Preschool Halloween

Our third daughter's preschool class held a Halloween costume parade on Friday afternoon. Afterward, her two "cowgirl" teachers led the kids in a few Halloween songs while all the cameras snapped and clicked. Happy Halloween!

Grocery store decorations

Byerly's is our upscale grocery store

in Eagan located off Yankee Doodle Road. Pumpkins, gourds, squash and corn stalks adorn their front entryway right now.

FDIC insured drinks

Arleen Sullivan, President of Anchor Bank in Eagan, and her employees hosted a community "Business After Hours Event" on Tuesday, October 27 from 5 - 7 p.m. Beer, wine and various beverages were served up at the bank's teller windows. I wonder if the security cameras recorded how many drinks everyone had? Over 100 bank customers, friends, business owners and Eagan Rotarians gathered for delicious food, fun and fellowship.

Y is for YMCA

Eagan has its own YMCA facility located at 550 Opperman Drive across the street from the Thomson Reuters campus. Now's a great time to join! Do you know the YMCA song and motions?
"We build strong kids, strong families and strong communities."

www.YMCA.net

Pirate ship ahoy!

I spotted this pirate ship anchored in a parking lot in northeastern Eagan. Sailor Girl in Lisbon will probably fall in love with this boat!

Out my office window

From my second floor office window, I can see these two magnificent maple trees. A friend of mine, Doug R., calls me the "Vice President of looking out the window." I think he's jealous to not have any windows in his work space!

Dream house series #10

This gorgeous house is complimented by a lavishly landscaped back yard! I snapped this photo in early Spring and now it's Autumn.

Halloween parade

Our daughters' elementary school had a Halloween costume parade this past week. Parents and grandparents gathered in the gymnasium with their video cameras and regular cameras! Witches, firefighters, ghosts, Star Wars characters, princesses, and others marched by!

Eagan Rotarian series #8

TWINS! Dr. Glenn Perkins is an excellent dentist in Eagan. Glenn's identical twin brother, Gary, is 5 minutes older and a St. Olaf graduate. Glenn graduated from Gustavus Adolphus. (My 9 minute younger twin brother graduated from Gustavus and I graduated from St. Olaf. )

Visit Dr. Perkins if you want a gentle dentist in a beautiful office! Cosmetic & family dentistry at 4555 Erin Drive - Suite 180!

www.eaganvalleydental.com

Eagan dog series #12

While walking around at the Eagan Market Fest one Wednesday in August, I bumped into this Siberian Husky named "Dude" and his owner.

X is for Xylophone

My niece, Hope, built a wooden xylophone in my father's workshop with his expert woodworking guidance. She tuned a brand new xylophone and practiced a song with her new instrument built as a school project.

Shopping for Halloween?

How odd! Walking into our local TARGET store, I ran into more shopping carts than I had ever previously seen. Well, it was 8:10 am. After waiting for 10 minutes, I was finally given permission to use this photo by the store manager who walked up from the back of the store. Are you ready for Halloween? Need any candy for kids?!

Door County getaway

Our girls had a school vacation, so we drove 7 hours east to Door County, Wisconsin for a 4 day weekend. Goats munched grass on top of Al Johnson's Swedish restaurant while we ate Swedish pancakes with lingonberries inside.

The Autumn leaves were at their PEAK colors! Nature was a photographer's dream. Finally, my wife said, "Leif, that's enough pictures of leaves!"

We drank "Killer Coffee" drinks with yummy doughnuts and cookies at Washington island's "Red Cup" Coffee House.

We spent a fun day exploring the island. The car ferry was loaded and ready to take us back to the main part of Door County.

A zippy car!

This Ford Mustang convertible was begging to be photographed! Zoom, zoom! Yellow or orange?

Autumn flowers

Walking around Jensen Lake, I spotted these pretty, pink flowers! Autumn colors and changing leaves . . . . ah!

October pumpkins

Pumpkins! October is the time that we see pumpkins everywhere. People love to put them outside their front doors as Autumn decorations and in preparation for Halloween.

Eagan dog series #11

This dog owner was so happy to have her picture taken with her dog. Willow, a Rotweiler and Dingo mix, was a cute and lively puppy!

W is for water tower

H2O! Driving along highway 35 East, you'll see one of Eagan's huge water towers. The oak tree symbol is shown on many things in our city.

Columbus Day snow?!!

As I drove to work at 8 AM yesterday, I passed these snowy, beautiful trees. But it's not January yet! When I left our house, our 6 year old was already outside playing in the new snow - a true Minnesotan!

Painting becomes tile mosaic

A local artist painted a colorful landscape and many Eaganites created the tiles which will make up the mosaic copy. At the "Harvest of Art" exhibit opening at the Eagan Art House located at 3931 Lexington Avenue, I had the chance to apply adhesive to the back of one tile. The framed, community mosaic will hang at the Eagan Community Center after completion.

Loud lawnboy

Out my office window this Summer, I saw and heard the lawnboy arrive with his loud, grass cutting equipment. Buzz, buzz, buzz he went around the yard on his upright standing, riding machine. They just don't make push lawnmovers like they used to!

Cops & their bikes

These Eagan policemen were quite friendly and happy to show off their motorbikes. Just be careful not to speed over the limit; they like to show up out of nowhere!

Eagan Rotarian series #7

Michael Scott has fought fires in Eagan since 1983. In March 2006, he became Eagan's first full-time fire chief of a department which started in 1963. He coordinates the efforts and work of the 120 volunteer fire fighters here. In 2009, the fire department budget is $1.6 million. Volunteer firefighters receive just $13 per fire call regardless of the time spent on a call. About 30 pieces of equiptment make up the force's list of trucks, engines, etc. They received 1,200 fire/rescue calls in 2008.

Mike posed with the first 1942 fire truck which was originally an army truck. They paid $1,600 for that first truck. Now fire trucks cost $500,000 or more! We have 5 fire stations and 1 fire adminstration building in Eagan.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty

Yesterday, Governor Tim Pawlenty spoke at our Eagan Rotary club lunch meeting. I had the honor of introducing him; he gave a great "presidential" handshake. Terry, our Rotary International exchange student from Taipei, was happy to be photographed with the governor, too.

Governor Pawlenty launched a political action committee and Web site recently as he continues to lay the groundwork for a potential presidential bid in 2012. Mr. Pawlenty, age 48 and fellow Eagan resident, was on Senator John McCain's vice-presidential short list in 2008.

Photo taken by fellow Eagan Rotarian, Michael Proebstle. www.LegacyCreativeImages.com

V is for Von Hanson's

Von Hanson's is the closet thing we can find to an old fashioned butcher shop in Eagan. Great steaks, sausages, bacon, pork chops, brats, etc.

Bus stop diversity

My friend, Allison, took this morning "waiting for the school bus" photo. From left to right the kids are lined up: Andrea from Mexico, Delaney the bus patrol, Sanna from Afghanistan, Mohammed from Somalia, Bashir from Afghanistan, Zanie from Somalia, Piper and Susanna.

Dinner guest from Taipei

On Saturday evening, Terry from Taiwan, the Rotary International exchange student in Eagan, joined us and our friends, the Butlers, for a lively, delicious dinner. Fresh apple crisp made from apples picked last weekend in Lakeville with vanilla ice cream was our dessert!

Dream house series #9

This house had some new brick work done. The masons did a darn good job! Summer flowers weren't yet planted in the front flowerpots when I photographed it.

Grand opening - new location!

My 150th posting!

On Tuesday, September 29, Paul & Leslie Arazny cut the red ribbon in front of their new "Insty Prints" printing company in Eagan. They bought it from the original owner of 13 years who retired and moved to Wisconsin. Their 3,800 square feet facility employees 3 persons besides Paul. Some guests included the city mayor, Paul's fellow Rotarians, the police chief, friends, Chamber of Commerce members and the handsome president of the Eagan Rotary club. Call Paul for any of your printing needs! Tel: 651-688-3385

1975 Seneca Road - Suite 500

www.Eagan.Insty-Prints.com

Apple picking Sunday

Last Sunday, we drove 20 minutes south of Eagan to "Applewood Orchard" in Lakeville to pick "Honeycrisp" apples. Our timing was perfect as it rained before we arrived and after we left! With 33 pounds of apples, our two bushels were enough for one day's picking. Apple sauce, apple crisp and maybe apple pie!

www.applewoodorchard.com

Big & small cars CONTRAST!

The THEME for City Daily Photo blogs for October is CONTRAST! My office assistant, Allison, and I drove around Eagan in her BIG Chevy Suburban between office clients just to find a SMALL Mini Cooper with which to contrast. Friendly Doug and his pet Chihuahua were happy to be photographed for my blog. When we arrived back at the office after chasing around town, we spotted a cute, yellow, Mini Cooper in our parking lot!

How do Mini Coopers contrast with Suburbans? Look at the numbers: Length: 8 feet, 1 inch VS 18 feet, 6 inches

Width: 5 feet, 6 inches VS 6 feet, 7 inches

Height: 4 feet, 7 inches VS 6 feet, 5 inches

Weight: 2,568 pounds VS 7,400 pounds

Gas usage: not so much VS a lot!

Base cost: $19,500 VS $40,000

Passengers: 4 & SMALL dog VS 7 & BIG dog

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants