Minnehaha Falls - Minneapolis

I have a Somali co-worker who, one time, when we were walking somewhere, asked me, "Pam, do you go to church?" And, I said, "No, I'm Jewish." (The name Gaard always throws them off, but, the curly hair never lies.) And, then he looked at me and said, "Oh. . . Shalom!"

Somali Elders at Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis, MN ~ Spring, 2011

This picture was taken on one of our field trips. After a record snowfall in winter of 2010-11 (76"), Minnehaha Falls was quite extraordinary. These women had never seen the falls before, even though some of them live nearby - they had not known about it. One of our (Somali) drivers told me that he had driven by the signs to the park often, not realizing that there was so much there of interest.  He had been picking up his mother, who lives on Minnehaha Avenue only about 1 mile from the falls, to take her to Lake Calhoun to walk, not knowing that the park had so much to offer - walking trails, picnic area, and, of course, the main attraction - the waterfalls.

Minnehaha Falls, ink on paper