The Neighborhood

Since a reader asked, I will include some background of this blog.  I realized most of the blogs I follow are in Swedish, Norwegian, or German, so I am used to merely studying the photos.  Consequently, in starting my own blog, I simply put up photos, not even thinking about the fact that most people are used to a narrative in a blog.

This is the neighborhood where I range about.  You may be able to spot Linden Hills and for sure the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes.  I have lived in this neighborhood for a few decades.  The foursquare is one of many, .7 miles from Lake Harriet, a fast walk, yet far away enough to avoid the traffic and parking issues that often surround the immediate lake area.  Once quite a few years ago, I ran around the three closest lakes in one session, which I think is 9.75 miles.  Now I limit runs to under 5 miles.  The neighborhood has the feel of a small town within a big city.

After walking or running about, looking for beauty in all of its forms, often with my little dog Teddy,

I return to my attic studio

to sketch or paint neighborhood homes and scenes that I've photographed, such as this little sketch of a rose covered home:

I sometimes take the finished paintings or prints or note cards I've made to The Linden Tree Shop (http://www.thelindentreeshop.com) at 44th and Beard Avenue to be sold.  Despite the Grand Opening sign, they've been in the neighborhood for almost a year.

I also sell paintings from my website http://www.mnartists.org/jeannelong
and the Grand Legacy Gallery in Rochester, Minnesota, across from the Mayo Clinic.

That is a capsule view of part of my life, but more importantly, I set up this blog to focus on sharing the beauty that I see, whether at home in the foursquare or as I am moving about this neighborhood.

Thanks for reading this.