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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 5h

Look who is enjoying the parsley on this unnaturally warm day!

A jaunty, plump swallowtail caterpillar (alternating stripes of chartreuse green and black stripes with yellow dots) stretched along a kelly green parsley stem

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Fall colors showing off for rowers on the Mississippi

Rowing crew team in red on the river in foreground, trees with green, yellow, gold orange and red leaves on the far bank.

Red and green sumac in foreground below four brown tree trunks, sky blue sky with a few frayed cotton ball clouds, brown/blue/green river with trees on the far bank in greens, yellows, golds, oranges and reds.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

First day of autumn on the Mississippi

Looking over trees to the river, there is one tree with red/orange leaves. Ultramarine sky with a few puffy white clouds and a branch with green leaves overhead.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Soul refresher: black swallowtails in the garden. Did you know they don’t migrate? A black swallowtail chrysalis can withstand our MN winters! (The things you can learn when identifying bugs :)

Most likely a male( due to the lack of blue ) black swallowtail butterfly with black wings with golden spotted markings doubled edging the wings, perched atop a pink zinnia flower

Most likely a female black swallowtail butterfly with black wings edged in white and blue spread atop a deep orange Mexican sunflower

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Monarchs: the original windsurfers

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Loving the butterfly gatherings in my garden as the warm season begins to cool. Monarchs yes, and several painted ladies (such a great name!)

Close up of a painted lady butterfly with open wings ( black, white, orange with a brown body) atop a bright pink zinnia flower.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Love that hibiscus moscheutos is hardy in MN! #bloomscrolling

Two dark pink hibiscus blooms with dark burgundy foliage.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Gotta show off my SIL Nancy Fong’s stunning show, Companions, now at the Oak Park city hall. Chicagoans, check it out!

Two paintings side by side: on the left, a young woman with her teal- robed back to us, at a sink, brings Mary Cassatt’s Woman Bathing to mind. On the right, painting of a young man with a towel wrapped around his waist shaving while facing a sink.

Two paintings of a young woman holding a tabby sat over her shoulder. The painting on the right is striking due to her bright eye peeking over her shoulder. The painting on the right her face is more mysterious, eyes in shadow looking over the back of the car on her shoulder.

Two paintings of a seated young man with a brindled whippet dog.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Or we could be like this ( sign outside the bathrooms at the Mauritshuis art museum in The Hague)

Sign reads:
“Gebruik gerust het toilet dat het best bij je past.
Feel free to use the toilet that best suits you.”

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Gorge du Verdon: the beautiful turquoise of the water comes mainly from limestone particles (from the surrounding rocks) It is 175 km long- lots of people I. kayaks, small boats and paddle boarders as well as hikers. Cliffs range from 250-700 meters tall.

View of an s- shaped curve of the turquoise water of the Verdon River running through the limestone canyon ) shades of white , ochre and orange) the cliff walls range from 250-700 meters tall

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Marseilles poster: 8 Mars Grève Féministe 14h-16h Occupation Féministe Vieux Port 16h Départ Vieux Port Nos Corps Ne Sont Pas Des Champs de Bataille March 8th Feminist Strike 2-4pm Feminist Occupation of the Old Port 4pm Departure from the Old Port Our Bodies Are Not Battlefields

Drawing in middle of poster of 6 women of various apparent ages, colors, abilities and religions

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

His concept of « the garden in movement » asks gardeners to observe and respond (rather than seek to control/ contain) to the growth of plants and of the garden.

Close up of the knarled, burnt sienna colored trunk of an Australian eucalyptus tree that has a silver blue stem of leaves sprouting from the base.

Sandy pathway flanked in the left by a large prickly pear plant and possibly yucca with a long green protuberance coming from the top and arching over the path.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Clément’s concept of a « planetary garden » is realized here with plantings from around the world that thrive in similar conditions (Chile, Canary Islands, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Asia, California, Mexico, subtropical America and the Mediterranean basin)

California planting with a yucca topped with creamy rosettes of yucca flowers along a stalk protruding from the top of the sphere of long, green spiked leaves.

Close up of shocking dark teal blue four petaled tulip shaped flowers with glowing orange stamens at the center : puya alpestris ( sapphire tower) from Chile

View over a fence and framed by trees the azure and deep indigo of a rock lined cove of the Mediterranean. Native parasol pines in the distance with a few cirrus clouds in the blue sky.

Vignette of trees- local Cyprus trees on the left, a large cape aloe from South Africa dominates the from of the photo with its succulent spikes atop a tall trunk

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

This garden of gardens ( with plants from nine different parts of the world that share biological similarities) was designed and inspired by Gilles Clément on land overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Plants in this part of the garden are from the Canary Islands. Grasses and some yellow and burgundy low growing succulent plants dot the foreground slope, with a dragon tree ( green spiky long leaves) in mid ground left, side of a stucco building to the left and blue Mediterranean Sea and sky in the background.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

A stroll through the extraordinary Domaine du Rayol 🧵 #bloomscrolling Entering the garden through the exit, as one does.

View from a dark room through a four paned tall window looking out onto a sunbright, white tiled terrace overlooking the deep blue Mediterranean and a sky blue sky. Golden sunlight is reflected inside in yellow rhombi on the floor.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Up the streets of Hyères: a peek at the Mediterranean

Downhill view through narrow medieval streets of three story buildings in shades of ochre, tan and terra cotta, in the far distance trees, the deep blue of the Mediterranean Sea and an island beyond that, a sky blue sky

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Neighborhood walk in the Var. I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore!

Green grapevines in rows in the foreground, some buildings and foothills in the distance, bright blue sky overhead with a few wispy clouds.

Round stone shepherd’s hut surrounded by trees and gorse.

Looking straight down a Kelly green grapevine row, darker green foothills in the distance and a bright blue sky.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

June in the garden: pollen laden bumble

Close up side view of a bumblebee diving into a purple baptisia flower with orange pollen-laden back legs

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

The garden went BOOM while I was in Chicagoland for a few days. Show off! #bloomscrolling

Three lavender ruffled iris in the foreground, purple and white iris, orange geum flowers and purple glove shade chive flowers in the background

« Above and beyond » climbing rose in bloom- pale orange to white open blooms and darker buds in cantaloupe shades

Iris with white standards and plum purple falls edged in white in foreground, lavender globe shaped chive flowers in right background and tangerine orange geum flowers in far left background.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

The geum( avens) are blooming in the garden: totally tangerine.

Watercolor of a geum flower with ruffled petals in shades of orange.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Alt text: Town Hall on protecting St Paul residents and elections Police Chief Axel Henry, St Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Ramsey Co Attorney John Choi May 19, 5-7 pm Register to get location using QR code on poster

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Applications for St Paul sidewalk poetry open, see 🧵 My favorite poem and my favorite dog, Pippin!

“A dog on a walk is like a person in love- you can’t tell them it’s the same old world.” My favorite St Paul sidewalk poetry.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Universal childcare in MN. Let’s start turning dreams into reality: Www.childcareforallmn.com Register: bit.ly/CC4AParty

Flier for Child Care for All Summer block party and campaign kickoff
Celebrate with us as we launch our campaign to win universal childcare in MN !
June 13 noon-4 pm 32nd Ave between 24th and 22nd St S, Minneapolis.
Food, live music, bubbles, chalk, bouncy house and more
Www.childcareforallmn.com
Register: bit.ly/CC4AParty

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

« He thinks the tulips bloom beneath the snow » The wire cloches saved my tulips from the bunnies this spring, hooray! I have new sympathy for Farmer MacGregor these days. (Where are those red tailed hawks when you need ‘em?)

A ragged line of tulips in the garden-each petal is golden yellow with a broad vertical strip of cherry red up the middle.

Overlooking red and yellow tulips blooming in a garden bed

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

Each day beings new blooms. Spring awakens the garden.

Close up of blooming brunera- cluster of forget-me-not blue five petaled flowers atop green heart shaped leaves.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Soul refresher: thankful that you can’t stop spring from coming (to paraphrase Neruda.) Love is in the air. #MSP #Bloomscrolling

First tulips of the spring! Two orange tulips open wide to reveal yellow stamens.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

The healing balm of gardening- two glorious hours messing in the dirt, unearthing green treasures beneath brown leaves.

Exited to see the first flower on the hellebore I planted last year: chartreuse petals painted with maroon at the bottom of each petal and a chartreuse center

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

Today’s sign: both sides now Foxglove Daisy Tulip

“Rebellions are built on ‘ope”
Surrounding a Minnesota resistance loon

“Love is a verb” decorated with a drawing of foxglove, daisy and tulip plants, with “ take action” in small script around the border

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Soul refresher: “Puerto Rico está bien cabrón”

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

Blizzard walk by the river, Shadow Falls, St Paul.

Photo of slim black tree trunks laced with snow, lack ribbon of an unfrozen stream winds through the background.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

If in the Twin Cities, you have until the Feb 15 closing to see Dyani White Hawk’s engrossing and comprehensive Love Language exhibit at the Walker. I left feeling inspired, calmed, nurtured and expanded. Give yourself the gift of time to absorb the love.

White Hawk painting of blue sky/white clouds in a four directions « t » shape with abstract black and off white needed strips in the « negative spaces » around the cloud sky.

4 framed prints, each an abstract dress representing a person and a concept

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Soul refresher: winter sun ( sign I’m feeling better and can putter with paints again). Inspired by a tutorial- my foggy brain needed a nudge! see alt text.

Watercolor of riding or setting sun in yellow/gold/orange sky with bare treeline in front of snowy ground
Inspired by this tutorial: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GUrCUoYa1YQ

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Minnesotans have all studied the playbook ( love the early childhood theme @kedrickillian.bsky.social ) Swimmy

Illustration from the book Swimmy by Leo Lionni. Big fish who eat little fish being chased away by school of little fish, in the shape of a big fish.

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

Happy Birthday Janis! « Don’t turn your back on love » I was a big fan in my youth- my friend John took this photo of me at a Halloween party, 1976.

Black and white photo of woman dressed up as Janis Joplin- round sunglasses, black feather boa in her hair. ( Xanadu Halloween party 1976)

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Soul refresher: morning birdsong on Kaua’i (where Merlin doesn’t register every call because ”sound ID knows 58% of the birds here”)

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Beth Menninga @bethmenninga.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Soul refresher for all the Minnesotans standing up to ICE and supporting each other. My heart is with you ( and I worry about you and your big brave hearts while I’m gone) Kaua’i sunset.

Sun setting over small strip of ocean, deep orange sky above the setting sun and water, dark trees below.

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