Death of a Tree
Our neighbor's tree has not had a good summer. The left-most branch cracked during a storm, dropping its canopy on their porch roof and slightly breaking a window, loud enough…
No Tips, Everyone!
The US tipping culture has, no pun intended, tipped over. At restaurants you're expected to tip 20-25% - and watch out for those pre-printed amounts, which often include taxes or…
Neighborhood Turkeys
© 2024 Scott C Sosna Last fall wild turkey moved into our neighborhood with no indication that they ever intend to leave. They wander the neighborhood, I assume to forage…
Highland Park Water Tower
The Highland Water Tower in St Paul, MN was completed in 1928 and is on the National Register of Historic Places (1984, Reference #84001209). The tower was designed by architect…
Duquesne Incline
The Duquesne Incline is one of two remaining funiculars that ascend Mount Washington in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Opening in 1877, it originally carried cargo up the hill but quickly expanded to…
Allegheny County Courthouse
My wife and I made our first trip to Pittsburgh, and our hotel was just outside the Liberty area near Steel Plaza. After one of our outings, our bus didn't…
Old-School Advertising
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum displays era-appropriate advertising in their restored trolleys. Besides providing a real feel to what the passengers saw at the time, it also shows how society has…
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
My wife and I recently made out first trip to Pittsburgh, but before exploring the city we rented a car and drove through the Pennsylvania countryside: my wife's goal to…
Random Learnings #38
My sister-in-law graduated from Western Dubuque High School oh-so-many years ago, and for no good reason I decided to deep-dive and learn more about it. Boy, it was definitely a…
Minnehaha Falls Is … Falling
Minneahaha Falls is a small waterfall in Minnehaha Regional Park in Minneapolis, MN. The spring has been fairly rainy, so my wife and I joined the crowds to see what…