Bummin' on the Border

After doing the walk in LaCrosse I drove up river to Winona to spend some time with friends. On Saturday my friend drove us across the river to the Galesville  WI area.

Our first stop was to buy apples. The dry weather has severely impacted the apple crop. I was very glad to get a half peck of Courtlands, one of my favorite apples for making salads, for these apples do not turn brown when they are cut. I also got some apple butter and a jar of apple-based barbeque sauce.

Then my friend suggested we backtrack slightly to Galesville. It is a town of about 1500 persons set in rolling hills. It has a very picturesque town square.

In the center is a band shell, a somewhat new building to replace something damaged by fire recently. Behind there is construction. This unfortunately is a BP gas station and convenience store, not being build at all in the style of this historic district.

I enjoyed two of the old buildings.

I particularly liked the building with an embedded sign for a harness shop.

We went to wander through the general store/gift shop. Next we went to the cafe for what we decided to call second breakfast. Very good food and great service by a couple who had recently purchased the cafe, helped by members of their family.

People in the town also recommended that we drive out of town a bit to the Craft Barn. What a combination.

The Craft Barn had some beautiful home decor objects.

I found a back room lined on one side with cookie cutters of every description. On the other side of the aisle, people were bringing in their cross bows for repair. This was certainly a new combination for me!

Leaving the shop we noticed all the cats.

Never did figure out what was intriguing them about the hole they had dug.

We headed from here to Fountain City. We stopped in the Lefse Times gift shop. I made my only purchase here, something I plan to give away to a usual reader of this blog, so no more said.

Then we went to a winery and tasted some of the Wisconsin wines. Here I picked up a brochure and learned that we are seeing more wine-growing areas because the University of Minnesota has developed cold climate grapes. Two of the common varieties now being used in wine making can survive temperatures of -30 F.

A lovely day wandering around on the border!

This afternoon I drove back home, following the Mississippi River much of the way. Going through Red Wing, I happened upon the  American Queen in the port there. I think it is to be back here in Saint Paul sometime tomorrow.

Great weekend!