Lovely Weather and Such

I have been having such a nice time in Decorah and lucky for me, I am moving back here!

Yup. I have found a beautiful acreage within the city limits, but with absolute privacy. It comes with 2 roosters and 1 hen. The hen lays an egg each morning in a cabinet. She and the roosters follow me around like puppies whenever I am outside AND they actually have started begging when I am eating. Maybe it was the blueberries I slipped them earlier.

The weather is incredible. In the 70's, low humidity and a nice breeze. I feel so lucky to call this place home again.

And So IT Begins

Here in Decorah, the town is getting ready for Nordic Fest. It is quite a celebration of Nordic heritage. And here are just a few of the signs:

Flat bed truck carrying little wooden booths parked on the main street.
Same booths being placed along the street in spots saved by placing 5 gallon buckets in a certain pattern.
Banners of Scandinavian flags hanging across main roads.
Campground is STUFFED
Folks that are "just not from around these parts" window shopping downtown.
Downtown windows decorated for the window display contest.
Scandinavian educators giving life lessons to pre-teen girls at the local pool (first time most of them have seen saggy boobs in the flesh).

I have missed this celebration only one time in all of its 43 years. I have a love/hate relationship with the fest, but mostly I love it. My entire family will be here, there is a silly parade that still gives me goosebumps and it is the only time of the year to eat Rollepolse (cured, peppery rolled beef), Varmepolse (blood sausage rolled in Lefse-potato soft tortilla), and Romegrot (sweet white sauce with melted butter and cinnamon) in one day.

There is a running race-which I have never been up to watch. A canoe race and my favorite-a rock throwing contest that Mr. MnMom won a few years ago. I love the Festical!

Maybe we will see some of you here?

WOW, Time Does Fly!

I just had a wonderful evening with a few women friends. Sharing stories, drinking wine, validating each other, encouraging one another and drinking wine. I said goodnight to them all, put away the food, washed the dishes, and poured the last of a nice Cabernet into my glass. The temperature is a cool 65 plus degrees, there is no humidity and the skies are clear. I step out on to the deck, pull up a chair, tilt my head back to see the big dipper and WHAM! Toxic words come FLYING out of the window from the apartment next door.

Well, I have had a couple glasses of wine and am feeling OH so empowered by an evening with other moms that I march on over to the window and ask-gently, but firmly-for them to argue all they like, but try to keep the language in check-there is a little one sleeping and I do not want to him wake up to such language. The guy told me that they are having a private conversation to which I pointed out should stay private by shutting their window. He closed the window and that was that. I am so glad I asked for what I wanted...back to star gazing and getting almost cold tonight on the deck.-BONUS to watch the bats fly.