Magic Smelt Earth Day Celebration

For Earth Day there was a second line parade called "Run, Smelt, Run!" It was organized by Duluth's Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe. 

The event started at Canal Park with a mini puppet show. 

The music was performed by the Brass Messengers.

"WTF?" -Tourists

After the puppet show there was a second line parade that marched up the Lakewalk to downtown. 

A giant red carrot-thing. 

The parade ended at the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe where there was a mini party out front followed by a smelt fry inside. 

I definitely got my dance on today.

Tax Day Rally to Support the Buffett Rule

Take Action Minnesota organized a march and rally on Tax Day to try to pressure our congressmen, Chip Cravaack(R), to support the Buffett Rule. In case you don't pay attention to the nation's political ongoings, the Buffett Rule is a proposed bill to raise taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Americans so that they pay at least of what the middle class pay(currently the effective tax rate for many of the wealthy is lower than what the middle class and poor pay.)

We marched from the Rainbow Center, down to Superior Street, then up to the Civic Center. 

The march went to the Federal Building(where Cravaack's office is) to have a little rally.

There were over 50 people rallying for the Buffet Rule. The rally was greeted by 5 or 6 Tea Partiers who brought their giant "Cravaack for Congress" signs, and were using the signs to try to block out the rally from the media. They do this for everything. 

This final image is of a Take Action MN sticker that somebody put on a Cravaack sign. The Tea Partier holding the sign never noticed the sticker. 

A Weekend in the Valley

This weekend I went back to the Fox Valley for Easter. Throughout the whole time I was there all I was thinking was, "Wow, this place sucks."

So, I went to my favorite place back home...the Niagara Escarpment.

....and went spelunking. 

The sun was setting nicely on Winnebago. Also the sprouting trees and green grass threw me off. Winter is still ending back in Duluth. 

While walking around I noticed this plant. Then I realized that it fitted the description for wild leeks perfectly. But if it was a wild leek I had to dig up the root to see if it had a white bulb. 

And voila it did, and then I looked around and noticed it was EVERYWHERE. I stopped gathering them when I had about 30. When I has carrying them back to my car these girls were like "ooo.... he's stealing!" Later I got home and fried them with some potatoes in butter; seasoned with salt and pepper. It was delicious. They taste like a onion/garlic hybrid. I have a lot left over, so I am going to make a pesto with them(the leaves are completely edible also.)

I do not miss this landscape. 

During the weekend and the drive back I worked on my photography assignment which is to express a concept using a series of seven photographs. So I am doing a photo essay by having the first picture be the "Main Street" sign followed by six photographs of empty store fronts. Kinda showing the "Wall Street vs. Main Street" idea. 

The drive to Duluth was pretty cool as I was greeted back to the northland with a gorgeous sunset.