Random pictures 03-08-2013

I saw deer in the fields west of Sparling this afternoon and wanted to see if I could get a better picture of them than I could get three years ago. There were not as many this year.

Something I will be looking for but am unlikely to photograph is Comet PanSRARRS. For the next couple of weeks it will be very low in the western sky shortly after sunset. With the very clear skies we had today, I though it might be worthwhile to look for it this evening, but then the western sky clouded up so I did not bother.

It will now take a very high clearance vehicle to cross the pedestrian bridge from downtown to Potawatomi Park. I am not sure why they worry about cars crossing--with the 7 I-beams that support the deck, it may the strongest bridge in Jasper County.

Another sign of spring--Busy Bee will open tomorrow despite all the snow.

Mad Hatter Tea Party

The Rensselaer branch of the Jasper County Public Library hosted a Mad Hatter Tea Party a few days ago. I did not attend, but heard from someone who did attend that it was delightful. The library has put pictures on flickr of the event: http://www.flickr.com/photos/myjcpl/sets/72157632941310032/with/8537089150/

In quest of snowmen

The five or six inches of heavy snow plus the temperatures today that were just at freezing plus the cancellation of classes in local schools made for a day that was ideal for making snowmen and other snow creations, so I set out to see what had been created. I found several, but not as many as I expected to find.

 The few kids that I saw outside were having fun. I saw two little boys in the south part of town struggling to lift a ball of snow onto a base and being quite proud of themselves when they accomplished the task.

I headed out to SJC to see if the college kids had done anything impressive. The best I could find was some trash-can art. Some students had used a trash can to mold cylinders of packed snow into a wall. I am not sure what it was that they were trying to create.

 I saw my first robins today--several in several different places. I also heard a large flock of red wing blackbirds. They have all gotten back just in time for the big snow. I wonder what they will find to eat.

A day or two ago I saw a flock of what looked like seagulls flying overhead.

A reader alerted me to a move north of a different kid. First Trust Credit Union, which is in the front of the bowling alley building, will be closing their Rensselaer office. I asked way and was told that they were not doing enough business to justify the office. I am sorry to see them go.

Winter storm Saturn

Winter Storm Saturn began dumping on us this morning, though for the first few hours the snow was melting when it hit the streets. By 4:30, however, there were several inches of snow on the ground and the tree branches were covered in snow.

Most area schools and many area businesses closed early today. I suspect that many will not open tomorrow or, if they do, will open late.

I managed to get out to the Business After Hours event at the Alliance Bank this evening. The attendance was poor but the conversation was good.

This is already the biggest snowfall of the year and the snow will continue through the night.

Before the storm

The forecast says we may get the biggest snow of the winter tomorrow, but then we should start getting more spring-like weather. I am ready for the better weather.

I noticed a new store but no one was there to tell me about it. The name is "Unique Threads" and it is next to Oddities Ink, across the street from R&M Market.

 The SPAW has completed its move to the corner of Cullen and Vine, in a building that was once a grocery store, though I think the grocery was in the other part of the building. I stopped in but decided to wait until the owner had decorated before I took an interior picture.

 Meanwhile a painter was removing the decorations from her old location in the Horton Building.

I did not see any activity on the new train station site. It appears that they are finished digging.

 There is a construction trailer near the city power plant, and a fence is being erected. The Power Construction Group will be in charge of doing whatever needs to be done for the substation that will complete the 69K line project.

The big machines were again active at what used to be Monnett School. Do you see what is missing in the picture below?

 The elephant is gone. Now the excavator is tearing up the concrete pad and whatever foundation was below it.

As I left, there were three trucks waiting to carry away the debris.