Minnesota Prairie Roots

A view of the Cannon River dam, river and surrounding area around Father Slevin and North Alexander Parks in Faribault, on Sunday afternoon. Portions of the river are open and sections iced-over.

BLUE STRETCHED WIDE AND FILTERED across the sky accompanied by bright sunshine melting snow and ice, warming backs, dancing across open water.

Looking the other direction down the Cannon River from the dam walkway toward the Second Avenue bridge.

This weekend brought a welcome end to a nearly 10-day streak of grey skies here in southern Minnesota. And it was glorious.

Trees reflect in an open section of the Cannon River next to a frozen section.

In multiple conversations, I listened to Minnesotans praise the change in weather, thankful for a respite from winter. I added my own words of gratitude. And, like most everyone, I felt the urgent need to get outdoors, to take in the sunshine we’ve craved. Missed.

A lone fisherman angles along the banks of the Cannon River Sunday afternoon.

Sunday afternoon, with the temp at 40 degrees, Randy and I followed the recreational trail along the banks of the Cannon River in North Alexander Park. It’s a favorite scenic walking spot in Faribault with no worry of packed ice or snow.

Just across the street, the Faribault Public Schools’ football stadium.

Occasionally I paused to take photos, my fingers quickly chilling in temps that felt more like 30 degrees given the 15 mph wind. Only when we curved into the shelter of evergreen trees did the cutting wind cease.

Photographed in the Ace Hardware parking lot, on our way to North Alexander Park, a woman pushing a stroller.

Fishing in the Cannon River on February 2, 2020.

From a distance, I observed this jogger attired in shorts as he ran along Second Avenue.

Everywhere, people were out and about—fishing from the shore of the Cannon, walking the trail, pushing babies in strollers, jogging (in shorts), pedaling on a fat tire bike, chipping ice from driveways, walking dogs…

Looking toward the dam, the shelter in Father Slevin Park and the Faribault Woolen Mill in the distance.

Water rushes over the dam.

Geese walk across the ice near the Woolen Mill dam.

And on the river, water churned over the dam, geese walked on ice and ducks swam in open water.

Suspended from a light post along Second Avenue, a relatively new banner defines this as Faribault’s Mill District as part of a branding campaign by the Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism.

Photographed from the riverside trail, the Second Avenue bridge and Mill District banner.

The historic Faribault Woolen Mill (right), with its signature smokestack, located along the banks of the Cannon River.

Nearby, vehicles dodged ponding water on busy Second Avenue in this area now bannered as the Mill District. The historic Faribault Woolen Mill sits here along the Cannon.

I love this spot, especially on a lovely sunshine-filled Sunday afternoon in February.

© Copyright 2020 Audrey Kletscher Helbling