RogerB - A Photography Odyssey

Forged

2010-08-19T21:12:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

I've been neglecting my blog for most of the summer. But, for a good reason - I have been busy working on my business interest in race/sports photography. Well, I took a weekend off and we took a family camping trip up to Jay Cooke State Park in Duluth, MN. Had a great time, and I was able to take photos of something other than sweaty athletes!

ABC Wednesday - P is for Patina

2010-05-04T21:01:00.005-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A statue (or fountain, in this case) with a nice patina is like a magnet for your eyes.

Monochrome Weekly - Wrought Iron Gate

2010-05-02T19:28:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Any wrought iron work is like a magnet for me. I found this gate at a community park.

Click Here for more Monochrome Weekend shots.

Skywatch Friday - St. Thomas

2010-04-22T21:02:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

I'm struggling to adapt my image processing to Adobe Lightroom. I think I'll like Lightroom, but this learning curve is a steep one! It was good to take a break from file management and look at a photo of St. Thomas.

Monochrome Weekly - Dominica Door

2010-04-18T18:51:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

An abandoned building on the island of Dominica.

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly shots.

Skywatch Friday - Coki Beach in St Thomas

2010-04-08T20:21:00.004-05:00

[click to enlarge]

The rocky end of Coki Beach on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

Click HERE for more Skywatch Friday shots.

ABC Wednesday - L is for Lady Barbados

2010-04-06T19:58:00.004-05:00

[click to enlarge]

This Lady hasn't been in the water for some time, but she still is a Looker as she patiently sits on the beach.

Click HERE for more ABC Wednesday shots.

Skywatch Friday - On Deck

2010-04-01T21:51:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

I'm back from a fantastic vacation in the South Caribbean. I won't convert all of my photos to B & W, but I like this one.

Skywatch Friday - Lake Shore 2

2010-03-18T20:35:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A shot from our camp site on Lake One in northern Minnesota.

Click HERE for more Skywatch Friday shots.

ABC Wednesday - I is for Ice Fishin'

2010-03-16T20:52:00.006-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A couple photos of a dad and daughter ice fishing outing. They both looked like they were enjoying the sunny day on the ice.

Hopefully, this will be one of the last Winter shots for awhile. Minnesota is starting to warm up and most of the snow has melted!

ABC Wednesday - H is for Hook

2010-03-09T19:38:00.004-06:00

[click to enlarge]

I took this shot while "exploring" an old fishing boat docked on the Mississippi River.

Click HERE for more ABC Wednesday shots.

ABC Wednesday - G is for Groovy

2010-03-02T21:24:00.004-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Sometimes, you just stumble across a beauty like this! It's like winning a little photo op lottery.

Click HERE for more ABC Wednesday shots.

Monochrome Weekly - Thin Ice

2010-02-28T20:29:00.004-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Fortunately, open water is starting to peek through the ice and snow covered lakes. Spring is coming!

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly shots.

ABC Wednesday - F for Freezin' Fun

2010-02-23T19:38:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

6" fresh snow

1 fast snowmobile

1 long rope

1 tube sled

2 kids

Mix together to create FUN.

Monochrome Weekly - White Birch and White Snow

2010-02-21T19:27:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

I went for a walk a couple days ago and found that the overcast sky made everything look white. Especially these white birch trees along the bank of a frozen lake.

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly shots.

Skywatch Friday - Partly Cloudy Over Snow

2010-02-18T20:57:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

It's been a long, overcast winter, so partly cloudy skies are reason enough to get outside for some photos.

Click HERE for more Skywatch Friday photos.

ABC Wednesday - E is for Elevated

2010-02-16T21:02:00.002-06:00

[click to enlarge]

A bridge that appears to extend off to the horizon. I've rode across this bridge since I was a child, but never viewed it from this perspective before taking this photo.

Click HERE for more ABC Wednesday shots.

Monochrome Weekly - Awning

2010-02-14T18:55:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

I stumbled across this old loading dock over the weekend in the Dubuque, IA warehouse district. The structural supports caught my attention.

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly shots.

ABC Wednesday - D is for Drift

2010-02-09T20:34:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Walking in the park was the only option this day.

Click HERE for more ABC Wednesday shots.

Skywatch Friday - Skating in Black and White

2010-02-04T21:30:00.002-06:00

[click to enlarge]

A few brave people were out ice skating in the extremely cold temperatures. Just a couple skaters, and some goof taking photos.

Click HERE for more Skywatch Friday shots.

ABC Wednesday - C is for Cut

2010-02-02T21:04:00.004-06:00

[click to enlarge]

I went to a High School skiing tournament this week and watched many, many excellent skiers.

Click HERE for more ABC Wednesday shots.

Monochrome Weekly - Ice Fishing

2010-01-31T19:35:00.004-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Under the snow, there's ice. Under 12" of ice, there's a lake of water. In that water, hopefully, there's hungry fish.

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly shots.

Skywatch Friday - Lifeguard Off Duty

2010-01-28T20:29:00.004-06:00

[click to enlarge]

I decided that some of us could use a summer beach scene - it's -5 degrees F here in Minnesota! I took this photo on a much warmer day last summer, shooting into the sun at about 7:00pm.

Click HERE for more skywatch Friday shots.

ABC Wednesday - B is for Big Top Circus

2010-01-26T19:43:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

I'm pretty sure that this Big Top Circus ran its course many years ago, but the wagon lives on.

Click HERE for more ABC Wednesday shots.

Monochrome Weekly - XC Skiing in the Woods

2010-01-17T12:46:00.002-06:00

[click to enlarge]

It was a beautiful day for the cross country skiers.

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly shots.

Skywatch Friday - A Little Color

2010-01-14T21:28:00.003-06:00

[Click to enlarge]

I set out to take a few winter photos with my new Zuiko 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 lens, but the sky didn't cooperate with me. This is a typical January sky in Minnesota. I am pretty happy with the new lens though.

Monochrome Weekly - Handrail Finial

2010-01-10T19:38:00.001-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly shots.

Taxi Off Duty

2010-01-06T20:29:00.000-06:00

[click to enlarge]

An old taxi buried in a recent snow storm.

Monochrome Weekly - Stars in a Row

2010-01-03T20:35:00.002-06:00

[click to enlarge]

An architectural detail on a building in downtown Minneapolis. Sometimes, it's all in the details.

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly shots.

Monochrome Weekly - Cleat

2009-12-27T21:50:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Monochrome Weekly - Grace of Ballet

2009-12-20T19:39:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Dance photos can be very difficult if the lighting folks are working against you. Fortunately, I was able to get this shot just as the dancers were perfectly inline with each other.

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly shots.

Skywatch Friday - A Frosty Dock

2009-12-17T21:26:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Not many bright colors left here in December, but that's winter in the North.

ABC Wednesday - V is for Vivacious

2009-12-15T21:36:00.001-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Vivacious - adj - lively; sprightly; animated.

Click HERE for more ABC Wednesday shots.

Monochrome Weekly - Minneapolis Skyline

2009-12-13T00:15:00.004-06:00

[click to enlarge]

A cold day in downtown Minneapolis, but a good day for B&W.

Click HERE for more monochrome Weekly shots.

Skywatch Friday - The Pumpkin Field

2009-12-03T20:47:00.002-06:00

[click to enlarge]

I always feel a little sorry for the pumpkins that didn't get picked in time for Halloween.

Click HERE for more skywatch Friday photos.

ABC Wednesday - T is for Trail

2009-12-01T20:40:00.004-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Why build a boring straight walkway? Curves are cool.

Monochrome Weekly - Silo Sign

2009-11-29T20:55:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

A company sign adorns a grain silo in Farmington, MN.

Skywatch Friday - Sunset at the Foshay

2009-11-26T21:16:00.002-06:00

[click to enlarge]

I took this photo through the window of my hotel room in the Foshay Tower in Minneapolis. The Foshay Tower building held the honor of being the tallest building (32 floors) west of the Mississippi for 40 years. A couple years ago, it was completely remodeled and became the W Minneapolis Hotel - very modern decorating within a historic architecture shell.

Monochrome Weekly - Autumn in Monochrome

2009-11-22T13:40:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

Late autumn colors converted to monochrome - why not?

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly shots.

ABC Wednesday - R is for Ragged

2009-11-17T20:57:00.003-06:00

[click to enlarge]

I love white birch trees - especially when the bark is peeling and curling. I took this photo on a dreary, overcast day and then did a little digital darkroom work on it to enhance the detail.

For more ABC Wednesday shots click HERE.

Monochrome Weekly - Wheel Spokes

2009-11-15T20:35:00.002-06:00

[click to enlarge]

An old metal wheel discarded behind a machine shop. The contrasting textures and shadows caught my eye.

For more Monochrome Weekly shots click HERE.

Skywatch Friday - Colorful Portage

2009-11-12T21:23:00.002-06:00

[click to enlarge]

A beautiful autumn day on a Minnesota lake. A "Portage" is a designated path to carry a canoe or kayak from one lake to another.

Monochrome Weekly - Black and White Birch

2009-11-08T15:58:00.004-06:00

[click to enlarge]

The autumn colors are gone here in Minnesota, but while hiking last week I found this group of White Birch trees willing to pose for a monochrome shot.

For mor Monochrome Weekly shots, click HERE.

ABC Wednesday - P is for Pluck

2009-11-03T20:08:00.002-06:00

[click to enlarge]

A musician plucks the strings of a harp. Beautiful music from a beautiful instrument.

Monochrome Weekly - Gargoyle

2009-10-25T15:34:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A gargoyle stands guard over the architecture that it he alone must defend.

For mor Monochrome weekly shots, click HERE.

Skywatch Friday - Blue Skies over Bloomers

2009-10-22T21:19:00.001-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A colorful array of bloomers hanging on the clothes line.

Monochrome Weekly - Henna Tattoo

2009-10-18T20:26:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

The henna tattoo artist is deep in concentration as she draws the sun design on my daughters shoulder.

Skywatch Friday - Glass and Clouds

2009-10-15T21:30:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Architecture made even more interesting by the clouds. Rochester, MN.

Monochrome Weekly - Curves

2009-10-11T14:38:00.001-05:00

[Click to Enlarge]

A curving handrail adds a nice touch.

For mor Monochrome shots, click Here.

Skywatch Friday - Clouds over the Capital

2009-10-08T20:56:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A recent photo of the Minnesota State Capital in St. Paul, MN. The building exterior is way more impressive than most of the politicians, bureaucrats and lobbyists working inside.

For more Skywatch Friday photos, click Here.

Monochrome Weekly - Heavy Armor

2009-10-04T20:30:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A battle-scarred suit of armor that I found at the Minnesota Rennaisance Festival.

For more Monochrome Weekly shots, click HERE.

Skywatch Friday - Red Accents

2009-10-01T21:58:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Partly cloudy skies over some unique lawn ornaments.

Monochrome Weekly - Capital Entrance

2009-09-27T20:07:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

One of the front entrances into the Minnesota State Capital.

Click HERE for more Monochrome Weekly Shots.

Skywatch Friday - Soyset

2009-09-24T21:13:00.001-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A beautiful sunset over a golden soybean field in Minnesota.

ABC Wednesday - J is for Jutting

2009-09-22T21:58:00.004-05:00

[click to enlarge]

This broken branch "jutting" out from a tree caught my attention, and my shirt sleeve!

Monochrome Weekly - Arches

2009-09-20T19:44:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Hanging around under bridges does provide some photo opportunities.

For mor Monochrome Monday shots click here.

Skywatch Friday - The State Theater

2009-09-17T21:38:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Skywatch Friday and a Sign photo all in one! This is the State Theater in Ely, MN. Unfortunately, Ely is now without a movie theater. Bummer.

For more Skywatch Fridays click here.

Monochrome Weekly - Paul's Tavern

2009-09-13T19:23:00.003-05:00

[Click to Enlarge]

A photo from my "Signs" collection: Paul's Tavern in Dubuque, IA.

For more Monochrome Weekly shots click here.

Skywatch Friday - No Sailing This Morning

2009-09-10T21:23:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

I couldn't resist this morning shot looking into the sun. The sun was doing its best to power through the stormy skies. Eventually, the sun won and clear skies prevailed.

For more Skywatch Friday shots click Here.

ABC Wednesday - H is for Handrail

2009-09-08T20:28:00.004-05:00

[click to enlarge]

The blue handrail just seems to work with the bright orange and yellow umbrellas. For more ABC Wednesday photos click here.

Monochrome Weekly - The Rio Grande

2009-09-07T20:47:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

I've notoced that photos of old steam engines are pretty popular - especially in black and white. Well, here's my "lighter" contribution to the train photos.

For mor Monochrome Weekly shots click Here.

Skywatch Friday - Sunset on the Lake

2009-09-03T20:37:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Last week I was camping in the Bounday Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in northern Minnesota. I took this photo just before dark. A yellow sunset over glass-like water - it was beautiful!

For more Skywatch Friday shots click here.

Monochrome Weekly - Lawn Bowling

2009-08-31T20:29:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Lawn bowling with a croquet field in the background. The object of the game of lawn bowling is to get your ball closest to the white ball. The winner is pretty obvious for this series.

For mor Monochrome Weekly shots click here.

ABC Wednesday - F is for Ferris Wheel

2009-08-25T20:45:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

"F" is for Ferris wheel and the Fair! Opening day at the Dakota County, MN Fair was pretty quiet - no waiting for a ride on the ferris wheel. Lemonade and Funnel Cakes - YUM!

For more ABC Wednesday shots, click here.

Monochrome Weekly - An Arched Window View

2009-08-23T09:21:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A slice of a view of Lake Harriet in Minneapolis, MN.

For more Monochrome Weekly shots click here.

3-Day Walk

2009-08-21T13:14:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

I'm a little late with a post today, but I was up early to take my wife and 16 year old daughter to the 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk. The thousands of participants started walking this morning in the pouring rain, and will walk 20 miles per day for the next 3 days. My wife and daughter raised over $4600 in donations, which will fund breast cancer research. Their blisters will heal, but their memories (and my photos) will last a lifetime.

ABC Wednesday - E is for ENJOY!

2009-08-18T20:35:00.004-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Delicious brick oven pizzas from a local dining spot by the name of "Enjoy!". Our pizza selections were pepperoni, chicken and spinach, and a delicious sun dried tomato and basil.

For more ABC Wednesday entries click here.

Monochrome Weekly - Carousel

2009-08-16T20:09:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

The historic carousel at Como Zoo in St. Paul, MN.

For more Monochrome Weekly shots click here.

The Blacksmith Shop

2009-08-14T22:27:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

For the past couple days I was a volunteer blacksmith in a 1900's villiage, Dakota City, MN. After 8 hours of poundin' metal yesterday, we shut down the forge (coal fire) and waited around for everything to cool off. I took this photo around 8:30pm, with only a couple incandescent lights casting an amber light in the shop. The smell of coal smoke in the air and dim lighting, it was a great end to a great day of blacksmithing.

Signs - Shave and Bath

2009-08-12T21:47:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

One from the Sign collection. It's hard to miss this sign hanging on the Barber Shop in Dakota City.

Monochrome Weekly - An Afternoon in the Park

2009-08-09T19:11:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A mid-afternoon July day, shooting to the north. I'm working with a new photo processing program which allows emulation of "classic" 35mm film and paper types. The goal of this photo was to enhance the contrast, without relying on HDR to do the work for me.

For more Monochrome Weekly photos click here.

A Well Worn Porch

2009-08-07T02:00:00.000-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Almost monochrome, but not quite. With this much white, it was pretty easy to strip out most of the colors except the brown in the bench.

No Wind Blowing

2009-08-06T02:00:00.000-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Years ago, operating windmills were pretty common on most midwest farms. Now it's a bit of a challenge to find a windmill in good condition. This one was near perfect.

ABC Wednesday - C is for Choreography

2009-08-05T02:00:00.000-05:00

[click to enlarge]

ABC Wednesday - "C" is for choreography.

My daughter is part of this competition dance team. The "costume" had me a little worked up at first, but hey, it's the arts. Right? :)

Big Neon

2009-08-04T02:00:00.000-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Some night neon from my "Signs" collection. This shot was taken around midnight, and without a tripod (because I didn't have one with me). A fairly successful experiment.

Monochrome of Monochrome

2009-08-03T02:00:00.001-05:00

[click to enlarge]

I thought it was pretty cool how the grain in the wood is similar to the zebra's stripes.

For more Monochrome Weekly Shots click here: Mono

Wells Fargo

2009-08-02T02:00:00.001-05:00

Nice reflections in the Wells Fargo Bank building in Rochester, MN.

Butterfly Landing Zone

2009-08-01T02:00:00.002-05:00

[click to make bug even bigger]

I thought it was time to add some vibrant colors to my posts - thank you Mrs. Butterfly.

The Hidden Shed

2009-07-31T02:00:00.003-05:00

[click to enlarge]

I found this little shed hiding in some weeds and vines. I like the contrast in black and white between the rough old wood and smooth leaves.

Fearless VW

2009-07-30T02:00:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Angry skies over an orange VW. If cars could talk, I'll bet this one has some pretty good stories!

ABC Wednesday - B for Blue and Brown Bike

2009-07-29T02:00:00.000-05:00

[click to enlarge]

An unlikely color combination for a bike, and it stood proud in the bike rack.

Dubuque Shot Tower

2009-07-28T02:00:00.004-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Shooting into the sun again - I can't help myself!

From Wiki:

The tower was built in 1856 to provide lead shot for the military. The concept of a shot tower solved the problem of how to produce many cheap, nearly perfect lead spheres of the right size to fit in a musket. To make lead shot, molten lead was poured into the top of the tower, where it passed through a grate. The droplets that fell from the grate were of relatively uniform size, and the fall provided enough time for the liquid-metal droplet to form into a sphere before landing in the water below. The water cooled the lead to its solid state, retaining the spherical shape.

Monochrome Weekly - The Pines Motel

2009-07-27T02:00:00.002-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Another photo from my "Signs" collection. This is a sign that I've passed many times in Postville, IA. If you enlarge the photo, you can see that some feature of the motel listed on the sign has been painted over - my guess is that this fine establishment once had one of those vintage 1950's swimming pools in front. Like most vintage 1950's pools, it's was filled in and made into additional parking.

My goal for the processing of this photo was to give it an old photograph look.

See more Monochrome Weekly photos.

People and Pets Sundays - The Party Barge

2009-07-26T10:30:00.002-05:00

The classic pontoon boat - aka "Party Barge". Boating made simple. Some white resin chairs from Walmart - check. Strap the orange life vests to the railing - check. Cooler full of beer and wine coolers - check. Anything goes on a party barge - take off your shirt and enjoy the sun!

Minneapolis Mill District

2009-07-25T02:00:00.001-05:00

[click to enlarge]

Photo of the Minneapolis flour mill district during a photo walkabout with fellow bloggers. I like the color variations.

Corn at the Grain Elevator

2009-07-24T02:00:00.004-05:00

[click to enlarge]

A small pile of corn escaped from the grain elevator before it could be loaded into a train.

REI - A Safe Haven During the Storm

2009-07-23T02:00:00.002-05:00

I like the architecture of this REI store almost as much as I enjoy shopping at this REI store. For those unfamaliar with REI, it's only the ultimate outdoor enthuthiasts retail store. I couldn't think of a better place to weather the storm that was coming in fast.

Raise you hand if you love REI!

ABC Wednesday - A is for Adrenaline

2009-07-22T02:00:00.002-05:00

Legs of the participants in a 4 mile race just about to start.

Horse Shoe Nails Meet Stained Glass

2009-07-21T02:00:00.004-05:00

One of my other hobby-turned-business is designing and building stained glass windows. I prefer to build windows with the traditional lead came, so I assemble the entire window first, and then go back and weld the lead joints. It is also tradition to use horse shoe nails to help hold the pieces of glass in place while assembling the window.

You can see some of my windows at www.rgbglass.com .

Monochrome Weekly - Loading Dock #2

2009-07-20T02:00:00.003-05:00

An old loading dock in a warehouse district that probably hasn't been used for years.

People and Pets Sundays - Run Jenna Run

2009-07-19T09:04:00.002-05:00

My daughter (#120 in the pink shirt) ran in a 1 mile race and a 4 mile race yesterday in Rosemount, MN. I love the eager expressions on the runners faces at the start of the race - their expressions are quite different at the end of the race.

Waves in the Sand

2009-07-18T02:00:00.000-05:00

Another shot from one of the Apple Valley, MN gravel/sand pits. Yes, I was trespassing a little, but a photo op was calling!

Sign Quest - Miracle Car Wash

2009-07-17T02:00:00.001-05:00

Miracle Car Wash in Dubuque, IA. Built in 1960, the car wash has been a favorite of locals and Dubuque visitors for almost 50 years.

______

Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs...

I enjoy looking at signs. Neon, plastic, wood - if it's unique, I like it. Watch for more photos of signs in the future - my sign quest!

Hooked

2009-07-16T02:00:00.000-05:00

There's just something fun about big yellow construction equipment.

Lights in a Row

2009-07-15T02:00:00.002-05:00

A building along the river in Minneapolis.

Green Intestines Giant Size

2009-07-14T02:00:00.002-05:00

Three or four waterslides knotted into a mess at the Waterpark of America, across the road for the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. I visited the Waterpark of America once, and it resulted in knee surgery. How many people can say that they blew out their knee on a water slide? I'm lucky that way.

Dubuque Town Clock

2009-07-13T02:00:00.000-05:00

I took these photos last week while in Dubuque, IA. It was a rainy day, but I still managed to get some photography time in. The Town Clock is a well-known structure in Dubuque.

From Wiki...

The First Town Clock

In 1864, Asa Horr, a Dubuque area Doctor, helped fund the placement of a town clock. George Wood and his wife gave a perpetual lease to the city for the clock to be placed on the John Bell and Company Store building which they owned.

This first clock was placed on top of the store at a cost of $2,000. At the time, the clock was said to be one of the most accurate in the United States. It began operations in November 1864, and everyone who donated more than $25.00 was given a membership in the Dubuque Town Clock Company, which owned the clock.

On May 25, 1872, several people noticed cracks forming in the walls of the store building. Within a few minutes both the clock and the John Bell store collapsed, killing a child and two women who were inside the store at the time.

An investigation into the matter reported that the foundation of the Bell Store was not sufficient to handle the clock's weight, which was nearly 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg). It was also reported that subsequent construction next door was the primary cause of the accident.

[edit]The Second Town Clock

[edit]The early years

Dubuque soon decided to replace the collapsed Town Clock. Architect Fridolin Heer, Sr., drew plans for the clock and a new building. This new clock cost $5,309.45, and was erected on April 17, 1873.

The new clock was accurate to within two seconds each week. For a number of years, the clock had a mechanical movement. Two employees spent an hour and a half winding cranks that were attached to the weights, which would allow the clock to operate for one week.

[edit]The 1920s

In 1923, the Town Clock was almost dismantled when the financial cost of repairs led the city council to decide to remove the clock. However, the council changed their minds when a poll found that a majority of citizens favored keeping and maintaining it.

In 1927, the clock was electrified by Interstate Power Company when a new Seth Thomas movement was placed in the clock. Western Union then synchronized the clock.

[edit]Urban Renewal

With the urban renewal trend in the 1970s, the "Your Town Clock Committee" was organized. Their goal was to have the clock moved from the current location at 825 Main Street to the new Town Clock Plaza, which the city council approved. The cost for the move was $70,000, which was raised through donations raised over a 14 month period.

Durrant Architecture firm of Dubuque designed a pre-caast four-column pedestal that was then placed in the plaza. The actual tower was brought to the site on Feb 12, 1971, and bolted to the pedestal. The faces of the clock were placed at the new location on Feb 16, 1971. Afterwards the cupola was placed at the new site, which completed the move. After the reassembly was complete, the clock stood about 108 feet above the street, which was about two feet taller than at its previous location.

The move helped increase the visibility of the Town Clock, where it now served as the centerpeice at special events held at Town Clock Plaza. Otherwise, most of the traffic had moved out to the west end of the city. Main street had become an office park.

In 1989, concerns were voiced about vibrations made by loud music and dancers possibly causing damage to the pedestal or the clock. The city studied the problem and stated its confidence that the Town Clock was structurally sound.

Friday Afternoon at the Beach

2009-07-11T02:00:00.001-05:00

A sunny afternoon made the day perfect for jumping off the dock at Shady Oak Lake Beach in Hopkins, MN.

Cement Soldiers Standing in Formation

2009-07-10T02:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry if this pic makes you a little dizzy - I was having some fun playing with depth of field settings. I have no idea what these cement columns once supported, but I'll bet it was pretty impressive in its day.

My Serenity

2009-07-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

A photo of one of my favorite toys - my Kayak. There's nothing better than paddling across a glass-like lake on a summer evening! It's also seen a river rapids over the years, but I prefer the calm water of lakes. Taking photos from a kayak is a bit strange at first, but it's worth the trouble.