'll probably just melt in place for the rest of the year. Melting snow usually isn't pretty.

However, it's a hopeful sign of spring. This winter was unusually typical, with several significant snowfalls and a couple of serious deep freezes. We will have flooding, and it will be a messy spring.

And the weather forecast today? More snow

Wolf Moon over Downtown Red Wing

Capturing the Wolf Moon: A Yearly Tradition

This is a photo I try to capture every year. It is the largest and brightest full moon of the year and is called the Wolf Moon.

Last year I missed the opportunity, but in 2009, I managed to capture it about 5 minutes after it was at its most dramatic (Full Moon over Barn Bluff).

This year, I suddenly remembered it was Wolf Moon time and jumped in my car, driving all over town to find an interesting perspective. I pretty much ended up where I shot this moon two years ago. You have to be quick because this moon rises very quickly.

Shot in RAW, 47mm, 1/200 second at f/2.8, handheld.