St. Paul MN

Garter snakes on the river bluff

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

I have lived in the West 7th neighborhood for most of my life. The block we live on is on the river bluff and the limestone is just beneath the soil. Garter snakes love it because the soil is warmer. Garter snakes love it. It isn’t unusual to see a few garter snakes sunning themselves on the basement window sills.

Occasionally a snake gets in the house. They can’t climb but they can fall in. They are not poisonous, they don’t have teeth and they usually slither away when someone comes near. They eat frogs, small mammals, earthworms, and insects. They hibernate in the winter.

Fear of snakes is common and some people have ophiophobia, which is an irrational fear of snakes. Over the years I have known people who bought houses that they could not live in due to fear of snakes.

It is best to ask about snakes before you buy. It is best to ask about anything that might affect your use or enjoyment of the property.

The snakes can be found anywhere in Minnesota and throughout St. Paul.

The Colorful Pilney Building

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

Last week I wrote about all black exteriors. This week I want to write about color.

The Pilney historic Art Deco style Pilney building was built in 1913. It was a grocery store until sometime in the 1990s, and it has since been converted into office space.

The building is located on Wesdt 7th at Oceola Avenue and is a local landmark. Recently an artist, Audry Carver painted a Mural on the building. Even without the artwork the building itself is a work of art.

Pileny Building
Pilney Building June 2024
Closeup Pilney building
Artwork by Audry Carver
Pilney building 2015
Pilney Building 2015

I just had to add the picture from 2015 because today is Thursday and this is a throw back.

How old are the old houses in St. Paul?

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

Understanding old houses is an important part of my job. I have rarely met an old house that I don’t like. In fact, I think old houses make great homes.

The oldest houses in St. Paul are those that are the closest to downtown. The newest houses are on the Eastern and Western edges of the city. There are newer houses here and there and even some new construction.  Half of all houses in St. Paul were built before 1920. The chart below is a screen print from a City of St. Paul planning report.

The wonderful thing about houses is they can be retrofitted and do not have to become obsolete.  When my house was built in the 1860s it lacked many of the modern amenities it has today like central heating. Today it has central air and smart home technology.

If you don’t like old houses you might want to live in the suburbs or in Minneapolis.

 

age of houses
Age of housing stock

The house I grew up in was a beautiful craftsman style in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood. It was built in 1926 and is the newest house I ever lived in. It had an ancient boiler that burned oil.  I well remember the great oil shortage and taking turns with my dad hauling containers of diesel fuel from the local gas station and using it as fuel for the boiler. That same boiler was later converted to natural gas.

On this day in April 2023

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

I took these pictures April 25, 2023. There isn’t any flooding this year but there is more water in the river than there was last fall which is a good thing.

Sometimes we take the Mississippi River for granted but we shouldn’t because we depend upon it for water and for shipping.

The world’s fresh water supply is decreasing at an alarming rate due to human consumption and natural causes.

Unless water use is drastically reduced, severe water shortage will affect the entire planet by 2040.

“There will be no water by 2040 if we keep doing what we’re doing today”.

– Professor Benjamin Sovacool, Aarhus University, Denmark.

 

Mississippi River at St. Paul, MN
Mississippi River at St. Paul, MN April 25, 2024
Mississippi River at St. Paul, MN
Mississippi River at St. Paul, MN April 25, 2024

 

Throwback Thursday-change is slow

Posted on by Teresa Boardman
Mississippi River
Building along the river are long gone

Former Adult Detention Center and Ramsey County Government Center West buildings, along Kellogg blvd. The picture was taken in 2008 before the buildings were removed.  Today this is the RiversEdge site which is nearly five-acres located at the southwest intersection of Wabasha St. and Kellogg Blvd., overlooking the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Paul. It is currently vacant. The proposed development will include:  public park, office space and housing. Part of the project will be a river balcony. I like that idea but for now I just look over the railing where the West Publishing buildings used to be.  The project isn’t likely to be started or completed for a few years. I need to get pictures before they get started.

Change happens slowly but it happens fast too.

 

Spring 2024

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

Today just the first day of spring. To be honest it doesn’t seem like we had a winter this year. The tulips and crocus are all early as are the buds on the trees. I have enjoyed a few bike rides already too and it is a good thing because there is some snow on the way. Expect snow on Thursday and then again on Sunday.

It is too early for yard work but it isn’t too early to transplant the rhubarb that I have been meaning to transplant.

I really do love flowers and plants too. I have been planning my garden in my head for weeks.