We got our camp packed up pretty quick (for once!) and headed to the town of Winona, Minnesota, looking for a quilt shop. We found a very sweet one, in this little town. And, while we were looking around, the salesgirl, started looking for fabric with us, once she heard our plans.....and, here is what she found for me!
These fat quarters are very sweet, much prettier in person. I was very pleased!
Then, we went looking for the seminary located there, Saint Thomas Aquinas Seminary. The directions we had were so useless. Very confusing. Even though the girl at the quilt store used mapquest to help me find the site. So, I just took a chance on a "country road" to get me to the right road for heading to Walnut Grove. You may have heard of this town? :) So, there we were, just driving along on this two-lane highway, when we drive past the road we were looking for, to find the seminary! We just drove into the grounds, checked it out and left. We had intended to stop for a visit, but we really needed to head west........we were at least 4 hours form Walnut Grove. Oh! And, my little fella lost his first baby tooth today! Now, it is official..........he is NOT a baby anymore :(
They have a large museum in Walnut Grove, dedicated to Laura Ingalls Wilder AND the TV show :) The museum is put together very well, and has several buildings. That would include a re-created dugout house, as this is the town where the Ingalls lived in the "little sod house" which can be read about in ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK. This photo was taken outside the museum.
I figure since we keep mentioning quilting on this blog, I would share a photo of a quilt at the museum.
We had fun at the museum store and I picked up a bunch of tiny cookie cutters for tea time cookie making and a little metal milk jug to use as a toothpick holder at home, since someone just broke the ceramic one I had for years. A drive of about 4 miles out of town, takes you to a private farm, where the site of the actual dugout, or sod house, is located. A few years back, the roof caved in, so all that can be seen is an impression in the dirt. The owner has allowed the area to go back to the natural grasses grown there, so one can see what the view for Laura origially would have been. The coolest part for me, was seeing Plum Creek, which still flows by there. I did not see any leeches (you will have to have read the book to know what I am talking about :)), but I could imagine them. :) I could also imagine the girls playing in the creek. It was SO peaceful there. Except when a certain son of mine was hollering. :) Below, are photos of the dugout site, and the creek.
We then grabbed some food at a grocery and sandwiches at the local Subway for dinner, as we headed to Lake Benton for a campground. The campground was nice, but not near the lake, as I thought it was. Lots of manicured grass, and very nice showers. And quiet and peaceful. Hardly anyone was there........maybe five RVs. Two of the RVs were camped there for the summer. One had a couple that could not stop staring at us. And, they were not friendly and curious stares. We must have looked nuts to them, showing up in our car, setting up our funky tent village, "millions" of kids. I think they were scared of our potential kid energy.......maybe our noise would ruin their camp. Ah well, we did not give them any dirty looks, though we were tempted :) It is just a strange feeling to have all of our moves watched. Here is our Minnesota sunset. It was much prettier in person.
There was a definite lack of bugs here, at this camp. Tomorrow we head to deSmet, South Dakota. Home is only seven days away! And, we are anxious, but SO excited to see a few National Parks on the way!
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