Thank goodness for a state that appreciates our natural resources and utilizes them in a way that can be shared with all of us.  I didn't leave town for Memorial Day weekend and I have to admit, it got to be kind of long.

Lucky for me, I live near a nature center that is well maintained and free to enjoy.  With gas prices so high, I have to think twice about the cost of recreation. 

I have a fantasy of spending a night at the St. James Hotel which is just a hop, skip and a jump, from the Mississippi river in Red Wing, Minnesota.  Melanie and I took a little tour through the commons areas and I became smitten.  With the hotel - not Melanie.  I'm sure Crabby Dave has that base covered.

The interior has a feeling of old-world elegance.  The kind you read about in period romance novels.  I don't generally read romance novels, I'm more of a John Steinbeck kind of person, but sometimes Melanie will coerce me into reading a trashy novel out loud on our road trips.  (Am I blushing?)

The St. James Hotel was established in 1875 and is a member of the Historic Hotels of America.   (According to their website, Red Wing, Minnesota was the world's largest wheat market in the 1870's. )

 Red Wing is packed full of shops, restaurants, historical architecture and recreational opportunities.  You could just park your car in the parking lot and spend a day or two exploring things within walking distance.

Gopher State Roundup in Bloomington, Minnesota is a statewide convention of people in recovery from drugs and alcohol and looks far different than one might expect.  I don't know about anyone else, but I got a powerful feeling when I stepped into the Sheraton parking lot filled with motorcyles and the sober rebels that drive them. 

Wow.  Think about it.  Hundreds of bikers working twelve step programs, but still looking tough as nails in their leather and faded denim.  Then, when you enter the Sheraton in Bloomington, Minnesota you are greeted by literally thousands of smiling, friendly alcoholics and drug addicts in recovery, along with their grateful families.  One happy miracle on top of another.  Here you'll find food and inspirational speakers.  It's a celebration.

Minnesota is one of the most recovery-friendly states in the country with meetings available day and night.

Melanie and I found the attendant at the Red Wing Depot Art Gallery in Red Wing, Minnesota a bit of a mystery.  We tried guessing which country she was from based on her accent and her clothing.  Gypsy, we thought.  So, Romania maybe?  But she wouldn't tell us.  She was, however, very willing to tell us about the artists whose work she helps promote.

I happen to like the Red Wing Depot whether it houses an art gallery, or not. It's old and sturdy and rests alongside the Mississippi river.  

 Melanie and I have occasionally discussed the romantic aspect of transportation in love songs, movies and books.  Maybe it's about the bittersweet feeling of a loved one leaving or returning. . . I don't know.  At any rate, here you have a railroad track running along a river and it's lovely.  But I digress.

What I wanted to mention was this wonderful untitled organic art installation by Christopher M. Groth from St. Olaf College located in Northfield, Minnesota.  It had an otherworldly feel to it and we tried to imagine the artist's inspiration.  Whatever it was, it worked!

I was just looking at the KLGR AM Radio website out of Redwood Falls, Minnesota in southwestern Minnesota, and I see the Alexander Ramsey Park zoo has some new baby bison and deer. 

 Heck,  it's worth taking a drive through that huge, beautiful park just to feed your soul - even if you skipped the zoo. (Though who would want to do that?)

Hmmm.  I wonder if there are any new baby goats?  You can stick a quarter in a little machine near their pen and feed them kernels of corn.  Corn makes you very popular with goats!

OK.  I wasn't expecting this.  Melanie and I were tooling along MN State Highway 19 in southeastern Minnesota, when she pointed out a classic barn built into the hillside with a huge sign on it that said Hobgoblin Music.  She told me they make harps there.  How cool is that?

I want to make harps.  That sounds like the coolest job ever.  The setting of Hobgoblin Music is like something out of a fairy tale. 

It kind of made me long for my family farm - which is where I should be going this weekend, but I'm not sure I'll make it due to the price of gas.  Melanie and I will try to get back to Hobgoblin Music this summer when the shop is open.  It's about an hour southeast of the Twin Cities and the drive is stunning.

It's true.  I don't collect antiques, but there are two very good reasons why.  I can't afford them, and I have no place to put them.  However, I love going along with Melanie to hunt for them.  I like the earthy, almost spiritual feeling of a building filled with items carrying their own special history.

It makes me a good friend to have along because I'll put my all into helping you find exactly what you're looking for.  I find it very rewarding - kind of like being a good hound dog.  I once had a little cracked Hull vase from my grandma Rose, and whenever we were in an antique store and the proprietor would ask me what I collected, I'd say "Hull" with a certain sense of gravity.  I lost my little Hull vase somewhere along the line. 

Melanie took me with her to the Pottery Place in Red Wing, Minnesota, along the Mississippi river recently.  I couldn't have been happier.  I can't get enough of old architecture.  I don't know much about it, but it makes me feel good.  And the community of Red Wing feels magical to me.  There's just something about a river town.

 We came across this fancy player piano at the Pottery Place and it still works.  Besides playing a lively tune, it also included percussion and bells.  We got a big kick out of it.  On this trip, we were hunting for Hamm's Beer memorabilia. 

We saw the above Hamm's Bear Bank at a place called Pottery Place Antiques at 2000 Old West Main Street. 

I love the remains of old cars.  We kids used to spend hours playing in an old Ford retired to our grove out on the farm.  There's a whole lot of family history in a relic like the one we found at the edge of Hampton in southeastern Minnesota.

Melanie and I were charmed by the community of Hampton.  Maybe it's because we were there on such a perfect Sunday afternoon, but if we hadn't had other destinations in mind, I think we might have stopped at the local tavern for a sandwich a cold drink.

I hail from the flat, vast prairies of southwestern Minnesota, so you can imagine what a treat it was for me to see all of the green rolling hills of southeastern Minnesota.  It felt primitive and peaceful.  The cows seemed awfully nice.

I recently went for lunch with Jayvyn and Jojo.  We went to a place that felt like we were on another planet called Space Aliens in St. Cloud, Minnesota.  The boys just loved it.

It's the kind of place where parents can take their kids on a rainy day and they can spend hours eating and playing.

There was a surprisingly extensive menu appealing to adults as much as kids.  And when we were finished eating, the boys had a stack of tokens that they could spend in the arcade.

Of course, it wasn't just the kids who enjoyed the arcade.  Everyone did.  You can visit Space Aliens Grills here in the midwest at a variety of locations in Minnesota and North Dakota, once again cementing the fact that we're just a little bit different from the rest of the continental United States.

Kasey and Jayvyn and I had lunch at Morelos Mex-Grill in Richfield, Minnesota.  It's a good place for Jayvyn because it's colorful and the music is lively.  I asked Jayvyn if he would consider taking photos for this blog.

It turns out he's a natural.  A photographic genius with an eye for detail.

It occurs to me I may need to stock up on batteries for my camera if we do this again. 

He's a very prolific picture-taker and I ended up with an ample selection of photos to choose from - including one of me!

Eventually my delicious fish tacos arrived and I had to ask for the camera back again.  I hated to stifle Jayvyn's creativity, but I wanted to EAT!

Vintage postcard from the Angie Bergen collection,

Here's wishing every mom a special day!

Jojo and his mom, Adriane.

Jayvyn and his mom, Kasey.

Great news!  The Millstone Pantry at the Mill House in Norwood Young America, southwest of the Twin Cities along Highway 212 is now open. 

Melanie and I will be stopping by in the near future to tell you more about it.

The first time I met Ta-Coumba Aiken  I was having a holiday dinner with my friends Judith and Eric at the Lowertown Artist Lofts in Saint Paul, Minnesota.  And I dare say, the man is not just an artist, but may have the gift of being a bit of a story-teller as well.

But, you'll notice his work has a voice all it's own, practically shouting for us to come and look.  It's large and colorful and makes you happy just to stand in the presence of it.  See for yourself!  www.decemberdesigns.com.

I recently saw his work again at the Saint Paul Art Crawl in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it had no less impact than the first time I came across it.  You will find Aiken's work around the metropolitan area.  Take the time to stop and appreciate it - it'll do you good.

See more vintage postcards from the Angie Bergen collection.

My friend, Susan, invited me to go along when she took her dog for a walk on Sunday.  There is a dog park along the Mississippi river in south Minneapolis and there was a lot of activity.

This is the first time I've been within a stone's throw of the Mississippi.  It was much more docile (and brown)  than I had expected.  I've spent quite a bit of time around the Redwood River and the Minnesota River, so it was about time I met the Mighty Mississippi.

It felt wonderful to be back out in nature again.  It's been a long winter.  The dogs greeted one another in the style one might expect while their owners stood and smiled proudly.  (I have to admit I get a little embarrassed watching them, but then, I'm a cat person.)   Oh! And guess what.  We saw flowers.  Little white, wild ones.

It seems like the trees, the ground, and the water were all the same shades of neutral.  But I have a feeling that's about to change. 

See more postcards.