A Day At the St. Croix

On one of the most kickback days of my vacation, we went to Stillwater, MN, above the St. Croix river, on the border with Wisconsin. I had wanted to visit Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's tragic masterpiece, near Spring Green, Wisconsin. However, 310 miles (one way) in the trek was just a tad too much for Gary, Denise and I, who wanted to sightsee, but not be road warriors to get there.

Stillwater, a beautiful old Minnesota city is, for some strange reason, the anchor city of the district that Michelle Bachman represents in Congress. I can't understand why such a tranquil and lovely place begat (and continues to elect) such a nutcase. But I digress.

We lit out of the car when we reached Stillwater, and had a good two hour browse in the downtown antique shops... one of our favorite shops sold nothing but olive oils and vinegars, in a really engaging format. Soon, we needed vituals and had a great lunch on the deck of a restored old freight house that is near the grain mills downtown:






Stillwater is a mecca for fall colors, with trees turning all up and down the river and the cliffs surrounding it. Stillwater draws tourists with some of the finest and most innovative Bed & Breakfasts in the state.... we did drive bys and saw all of them, in their beautiful restorations. Here's a favorite:





We took a walk along the river before we left, and, while we asked fellow tourists to get a shot of the three of us, it didn't turn out. Here's Gary and Denise on our walk:




We were in for a treat when we returned home that night. Anthony, Denise's almost-3 year old grandson came for a visit. He's one of the most engaging kids I've ever met. Anthony ended up taking a nap before his mom arrived to fetch him. There's something so peaceful about a little one sleeping!



Just the perfect vacation day... seeing sights I hadn't seen for decades, enjoying the weather and the company, and coming home to an evening I really enjoyed. Hard to believe it was nearly two months ago!!