Check out Our New Deck!

When we first bought this house when Sam was itty bitty, we wanted a flat lot, with no walk out basement.  This was a hard task because in the neighborhoods that attended the elementary, middle school, and high school that we wanted for Sam, there were lots of split entries and two story walk outs.   I wanted a big flat yard for kids to play in and that we could walk right out the back door two steps down and be in the yard.  I wanted to be able to watch the kids and see the whole back yard from the kitchen window--so no porch, please!  I wanted a veggie garden and a room for flowers.  And I wanted a traditional two story home with a traditional floor plan, four bedrooms for the four kids we were eventually going to have (my how that changed!).  I wanted to be on a short street (thanks Dad for this invaluable advice) and within walking distance of a park.

When we finally found what we wanted, in our price range, it was definitely a fixer upper, but none of that mattered to me.  Good bones were all I needed and location, location, location!  This school district is fabulous and filled with a diverse population.  That's why we live here and I am so glad we choose this home.  Every year, it looks more like us.  Now over a decade later, we've installed new siding and new windows.  We've replaced the carpet twice, new kitchen flooring, new counter tops, new kitchen back splash, and we've painted more rooms more times than I'd like to admit.  A new deck has been in the plans since we bought the place.  Every year something would come up and take the place of the deck fund.  So, we stained the deck and we ignored the deck.  But, it really was an eyesore.

So, this was the summer.  And we started planning.  And this is what happened.

Please note that the deck is still not replaced.  Stay tuned.  It should be finished in the Spring.

We are very blessed and so very thankful.

MEA Getaway

We had made plans to head out of town for MEA weekend.  A quick trip down to Amish country.  I wasn't feeling very well, so we cut the trip short and came back on Saturday.  I'm starting to sound like a broken record!  I think that's one of the hardest things about chronic illness.  It's very hard to make plans.  Darren and Sam are so good to me and so very understanding.  I felt bad for disappointing them yet again, but I did see a gleam of a smile when Sam realized he could get back home to his friends. 

I did enjoy Beaver Creek Valley State Park.  We love the Southern Minnesota state parks.  They're not as crowded as the big headliners like Itasca, St. Croix, or the North Shore ones and they are every bit as beautiful.  Sam and Darren love to trout fish.  This stream was crystal clear and it was filled with wild watercress.  So, you can have salad with or instead of trout depending on your luck.  This was some of the clearest water I have ever seen.  I just loved the sound of it gurgling over the rocks.  If you want to hear for yourself, watch the video below.  We scouted several great campsites right on the creek, so we'd like to come back.  There were lots of campers enjoying the park which was fun to see!

After we left the park, we stopped in Harmony for lunch and a little shopping.  Then on to Lanesboro, pictures below.  Our last stop before heading back to the hotel was the Aroma Pie Shop.  Right on the bike trail, this little gem is worth a stop.

That night Darren and Sam went to the movies to see Real Steel while I rested in the hotel room.  And we headed out the next day, following the Mississippi up the Minnesota side, stopping for a great lunch at Chickadee Cottage Cafe.  We absolutely adore this area and have been three times now.  The bluffs are incredible.  You see Eagles everywhere and the little towns on both sides of the river and Lake Pepin are really fun.         

 The camping cabin was adorable and right on the creek. 

We DID get to go South for Spring Break!

Southern Minnesota, that is! We enjoyed a trip to Wabasha Minnesota three years ago for Father's Day, so we wanted to go back when the Eagles are supposed to be there in great numbers. Usually, that's the month of March, but this year they had left for their nests early. We still saw plenty, though. If you want to watch a nest, a group of elementary school kids started this website. It's fun to watch.

Wabasha is the setting of one of our family's favorite movie series, Grumpy Old Men. Most of the movie wasn't filmed there, but there are lots of Grumpy themed sites that are fun. And we love the river, the bluffs, and the Minnesota and Wisconsin side quaint little towns.

Watching the ice float down the river was fascinating. We were amazed that all the edges seemed to be sharply defined. Check out the close up and you'll see what we mean.

We really enjoyed the National Eagle Center the last time we were in town and Sam wanted to check it out again. March is Eagle Mania or something like that at the Eagle Center. Lots was going on, including a visit from the Cincinnati Zoo with a special program.

The Eagle Center has resident eagles that have been rescued by their organization. Golden Eagles now winter in Wabasha and we were lucky to see them out by the river. All of my pictures of them are blurred beyond recognition (I was excited), so I'll just share this one of their rescued Golden Eagle.

This is Harriet. She's 29 and still going strong. She loves to look out the window and talk to the other eagles.

The view from the Eagle Center's upper floor. I wish I could have taken pictures of the art exhibit upstairs, but I respect the artists way too much for that. There was an amazing photographer, Alan Hairsine, who's great eye and method really impressed our family. His panoramic photo of a prairie barn was incredibly haunting. We had a wonderful conversation with him. I talked to him about how much I've come to love the prairie just in the last year or so. His photographs really capture it's stark beauty.

There's an eagle there somewhere, I think. Remember those Where's Waldo books? Well, this is the adult version of Waldo. In fact, I think the eagle somewhere in this picture is actually named Waldo. If you can find it, I'll give you a sticker.

We had the privilege of talking with a Falconer who hunts with this Red Tail Hawk. Really fascinating to learn all about the art of this ancient type of hunting. The birds are caught wild, kept wild, and returned into the wild in about a year. I think Darren and Sam were considering it until they heard you must apprentice for 2 years before you're allowed to strike out on your own. I told them they could wear camouflage and watch the Red Tails, Cooper's Hawks, Sharp-Shinned Hawks, and Bald Eagles stalk our little songbirds at our feeder at home.

We made this eagle out of pop cans that we melted in the hotel coffee pot.

Downtown Wabasha is really cute. Somehow I always get left behind as I'm exclaiming over something and reaching for the camera. Our family joke is that men really can only think about one thing at a time and when in motion it's usually, "Left Right Left Right Left Right." They were also in a hurry to cross state lines and purchase cheese curds. Despite our attempts to flash our passports at an ice fisherman on the 'sconsin side, there was no border stop required.

Eagles on Ice in Alma, Wisconsin.

Alma was a cute town with the claim to fame of "longest main street of a little Wisconsin town on the Mississippi" or something like that. The eagles hang out near the lock and dam.

It was easy to spot the eagles in the trees. They always seemed to be on the other side of the river. It did dawn on us to look closely at the trees on the side we were on, but we were never lucky enough to see one up close other than in the Eagle Center.

Danzinger Vineyards and Winery. Really yummy wine for such a young winery. Amazing view. Would highly recommend for a gathering. We had the pleasure of visiting with a couple of the owners. Retired dairy farmers with great business sense and a passion for what they're doing. Stop by if you can. The Great River Road Wine Trail has some fantastic offerings. But, since this was Sam's vacation too, it was only fair to stop at one.

The view from Danzinger Vineyards and Winery.

The winery had a great collection of pictures of some of the early residents of Alma Wisconsin. Alma has Swiss and German roots, so they brought their vines and traditions with them. You can see an early vineyard below.

I just thought this picture was charming and it reminded me of Laura Ingalls Wilder who was born just north of Alma in Pepin, Wisconsin. We Darren and Sam got their fill of Little House tourism the last time we were in the area. (Everything was closed for the winter anyway, but I let them think that I was REALLY disappointed at not getting to stop again.)

I turned around to say goodbye to the winery as we left.

A really crappy picture of Alma's main street. The guys were hungry and it was the best I could get through the windshield. Alma has an eagle watching spot called Wings over Alma that is worth a return to see. The power plant at the South end of town is really ugly, but it's what keeps the water open and attracts the eagles.

We stopped at one of our favorite kind of places to eat: a ma and pa where the locals stare at you when you come in. Beth's Twin Bluffs Cafe. The specials list was as long as their regular menu. We were too full for homemade pie. Pie is the new cupcake according to foodie trend watchers. I think the first time I heard that coffee flew out my nose as I actually guffawed. I wonder when meatloaf will be the new steak (maybe it is due to these "trying economic times"). The same article also talked about a restaurant that served cod fish foam. Maybe that's the new Slurpy.

Beth's has a facebook page, but no website. Sam had a cheeseburger the size of his head. Everything was homemade and was delivered to our table quickly with super friendly service. Be sure to stop by when you're in Nelson, Wisconsin.

We stopped into the creamery to get cheese curds. I had read that the garlic ones were amazing and they were that and then some. We grabbed picnic food for dinner. This would be another great place to stop for sandwiches.

Then it was on to Stockholm. Sam wanted to go to Crazy Cat Candy. I had read on their website that they would be open, but we were very disappointed to find that weren't. They make really amazing chocolates. Their burnt caramels and artistic, handcrafted treats had us licking the windows and cursing the season and the lack of website updating. Well, not really. We did find the Stockholm Pie Company after all.

Stockholm is an adorable little town that we had discovered the last time we were in the area, but didn't have time to explore. It's a little Art Colony that is proud of being a "wide spot in the road." We enjoyed one of the galleries, Ingebretson's, the General Store, and had some wonderful homemade pie at the teeny tiny Stockholm Pie Company. I've really enjoyed exploring the art colonies of Wisconsin. They're so much cheaper than the North Shore of Minnesota and the classes and offerings are just as good, if not better. Can't wait to hit the next one on my list.

Heading back to Wabasha, we pulled in and checked out some historic sites. I waved at Laura Ingalls' birthplace.

Watched the ice melt on Lake Pepin. This was riveting.

Said hello to the Minnesota-side bluffs.

Admired a riverboat captain's mansion complete with widow's walk. (Well, we don't know who owned it, but the story sounded good.)

Then back to the room to text, relax, and watch the Grumpy Old Men movies.

We had the Mississippi Riverboat suite at the AmericInn. We had the Grumpy Old Men Suite the last time we stayed here. We always stay where it's kid friendly and had hoped to use the pool, but didn't really have the interest in battling the crowds in the pool area. Next time we head down here, I'm going full out Laura Ingalls Wilder and building a sod house to stay in.

Last time we were in Wabasha, we bought a pop gun and Sam played with it all the way home. Somehow, the same little gun was not as appealing this time. Thanks to modern technology, he was never more than a text away from his buddies. It's his vacation too and thanks to modern technology, only children can have the company they want all the time now!

Flour Mill Pizzeria in Wabasha was excellent. We threw out our idea of a picnic dinner when we stopped in to the Chocolate Escape (after Crazy Cat was closed we remembered this place from our previous visit). Chocolate Escape is great, but the pizza place owned by the same people is fantastic. Organic flour crust, your choice white or wheat. We enjoyed the Chicken Little and a cheese pizza that was one of the best I've ever had--even in Italy. We even liked the box, which was a recent addition to their business after attending a pizza conference in Las Vegas. The top came off to make 4 plates and the bottom folded to store leftovers.

We got to visit with the owners the next morning when we grabbed coffee in the chocolate shop (and Sam stocked up on his favorite Wilber Buds) It's tough to be a small business owner, we know first hand, but we didn't have to battle W's aftermath of an economy. It was nice to get to talk with people so passionate about what they're doing. They also own America's Lofts Eagles on the River which we heard rave reviews about from people who were staying there. Maybe we'll stay there someday.

On the way home on Sunday, we scoped out camping spots at Frontenac State Park. What a beautiful park. Not a headliner like most, I'm sure this one falls under the discovery catagory of state parks. So, not as many people and just as much fun, as we've found in the past! The crabby park ranger that stamped my State Park Passport may just be the reason that there was only one other car in the park. There are wonderful hiking trails here and the views from the campsites over the Lake Pepin were stunning.

Back home again. Nice to get away.