For five days my second cousin and his wife, Heine and Kari, from Norway, came to Northfield. We had a nice visit, and we were able to, once again, show off our town and southern Minnesota.
First we took them to a small town 4th of July celebration – the oldest ongoing celebration in Minnesota. North Morristown has put on a 4th of July celebration for 131 years, serving homemade pie, food offerings at concessions stands and live music. We enjoyed listening to the blue grass band Monroe Crossing, and traipsing over muddy paths for food, in-between rain storms.
Fireworks in Northfield were delayed until the next evening due to the rain. We walked down the street from our house to watch them on Friday, July 5th .
We visited other relatives in the area…our grandfathers are the link. They were brothers…one went to America, the other stayed in Norway.
Scheel’s, in the Eden Prairie Center, was a fun place to look around, especially for a hunter, which Heine is. But the home décor portion of the store is lovely to peruse too.
Eating outside, when possible, either on our deck or at a restaurant is always nice in the summertime and it was possible much of the time Heine and Kari were with us.
We went on a day trip to Winona. We stopped at Lark Toys in Kellogg for fun, and had a picnic lunch on the banks of the flooded Mississippi River.
We enjoyed the gardens around the Minnesota Marine Art Museum and went inside for a look around.
We stopped at Lock & Dam #5 north of Winona, and meandered around Lake City’s marina on our way back to Northfield.
We showed off the Norwegian immigrants historic Valley Grove churches and cemetery.
We hiked to Hidden Falls in Big Woods Nerstrand State Park.
We shopped downtown Northfield and celebrated Heine and Kari’s 45th wedding anniversary at the Reunion in downtown Northfield.
The last stop was at Lakewood Cemetery to visit the graves of my grandmother and grandfather and beloved Auntie Ag.
We were able to get in to view the beautiful Lakewood Chapel, with 10 million 3/8 inch tile mosaics throughout.
Time flew, conversation and laugher abounded, family ties entwined.
What a wonderful trip you laid out for them. I had no idea of all the places you visited. I also couldn’t believe they were celebrating their 45th anniversary. They look far too young.
Thanks Barb.
They do look young, and are young at heart.
A lot of fun to hang out with. 😉
It was so fun to see you and stay with you🥰 We had a wonderful time and enjoyed all the new places you took us to and also beeing back in Northfield shopping a bit and having delicius dinner and icecream there🤩🤩
Thanks so much for everyting🥰 (ingenting😂🫣 as Bob said😂)
You are welcome for “ingenting!” HA
So happy you came to visit us! Thank you!
You really know how to shut your guests around Minnesota! Great places to visit and meaningful to your Norwegian cousins! Good job, Valerie and Gary!
Thanks Suzanne. We had a great time!
Special ties and what a great hostess you are sharing such fun Minnesota locales.
Thanks Sue…you’re welcome anytime! HA
What a fun adventures you had with your cousins. It reminded me of spending time at the Chickadee restaurant in Lake City and visiting Lark Toys. What a wonderful reunion you must have had!
We did have fun together.
The Chickadee House is a great little restaurant in Lake City. It was closed for the day.