Find peace without driving to the Minnesota-Canada border. I’ve always gone up to Voyageur National Park to center myself. I’ve found that a dose of wilderness brings calm back to my soul. But with a five-month-old baby, I wasn’t up to boating into a remote campsite. I discovered that at some state parks, you can “cart in.” These campsites are slightly off the beaten track. I was a bit hesitant knowing how much stuff I bring camping now because of the baby. I wasn’t sure we wouldn’t be trekking back and forth between the truck and campsite. But [View Full Entry]

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Today we’re heading home. After waking up and making what’s left of the bacon, we pack up. We’ve got one more place to see before we turn the truck back north. It’s actually the reason we came to Forestville. MYSTERY CAVE The name itself is enough to entice me. I’ve always been interested in going underground to see what wonders have been carved into stone by centuries of dripping water. I’ve been in caves outside Monterrey, Mexico, in Tennessee, South Dakota and Missouri (the Mark Twain Cave). It could have been Mark Twain himself who inspired my love [View Full Entry]

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While away an afternoon in Historic Forestville. Guides bring you back to 1899. Shop in a general store with original merchandise left on the shelves. Then head over to the kitchen to sample tasty bread cooked that day. Bring the kids out to the barn to try wood carving. Located in southern Minnesota inside Forestville State park, the historic site is managed by the Minnesota Historical Society. [View Full Entry]

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I love the sound of rain on a tent, and the fresh smell it brings. Although the weather man said rain was in the forecast for Saturday night, it came on Friday. Figures. But we didn’t sweat it; our tent was leakproof so we just snuggled down deeper and kept sleeping. I was worried about the baby, but she was fine. She seems to really enjoy this camping thing. She’s been sleeping better and longer than she has in weeks. BABY GEAR Well, I learned that you don’t need much baby gear for a 2 1/2 month old baby. We didn’t [View Full Entry]

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Bring the kids to Zollman Zoo in Oxbow Park. Located about 20 minutes west of Rochester, this county-run zoo and park is free. Check out owls, prairie dogs, badgers, bald eagles, cougars, river otters and more. [View Full Entry]

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With a two and one-half month old baby, we knew we couldn't undertake a long road trip for our first anniversary. But I had a hankering to go someplace. My hubby gave me these perimeters: 3 hours or 200 miles. I knew I wanted to go south, having gone north and froze too many times in early summer. I dug out one of my favorite books, "Backroads of Minnesota", and starting reading. Forestville State Park caught my eye. It sounded like a great place to camp with fun things to do nearby. We could be as busy or as relaxed as [View Full Entry]

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Plane ride home [View Full Entry]

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I've always known silk came from silk worms, but I never thought before of just how that occurs. At the Beijing Silk Market we watched the steps it takes, from unraveling the individual silk threads from the cocoon to creating a silk blanket. It was amazing. [View Full Entry]

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I stepped on the a place thousands before me have trod on Saturday. I saw a view that has amazed the world, and I looked around in awe at what thousands of people can accomplish when they work together. The Great Wall of China is truly incredible. Our Essential Beijing Tour also included Tian'an Men Square (where I heard the voices of the massacred Chinese students) and the Forbidden City, as well as a silk market and jade store. [View Full Entry]

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YEAH! After scouring Beijing, we finally found the Apple store (Salitun Lu, next to the Adidas store, in the new huge shopping mall). And I have a new battery, and I'm do glad that was the only problem with my computer. So, I'll be trying to catch up tonight (our last night), on our flight home, and once I'm back home, if needed. We fly out of here tomorrow morn and will be home at 4 pm on Sunday. It's going to feel good. [View Full Entry]

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