Shuttersmack

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home sweet home

08wMan, this place. The weather here? I sometimes dread it, but then it turns around and just makes me love Minnesota all over again.This morning it was snowing. Not, like, "flurries"... but it was like full on, windy with lots of large, white flakes snowing. IN APRIL. It kinda made me mad.I mean, I'm ready for long bike rides! And picnics! And I want to feel the sun on my bare legs! Apparently, that's further off than I thought. But then I got over it and decided to grab my camera and head for the lake.So gather round, here's what happened when I got there.02w04wFirst, I was delighted to see tons and tons of American Coots.  They look like fatter, squatter loons on the water. They dive and bob and are dark like loons, but their beaks are white. And whenever I see them, there are about 100 (or it seems that way), so obviously they travel in huge groups. And I only ever see them in the spring, so they must be migrating somewhere warmer (because they are geniuses).(Also, I just threw in that lakeshore image above because I love how the reflection in the top, left corner is all swirly like paint.)03wThen I noticed that beyond the Coots were Northern Shoveler ducks! I've never seen those up here before, but their feathers are gorgeous. I walked around a little to get a different angle on them, and right then, they took off in flight to a further spot in the lake. Check out the colors on those mallard wings though! And you can see downtown off in the distance. I love this city.06w07wNext, the snow was coming down harder... but the sun started coming out!09wAnd then I noticed all the birds were flying away! (Except the Coots, they were swimming to hide in the trees). I thought it was because the sun was now going away and the snow was getting quite heavy.10wBut I was wrong. It was because of another bird that was flying above.11wOh, hello Mr. Bald Eagle. What a place I live in!For your internet share of the day, this video made me think extra hard about why it's important for white people to get involved with the struggles of other races. I know that's heavy for a Friday, but it really moved me. Happy weekend, y'all!