Life on the Mississippi

Earlier this week my good friend Marilyn and I took a boat up the Mississippi River from the Watergate Marina (mile 845) to just below the 10th Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis (mile 851). It was a perfect day for it, clear, warm, not humid. Here's what we saw.

We started from the Watergate Marina at Mile 845.

Pike Island, looking much as it did before European settlement.

This is the Bdote of the Dakota People, the center of the universe,
the place where the Minnesota River joins the Mississippi.

Whiskey's Grave at Fort Snelling. Whiskey was a horse.

Approaching Lock Number 1.

Ford Dam

Heading into the lock.

Lockmaster James Ryan.

The mouth of Minnehaha Creek.

Minneapolis Dog Park.

Limestone Caves.

Lake Street Bridge.

Franklin Bridge, and just beyond it, the Dartmouth, or I-94 Bridge.

Railroad Bridge.

Under the Washington Ave. Bridge.

The tow Mary Ann.

Debris from the I-35-W bridge collapse on August 1, 2007.

"Bohemian Blue" crane at the I-35W Construction staging area south of the collapse.
The area there is called Bohemian Flats.

10th Avenue Bridge, looking beyond to the new I-35W Bridge under construction.

Construction workers on the east side of the new bridge.

St. Anthony Falls, the Stone Arch Bridge, and downtown Minneapolis.

I have also been mindful since our trip of the many people in Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and SE Minnesota for whom this river is not beautiful or pleasant these days, and those for whom the new I-35W bridge construction is not a source of wonder and amazement, but just a raw reminder of their loss.
May they find healing and new life in the midst of the grief, mud and debris.

Be present, O God, with all along this river who have been brought close to an awareness of the the fragility of life because of the bridge collapse, flooding, missing persons and other life-threatening occurences. Let this time of examination and reassessment be a fruitful time of prayer, and let it draw all of us nearer to you.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Today I am grateful for: the safe return of my housemates from their trip to France and Italy; summer days; good people with whom to work; the end of a big work project; the abundant green everywhere; the beautiful river in our cities; LM's new job
Holding in prayer today: The many people in flooded areas along the Mississippi River; the families of those killed in the bridge collapse last summer; the family of Joey Kaiser; Keith Kennedy, PC, SO, JK, MB and others dealing with serious health issues; Archbishop Nienstedt; the need for honest, compassionate truth-telling and reconciliation around many issues in the Church; my upcoming home visit and subsequent retreat; J,S, H and all immigrants negotiating the inhospitable bureaucratic labyrinth that is ICE; women discerning entrance into our community; sisters preparing to travel to France; our sisters in Uganda; Sisters of St. Joseph in Brazil.