This is the cat I almost lost. Although, that might not be the right term; she wasn't lost, I just didn't know where she was. She probably didn't care. My wife disagrees with the cat on that point. I was grilling a burger, my wife was out shopping- instantly you see I had no plausible deniability. The cat, being a sly beast in spite of her cow-ish running style while on a hardwood floor, used her invisibility cloak to scamper onto the deck while I was distracted by my quarter pounder with cheese work in progress.
Hours later, I notice the furry little beggar hasn't stopped by to demand the attention normally lavished on a queen of her stature. Thus began the search. It was dark outside, and she wasn't to be found anywhere inside. After much flash-light shining and kissy-noise making (does that ever work?) I noticed a dark apparition sprinting up the stairs to the deck where I stood pondering the darkness and how much trouble I was in for not noticing the cat's departure sooner (sooner as in, seconds after she left the deck). The apprarition drew closer, moving very cat like and now clearly fur covered, but appeared to be gray. I thought for a moment the wrong wandering cat had returned home and my wife was not going to accept this as a substitute.
Alas, it was a trick of the light (I mentioned it was dark out?) and the returning cat turned out to be the one who had covertly egressed earlier. I welcomed her back in the house, announced to the wife that I had found her (some liberty with the facts, perhaps).
And the cat laid down for a nap.
Truth in posting statement: All the above is true. The events however took place on the day after I took this picture, which was the day before I wrote this post. Isn't space-time a grand construct?
This is the cat I almost lost. Although, that might not be the right term; she wasn't lost, I just didn't know where she was. She probably didn't care. My wife disagrees with the cat on that point. I was grilling a burger, my wife was out shopping- instantly you see I had no plausible deniability. The cat, being a sly beast in spite of her cow-ish running style while on a hardwood floor, used her invisibility cloak to scamper onto the deck while I was distracted by my quarter pounder with cheese work in progress. 
An hour or so before this picture was taken a young buck and doe were tearing through our neighborhood. The buck launched himself into the air to clear a small berm of dirt and fence leading into the abandoned golf course (Carriage Hills, soon to be Stone Haven) I mentioned in a previous post. It seems the construction is stirring up the animals. Of course all I could think as I watched the buck and doe skitter across the road was "there is no way I can get my camera out to catch this", and I was right. The picture I did get was of a dark cluster of trees and shrubs that the doe, much more dainty in her approach to the golf course, had just disappeared into.
This is a picture that just didn't turn out. The Best Buy store in our town is a pretty new one. The exterior design includes a rakish point in deep blue shooting up into the sky adding some color and flair to an otherwise squarish "big box" brown brick building. The yellow Best Buy tag logo, set at an angle is positioned jauntily on the field of blue. 
I remember when I had to ride my bike up hill, both ways, to school in the snow. We had it rough then... Probably heard that one before. This wasn't up hill both ways, it wasn't in the snow either. It was on a bike. And it was 80% humidity. And it was a sweat test. It was also a last minute "oh, crap, I haven't taken a picture yet today and by the time I get back from this bike ride it will be dark!"
I know, the fourth of July and no patriotic picture. I was walking through a parking lot and took this picture as a back up, just in case I didn't get anything else. Obviously it was a good idea, since the backup picture made it. I left the place where this was taken and forgot to get the 'other' picture I was planning. Maybe that one will get taken on another day. For now, some advice regarding witches.
It was a hot and hazy day, that shows a bit in this picture (the streaks of sunlight are streaming through the humidity). This is the paddock at Canterbury Downs, celebrating their 25th anniversary with free admission. Horse racing is a seasonal thing here, with the season going from sometime in May to sometime in August.
When I was a kid fireworks were illegal. At the time I thought they were illegal everywhere in Minnesota, but I was a kid, what did I know? Today there are a few varieties that are legal in the town I live in, but only for a short time; so tents like this pop up shortly before the fourth of July. The fireworks they sell are silly things, mostly smoke and not much spark or bang, and certainly no flying (that's a big no-no, presumably because of the concern over launching something onto a neighbors roof and starting it on fire).
