alexandriacardinals

Meanwhile, back in the air . . .

As you recall, we got a little bit ahead of ourselves with our Alexandria Golf Club flyover.  Well, we’ve posted the preceding “Leaves,” so now the rest of the photos from our 1/2-hour flight on Wednesday morning.

[This is water.  A good deal of it.  It’s Lake Le Homme Dieu.  That’s Tolena Point on the left; Government Point on the right.  For further reference, Bug-A-Boo Bay is just off the bottom of the photo.]

[Panning around to the South, we picked up little glare in the window.  We have Le Homme Dieu on the left, Lake Geneva in the center, and a part of Lake Victoria at the far end of Geneva.  The back 9 of the AGC is in the right center.]

[The South end of Big Darling.  Lake Cowdry is left center.  And above Darling are Lakes Stony, Taylor, and Union.]

[Joining the fray are Lakes Brophy (with the island, center top) and Louise (sneaking in on the upper right).]

[Darling Heights Place shoreline to Pristine Bay on the right.]

[The home neighborhood for the past 11 years.  Lake Union across CR 22.]

[I can see my house from 1,000 feet!  The Moby Obie is on the left, to the right of that is Dangerous Dan’s dock, and the supervisor said she was out in the backyard waving at us!  🙂 ]

[A backyard tree.]

[You can see our green steel “+” roof center left, with the aforementioned Lee Norwegian red maple lake side by the Moby Obie.]

[Two other backyard trees.  Can’t fool you, huh?  OK, the top photo of Hume Lake is from blog contributor, Roooggggg, from his recent trip to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.  Then he contributed the “California” (backyard tree), and this is the “Lightning Tree” and “Missouri.”]

[We’re flanked by our red maple on the left and the Lee’s red maple on the right!]

[If the supervisor had run out onto the driveway, we would have seen her!]

[“General Grant”]

[Darling right, Cowdry left.  Brophy above, between left to right are Stony, Taylor and Union.]

[All of Cowdry.]

[Mist Falls in Kings Canyon.]

[Cowdry toward Lake Latoka.]

[Cowdry]

[Cowdry with Brophy in the background.]

[Latoka]

[Latoka]

[AGC President Riley deplanes, as in he “got off de plane.”]

[That was fun!]

[Not willing to cede Kings Canyon and Sequoia totally to Travelin’ Rooogggg, here are my own contributions from 1988 with Basketball Dan.  Yup, “General Grant” 24 years ago – we were both much younger then!]

[Next to the Grand Canyon, the most amazing natural wonders I have ever seen.]

[B’ball Dan passes The Senate.]

[B’ball Dan says, “I’m No. 1!”]

Next up:  More stuff!

[Looking out my bedroom window . . .]

Last weekend was a gorgeous weekend for leaf viewing.  I took a few photos around the yard on Saturday, and on Sunday we took the Moby Obie out for its final ride of the year (and forever?).  It was almost too hot Sunday – the temperature was in the 80’s.  We had promised Pris and Paul Fieldhammer, who had taken their boat out earlier, we would take them for a leaf cruise; and we owed Beryl and Don Waldeland more than just a boat ride.  Beryl and Don drove over, we launched the Moby, and picked up the Fieldhammers in route.  There was lot going on that day – Paul kept us apprised of what was going on both in the Ryder Cup (a loss) and the Vikings’ game (a win) with his new iPhone (I think that’s what it was?).

We weren’t sure how long we would stay out, or how far we would go, but Ruthie packed a lunch and all did a BYOB.  The water levels are really low – we had to rock the Moby out of its lift before anyone could get aboard.  And we were concerned about the depth of water in Darling-Carlos channel – but it was fine.  So we slowly motored all the way to Carlos State Park on the North end of Lake Carlos – and I think all the lake photos are on Carlos.

[Our patio is a tad overcrowded.   We had to bring all the furniture down from the decks when they were stained and didn’t see any point of putting them back as the season’s over.  The European mountain ash in the foreground looks good though!  😉 ]

[Neighbors Jo and Arnie Lee’s Norwegian red maple – spectacular every year!]

[A first peak at the house’s new stain job.  Our bedroom deck – a great place to sun bathe au naturel, if one were so inclined.]

[The red maple in our driveway circle.  It is now totally red – I’m waiting for good lighting!]

[It’s now Sunday and we’re out on Lake Darling.  A guy placing duck decoys – right in front of Arrowwood?]

[Beryl]

[On Carlos, approaching Blakes-by-the-Lakes.]

[The supervisor decided she could still work on her tan.]

[“Donley” Point]

[Approaching “Donley” Point.]

[The guys said the water was fine.  This is the “take-out” process.]

[Anyone home?]

[Let’s go tubing now, everybody’s learning how . . .]

[Looking north on Carlos.]

[Pris, the supervisor, and Beryl discussing something totally different from what the boys in the back of the boat were discussing as we’re driving to the northern side of Carlos.]

[2/3’s (?) of the way up the eastern shore of Carlos.]

[(I coulda been golfing!)]

[Now that’s colorful!  🙂 ]

[That, too!]

[Skiin’]

[Fishin’]

[Now heading back south down the western shoreline.]

[Classic wood boat.]

[Normally identifiable by a 49ers’ flag.]

[Big water]

[Paul provides perspective.  Don apparently was not considered photo-worthy.  Apologies.]

[That point on the western shore across the lake from the Carlos-Le Homme Dieu channel.  We were out for almost three hours and must have then been in a hurry to get home.  This was the last on-the-lake photo.]

[Docked back home – the Lee’s Norwegian red maple again.]

[Looking north up our shoreline.]

[The Moby back in its resting place.]

[SE Lake Darling]

[The home from lake level.]

[“Dangerous” Dan’s boats are in.]

[The pontoon and dock came in on Wednesday.]

[Good-bye to Lake Darling until next spring.  (Drat, still have to take in the lake pump.)]

[Climbing up to the house.]

[Planning on putting on the market next year . . .  It’s time to downsize.]

[Our basswood on the South side of the house – tallest tree on the lake?]

[The Lee’s Norwegian red maple “points” to a fisherman.]

 [Our front yard garden’s clump birch.]

[“Dangerous” Dan’s tree.]

[The supervisor’s front door garden – since lost to the first frost.]

We’ll wrap up this year’s version of “Autumn Leaves” with the above contribution from the HQ on Lake Minnetonka.  Thanks, Kath!  🙂  Obviously inspired by the cub reporter, she has been entering photo contests!

[Keck Observatories, Mauna Kea, from blog contributor, Roy Gorena, now a retired denizen of the Big Island.  Nothing to do with the following story of course.]

OK, we’re getting way ahead of ourselves here.  But by popular demand this will supersede other hot “stories” currently in the pipeline.  This morning Alexandria Golf Club (AGC) president, Roger Riley, on the left, requested that I, the cub reporter, join him and Don Clobes, on the right, a retired airline pilot and now flight instructor at Chandler Field, for a photo op flyover of the reconstructed signature hole (with the Minnesota green), No. 7.  It was a beautiful October 3rd morning – 50 degrees, sunny, a wisp of wind – as we blasted off at 8:00 AM, mere minutes after sunrise.

Yoga class seems like a logical option should I wish to enter such a plane again – it was a tight fit for “his royal largeness.”  And it was first time ever in a small plane, i.e., something other than a commercial airliner.  I was a little concerned when the pilot easily pulled it out onto the runway all by himself?  I would guess the kids’ Smart Car weighs more.

I checked out the dashboard – in case I got bored and wanted to find the “oldies” station.

The wind sock hung limp as a  . . . well, it didn’t move much.

We’re airborne!  Hardly a need for the Depends.

We’re making a bee line to the AGC.  Having previously seen air photos of the Alex lakes area, one is still amazed at the amount of water!

We’re looking north.  Voyager Elementary School is the long, brown building center right.  Lake Henry is in the immediate foreground, Lake Darling is center left, Lake Le Homme Dieu is just above the school, and Lake Carlos is the long lake center top.  Reminder again, you can double click all photos to make them full size.

Beautiful Lake Darling over the wing tip.  Where the two points pinch separates “Big” Darling (left) from “Little” Darling (right).  Lake Alvin is center left, just above Darling.  Above Lake Alvin is Lake Ida, on the road (CR 34) to Carlos Creek Winery.

The AGC farmland in the foreground, Lake Darling on the left, Lake Le Homme Dieu on the right, Lake Carlos on top.

Hole No. 7, on the eastern shore of beautiful Lake Darling.  Here I apologize to all who aren’t members of the AGC, or not golfers otherwise interested, because now we will present a plethora of similar photos as a working document for the club.

That’s the 6th green above the “covered” new 7th – it will be ready for play next July.  That’s the 8th fairway going up the right side.

A close-up of the previous photo (just checking to see if you’re paying attention).

The forward tee will no longer have to shoot over water.  The sand trap between the water and the green is deep enough to hide the Empire State Building.

Just one man’s opinion, but I think it’s going to be a gorgeous, challenging hole!  There are 5 tee boxes of between 100 and 200 yards.

Remember, the wind along the lake in summer has an average net speed of 213 miles per hour.  One often sees children on towing tubes go flying by at double digit altitudes.

The farmland south of the 8th and 9th fairways at the top.

Pulling up and around, one sees the internationally notorious Camp Ballantine along the shoreline just below (north) of the 7th hole.  The crossing green strips, from bottom to top, are holes, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8.

Looking back toward downtown Alex, center right.  The tall building (13 stories), left center, is the Alexandria skyline.  Broadway (the main street) angles by it on the left.  Lake Henry in the foreground, Lake Agnes just above Henry, and Lake Winona is the long, narrow lake at the top.

Same lakes, now you can see the tank farm on the right.

Guess?  OK, CR 44, heading west past Voyager School, off the bottom of the page, but you can see their track.  This is just south of the AGC.

Bottom to top:  Farmland, driving range, 9th hole, clubhouse and parking lot, and the rest of the front 9.

Coming back around to No. 7 again.

Looks like a pork chop!  (Well, I’m on a diet.)

Left to right:  Holes 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8.

The aforementioned Camp Ballantine on the left.

Can you see Crazy Dave?

Sarasota North

Somehow Donnacha and staff have managed to keep it green though it hasn’t rained since 1936.  🙂

Top left – maintenance and storage buildings with the clubhouse just below.

Voyager and Lake Henry at the top.  Can you see Harry?

Back 9, left to right:  15, 16, 17, 18.

The back 9, less No. 13 off the bottom.  The clubhouse is across the street.

Back 9 looking across the street to the Front 9.

Hole No. 10 on the left, No. 11 to its right.

Back to the Front 9, looking out on Darling.

Maintenance

And here comes No. 7 around again.

Nine months, probably on the cover of “Minnesota Golfer”?

Next:  We’ll try to get back to chronological integrity.

[She floats through the air with the greatest of ease!  Sophomore Amanda Haack executes a jump serve.  It’s a high risk play, but I haven’t seen her miss one yet.  She’s going to be a player!  🙂  It’s a lot harder trying to catch one on camera that’s not blurry!]

We won!  We beat St. Cloud Tech in 3 straight games Thursday, which was fortunate as it was also date night and Funky Gumbo was playing!  😉  I believe that makes us 7-1 in conference with a match-up against undefeated Fergus this week.  Go Cards!

[This is why the staff photographer and I have white lens envy.  On the other hand, it does give and impression of speed and quickness?  With my ever increasing ability to recognize players now, senior Tara LeBrassuer?]

[And the blur at top of this warm-up photo bears a striking resemblance to senior Dani Strater.]

[Ms. Haack (11), again, I presume.]

[Senior Adrianne Wensman gives it the “Is it in?” look while still airborne.]

[The game plan for tonight?  Win!]

[Greetings to the Tigers.  And, for all, remember there is “No Smoking” in the Jefferson High gymnasium!]

[The home team.]

[Dani Strater.  During introductions, the players tossed something into the stands – possibly pickled vegetables?  Possibly beets or herring, but then herring’s not a vegetable.  Well, unless you consider a dead fish to be a vegetable?]

[Sophomore Liz Schultz.  The toss we used playing corn hole at camp.]

[Senior Allie Noetzelman]

[Senior Jenni Wild]

[Adrianne]

[Junior Amanda Christianson, picked out her folks and hit them with a perfect toss.]

[Senior Natalie Watkins tried it overhand.]

[Senior Shanee’ Herd]

[Do you think she could have possibly seen me, hiding in the stands behind her mom and dad?]

[OK, let’s get started!]

[The defensive line takes position . . .]

 [And action.]

[I think they’re going that way.]

[Shanee’ sets up in back.]

[Emily comes in for Allie.  I still have no idea how substitutions work?]

[Amanda C welcomes senior Nicole Canavati.]

[Adrianne at net watches the ball whiz by.]

[Adrianne has kinda assumed Sam Trumm’s old role – celebrater-in-chief!  😉 ]

[Nicole keeps one alive . . .]

[And Dani knocks it over.]

[Adrianne serves . . .]

[Then saves.]

[Jenni chases a double into the rightfield corner.]

[What are you doing after the game?]

[I’m thinking DQ, then the tanning booth?]

[Listen, if you’re all thinking of going to DQ after the game, do not order the quarter-ton Blizzard!  You’re in training, for crying out loud!]

[I got the quarter-ton last week, but I shared it with the chess club and the Super Fans.]

[Well, let’s close out this first game.]

[OK, Game 2.]

[I wanna dance with you, hold you in my arms once more, that’s what they invented dancing for, I just want to dance with you ~ The Salty Dogs . . .]

[I’m lonesome!  😦 ]

[Jenni gives double secret probation hand signals.]

[Then goes up for a block.]

[Adrianne asks, “Did anyone order my Blizzard yet?”]

[And then helped Amanda C on a block.

[Jenni heads to the left flank in support of Amanda C and Adrianne.]

[Adrianne and Amanda C are skybound again.  As I recall, I asked the Fat Boys just the other day, “When was the last time you jumped?”]

[Prelude to deployment.  Again, either through hand signals or vocal commands, they do stuff about which I have no understanding.]

[Jenni, “You put your right leg out, and you shake it all about.”]

[It’s my ball and you can’t have it!]

[23 – 43xx – slant right – hut – hut!]

[Move!]

[Jump!]

[Dani in a balanced defensive position.]

[Amanda H sets.]

[Tara and Amanda C are happy in their work.]

[Allie signals for a slider, low and away.]

Shanee’ serves:

[Are you sure it’s DQ after the game?]

[Were you in the front row or in the back?]

[OK, we have the lead . . .]

[Now keep it, Amanda.]

[I’m serving, right?]

[The Amanda H jump serve – I did get it twice.  🙂 ]

[We’re gonna block here.]

[Dani and Tara go up.]

[Deploy!]

[Did we do that right?]

[I like mine with Heath bar crunchies.]

[Up!]

[Nicole sets.]

[And we close out Game 2.]

[Big win!]

[A Game 3 set.]

[Aaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!]

[We did that good.  Let’s do it again!]

Let’s follow Nicole through a point:

[Oy!]

[Ay!]

[Ay2!]

[Ay3!]

[Shanee’ back on the service line.]

[Amanda H framed by Cardinal padding.]

[Looks like Adrianne on the block.]

[Amanda H setting Adrianne.]

[No Blizzard for me.  Going for a chocolate malt!]

[Yup, it’ll be a malt.]

[Our point!]

[We’re getting close!]

[Deploy!]

[Jump!]

[Hit it over, Natalie!]

[Jump!]

[I heard that Ole & Lena joke from Beryl.]

[Do you think I should tell it to Amanda H before she serves?]

[Probably not, huh?]

[Not a problem – but remember, I’m only a sophomore.]

[The ole misdirection deploy.]

[Maybe the last point . . .]

[Because game over.]

[We won!  Jenni was player-of-the-game for her complete game.  She plays offense, defense, digs, sets, and kills.  I could not stay for player-of-the-game photos a’ la the staff photographer – see “date night” above.  Amanda C had a whole bunch of kills – when she gets her pitch, she hits it out of the park!  They usually are not touched, let alone returned.]

[Good game, good game, good game, good game, good game, good game . . .]

Next up:  Fall colors, Moby Obie, music, music, music, and more endearingly insipid commentary.