TheBanyanTree: Christmastime in the City

[NancyIee at aol.com]

Ah-h Lake Harriet.  As a child, I lived six or eight blocks from  there, and 
remember well the band shell. My father ground the lens and then made  his own 
telescope and was a member of the local telescope club. On an icy, clear  
night, we would haul the telescope to the dozen Lake Harriet and set up, with  
all the other members, telescopes pointing skyward, and watch Mercury or Mars,  
whichever would make its appearance during those months. I usually wore my  
snowmobile suit, and had a knitted throw around me for good measure. The winter  
night wind would have a knifen quality, and my feet, no matter how many socks 
I  wore inside my boots, would ache me to tears.
 
During the pre-Christmas season, we would all pile into the car and tour  the 
downtown lights, and oooo and ahhh over the animated displays in Dayton's  
windows.  Of course, Daytons is no more, and all the shopping generally  goes to 
the outer malls these days.
 
I also rode the Oak Harriet trolley, which wended through alleys in those  
olden days. I believe the track line still exists in the form of a  preserved 
walkway. And, before the Twins, there was a baseball team called the  Millers. 
My grandfather was an avid fan, and would take me to a game now and  then in a 
concrete field . .I think it was called "Nicollet."
 
Does the Washburn water tower still stand?   T'was the sight of  more than 
one "first kiss".
 
My memory has kicked in. . .lol
 
NancyLee
 



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