Photos

The looney sculpture at University and Snelling

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

A 33-foot tall, 25-ton steel statue of a loon sits near the corner of Snelling and University, in St. Paul. Designed by famous Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, the sculpture was assembled last week.  The bird is 30 feet tall with a 90-foot wing span. It was still fenced off when I saw it yesterday. The area around it is mostly parking lots and roads that lead to Allianz Field. The area can best be described as bleak or gritty. Just across the street, there is a vacant CVS drugstore.

The sculpture is spectacular. I’ll get back for more photos when the fence comes down.

loom sculpture
Loon – corner of snelling and University
Loon Sculpture
Loom Sculpture
Loom sculpture
loon sculpture

The last picture is for context. I stood at the corner of University and Snelling, across the street from the site facing south with Allianz stadium in the background.

 

 

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Where are the Monarchs?

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

We aren’t seeing many monarch butterflies this year.  As of a year ago, they are listed as a vulnerable species. Global warming and drought have not been kind to them. You can do your part by not using pesticides and by growing milkweed.

I am unsure why, but my milkweed isn’t doing well this year. ??  Maybe it is because of all the rain.

At any rate, this photo was taken in my yard in 2019 and there is a monarch butterfly and a honey bee all in one picture. The flower is a purple aster. Purple asters are plentiful around these parts in the fall but honey bees and monarch butterflies are not as plentiful as they were a few years ago.

monarch butterfly
Monarch Butterfly on purple aster

 

Throw Back Thursday – Downtown Lunds 2014

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

It is hard to believe but it has been ten years since the downtown St. Paul Lunds store opened. It was indeed a big deal. The population of downtown St. Paul had grown and a grocery store was and is most welcome.

The store has been in the news this week. Starting next week store hours will be shortened by 5 hours. It will open at 10:00 AM and close at 7:00 PM.  The area around the store can seem scary early in the morning. There is always a police officer in the store.

Some folks are claiming the reduced hours create a “food desert”. People who depend on the store will need to adjust and possibly be inconvenienced.  The store is open 7 days a week.

Lunds Grand opening
Musicians – Grand opening May 2014
Lunds store construction
Lunds – late 2013

July 4th 2024

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

Have a safe and fun July 4th holiday. I think I took the picture in 2013 which was one of the last public fireworks displays on July 4th in St. Paul. We used to have beautiful, accessible and free fireworks displays along the Mississippi River or on the state Capital grounds.

July 4th Fireworks in St. Paul