alexandriacardinals

October 8

[The Salty Dogs at Carlos Creek Winery.  The inside edition is indicative of the change of seasons.]

October 9

[The Kiehnes were in town from Austin, Texas.  The European tour group of last spring reunited in Ashby for Oktoberfest.]

October 11

[While Professor Doctor Colonel Kiehne was still in town, The Tumbleweeds of ’65 held our monthly luncheon, in Starbuck this time.  We were accompanied by a large contingent of coots on Lake Minnewaska.]

October 12

[Fall colors off our front deck.]

October 14

[Oktoberfest at the newly christened Legacy of the Lakes Museum.]

October 15

[Back at the winery, inside, with Anthony and Jim Miltich.]

[And it was such a beautiful day, we went home topless . . . ]

[Good-bye to the winery . . . ]

[Past the stables at Arrowwood . . . ]

[And home.]

[That evening was an event for which the Performing Arts Center at the high school was specifically designed.  A terrific show by the world’s best athletes.]

October 16

[As posted in Facebook – went viral like nothing else I’ve ever posted!  COLORS!!! An orange Lake Darling on the east side; a red maple, with a full moon, on the west side. All taken within minutes of each other, this morning, October 16, 2016.]

[OK, a little later in the morning, neighbor Arnie’s Norwegian maple . . . ]

[And more coots!]

[And that evening, more big time entertainment – this time by our own local folks.  The Super proclaimed it their best show ever.]

The Game – October 19

[As Facebooked:  Reminder, football is a game of attrition. The healthiest team standing at the end of the year usually wins. So, Viking fans remember – we’re only 5 games into the season and if Bradford goes down . . . So, last night our Cards hosted the equally undefeated St. Cloud Tech Huskies. We were missing our 1st and 2nd string running backs, our flanker had been moved to running back but often was back at flanker this game (where he had 14 catches) as we had a tight end at running back, and our starting middle linebacker was out. Of course those were contributing factors in the final result – but more so were our 3 fumbles lost to their one. Tech won a hard fought game 26 – 19. I don’t recall either team breaking a long gainer – it was just a slugfest, and after Tech scored on its first two possessions, I thought our defense played great. We’re still the No. 1 seed in our section, and if we get healthy by the time we have to play again . . . ]

[It was the first indication of a new weather season – as I recall Brad reported the windchill to be in the 20’s at game time.  Larry McCoy joined us in the parka and stocking cap brigade.  In an effort to create warmth, small children were running up and down the field prior to kickoff.  And, of course, kids just wear hoodies in this kind of weather because they are born with antifreeze in their veins.]

[And the kickoff – Jaran Roste with what we have now established as the usual pattern of laying the ball on its side and doing hard squib kicks.]

[The Tigers scored touchdowns on their first two possessions for a 13 – 0 lead (we blocked the second extra point).  They have a very athletic quarterback and a 6’7″ wide receiver, who is also large, with great hands and athletic ability.  Both touchdowns were just lobs into the end zone where he could outreach everyone.]

[Likely the Cards first offensive series.  Not a great shot, but what are ya gonna do?  Roste (1) is looking for downfield receivers.]

[And again.]

[This was our modus operandi most of the night.  For the first time all year, we did not have a ground game.  In its absence, we threw flare passes all night to get the likes of Cody Faber (33) out in space. And you can see tightend Tyson Hoelscher (89) was playing out of the backfield.]

[In a game without big plays by either team, these 7 to 8-yard pass plays were the norm.]

[This looks like a keeper by Roste.  We could never break anything loose.]

[Here’s Cody up the right sidelines that may have been a kick return.]

[The series leading to the Cards’ first touchdown . . . ]

[The touchdown on a pass to Faber.]

[And this would be the halftime score.]

[And a Cardinal drive late in the 2nd quarter . . . ]

[On the night, I recall at least three long passes where we just missed connecting with receivers behind the defense.  But they were passes of probably 50 yards in the air and each was just barely out of the reach of the receiver.]

[After no scoring in the 3rd quarter, we’re in striking range in the 4th.]

[After the Cards got a safety, by Hoelscher, after pinning the Tigers on their one-yard line, we capped a long drive with a touchdown run by Roste to take a 16 – 13 lead with less than 6 minutes to go in the game.  We thought we had pulled it out!]

[To Tech’s credit, they came back to score with just under 3 minutes left abetted by a helmet-to-helmet penalty on the Cards that the coaches said upon video review never happened.  Oh well!  The Cards had time but lost a fumble on the 2nd play – Tech scored again on a short field.  The Cards got a late field goal, hoping to recover on on-side kick afterwards because they needed two scores.  It was a good, hard-fought game.  Tech did everything they could to keep the ball out of our offense’s hands – on this night it worked as they were successful on 4 of 5 4th down plays, some around midfield.  Now we just hope we can get some people healthy before the sections start.]

October 21

[Our red maple, so beautiful a mere 5 days ago, now just a skeleton of its former self.]

If lessons are learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education.  ~ Murray Warmath, Minnesota

Up Next:  Gotta get back to Europe.

May 2

~ Koblenz

[As Facebooked:  Koblenz, pop. 107,000, at the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers. In fact, Koblenz means confluence in Latin, as it was a city founded by the Romans 2,000 years ago. Accordingly, we made “confluence” the word of the day! In order to totally appreciate its confluencedness, the Super and I rode the funicular to the top of the far side of the Rhine for an over view of where the rivers meet, but where the Mosel loses naming rights to the Rhine. Yes, that’s our boat, the Aegir. Then we rode around town on the choo-choo train!]

[A reader noted a total lack of “food shots” in the previous post, ergo . . . ]

[The Koblenz funicular – to be featured many more times.]

[Our boat; soon to be our funicular.]

[OK, who remembers Konrad Adenauer?]

[An obelisk . . . every self respecting town should have one.]

[Looks like I beat the Super to the flower bed.  I think this is when we thought we were on a  bus that was going to tour the town – it wasn’t, so we hopped off and tried to find our way “back home.”]

[We found Richie and Marlene’s restaurant.]

[Still wending our way back through town – stopping for photo ops whenever.]

[Ahh, back to the river and the funicular.]

[So how ’bout a ride?]

[Well, maybe a little walk around our neighborhood first.]

[Kaiser Wilhelm I]

[The point where the Mosel and Rhine Rivers meet . . . and greet, known as the German Corner.]

[A promenade]

[One should never travel without one’s elephant, particularly if it’s a woolly mammoth.]

[OK, now let’s ride the funicular!]

[Here we go!]

[There’s Kaiser Bill and our boat.]

[And there’s the Mosel in the background.]

[Looking down the Rhine.]

[The city and the confluence]

[Almost to the top.]

[And now the view from the top.]

[A vast green park up top . . . which is better than being half vast.]

[And the famous black tulips, a/k/a, Queen of the Night tulips.  OK, they’re really a deep maroon . . . making them half Gophers!]

[The confluence from on high.]

[The barges on the Mosel probably going to pick up casks of the famous Mosel wines . . . OK, maybe not.]

[The Rhine from whence we came.]

[Ungulates!]

[We’re heading back to the funicular thataway.]

[I’m looking for my husband . . . or someone to do yard work, whoever comes first.]

[And now, the funicular ride back down . . . ]

[We’re on a walk around German Corner and up the Mosel side.]

[And into the city.]

[How ’bout a “train” ride?]

[Basilica of Saint Castor]

[All aboard!]

[I have no idea.  Only found one other shot of it, and it was only identified as a “building near the Mosel.”]

[Still choo-chooing.]

[Koblenz Square]

[Electoral Palace in Schlosspark]

[I believe this is to reflect the fall of The Wall.]

[Downtown Koblenz]

[Forum Confluentes, a new arts and cultural center built in the heart of the city’s central square.]

[The Church of Our Lady]

[And we found our boat again!]

[As Facebooked:  John and Helen return to the boat after a hard day of exploring. Last [that] night was the captain’s dinner (though we still have two more days on the boat, didn’t want to rush anything at the end). Beef Wellington and other assorted goodies – we long ago began using doggie bags and are now wondering how we get multiple styrofoam boxes home in our luggage? The evening ended with a singularly outstanding performance by these two young musicians who played everything from Beethoven, to Mozart, to Gershwin, and ended with “Take Five” as an encore. Blew our socks off, which was great because I would have been too tired and stuffed to take them off in our room . . .]

[The Farewell Dinner]

[Sayonara?]

[And the evening’s entertainment.]

[Lidiya Plastun and Nikolay Leschenko were fabulous!]

[Posted on FB, May 8:  We’re home! In celebration we give you Six Hands Duo, who performed on our boat in Koblenz. We were very tired (another day of hiking) but stayed to end and wished they would have played longer. A Mother’s Day present to all the moms!]

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.  ~  Mark Twain

Up Next:  Cardinal football!

May 2

~  Main and Rhine River cruise

[A plane, a bridge, some water – we are about to get under way on the Main River, cruising all morning into the Rhine until we arrive in Koblenz.]

[Apparently contrails were somewhat new to me?]

[Now the fun begins!  As you are probably aware, pigeons are not known as the brightest of creatures.  This one found it’s way in here through the open air steps – the other three sides, however, are bounded by glass walls.  The bird could not figure how to get out of this “trap.”  A crewman eventually had to come, remove a couple steps so he could get in . . . to shoo the pigeon out!]

[Another castle along the river?  I’m astounded!]

[We obviously went through a canal here, though at this point in time I have no recollection of it.]

[From the Main River we’re angling into the Rhine at the city of Mainz.]

[Several photos of Mainz . . . ]

[Interspersed with Pam taking pictures of Mainz . . . ]

[It was a beautiful day . . . ]

[The Super pensive?  Or just relaxing?]

[Pretty day, pretty city]

[Home of the movable-type printing press!  Remember that Gutenberg guy?]

[As long as  we’re on the roof, what’s happening on the lower deck below?]

[OK, jacket off, happy!!]

[Here we began wondering if we were going left or right for Wiesbaden?]

[This may be Wiesbaden?]

[We went right . . . ]

[Wiesbaden, we are here!]

[And here’s why the interest . . . ]

[After Professor Doctor Colonel Kiehne graduated from Jefferson High School in Alexandria in 1965, he matriculated to West Point.  He was the first appointee ever from our congressional district.  When he graduated from West Point in 1969, his first duty station as a newly minted 2nd Lieutenant was in the building we are shooting below.  He was stationed there for a year and a half, as I recall.  This was his first reunion with that building.  There are something like 19,000 U. S. citizens in the Wiesbaden area, mostly associated with our military.]

[Tom said it hasn’t changed much, from what he could see . . . doubt the power lines were there then?]

[But on to the rest of Wiesbaden.]

[Biebrich Palace, about which I know nothing but guessing a spa.]

[The Super and someone of unknown personage enjoying the trip from front row seats.]

[We’re traveling the Middle Rhine here . . . ]

[So these shots of civilization after Wiesbaden are likely Bingen.]

[Our hostess took pictures of her charges wherever we went. Then she’d post them as slide shows on the TV’s in the bar.  So, here are John, Helen, and the Super way back when we were in Budapest.]

[Meanwhile, back on the Rhine . . . ]

[Germania Statue commemorates the unification of Germany in 1871 at the end of the Franco-Prussian War.  It’s in the Niederwald landscape park, near Rudesheim am Rhein in Hesse.]

[I’m going to take a flying leap here . . . Trechtinghausen?]

[We’re in castle central country here which makes identifications difficult.  I have ever reason to believe, however, that the following four photos are of Ehrenfels Castle.  But I could be wrong?]

[Pam is ever vigilant for photo ops as castles and vineyards dot both sides of the river. From “Germany Travel”: For the 120 kilometres between Bingen and Bonn, steep vineyard slopes join castles, glorious residences and the famous Loreley rock as the river twists and turns through a landscape steeped in history. The Siebengebirge hills and the Loreley divide the region into two distinct areas in terms of wine classification. The southern section, the Upper Middle Rhine Valley between Koblenz and Bingen, was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2002 for its outstanding, vineyard-sculpted countryside. Ample motivation for the growers to continue their sterling work on the steep, vine-clad hillsides.  The main grape is Riesling.]

[A Gothic church in Lorch.]

[Bacharach, with Castle Stahleck on the hilltop, in the following three photos.]

[Our new made friends, Gerry and Anita.]

[Pfalzgrafentstein Castle on the Falkenau (or Pfalz) island near Kaub.  It was a toll castle back in the day.  In the background is Gutenfels Castle . . .]

[Based on mu extensive research, it appears to be the most photographed castle in these environs.]

[Only one other person in the history of the entire world has ever taken this shot – and it’s only identified by the name of the family that took it?  So I don’t what it is, but I suspect it’s in Oberwesel . . . ]

[This is definitely Oberwesel.]

[And here we’re coming upon The Loreley . . . ]

[You all know the story, right?]

[Needless to say, just to be on the safe side, I locked myself in the room as we passed.]

[Loreley on loan from the internet.]

[Castle Maus ahead . . . ]

[And here.]

[And again, in the burg of Katz.  So, it’s Katz und Maus!]

[Loreleystadt-St. Goarshausen . . . so the abridged story is (edited from Wikipedia) Loreley was a sort of siren who, sitting on the cliff above the Rhine and combing her golden hair, unwittingly distracted shipmen with her beauty and song, causing them to crash on the rocks.  Men are so gullible.]

[Meanwhile, back at the castles . . . I found an almost duplicate copy of this shot on the internet.  It was labeled “a castle on the Rhine.”  Thanks!  Upon further review, it’s Rheinfels Castle.]

[Greenpeace, protecting the whales of the Rhine!]

[Fellow tourists going to from whence we came.]

[This may or may not be what I think it is.  I think it’s Maus Castle.]

[And now Sterrenberg Castle.  Are you writing these all down?]

[Kamp Bornhofen, a nunnery]

[And on the other side, Boppard.]

[Skiing for wine?]

[Helen wants to check out this “skiing for wine” thing.]

[Our Swiss radar is tracking the contrail.]

[The largest vineyard in the Middle Rhine known for its Rieslings.]

[This cannot be an easy job.]

[The Marksburg in Braubach . . . ]

[Of the 40 hill castles between Bingen am Rhein and Koblenz, the Marksburg was the only one which was never destroyed (Wikipedia).]

[Did I get enough shots of The Marksburg?]

[Onward, a fellow Viking boat.]

[Stolzenfels Castle – it helps when you can read the town name on a building.]

[Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting to see . . . ]

[Coyote Ugly in Germany?]

[The Seattle Space Needle?]

[As we approach our destination city of Koblenz . . . ]

[A big white building of apparent import.]

[Identified as a Prussian government building.]

[Again, appears to be a building of import . . . or maybe a hotel?]

[The Prussian building, again.]

[Koblenz, we are here!  And will be visiting you in the next posting.]

The cool thing about being famous is traveling. I have always wanted to travel across seas, like to Canada and stuff.  ~  Britney Spears

Up Next:  Koblenz (the city)

September 1

~ The game

By order, summer lingers through September
In Alexandria.
Alexandria! Alexandria!
I know it sounds a bit bizarre,
But in Alexandria, Alexandria
That’s how conditions are.
The rain may never fall till after sundown.
By eight, the morning fog must disappear.
In short, there’s simply not
A more congenial spot
For happily-ever-aftering than here
In Alexandria.

[Some day the greeting trees will be big!]

[Low 70’s, sunny, no wind – what’s not to like?  Go Cards!]

[Upon further review, no violation of state air quality regulations.]

[Hey, we’re rolling!]

[The opening kickoff . . . by Jaran Roste (1) with the ball flat on the ground?  When Bemidji was introduced, their first player reportedly weighed 145 pounds. We thought . . . the kid must fly!  He was back on the kickoff, so maybe we decided to never put the ball in his hands?  We hard squib kicked the entire game.  BTW, Cardinal fans eventually also filled the Bemidji side of the field with probably a stadium attendance record.]

[Bemidji ran the ball all the way down the field on a long drive until the Cardinals finally held them on 4th down inside the 5-yard line.  This was our first play from scrimmage – a handoff to Micah Christenson (22).]

[Not much.]

[Roste flairs left to Cody Faber (33).  I’m not sure what series this is, but I believe the Lumberjacks had scored again by returning a similar pass to the right that was incomplete but ruled a lateral – the Cards pondered, the Lumberjacks picked it up and ran 41 yards to a TD.]

[Being down 12 – 0 got the juices flowing . . . ]

[The Cards marched down the field . . . ]

[Roste eventually scored on a 4-yard run.  Then the Cards scored again on a 56-yard pass to Thomas Anderson to take a 13 – 12 lead.  On the 1st play of the 2nd quarter, the Lumberjacks scored on a 27-yard pass (one of the few they attempted or completed) to make the score 20 – 13 in their favor.  That would be the Jacks last hurrah.]

[Spencer Hockert (84)  then scored on a 51-yard pass to tie the score at 20.]

[The Cards were on a roll during which we scored 10 touchdowns on 10 possessions.]

[Anatomy of an option play:  Roste rolls right with Christenson tailing . . . ]

[The Big Uglies hold off the Jacks . . . ]

[The pitch to Micah . . . ]

[Who, as usual, picks his way through traffic . . . ]

[For an 11-yard TD run.]

[Cards – 27, Jacks – 20 . . . oh, you can see that on the scoreboard below.]

[And as you can tell from the time remaining in the 2nd quarter, the Cards had scored 4 TD’s in about 4 minutes.]

[Roste drops to pass, Hockert sprints up the left sideline.]

[Must be some trickery involved here . . . ]

[Because I can’t see the ball?  Micah doesn’t have it?]

[A flair to Faber on the left flank . . . ]

[For a nice gain.]

[Then a great ball fake set up this . . . ]

[Wide open . . . ]

[17-yard TD pass to Bryce Ludwig (87).]

[Chandler Cole (38) on a sweep.]

[Although he’s lost in the “crowd,” this was a 61-yard TD pass to Hockert.]

[Roste back to pass as we move down the field again . . . ]

[Culminating in this 15-yard TD run by Jaran.]

[Halftime score – yup, that was 7 TD’s in a little over one quarter!]

[Has a famous sister.]

[It’s halftime and here comes the Homecoming Royalty.  Your goal will be to see of you can identify each of the participants by comparing these photos to those contained in the flyer at the top of this page.  Helpful hint:  Each pairing contains one girl and one boy.]

[Hey, I hear you say, what about the class of ’65?]

[OK!]

[The point guard.]

[No photos, please!  In some states, this is considered prison garb!]

[Meanwhile, back at the football game, Micah and Cody prepare to receive the second half kickoff.]

[Something’s happening at the far end of the field?  Due to the size of the crowd, it was difficult for Brad and I to amble (and sit) anywhere near field center.  So, the south end action was hard to shoot.]

[Something is definitely happening down there?  It was likely the 21-yard TD pass to John Urman.  We do have a lot of receivers who can make plays.]

[Jaran flairs right again . . . ]

[Leading to his 3-yard TD run . . . ]

[Followed by his . . . ]

[5-yard TD run.]

[This was the final score, though the game would not be over for more than another quarter.  The starters sat it out from here.]

[I fled the game before finish because the lead seemed safe halfway through the 4th quarter.  Made a bee line to the winery to meet friends, and Anthony.  Then a bee line to SAWA with said friends, and Patchouli.  Not a bad day.]

[We subsequently learned that Roste’s day of 5 TD passes and 4 rushing TD’s set a state record of 9 TD’s in a game!  Photo from Echo Press.]

[Photo by Voice of Alexandria.]

I’ve found prayers work best when you have big players.  ~  Knute Rockne

Up Next:  Koblenz