Melanie and I headed over to Saint Paul to the Minnesota History Center to see the exhibit for the 150th Year Anniversary of the State of Minnesota.  The exhibit showed a wide range of memorabilia from Prince's Purple Rain attire, to a can of SPAM.

There were exhibits commemorating the writers among us; Maude Hart Lovelace of Mankato and Wanda Gag of New Ulm, to name a couple.  There was also a book with an inscription by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

I'd have to say the exhibit that evoked the biggest response in me was the wheelchair hanging from the ceiling at the Sister Kenny exhibit - an institution my friend Eric knew well as a child.

I'm fairly certain anyone, from any walk of Minnesota life, will find something to get excited about at this exhibit.  There is a charge of $8 for an adult, but well worth it.

Marker in Front of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Home on Summit Avenue

Back when I was the epitome of a country mouse in 1996 and just beginning to explore the Twin Cities with my friend, Penny, I attended F. Scott Fitzgerald's 100th birthday party hosted by Garrison Keillor at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul.  Oh my goodness.  It was really something.  I attended A Prairie Home Companion and saw Garrison Keillor dancing on the stage with orange socks on - or red, I forget which.  And here's the really exciting part.  I think he looked at me!

The James J. Hill House on Summit Avenue

I had to stay home from work on Monday so the TV guy could hook up my new Direct TV.  I didn't want to change from my old service, but it was an apartment-wide change and they left me no choice. It has made channel-surfing far less convenient and I'm not adjusting well.  However, I'm willing to bet my experience with this change, as with so many I have resisted, will ultimately be a favorable one.   

Portrait of James J. Hill in the Music Room

I ended up making the most of the day by going out to lunch at the Wild Onion with Melanie, in beautiful Saint Paul.  What is it about Saint Paul that I like so well?  I get the sense I'm just a heart beat away from an earlier era.

Window in the Parlor of the James J. Hill House

I was suprised that we were able to tour the James J. Hill House on a Monday.  It was an abbreviated tour, but the video we got to watch about Mr. Hill's life was well worth our while.  It was tricky taking pictures, though, because I wasn't allowed to use a flash and I tend to get fuzzy photos, but a few of them turned out all right.

Light Fixture in the Art Gallery of the James J. Hill House

I intend to return on a weekend when I can get the whole tour of the Hill House.  As Minnesota State Historic Sites go, this is a dandy.

When Melanie and I were enjoying our scenic drive along Lake Superior, we came across a charming little place called the Mocha Moose Coffee and Gift Shoppe in Larsmont, Minnesota, north of Duluth.  We loved its name and couldn't imagine driving past without stopping.

The coffee was very good, of course, but in the gift shoppe we found a surprise.  Sitting amidst works of art created by local artists, was Patti Rowray working on a jacket for some lucky dog.  Patti is the founder of PR Designs and sells her designs at the Mocha Moose. 

We noticed there are a lot of dogs in northern Minnesota, and I suppose they need to buy their clothes somewhere.  If you're looking for designer outer wear for your favorite dog,  this is your resource.  Check out www.mochamoose.net for more information.

Feeling Pretty at Linden Hill's Woofstock in Minneapolis, Minnesota

My friend, Patrick Wells, loves dogs.  I know this, because he sends emails with wonderful, sometimes touching, collages of canines - and even though I'm a cat person, I can't help but laugh out loud at some of them.

DoG is my co-pilot in Two Harbors, Minnesota

So here is my version of a Minnesota puppy dog pick-me-up.  Some people don't believe animals have souls, but really, can you look at these pictures and not believe there is more to them than meets the eye? 

Babe Watching the Store at Harbor Antiques

If it weren't for their cold, wet noses and the fact that they have to take care of business outside, I might consider one for myself.

My Favorite Dog in the World, Trixie, with Adriane in Saint Joseph, Minnesota

So here you go Patrick.  This blog is dedicated to you dog lovers out there.  God bless our Minnesota canine friends who make us smile when we're blue and get excited enough to wet on the floor when they see us.  What could possibly be more rewarding than that? 

Minnesota folk artist Arnold Kramer (1882-1976) is featured this month in Minnesota Moments magazine, published by redBARN Publishing Company, Saint Cloud, Minnesota.  The article, meticulously written by Audrey Kletscher Helbling, describes the recent revival of Kramer's work.  Kramer painted an estimated 400 paintings depicting rural Minnesota at the turn of the century.

More Photos of Great Estate Posted in the new Twin Cities Shopping Photo Album

Mike and Robb Whittlef (yup, that Robb Whittlef) owners of Great Estate Home and Garden design warehouse.

 So, here's the thing.  I have been falling apart already this year.  I want 2008 to be a year of change for me, so I suppose I have to expect some inconvenience, but things haven't been going smoothly. I spent several days sick at home last week with a "bug," watching an America's Next Top Model marathon on TV.  Then I found out my new ATM pin# wasn't working.  And if that isn't enough, I lost my badge/name tag for work, which means I have to invest $10 in a new badge with a four-year-old picture of me from when I was going through my frumpy phase.  So when Melanie picked me up for an adventure yesterday, it needed to be something special.  It was.

She said, "Hey, you know that red-haired lady that does the TV show where they redo a room for under $500?  Well, the trash to treasure guy is having a sale at his store, GREAT ESTATE Home and Garden in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Do you want to go?"  So I said, "Sure."

 What an experience!  I was struck by the sheer scale of the place.  The showroom is a whopping 15,000 square feet, but that's not what took my breath away.  It was the size of many of the vintage pieces they have collected.  They have a stunning mix of antique and new furnishings and accessories.  But this is no Sears and Roebuck's.  Nothing is run of the mill here.  Mike and Robb Whittlef have traveled the globe looking for one of a kind items to help the rest of us express ourselves through our homes.

And these guys are nice.  Really nice.  The whole staff is.  I could have stayed there a lot longer.

Oh yeah, one more thing.  When Melanie dropped me off at my apartment after our day together, she drove off with my delicious left-over pizza from lunch sitting on her back seat. My new year is off to a bumpy start folks. 

I'm a firm believer in alternative health and it looks like I'm not the only one.  Melanie and I visited a place called the Herbal Pumpkin Patch at 119 Main Street in Hutchinson, Minnesota.  It's one of those places that makes you feel healthier just by being there.

The store is jam-packed with alternative health treatments and organic food.  I saw a massage table there, and rack of little brown bottles with flower essences in them to help treat stresses that may cause you to suffer poor health.  I really liked that idea.

The staff there was extremely knowledgeable, but let me warn you, the questions they ask to get to the root of your health problems can be very personal.  If I were there today, I'd ask them about this funny nervous tick I've got going on in my right shoulder which  I'm chalking up to post-holiday stress.  If it's not gone by Valentine's Day, I'll be back.