Day: July 5, 2015

True confessions.  I often put filler titles in when I’m setting up the posts, mostly because I can’t remember the official name of something and don’t have time to look it up. But these really are those famous falls.  Or were, once upon a time.

If you are around my mom and mention Hiawatha, she will immediately say, “On the shores of Gitchee Gumee/Of the Shining Big Sea Water”  And that’s because that’s the start of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem “The Song of Hiawatha“.  You know that poem, right?  I sure do.  I sure haven’t read it, though.  It’s really long.  I feel like maybe it needs a campfire and no devices to distract you to get all the way through it.

In re-reading all the Betsy-Tacy books, these same famous falls were a kind of calling card for Betsy in the book Betsy and the Great World.  No one in Europe in 1913 knew where Minneapolis was, but everyone had heard of Minnehaha Falls.

So that’s where we are!  Minnehaha Falls!

From the top.

 Statue by Jacob Fjelde of Hiawatha and Minnehaha.  There was controversy back in 1902.  You can read all about it.

 Here are the falls.

 And here is our self-portrait.

Not ones to pass up an ice cream opportunity, we stopped at Grand Ole Creamery.  The portions were generous, to say the least. 

 President Obama visited just over a year ago and there was this delightful poster commemorating the event.
(Notice that Waldo is hiding right there.  We found another Waldo without trying)

 We also wandered by the St. Paul Curling Club.  You know, curling?  The sport that media is amused by every four years during the winter Olympics?  Despite being amused by it four years prior?

Anyway, if you want to learn, this is your place.

Our wandering took us to the Cathedral of Saint Paul, which is a gorgeous building conveniently located by Summit Avenue, where all the rich people built houses.

I learned (from Shawn) that the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) all have animal symbols to go with them.  Thus, we know that this is Mark, because he’s got a lion with him. Okay wait.  Below you will find a picture with something that is clearly a lion.  So this must be Luke with the Ox?  Although that doesn’t look like an ox to me.

 Here is John with the eagle.

 This delighted me to no end, because I imagined people coming in with big gallon containers and filling them with holy water for home use.  But Sara told me that really I should be thinking of containers that would make it through security at an airport. Apparently a little holy water goes a long way in the home.

 Here’s Matthew with an angel.

 Really great goose lamp.

 Detail of the main light hanging from the dome.

 Great proportions, eh?

 Here is Mark with the lion.

 One of my first exposures to the candle lighting at Catholic churches was by reading a somewhat scary middle-reader novel.  The name escapes me at this juncture.  But something wasn’t going well in the main character’s life, and he went to church and lit a candle quite often.  I loved that idea, and thus always enjoy when I come across the candle section in the church.  I’m sure the candle section has an official name.  But I’m not looking it up.  Shawn?

 Sara and Shawn on the steps.  Sara was telling me to envision it to be winter and the entire steps and all the way across the street and down the hill are covered with ice.  Then to picture people skating down them.  Or you can watch this video.

 Here’s the capitol dome.  Though a tour of the capitol would have totally fit my theme of Houses & Homes (house of government) no tours are happening because of a big renovation. Phooey.  I love me a good capitol tour.

 Exterior.