June 2011 Posts

Cheap date for North Shore hikers, agoraphiles

Jun 09, 2011 10 Comments

For the price of a few gallons of gas, you can have a full, free day at Split Rock Lighthouse. It’s the annual open house for Minnesota State Parks, so park admission is free. So is admission to the Minnesota Historical Society Split Rock Lighthouse site.

Did I make up word, “agoraphile”? It’s the opposite of an agoraphobe (someone afraid of crowds). The park and especially the Lighthouse will be crowded!

 

By the way, gas is often 3-4 cents cheaper per gallon in Two Harbors. Something about Hugo Chavez…


Random

Bill Flannagan Rockin’ Honky Tonkin’ Blues

Jun 09, 2011 No Comments

I will be playing at Sir Benedict’s Tavern on Friday, June 10 at 9 p.m. Come and enjoy a great selections of songs and beers. Music is free; the beers cost.


Music

Yeehaw and Yahoo!

Jun 09, 2011 No Comments

Yahoo! thinks we’re pretty.

Stop: Duluth’s four-mile lakeside sports path shows off the city highlights: a rose garden, pre-Prohibition brewery, an aerial bridge, and the largest grain elevators in the world.


Random

Final Trip Through Original Laura MacArthur Elementary School

Jun 09, 2011 18 Comments

An open house was held at MacArthur Elementary School yesterday as the last day of classes was wrapping up. I brought my camera on a final tour before the place is demolished and turned into a field. A new MacArthur is being built across the street from the original.

Read More


History, Photos, R.I.P. ,

Drink up

Jun 08, 2011 6 Comments

100 years ago, from the front page of the Duluth News Tribune, June 10, 1911.


History

Squirrel begins life of hard labor … via Wildwoods Rehab

Jun 08, 2011 3 Comments

Squirrel

This is Delilah, our developmentally delayed grey squirrel. We normally don’t pet the animals in our care; we need to keep them as wild as possible. Delilah is a bit “special,” so we love her up.

Read More


Outdoors, Photos

Neighborhood Housing Services of Duluth Golf Fundraiser

Jun 08, 2011 No Comments

NHS Duluth serves all of Duluth’s core neighborhoods in home improvement, homeownership, and revitalization efforts.  It is a 401(c)3 non-profit organization, making any donations tax deductible.

We are holding our first annual golf fundraising outing on Friday, June 17, and are looking for any players or sponsors who may be interested.  To sign up click here.  Cash Prizes!  Golf Prizes!  A Friday on the golf course!

For more information, contact Dan at 218-727-8604 x. 207 or at dollhoff @ nhsduluth.org.


Outdoors, Sports

Learn your local wildflowers

Jun 08, 2011 No Comments

Let’s say you’re a wildflower and you happen to like cool, moist, acidic woods. Suppose you’d find a place to live around Duluth? That’s what happened for Cornus canadensis, the bunchberry or Canada dogwood.

For four great random facts about the bunchberry, read more at my blog.


Random

Where in Duluth 1890?

Jun 08, 2011 5 Comments

File:Duluth MN Panorama circa 1890s.jpg
TITLE: Duluth, Minn. CALL NUMBER: PAN US GEOG – Minnesota no. 8 RIGHTS INFORMATION: No known restrictions on publication.
MEDIUM: 1 photographic print : albumen ; 4.5 x 41 in. CREATED/PUBLISHED: [between 1886 and 1905]
RELATED NAMES: Newton, George A., photographer.

This may have been posted before but I don’t remember seeing it. I found it on one of my new favorite sites, Wikimedia Commons. Click the image to go directly to the page, you should be able to enhance it there as well.

I believe this picture was taken close to my current domicile but I can’t exactly say. Could anyone else tell where it appears to radiate from? I’d also love to see one of you photoshop wizards try overlaying modern images so I can compare side by side, but that’s asking a lot on a rare warm summer day, I know.


History, Photos

Hello, West Duluth. Is it Lionel Ritchie you’re looking for?

Jun 08, 2011 12 Comments

LionelHelloRitchie

This poster was hanging on the pillar outside Insty-Prints at the Spirit Valley Shopping Center in West Duluth on Tuesday. Everyone at Insty denied involvement and seemed unaware of it. The tear-offs at the bottom are lyrics from the song.

Read More


Random

The Life of Riley 7:15 Screening Sold Out

Jun 08, 2011 No Comments

Due to a great response, the 7:15pm’s RSVP list is now filled! Thank you! If you are still interested in coming to see the film, there are spots available at 9:15. Email me at carrie(at)4trackfilms(dot)com or send me a message on FB.

If you have already RSVP’d for the 7:15 show, PLEASE arrive by 6:45 to check in. Then feel free to wander about, grab a 1/2 price pint from the cafe or some grub, or step out to the Lakewalk for a few minutes. After 6:45 we will be releasing seats to those who are waiting.

If you have any questions, please email me at the above.

Also – I’ll be doing an interview this evening on The Local on KUMD – talking about & playing some of the awesome local music in the film!


Art, Events

Duluth FourthFest 2011 at Bayfront Park

Jun 08, 2011 5 Comments

Monday, July 4, 2011 | Bayfront Festival Park

Is it still free?
Yes, just like our country.

What bands are playing?
Shaunna Heckman, Sarah Krueger, Dirty Horse, 4onthefloor and Charlie Parr. Plus, the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, with its full company of 60 musicians, will perform an Independence Day program in the tradition of the Boston Pops and John Philip Sousa.

Read More


Events

“A Major Aurora Event”?

Jun 08, 2011 No Comments

According to Science Buzz, astronomers are predicting some sexy Northern Lights tonight:

A major eruption on the Sun on June 7 sent high-energy particles spewing into space. They are expected to reach Earth on the night of Wednesday, June 8 (Minnesota time). Astronomers are predicting a major aurora event, with the Northern Lights visible overhead as far south as Milwaukee, and possibly visible on the northern horizon as far south a southern Indiana and Washington DC!

The most recent case of awesome Northern Lights in Duluth I remember was seven years ago. Tomasz Majewski captured the image above for Perfect Duluth Day from his home in the Piedmont neighborhood on Nov. 7, 2004.


Outdoors

Big Top Songwriting Competition 2011

Jun 07, 2011 2 Comments

The deadline is approaching for Big Top Chautauqua’s fourth annual songwriting competition. Interested local musicians have until June 17 to submit two original songs. Up to twelve finalists will be selected to perform in the competition finals on the Big Top stage August 19 for a chance at a cash prize of $100, a slot performing two songs as the opener for the Jessie Winchester/Johnsmith performance, and a chance to appear on the nationally broadcast Tent Show Radio program. Details here.

(Also, Big Top is celebrating its 25 years by giving away 25 prizes in 25 days. If you like Big Top Chautauqua on Facebook before July 5 you could win show tickets.)


Music

A few unsolicited viewing recommendations for this week’s SUID Film Fest

Jun 07, 2011 2 Comments

If you didn’t have the pleasure of attending a screening at last year’s inaugural SUID Film Fest, I encourage you for your own sake to not let this opportunity escape you the second time round. This year the programmers have once again assembled a remarkable slate of films, many of which will be accompanied by Q&As with the directors and producers. As a film fan, it is close to utopia to have a festival of this quality here in our hometown. This year I (legally) got my hands on screener copies of some festival selections and have a few recommendations for films to check out this weekend.

Read More


Events, Music, Recommendations ,