In Wisconsin now

We left Minneapolis for Northfield, Mn. where 99% biodiesel is sold. Northfield is the home to both St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges as well as being the home of a Malt o Meal factory and where the Jessie James gang was broken up after a famous bank robbery. It seemed like a place I would want to live, with three used book stores, rolling hills... beautiful old downtown. Once through there, headed toward Red Wing, we saw lots of genetically engineered corn production areas though and I realized I wouldn't want to be near there.
Once we crossed the Mississippi River and headed south on the Wisconsin side I could have been happy following the mighty river all the way to New Orleans. However, we made a side trek 9 miles up off the river to see the birth place of Laura Ingalls Wilder, whose books I had loved as a child. Later, we left the Mississippi again to follow the Buffalo River, up to state route 10, while listening to The Secret Life of Bees and Wisconsin Public Radio (at last! The "ideas" network, AKA Radio Worth Listening to!) We camped in a mosquito patch and took out of there early in the morning after it became apparent we were hostages in the camper.
The trees are becoming gorgeous. Outrageous red tips against deep greens and sculpted reds and yellows that find their own balance in being "ordinary" forest margins that just make your heart fill with wonder. We were also able to see Mennonite people out harvesting with their horse drawn equiptment and the beautiful Wisconsin dairy farms that are picture perfect, one after another.
The best part of that day was seeing Michael's Aunt Shirley, her husband Al and their daughter Karen. Karen was disabled when she was a young woman by a cardiac arrest caused by having a congenital long Q-T interval, a cardiac conduction defect. This isn't as rare a disorder as you would think and is one of the reasons healthy youth sometimes mysteriously die during sports events. Karen's parents have created a wonderful, loving home and it was a gentle and comfortable place to visit. Happy Birthday to Aunt Shirley! (The photo here is of Michael's mom with Shirley and brother Bernie when they were young. I regret never getting to meet her.)