Legendary Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown about to have vanity plates installed on her Mercedes.

In this foto the late Helen Gurley Brown, who built Cosmopolitan into the most influential young women's magazine in the world, is about to have New York State COSMO vanity plate installed on her Mercedes-Benz.  HGB hardly needed more notoriety, but what fun we all had when the late Editor-in-Chief of Cosmo's dozens of international editions, was awarded yet another accolade in her long list of accomplishments. The "we," by the way, is the editorial and advertising staff of Cosmo at the time, including the not-so-handy publisher,  Seth Hoyt. Photo circa 1996.

Plenty of snowy diversions here to keep you from going to Florida.

Back yard 'boggining - fearless, fun, not too fancy. 

Lake Bde Maka Ska municipal kayaks hibernating safely and serenely.

Snowshoer and pet Choc Lab about to walk 18 on the Spring Hill course.

This guy even rides to work on his twin engine, battery powered skate board. He can do twenty MPH with those studded tires, and the battery might last 25 minutes in sub-zero  temps.  And it was below zero the day I met man and machine. 

"Beleza" means "beauty" in the Portuguese language.   I kept waiting for a gorgeous California lady to slip behind the wheel of this RAV, but she never showed up. 

I learned on my walk around Bde Maka Ska that the first home in Minneapolis was  built for missionaries who'd come to the area to convert American Indians to Christianity. Too much snow on the plaque to read the date of construction.

The City of Minneapolis has invested enthusiastically in educating walkers, bikers, X-country skiers, boaters, et al, on the history and origins of this remarkable body of water, formerly known as Lake Calhoun. 

"Ferg" in same hat he wore as a kid.