The Glowing Tree will Soon Glow Again

Fifteen years ago, I set up a Facebook page called Glowing Tree in Bloomington, dedicated to a beautifully lit oak tree west of Cedar Ave and south of Old Shakopee Rd. The tree was lit each year from Thanksgiving through January 1st, but it went dark eleven years ago when it became more of an attraction than the owners were prepared for. I spoke with Bob Little then, the man who owned and maintained the tree. He said they were getting so many people driving through the neighborhood to get a closer look that it was becoming a nuisance for what used to be a quiet suburban street just southwest of the Mall of America. It was also a significant expense to maintain and operate, he said. 

Who didn't love crossing the Cedar Ave bridge to look out across the marsh and take in the beauty of the tree shining brightly for all to see? 

After the tree went dark, our holiday seasons seemed lacking in the years that followed, without the lighted tree that so many looked forward to seeing each year. I still look out at the tree and imagine it being lit again. 

Well, I have some good news! The tree will be lit again this year, beginning on December 7th!

I recently received a message on the Glowing Tree Facebook page from a woman who works for the assisted living company that now owns the home where the tree resides. She was seeking permission to post to the page about plans to light the tree again. "Of course!" I replied. The owners are seeking $10,000 to get the tree ready for lighting. Here's a link to their fundraising page. Marlena told me the tree was dying, she thinks, from the massive number of lights wrapped around it, but in the last few years, it's made a remarkable comeback. I trust they're taking precautions to prevent stressing the tree with the new lights. She's invited Tammy and me to attend the lighting event on December 7th. We'll be there.

We were treated last week to a stunning display of the Northern Lights. When I first became aware of it, I stepped outside to have a look, but there wasn't much to see. An hour later, all of that changed. I can't recall ever seeing such a rich crimson color from previous Northern Lights displays I've witnessed. I, and thousands of others, took to social media to post our photos. I especially enjoyed scrolling through my Threads feed, which was nothing but pictures of the Northern Lights from all across the country and beyond. Here is a collection of photos I took.

I'm taking a break from my regular routine this week and spending time in my basement glass shop working on suncatchers for my Etsy site. It's been too long since I've thrown myself into my hobby, and I've missed it. If you're interested, you can follow my glass art on Instagram. 

I was hoping for some breaks in the clouds today to get some photos of my latest work to upload to Instagram and my Etsy site. Tomorrow looks promising for that. 

Friday marks one year since my knee replacement surgery. It took me until a few months ago to finally be able to say I'm glad I had the surgery done. I'm working my knee hard at the gym several days each week, and I'm also trying to get miles in on my indoor bike trainer. Last week, I logged about 115,000 steps, mostly from walking Oscar and Rudy (about 4 miles / 6.4 km per day). I need to take more time for recovery, as it's become a little too much for where I'm at in my rehab. I'm mostly lying low this week to give my knee a proper, and well-deserved rest. It's feeling much better already.

That's all I've got. 

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