I recently ended a relationship with a wonderful man.  I say ended a relationship as opposed to "broke up" because we never got past the dating stage.  Maybe that was part of the problem.   We also had nothing in common.  But we had a great time together, so it's a loss and I'm very sad about it.

I had planned to spend Saturday curled up on my couch with my hair looking like Einstein's.  (Yah right.  I wish my hair looked as good Einstein's)  I was going to lay there, curled up tighter than I've ever been curled up in my life, and watch The Shipping News with it's blue tones and Celtic drums.  But Melanie found me and wouldn't let it happen.  Instead, she took me to the Minneapolis Institute of Art where I got to look at whatever I wanted to.  

I'm a country girl, so I'm in awe of the MIA every time I see the 24th Street entrance.  The fancy little people in the photo above were much cooler about it than I was.  I indulged myself in the modern art room with Degas, and Monet and Van Gogh - you know, people I have something in common with.

When we left the museum we saw this gorgeous wedding party which drove home the point that I may be spending the rest of my life alone.  I've actually decided to date myself for a while.  You know, get to know myself better. But so far, I haven't been having that much fun.

Afterward, Melanie took me to the Malt Shop near 50th Street and Bryant Avenue in Minneapolis for ice cream.  There's a little shop nearby called Patina, that I used to spend a lot of time in, just reading greeting cards.  They have a collection of irreverent greeting cards that are always good for a laugh.

By the end of the day, I did feel better.   Tomorrow, my significant other (me) and I will be heading out to the Fieldstone Vineyard near Morgan, Minnesota for the Arnold Kramer art show.  I'm sure we'll have a fabulous time.

Wall of Women Warriors. Photography by E. Katie Holm.

Melanie and I had lunch at Sonny's Crema Cafe at 3403 Lyndale Avenue South, in Minneapolis.  We had just finished  our Saturday garage sale expedition and were looking for refreshments.  We often find ourselves at Sonny's on the weekend.  I think, for me, it is the setting that appeals to me first and foremost.

I enjoy a pleasant  atmosphere, but  I also like to dine.  My favorite meal at Sonny's is breakfast.  The menu changes constantly and features local produce.  And I would be remiss if I failed to mention the ice cream!  I once had a type of ice cream that was sweet and peppery at the same time.  It was amazing.

Melanie and I dined in the piaza.  I don't usually like eating outside, but the piaza is well protected from breezes, so it was very comfortable.  

Sonny's changes with the seasons, and this winter when you're looking for a steaming mug of coffee and a spot to work a crossword puzzle, or meet up with a good friend, I recommend them.  You won't be disappointed. 

SEE PHOTOS OF SONNY'S CREMA CAFE IN MINNEAPOLIS PHOTO ALBUM.

I always contend that I am not a garage-saler, yet I am often forced to attend them with my friends.  We can be driving along yacking about nothing in particular when I'll suddenly find myself winged against the passenger-side car door due to a sudden and unexpected left-hand turn suggested by a hand-written garage sale sign.

Melanie was home this weekend and we were headed to the Minneapolis Institute of Art when I found myself in this situation.  Twice.  And although I found the first garage sale functional, the second one, located on Lyndale Avenue in South Minneapolis, was an event.

The setting was perfect.  My favorite Lyndale Avenue tree was doing its best to provide a pleasing environment and the products were delightful.  We read a few lines from a collection of Longfellow's poems retrieved from this box of vintage books.

And unlike a visit to the museum, we could pick them up and admire them.  We could appreciate the heft and smell of them.  I don't like the smell of "must" in my home, but I like it at a garage sale.

Melanie bought her friend, Tom, a set of opera glasses.  How many people even know someone who would appreciate a gift like that?  And where, but at a garage sale would you even come across such a thing?  OK.  So I guess I get it a little bit.  There is often a jewel sitting there waiting to be discovered.

I don't think I'll ever become a real garage-saler, but I suppose I can be supportive of my friends' hobbies.  Even if I don't always see the beauty of a thing, occasionally my camera will.

Photos posted in the MINNEAPOLIS PHOTO ALBUM.

It's fun to go places where you can take your kids, and on certain occasions, Bachman's is just the right place.  This weekend the Richfield location hosted a petting zoo provided by Hauth Enterprises out of River Falls, Wisconsin.  Dennis Hauth can be contacted at hauth@pressenter.com.  There were goats, sheep, chicks, bunnies and a perfectly beautiful little calf.

The animals were a big hit with Jayvyn, but it was the pumpkins that really did him in.  He bounced from one pile of pumpkins to another like the ball of a pinball machine.  He was in pumpkin heaven.

My favorite part of the trip was Patrick's Bakery where they serve up the most decadent creme brulee' ever.  It has a surprise dab of chocolate at the bottom.

I recorded our visit on a new BACHMAN'S PHOTO ALBUM where you'll see a large variety of retail items.  Below is one of my favorites.

Arnold Kramer recorded the history of Redwood County, Minnesota in hundreds of paintings from the 1950's through the 1970's.   The above image depicts the Lucan Fire Department at the turn of the century.  This painting is part of a permanent collection in  the Wabasso Museum, Wabasso, MN where Arnold spent his retirement years.  Many of Kramer's paintings include the image of a curly-tailed dog, and his followers will make a game out of looking for the dogs in his work.  This link takes you to a portfolio of his work.  Check it out for yourself.

I went to Linden Hills in Minneapolis on Saturday to get the scoop on an electric car the Linden Hills Co-op will be selling called the ZENN - Zero Emissions, No Noise.  Check it out.  They have air-conditioning, power windows and locks, defroster - all the usual stuff you'd find on a full size car.  And it's attractive besides.

I jumped the gun a little bit.  I visited with the fine folks at the co-op and they advised me they haven't got a display model available to see yet, but soon. 

They do have delicious crab apples in stock right now, however.   Don't you just love harvest time?

We wandered around the neighborhood a little bit, and right across the street from the co-op, Kasey and I saw this sign in the landscaped yard of the Linden Hills Natural Home store.

This has got to be one of the most environmentally and family-friendly neighborhoods in the city.  Even the Dunn Brothers coffee shop has a play area for the kids. 

This place will be a life-saver this winter when Kasey and I get cabin fever and we need a child-friendly place to have coffee.

The Linden Hills neighborhood near Lake Harriet hosted Woofstock on Saturday, September 15.  SEE LINDEN HILLS PHOTO ALBUM.

Jayvyn has the dubious honor of joining the doggy doo pick up crew.

He takes his work seriously.

Patrick Wells is not an ordinary guy.  The first time I met him, he stood on his head in the middle of a restaurant - just for me.  He was nearing his 60th birthday, and showing off.  I was helping him promote the results of a recent study about near death experiences.   I knew right away I would like him.

Patrick has produced a number of movies including Youngblood with Patrick Swayze, and one  of my favorites, I Love You To Death with Kevin Kline and Tracey Ullman.  It was a little thrill to meet a producer of a movie I already had in my collection.

Patrick wears his humanity on his sleeve and has committed himself to producing a movie that will help promote the treatment of soldiers returning from Iraq.  The movie will be called After the War and will present a treatment called IADC which is based on eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.

I've read accounts of soldiers' responses to the treatment in Dr. Allan Botkin's book, Induced After-Death Communication: A New Therapy for Healing Grief & Trauma,  and it can be dramatic, providing a fresh start toward recovery. 

It doesn't appear Patrick will be slowing down any time soon.  Recently he wrote me: The ice hockey team I play on just won our regular season championship and we also won three playoff games in a row to win the league Championship. We have won ten games in a row starting in early June! Most of the guys are in their 30s and 40s. I am the oldest guy in the league by 10 years at age 64. The last time I won a championship in hockey was in 1965.

Those hardy Minnesota men, you gotta love em'!

When Annie and I stopped at the Java River Cafe in Montevideo, Minnesota, I had no idea what the place was really about.  It seemed like a nice place.  The people seemed very nice. 

But when I visited  their website, I started to see the whole picture.  These guys are fascinating!  They have a mission.  Through a cooperative effort, they not only brew a great cup of coffee, they support the arts, environmental stewardship,  and promote local produce.  It makes me feel great about spending money there.  I can't wait to visit again and learn even more about them.

Minnesota is built on the back of cooperatives - they helped us survive.

Painting by Arnold Kramer 1882-1976

In a recent article I was picking on poor Andrew Volstead from Granite Falls about his role in the ill-fated prohibition era, but on the other hand, Andrew Volstead was a great supporter of cooperatives.  It just goes to show, we all make mistakes and sometimes we do things right.

FYI - this is a great time of year to travel the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway from one end of the state to the other.  There are historical sites, dining, casinos, and awesome views along the way.

This painting exemplifies the type of detail Kramer put into his work.  He spent two decades recording the lifestyle and activities of rural midwestern families, from the 1950's through the 1970's.  He passed away in 1976.

I visited my friend, Cindy, earlier this year at Granite Falls, Minnesota where her husband, Bill, is the city manager.  I have always loved Granite Falls.  It looks just like its name with granite outcroppings all over the place.  It sits on the banks of the Minnesota River and I think it's just charming.

While we were downtown, I photographed the Andrew Volstead House which has been preserved by the Historical Society.  For those of you not in the know, Andrew Volstead is the gentleman who introduced prohibition to Congress.

Now, it should be noted that I am in recovery.  Lots of people are.  I think sobriety works better for me than the alternative, but I have to say, Prohibition was a bad idea.  I think it's a lovely irony that Granite Falls is home to Project Turnabout which treats people with alcohol, chemical, and gambling dependencies.  The beauty of Minnesota, is that we have recovery programs all over the state, day and night.  You never have to be alone.

I've mentioned before that I love movies, and one of my favorites just happens to be about recovery.  It is Minnesota native  Al Franken's movie, Stuart Saves His Family.  People not in recovery may see Stuart as a loser, but to those of us who are members of several 12-step programs, he's a hero.  He is brave enough to work a program of rigorous honesty.

On occasion I am guilty of judging the behavior of others.  I worry about justice.  But my friend, Loretta, kindly reminds me,  sooner or later, in this life or the next, we all get to do a fourth step.  Under the loving eyes of our creator, we will be doing a fearless and searching moral inventory of ourselves.  Nobody gets off the hook.

I'll be heading back to Granite Falls this autumn to take pictures of some of the changes the city is going through physically in response to past natural disasters and planning ahead for the future.  Look for future posts.

Check the GUEST PHOTO ALBUM to see more photographs from Sylvia's trip to France.

It's not pretty, but the Allstays website is perhaps the most detailed travel site I've seen.  For instance, on the waterfalls page , you'll find 45 Minnesota waterfalls.  I had no idea we had so many waterfalls! (There is a beauty in Redwood Falls)  You can also get the details on river rapids that the average traveler probably doesn't know about.

But the page that caught my eye is the Haunted Hotels page.  Now this is right up my alley.  I guess I just like dead people - although I'm not sure I'm ready to meet one personally.

I just did a quick check and it looks like Thayer's Historic Bed and Breakfast in Annandale, Minnesota is haunted. That's good news, and probably worth a trip to see if I can work up the courage.

Set aside plenty of time to search this website.  http://www.allstays.com/  There is a lot to see.

I've added photos from a Wildlife Park in Richfield, Minnesota.  The Twin Cities has tons of lakes and parks, and miles and miles of paths to help us enjoy them. 

This Wildlife Park is just minutes from my apartment by foot.

There are lots of opportunities for bird watchers.

I get the feeling they like to watch us too!  MINNEAPOLIS PHOTO ALBUM.

I call my sister Crazy Annie, but she isn't really.  It's just that if you spend any amount of time with her she will make you raise your eyebrows.  She's a free-thinker and talker.  She challenges convention. You never have to guess where she stands on a subject.  I like that about her.

I was invited to her daughter, Kelly's, jazz concert which was to be held in an empty theater called The Hollywood, on the main street in Montevideo.

The band director at the high school is extremely innovative, and arranged to have tables and chairs brought in for a top-notch professional jazz concert.  The band members spent the day with professional jazz musicians who formerly worked for Prince and challenged them to be all they could be.

In the evening, we dressed up and made our way downtown. We were greeted by young men in tuxes who directed us to our tables.  Everyone was fairly subdued before the concert began, but once the band hit the stage, we were rockin'!

There was jazz, and swing, and jammin'.  My niece rocked her solos.

But back to Annie and Montevideo.  She and her husband moved there from Redwood Falls, which is another river town in southwestern Minnesota, and she loved her Redwood Falls house.  Her Montevideo house didn't quite add up, and she was lonely in her new town.  Fortunately, after a while and bit by bit, she began to see the community's charm. 

First of all, Montevideo is set in the Minnesota river valley which is rustic and wild, and evokes the bittersweet history of the Native Americans.

And for some reason, the people there seem more creative and interesting than many of the surrounding communities.  They have a lovely coffeehouse called Java River.  I've come to believe that the number one step a small town must take to attract change to their community is to welcome a coffee house.

What an awesome addition to the community.  I love the courtyard!

And imagine Annie's surprise when she realized there were organic farms around Montevideo.  Annie is totally into alternative health and organic food, so this was a perfect fit.  The main street is charming with a nice mix of businesses, and the community has preserved a bunch of little old buildings in the Pioneer Village.

I took to Montevideo immediately.  Maybe seeing her community through an outsider's eyes helped Annie appreciate it more.  I plan to get there again before the snow flies.  It's been  way too long since I've been there!  See photos of Montevideo and the Minnesota river valley in the SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA PHOTO ALBUM.

I took a drive to Mankato last weekend and I was delighted.  I had forgotten what a lovely trip it is from the Twin Cities.

Here's a wonderful example of a ghost ad, located south of the Twin Cites on Highway 169.    I've seen this 7-up can since I was a kid and I still get a kick out of it.  If my memory serves me  (if being the operative word), it is located fairly close to the Jolly Green Giant who looks over the trees near Le Seuer. 

Highway 169 is a great route to drive because, not only is scenic - it runs alongside the Minnesota River,  but there are interesting businesses alongside the highway.  The apple orchards and Emma Krumbees are popular destinations.

I was lured into stopping in Saint Peter by the architecture, where I took a walk around town.  I have a weakness for old and interesting buildings.  I liked the feel  of Saint Peter.  Very welcoming.  They have a nice mix of coffee shops, antiques and dining.

On the north end of town is the Traverse des Sioux history center which marks the 1851 Treaty signed by the U. S. government and  Sisseton and Wahpeton bands of the Dakota Indians.

You can learn more about this historical site at the following link.  See more photos in the SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA photo album.

Minnesota's Grandpa Moses was Arnold Kramer, a husband, father, farmer, folk artist and respected community member in southwestern, Minnesota.  He was a musician and director, teaching music to his family and community, after learning everything he could from a fiddle won in a raffle in the late 1800's.  Click on this link to listen to the Kramer Brother's Orchestra play a tune recorded on an Edison wax cylinder a century ago.

He was a contemporary of Laura Ingalls Wilder, raising his family in the same county she wrote about in On The Banks of Plum Creek.  (FYI, the wild plums still grow there - I kid you not.)

Kramer was often surprised at the attention his art brought him.  The above photo shows him directing the community band at Arnold Kramer Day, an event hosted by a nearby college and art organization at Kramer's hometown of Wabasso, Minnesota in 1971.

The University of Minnesota nicknamed him Minnesota's Grandpa Moses due to the naive nature of his work which was very similar to New England's Grandma Moses.  He painted over 400 pictures intended to record the history of the rural midwest.  Kramer's career was recorded in local and statewide newspapers and magazines.  A project to bring images of his work together can be viewed at www.arnoldkramer.com.  Read an article about the artist by published by the Saint Paul Pioneer.

Fieldstone Vineyards near Morgan, Minnesota will be hosting the first public display of Kramer's work in over 30 years.  Press Release.

The food was incredible at W. A. Frost and Company, located at 374 Selby Avenue in Saint Paul, but that's not what I walked away remembering the most.  It was the atmosphere.  The ambience.  The feeling of being richer for having experienced something.  If you have the opportunity to lunch there, take a moment to appreciate the paintings, and marble topped tables and woodwork. 

Melanie and I ate our lunch in the courtyard filled with trees and vines.  I was happy as a clam.  We strolled through the dining rooms which were filled with paintings and beautiful collectibles.  It was food for my spirit.

I've posted photos in the Saint Paul photo album.  Take a look.  This place was born to have its picture taken.

Melanie is in town for a week from Duluth, and she said to me yesterday morning, "I need to go do something beautiful."  So she suggested we eat lunch at W. A. Frost and Company.  We were not disappointed.  I'll tell you more about our completely satisfying experience later.  The thing I'm really excited about is this.  I told Melanie that I wanted to see Garrison Keillor's bookstore, Common Good Books, but I had no idea where it was located.  When we asked for directions, we discovered we had just eaten lunch right across the street from it!  Honestly, this type of thing is happening to me at a startling rate lately.  Some people believe serendipity means your life is on the right track.  I'm going to subscribe to that school of thought.

Unwittingly eating lunch across the street may not seem remarkable to most of you, but you must remember, I am from the farm.  When I was growing up, the idea of the Twin Cities was as foreign to me as a trip to Mars, or Mankato.  And to imagine that you are across the street, quite accidentally, from the place you wanted to see, still feels like a bit of a miracle to me. 

Common Good Books is a homey place.  And, as you can imagine, had fascinating customers.  This couple was traveling across the country from Philadelphia and said they had been camping out here for a couple of days.  They were charming. Having been raised on the prairie of Minnesota, I feel a kinship to certain book collections like Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, and of course, Garrison Keillor's tales from Lake Wobegon.  Just for the record, Walnut Grove, Minnesota is a real place, and Lake Wobegon is not.

I was very happy to have found a copy of the book 'Tis  by Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes.  Of the two, I enjoyed 'Tis more.  I gave my first copy away.  Loaned it, actually.  Sometimes books have a hard time of finding their way home.

The management was kind enough to let me take pictures, so visit my SAINT PAUL photo album to see a couple more shots of the place.

Kasey had pink-eye the other day, and I was recuperating from my big trip to Duluth, so we had the opportunity to go out for lunch on a weekday.  We have a favorite little bistro called Prima's, on Lyndale Avenue in South Minneapolis.  It's an intimate little place with staff that has worked there for years, so we always feel welcome.

We ordered our favorite dish there.  It's the Prima Italian Chopped Salad.  Sometimes, on Friday nights after work, I'll call in an order and pick it up to go.  We always order it with extra gorgonzola cheese.   It's served with two kinds of bread.

Besides the food, we like the setting.  The decor is warm and we can watch the cooks practice their trade in an open kitchen. 

After lunch we stopped at Kasey's clinic and picked up a pair of glasses from the eye doctor who, earlier in the day, told Kasey she had beautiful eyes (she does), and asked her if she had been eating Christmas ornaments, because her lips had sparkles on them (lip gloss.)  Ah, those swarthy foreigners.  They're such rascals.

We topped off the outing by stopping at Barnes & Nobles in the Galleria in Edina to pick up a couple of the "Dummies" books about blogging and break their bindings at Starbucks.  It was a good day. 

I'm adding a blog to my favorites list that reviews local Twin Cities restaurants.  Check them out.