Fiddle-de-de

Went to Lanesboro, Mn.(about a two hour drive)for the weekend. Every year the town hosts an old-time music festival complete with a barn dance on Saturday night and tons of fiddle and banjo groups that come from all over the midwest to share their talents on a Friday night concert experience. Michael and I have some friends from our church who camp there each year and bike the Root River State Bike Trail and attend the festival.

The group that led the barn dance on Saturday night also taught us some square dance numbers. They were from North Carolina (can't remember the name) and they were incredible. There even was an elderly gentleman who played Danish folk songs on his concertina and also did some fiddle music as well Very talented man!

We also biked with our friends covering approximately 18 miles overall. I ran into a gentleman who said he had lived there for 78 years and always looks forward to the campers and bikers coming into town. They describe their 788 population town as a quiet place with no stoplights or franchises which is very true. The Amish come in from Harmony and sell their wares on Saturday afternoon along with a small Farmers Market group from around the area. I bought some pineapple honey from them and a small plant. All in all we had a wonderful time and plan to return next year for more of the same.

Gateway to the Nordeast!

Michael and I spent Saturday at an art show where one of our friends is taking classes in art. We enjoyed seeing his work and the joy he receives from it. Then we went over to the Polonaise Room in northeast Minneapolis and enjoyed a nice quiet dinner before the rush. I had never been there before but Michael knew about the place. A little history: the building was built in the late 1880s and it was a working man's bar called Hefron's. Al Nye bought it in the late 40s. It has a curved piano bar, curved paneling and gold flecked booths.
Oh and I almost forgot, the Worlds Most Dangerous Polka Band in a separate bar off of the dining room area. They play on Friday and Saturday nights. Quite a place! The food was "to die for" including the prime rib sandwiches we had.

Thanks For The Memories My Dear Boy

28 years ago today after 25 hours of labor I became a mom for the first time. No other pregnancy was as long or as hard but the benefit was the miracle of David. All our children are special in their own way. David was no exception. Being my first born child was his gift to me. He came with more colic, ear infections and busy-ness than any other child that came after him. He also brought out of me songs like "All Night, All Day, Angels Watching Over Me, My Lord" which I also sang to his subsequent brother and sister. I learned all the names of the dinosaurs, trucks and trains in the world. I read "The Little Engine that Could" about 1,000 times. As he grew I then learned where every baseball field and basketball court was located in the entire Twin City area. I experienced being a Cub Scout den leader and overdrew the bank account, finally replenishing it again with the Christmas wreath sales (what a year THAT was). One day he put the sports aside and picked up a guitar and the rest is "Between Two Skies". After baseball and basketball, homework and tons of his buddies "crashing" overnight on my living room floor he decided to grow up, marry a lovely girl named Venessa and continue to warm my heart with just being himself. Happy birthday, my dear David.