In Love with a Minnesota town

OLD LIMESTONE MILL

We all have our own ideas of what a midwestern small town is,  but what we don’t know about them may come as a bit of a surprise.  Take Lanesboro, Minnesota.  Population under 800.  Largest industry is a sales barn where cows, mostly cows, but also sheep, goats, other four-legged fellows are sold. Millionaire farmers discuss crops and play matchmaker to cows not contestants on TV shows.  Amish ride their buggies into town to pick up supplies at the feed mill and to sell their wares unaware themselves of the renown theater they pass along the way, and Ibsen, Poe and others who’s plays grace the stage each night.   The Root River traverses town after cascading over a stunning hundred year old dam, drawing fisherman, kayakers and photographers.  The photographers come, as do other artists, and bicyclist and day trippers for the towering limestone bluffs and rolling hills, but the real draw here is inspiration;  everyone comes for inspiration.

A GOOD LIFE IN LANESBORO, A MINNESOTA GEM

DREAMS COME TRUE IN LANESBORO

THE ESCAPE

 

Spring Hare

April is a bit maddening this year.  We all want to feel the warmth of the sun and the feel of grass beneath our feet. Soon Spring will burst open here in Lanesboro with bird calls, spring peepers, wild flowers carpeting the woodlands and warm, wonderful smells.  I will be out hunting mushrooms, walking the river side watching for herons and the unexpected.  The root river trail will come to life with bikers shedding their cocoons, stretching their legs and as well as their souls.

April Morning

Looking forward to  sitting outdoors, listening to the birds, enjoying life.

A porch, a book, a cup of tea…

Welcome to the Lanesboro Inn Holiday Tour

Lanesboro, MN Holiday Inn Tour – November 19-20, 2011 The Inns of Historic Lanesboro are having a Holiday Inn tour and you are invited! Nestled in the picturesque village of Lanesboro, this unique community of inns invites you to join them in a festive celebration of the season. Explore the inns that have made Lanesboro the Bed & Breakfast Capital of Minnesota, all decorated for the holidays. Learn about local history and partake of our innkeepers’ hospitality.  The 2011 tour will be held over two days with five inns open on Saturday and six inns open on Sunday. This year the tour also includes rest stops at selected restaurants. Tickets Prices: $20 for one day $35 for two days. Guests staying at participating inns receive tickets for half price. A shuttle bus will be available on tour day for a fee of $2. To Purchase Tickets: 1. Click here to access online ordering system 2. Stop by the Lanesboro Visitor Center (100 Milwaukee Road) 3. Call 800-944-2670 or 507-467-2696 Downtown Lanesboro will be decorated for the holidays, where you can begin your holiday shopping. Lanesboro’s restaurants will be open to refresh you after a busy day of touring. Make it a complete weekend by taking in the play“Parfumerie” at the Commonweal Theatre. Tour Tickets are limited. Call your friends now, and start your holidays with the Lanesboro Holiday Inn Tour!

© 2011 Lanesboro Chamber. All rights reserved.

The Garden Scene : Heat + Humidity + Humor

1898 Garden

The best things in life rarely come from being sensible.  Good thing, that, because the gardens at The 1898 Inn are anything but sensible.  I have created 1000 dependents who, like demanding children, require constant attention, misbehave and stage rebellions.

Despite all that, a synopsis of gardeners polled agree: gardening is well worth the effort. Working with soil is physically satisfying and creating something beautiful out of sheer dirt is a wonder. One needs only a few simple ingredients:  soil, seed, a willing back and the warmth of the sun. Defining the qualities of a good gardener is much more complex but that is a whole other discussion. Suffice it to say that it turns out  gardeners are usually great people.

The gardens at The 1898 are a delight and a source of inspiration for my guests.  Stop by and visit next time you are in town.  I’m sure I have an extra hoe around here somewhere….

Finding the perfect Bed & Breakfast in Lanesboro

Guests enjoying the 1898 Inn

When you plan your next trip to Lanesboro you’ll find that doing a bit of research will help you to find the best lodging in town and is well worth the effort. I highly recommend a  chat on the phone with the innkeepers. It is a great way to see if the place, be it a folksy place that welcomes your kids and dog, the castle on the hill or the undiscovered romantic gem, is really for you.

Here’s the thing about all the Bed & Breakfasts in Lanesboro: They are all in a beautiful  town where commercial hotels can’t reach.  (And if the hotels were here you probably wouldn’t be.)  Lanesboro is positively unique that way.  No “chains” are permitted.

SOOO…All the great B & Bs in Lanesboro are as diverse as the folks who own them ( and the folks who visit them).  From baronial to cottage each inn is an important part of the Lanesboro scenery.

Part of the fun in visiting the inns is meeting the innkeepers who have chosen to live in a particular kind of home here in Lanesboro.  They will host you and look after you during your stay, guiding you to the right place to eat dinner and the bike trail.  They may share Lanesboro lore or history and knowledge of the local theater or the Amish “scene”.  Connecting early with your host will help you find the place that is the best fit for you. So choose smart and have a GREAT time in Lanesboro.

Best Things in Life – Breakfast!

Bed & Breakfasts are becoming the last great bastion of the Leisurely American Breakfast.  We have become a nation of snatch and munch. A shame, that.   So I make sure to send my 1898 Inn guests off with a memorable breakfast.  They may not have to collect their own eggs from a hen house – but every bite of breakfast will be FRESH, FRESH, FRESH. Fresh roasted coffee, homemade turkey-garden sage sausage, yummy toast with chunky jams…. A lovely way to begin the day.

Start the day slowly...

Minnesota Spring

Visit the 1898 Inn Gardens

The first hatchling – Lanesboro MN

Lanesboro is awash in birdsong, The orioles and hummingbirds are here and the goldfinch are gobbling down the thistle seeds. The 1898 Inn garden has burst forth with daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, magnolia blossoms, plum blossoms, virginal bluebells and more. All the perennial plants have popped up like long lost friends.   AAhhhh…..