PHOTOS POSTED IN GRANITE FALLS PHOTO ALBUM

My first coffeehouse experience, years ago, was The Grinder on the edge of Granite Falls, Minnesota.  It remains one of my favorites.  It is a beautiful little place tucked into the side of a granite outcrop with trees and wildlife.

I was living in Redwood Falls at the time and my friend, Cindy, was living in Granite Falls.  When I opened the door to The Grinder and  stepped onto that old wooden floor,  smelled those shiny coffee beans, and saw all of the lovely merchandise, I was hooked.

The setting is charming and there is a patio out back with bird feeders and a fountain.  They have vintage furniture to settle in on,  and a wide array of gifts and cards.

Cindy and I stopped in on Saturday and found a for sale sign posted out in front.  I envy whoever purchases it, because for me, it is a little slice of heaven in the Minnesota river valley.

Bill Lavin, city manager for the Minnesota river valley community of Granite Falls, knows about disasters.  During his tenure as city manager he has navigated his community through painful recovery measures for two significant floods and one disasterous tornado, all within the span of five years.

I visited Granite Falls this weekend and had the opportunity to tour the new flood wall and municipal improvements to prevent catastrophe in the event of future floods. 

The above photo shows a newly constructed gateway which allows cars to drive down to the riverfront.  On the inside of each pillar you can see a slot that heavy wooden timbers can be fitted into to create a solid barrier to prevent water from seeping into the city in the event of a future flood.

 Not only are the improvements functional, they have been designed to be esthetically appealing and encourage the use of the river front for recreation, not unlike Saint Anthony Main in Minneapolis.

The creation of a flood wall with additional flood control improvements, coupled with a well thought out plan for the demolition of vulnerable buildings on Main street will create an enviable downtown with a stunning river front view.  The existing businesses were built with their backs to the river, never fully taking advantage of the charm of the river.

The Minnesota river provides not only recreational opportunities, but also about 20 percent of the city's electricity through hydro-power.

Lavin has compiled a report detailing the history of the flood improvement measures, as well as maps and funding history.  For a copy of this report, email bill.lavin@granitefalls.com.

When I drove into  the Minnesota River Valley  in southwestern Minnesota last week, I recalled a conversation I had with a member of the Mdewakanton tribe from Morton, back in the early 1990's.  He said the tribe was still trying to recover the remains of their relatives who had been hanged in Mankato during the Dakota Conflict of 1862.

Above photo shows the front door of the warehouse which was a pivotal part of the Conflict of 1862.

I couldn't help but wonder if there had been any progress and went online to find out.  I came across this wonderful website created by a middle school in Mankato,  This link shows the results of the tribe's efforts to have the remains returned at the time of the website's publication.

In spite of its heartbreaking past, the Minnesota River Valley is a destination to study history, enjoy scenic vistas, or enjoy shopping, dining and gaming.   The river valley doesn't have a bad season.  Unlike some of us, it looks good all year round.

PHOTOS POSTED IN THE NEW MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY PHOTO ALBUM.

I drove through Morton, Minnesota last weekend and finally took the time to stop at two charming shops at the main intersection.  One was The Red Sled which carries Birch Coulee Pottery, and the other was Abraham's Woodshed featuring Amish furniture.

Birch Coulee Pottery is produced at a studio located near the Birch Coulee Battlefield, an important landmark of the Dakota Conflict of 1862 here in the river valley.

Abraham's Woodshed has rooms of Amish furniture and primitive gifts.  The proprietors at both shops were very engaging and it was a pleasure to meet them.  In my opinion, autumn is the perfect time to visit the Minnesota river valley.  It's gorgeous.  One of the proprietors mentioned that some of her customers were motorcylists who had recently discovered the MN River Valley Scenic Byway.

Morton is located on Highways 19 and 71 in southwestern, Minnesota.

There is a landmark in Paris that I hope someday to see.   It is the bookstore called Shakespeare and Company which was founded in 1951 by an American named George Whitman who wasn't in a hurry to return to the U.S. after WWII.  I love books and bookstores.  They have a feeling about them, and Shakespeare and Company has an illustrious history.

I've been rooting around on the internet, trying to learn more about how I would plan such a trip and found a wonderful site with remarkable deals on hotels in France.    My first search was for hotels in Paris. 

And once in Paris, it be would silly not take in Paris Fashion Week.   The Paris Insider's Guide has some excellent tips on where to dine, tour and find the best shops for the best bargains. 

 And how about a trip to southern France, on the Mediterranean coast, to visit Nice for shopping, dining and touring?  There are beautiful hotels in Nice, and many of them are wonderfully affordable.

   Nice's history is long and eventful, having been the site of more wars than were necessary, the signing of treaties, and blasts of tsunamis.  Of course, I want to look at the architecture.  And since I haven't had a tan since 1976, I might consider checking out the beaches!

The Halloween Ghost Trolley next weekend will be especially frightening, because it runs past the gorgeous Lakewood Cemetery, and though I find it serene during the day, I may feel differently about it in the dark.

I took a ride on the Como-Harriet streetcar yesterday.  I was feeling a little down in the dumps, and since none of my friends were around,  I went to the Whole Foods Market thinking I would find a treat to eat.  On my way back home, while driving along the Lake Harriet Parkway, I saw the trolley was running.  Admission is only $2, and although the ride is short, it is very lovely and informative.  

Now, I've been meaning to ride on the trolley all summer, but never got around to it.  It was the right thing to do.  I had intended to ride on trolley # 1300, an old wooden car built back in 1908, but since they don't yell "all aboard" as one might expect, I missed it. 

I did, however, catch the #322, a newer version which served in the Twin Cities during the 1940's.  It eventually wound up in Newark, NJ for a number of years before being moved to Cleveland, OH.  In the year 2000 it found its way back to Minnesota. 

The staff who run the trollies clearly love what they do and know what they're talking about.  There was quite a crowd at the depot waiting to get on the trolley when we pulled up to the station.  I was delighted to find out that two of the passengers on the train hailed from Duluth and were in town for a sporting event and managed to find their way to the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line.

 The following link will provide additional information. www.trolleyride.org.

PHOTOS POSTED IN THE MINNEAPOLIS PHOTO ALBUM

There is a decadent treat I like to indulge in occasionally with people I know and like very well.  It is a trip to Kozy's Restaurant at the Galleria in Edina, Minnesota, where I immerse myself in the International Cheese Tray.   Their cheese tray has ten different types of cheeses from all over the world, along with dollops of infused honeys (my favorite is lavender, but the honey infused with chili is good too), compotes and preserves.

The prices at Kozy's are a little high for me, but if you bring a friend and share the cost of the cheese tray, it is well worth it.  My friend Melanie said the cheese tray experience is similar to wine-tasting, and I get her point.  The cheese is served with a variety of bread and crackers, and it is essential to combine the cheeses with the compotes, preserves and honeys for blasts of flavor.  It is truly an experience that needs to be shared with a kindred spirit on a lazy afternoon.

I must say, some cheeses are not for the faint of heart.  But if you have even one adventurous bone in your body, and don't get to travel much, a trip to the Galleria in Edina is well worth your while.

Melanie and I headed into Saint Paul last Sunday to see Olivia, Minnesota author Chuck Brown read from his new novel, Barn Dance, at Nina's Coffee Cafe. We country mice need to stick together and I was happy to see the event was being hosted by Common Good Books. 

It is a story about a bachelor farmer from Hayesboro, Minnesota whose life is significantly altered when a plane carrying celebrities crashes into his barn.  I know I shouldn't let the cat out of the bag, but I want to be the first to tell you that in the first chapter, pigs die.  Sad, right?

I can tell you from what I've read so far, Chuck Brown is the real deal.  This guy is no city-slicker.  He knows his crops and livestock and small-town culture, and describes them in that downhome tone that fans of the stories of Garrison Keillor or the prose of Dave Etter would appreciate.  But my favorite part of this novel, is the designation of the main character as a bachelor farmer.  I grew up on a farm and I can tell you, bachelor farmers are a whole subset of the rural community.

My good friend Patrick Wells  co-produced a movie about the real life tiny community of Herman, Minnesota, where bachelor farmers garnered national attention by holding a town celebration to attract women to the community in 1994.  I believe there were some romantic hook-ups as a result of their efforts and lots of fun-loving publicity.

But back to Chuck Brown and Barn Dance.  It's a wonderful novel with endearing characters.  Read it!

Kasey invited me to go to the A Maze'N Farmyard  with Jayvyn last weekend, but I took a raincheck (I had a big date planned with my couch) and got a promise from her that she would bring photos back.  She didn't disappoint me.

According to Kasey, this place truly is amazing.  It had animals, a train, a waterslide, pony rides, a pumpkin patch - and that's not all of it!  Jayvyn and his cousin Jojo got to jump around in a giant pumpkin, walk through a maze, and who knows what else.

The A Maze'n Farmyard is located in southeastern Minnesota, near Eden Valley, MN.  The farm will be open weekends through the end of October, so hurry out there before the snow flies!

SEE MORE PHOTOS IN THE SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA PHOTO ALBUM.

The numbers are in, and the first Arnold Kramer art show in 30 years, hosted by Fieldstone Vineyards near Morgan, Minnesota has been pronounced a success.

Proprietors at Fieldstone reported around 300 guests on the last weekend of September, with one guest traveling from Washington, D.C. 

The guests spanned a number of generations.  In the above photo, Kramer's great-grandson, Geoff and his companions, view the collection which has been largely out of sight for 30 years.

Gail Finley, a guest from Mankato, Minnesota, described her experience. "The barn was such an appropriate venue for Kramer's paintings!  We had a great time at the "gallery" complete with tastes of wine while viewing.  I particularly liked the dark reds and the label from the Debauchery wine!  I had never been to Fieldstone before and was pleasantly surprised at the nice setting and tremendous amount of work they have obviously done.....we sat on the patio in the warm breeze and sunshine and thoroughly enjoyed the ambience!  We will definitely return!"

For more information about the Kramer collection, go to www.arnoldkramer.com.

SEE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA PHOTO ALBUM.

Melanie was in town this weekend and invited me to attend the Prior Lake Farmer's Market with her.  There is nothing like piles of produce to remind me of my roots on the farm in southwestern Minnesota.

I was very impressed with the variety of local products produced right here in Minnesota.  There were the usual gorgeous fruits and vegetables, but also frozen cookie dough, personal care products, bread, honey and rootbeer!

I ended up purchasing a loaf of the bread in the photo above.  It had pepperoni and mozzerela cheese baked right into it.  Now that's a slice of heaven.

SEE PHOTOS OF THE FARMER'S MARKET IN THE SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA PHOTO ALBUM.

My friend, Kathy, is planning an annual reunion for her family who is spread between eastern Minnesota and South Dakota, and she is looking for a central location.  She asked me if Ramsey Park, in Redwood Falls, Minnesota had a lodge or cabins for such events, and I had to tell her no.  But I began to wonder why the city of Redwood Falls hasn't exploited such an awesome natural resource. 

Ramsey Park, which is the largest municipal park in the state, has the Redwood River running through it, a significant waterfall, panoramic views from shelters, a zoo with bison and camping accommodations.

There is a handicap accessible fishing dock, and historic granite depression era WPA projects such as the swayback bridge in the lower  park.  But there is no lodging, no concession stands and no dining accommodations.

Imagine, for a moment, the uses of a lodge for group meetings and weddings.  And how about individual cabins?  Redwood Falls is home to a company called Schult Homes that builds prefabricated houses.  They're lovely.  Certainly they could design cabins that would be appropriate to the setting.

There have been many times when I longed to be able to purchase a soft drink and snack when I was in the park with my kids.  It would be nice if there were some events like flea markets, or evening enterainment, like music, in  a band shell.

If a city can own a liquor store and community center, couldn't they also develop a business plan to make the park more profitable and serve the members of the community better?  How about a partnership between public and private investors?  The park is used by cross-country skiers during the winter, and wouldn't it be nice to stop for a hot cocoa somewhere along the trail?  Food for thought.

SEE MORE PHOTOS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA PHOTO ALBUM.