Canal Houses - next set

OK, here are the next set of canal houses and their stories.  The next three are E, F and G/H (two house made into one.) The stories follow the photo.

The Residence of the Pink Princess (aka House E)


This is the house of the Pink Princess. She is all about hearts and flowers and the glam! Shiny things excite her…especially PINK shiny things! She IS in residence most of the time but the entrance to her pink palace is through the courtyard in the back so no one is ever REALLY sure when she is at home. She can sometimes be seen walking her pink poodle along the canal sidewalk in the evenings….just when the sunset is nice and pink. During the day…even some of the wispy clouds seem shiny and sparkly over her house and only pink fish seem to swim in the canal in front of her house. Her favorite holiday is Valentine’s Day…of course. But it is not just on that day that her heart is open. Her favorite pastime is working with charities for children…giving of herself and her vast fortune. Her little pink poodle is a favorite in the hospital children’s ward. When the weather is not pleasant, she spends her days sitting in front of her fireplace on her pink chaise reading romance novels. I think you might enjoy getting to know her in your neighborhood.

The Royal Residence (aka House F)


Obviously this royal purple house with the precious metal décor is the home of a royal family. No one is sure just WHICH royal family though. Rumors abound but because the entrance to their home is through their back courtyard, no one has ever actually SEEN then arrive or leave. Some conjecture that they are a members of the once well-known Russian royalty. Others believe they once recognized a Scandanavian prince in the window. But alas…no solid lead has ever surfaced. This mystery is furthered along because their house is at the very top of the bridge so to be less visible from the canal itself. Perhaps while they are living with you, you will catch a glimpse of them and final reveal their true identity!

European Home of Jackson Pollock (aka House G/H)


When Jackson Pollock was alive, he loved to visit Amsterdam! He visited so often that he decided to purchase a large home on one of the canals. Not long after moving in, he painted the outside of his house. Now it is unlike any other. As his legacy to the art world, his will left instructions for his Amsterdam Canal home to be turned into an artist retreat. Artists needing to get away and rejuvenate their creative muse are welcome to stay here at no fee for three months. These visiting artists each leave a wonderfully creative touch on the inside of Pollock’s former house. While Jackson Pollock was a painter, ALL genre of art is encouraged at the retreat. At any given time, the residents could be painters, musicians, poets, writers, sculptors, mixed media and fiber artists, etc. Culinary artists also visit regularly so the kitchen is constantly supplied with tasty tantalizing morsels to sample. It is possibly the liveliest house on the block…so drop in sometime, sit around the kitchen table and just drink in the air of the creative soul.

Tomorrow I'll post the final three houses. Enjoy!

Bridge Photos

Well, it took me a few days to recover from the harrowing evening of trying to get a night photo of one of my favorite bridges.  But I finally got them printed and mounted on ATC cards for the very first ATC swap I get to  hostess!!  Here they are:

Third Avenue Bridge
The Third Avenue Bridge is the longest S-curve shaped concrete arch bridge in the world. The bridge was completed in June of 1918. The curves in the bridge were dictated by the rock in the upper level of the Saint Anthony falls. By the 1970s, the Third Avenue Bridge had deteriorated badly. Due to cost, it probably would have been cheaper to abandon the refurbishing project and tear the bridge down, but the city decided to continue. The refurbished bridge opened in late 1980.

Stillwater Lift Bridge
The 1931 Stillwater Bridge, spanning the St. Croix River, was the last vertical-lift bridge to be completed. The 140' central span is engineered for a rise up to 51'.

Stone Arch Bridge
Completed in 1883 for Manitoba Railway, this is the only arched bridge made of stone along the entire length of the Mississippi River. It curves over the river just below St. Anthony Falls. It was built of locally-quarried limestone and granite, and also limestone quarried in Iowa. In 1994, the Stone Arch Bridge became a pedestrian and biking bridge.

Father Louis Hennepin Bridge
The Father Louis Hennepin Bridge - The location of this new bridge was the site of what is believed to be the first permanent bridge over the Mississippi River. The original very important bridge over the Mississippi River is now the most beautiful bridge (especially when lit at night) on this river. The first bridge was built in 1854 and was opened on January 23, 1855. The new bridge was opened in September of 1990.

While the photos are all mine, I want to thank and acknowledge John Weeks for his thorough website page of the bridges in the Minneapolis area.  There are so many more.  Here is a link to his website:  http://www.johnweeks.com/highway/bridges.html

Thanks, John!!