Check Your Surroundings

Our criteria for choosing a site for sister weekend is pretty minimal. First, pick a weekend we all have available (a challenge with 7 schedules!). We do enjoy the fall colors and mild temperatures so we shoot for September or October. This year was the latest in the year we've gathered.

Second, try to find a general location within driving distance for 6 of the 7 sisters (unless we're actually going to Texas to Rayna's), and then a specific location within that location that will house 7 people. It could be a touristy town or one we've never heard of before. I have never heard of Lanesboro, Minnesota, despite its reputation as the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota. Most of us hadn't, so it was a great excuse to check out our surroundings.

Lanesboro is sort of nestled among the hilly terrain and bluffs along the Root River. Rainy day on Friday but a view from "up town" still shows the dam / waterfall in the distance.

 

Close-up of waterfall.

Lots of neat old building downtown that have been converted into shops, inns or restaurants.

 

Would love to live on Coffee Street, wouldn't you?

 

As part of our Amish tour on Friday we swung by the oldest church in Fillmore County.

I was reminded of the church and school from Little House on the Prairie.

In fact, it is so old, the American flag hanging on the wall only has 44 stars. Now that's neat to see.

During our Amish tour, we realized we were only a few miles from Iowa. When one of my sisters said she'd never been there, we all said, "Let's go!" So Saturday featured shopping in downtown Lanesboro, followed by a trip south to Iowa. I have no idea what the passersby were thinking when they saw us determined to get a group picture!

But I wish one of them would have stopped to volunteer to take one so we didn't have to use a selfie-turned-group photo!

Then, as long as we were IN Iowa, we figured we'd continue down the road a few miles to Decorah... just because.

Decorah is home to Luther College and a Norwegian-American museum!

They had a Norwegian sweater display going on. So cool!

Little knit sweaters on every post!

A church downtown with a neat clock tower on top. Reminded me of Back to the Future movie.

Pretty scenery on the drive back to Lanesboro at dusk.

Almost a full moon... not that you can tell anyway when us 7 girls get together!

Capturing a moment with Raylene. Don't see my twin -- or any of my siblings -- often enough!

 

One last stop before leaving town. I'd probably still be waiting at Inspiration Point for The Fonz, but I had to get back home and find my thrill on Blueberry Hill, er Blue Jay Drive.

 

Aaaay!