Since we landed in Minnesota, the weather has been awful: honest-to-god-snowtorms, rain, cold, just the gamut of terrible weather. Yet somehow I am in good spirits—it makes such a difference to be surrounded by so many friendly faces, good conversations, and good food. Yesterday there was sun—I sat outside all day and actually got a … Read More
the weather
Springtime in Berlin
This is it. This is what it’s like here right now: a never-ending loop of winter. If you take last “summer” into consideration, this is like month 18 of winter for Berlin. And I have had it. At this time of the year, it is perfectly reasonable to expect the days to get progressively warmer … Read More
Hammershøi Light
My touchstone for defining lack of sunshine was always the Pacific Northwest, but places like Portland and Seattle get more sun on average than Berlin. I know. The paintings of the Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershøi do a lovely job at capturing the winter light in this region; always experienced indoors, it is quiet and diffused. … Read More
Sun
We rearranged our schedules today to get out into the sun. So cold and windy out there, but I needed that light on my face. And I needed to take photos—I have really missed wandering, looking, and snapping these last few months. The Kleingartens have been abandoned for the winter, but we did find some … Read More
Field Report 018
Minneapolis Lake of the Isles at dusk, Art-a-Whirl, and tornadoes. So good to be back.
There is snow in this picture.
5th Avenue SE, Minneapolis We checked out a Nice Ride bike for me and rode around to openings all night. It was a warm and sunny day—which is why, when the massive snow pile outside of the Soap Factory was pointed out to me, I was incredulous. That’s it, there in the middle, covered in … Read More
Cold.
Everybody’s talking about the insufferable cold. At the moment it is 36°F or 2°C. That sound you hear is the collective snort from my readers in Minnesota, where it is currently -5°F or -20°C. And honestly when I go outside here, I still secretly marvel to myself that it is actually so *warm* and that … Read More
Blizzard
This weekend, while Berlin was being blessed with a sloppy melt, Minneapolis had an old-fashioned blizzard; 24 in (61 cm) by the time it was over.
Training
Mound, Minnesota circa 1950 This is how we roll where I come from; let the babes loose in the snow and let them figure it out. And yet despite my lifelong training, I almost managed to break my head last night on the Berlin sidewalks. + Fisheye, macro, and wide angle lenses for your camera … Read More
Wunderland.
Berlin. Seven inches of powdery snow fell on Berlin yesterday, obliging parents everywhere to trot out the family toboggan and dutifully pull their kiddos through the winter wunderland. + Little trees sculpted from—and living inside of—shopping bags. By Yuken Teruya.
Cured.
Berlin. Homesickness set in a few weeks ago and then Berlin succumbed to subzero temperatures, a mean wind blew, and the snow began to fall. Everyone else is freaking out in disbelief about the cold and the couple inches of snow, but to me it feels exactly like home. + Tangible images by Julien Vallée.
Matters of darkness and marching bands
We turned back the clocks last weekend, so it is dark early (timestamp on this photo: 4:39:07 pm). Although doing daytime things in the darkness triggers the sensation of winter, it has been mild and rainy—not very winter-like at all. The darkness only gets grimmer from here; in one month the sun will be officially … Read More