THANKS WISCONSIN

Maybe I wouldn't still be blogging about this -- if I hadn't received so many emails telling me you NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING A ROAD TRIP ON YOUR OWN. Really??

I've always loved road trips!! And I am looking forward to taking one in upstate New York with my friend Marion this fall. A "girlfriend road trip" is the absolute best vacation a woman can take. You don't have to worry about pleasing anybody else -- your children or your man. You get out of bed when you want to, you eat what you want when you want and somebody else makes your bed and does the dishes. You get to meander, talk, visit, relax, eat, laugh...there is no better way to spend your time.

But -- hey -- the second best thing to do is GO BY YOURSELF...Instead of a girlfriend, I pop in a good "book on CD" from the library (or you can rent one at Cracker Barrel)...and I'm OFF...

On the day I was leaving Iowa -- I hadn't spent a single minute online doing any kind of research -- and I didn't have a GPS or a map of Wisconsin.

It was a STUNNING late summer day....and I deliberately chose a road that would take me through many small towns...


I've always loved the scenery of the midwest....this is a very beautiful part of the world...

And so many of the little towns look like time stood still...there are small shops and cafes and hardware stores...

A little art gallery in Mineral Point recommended I visit the old mill on the outskirts of town...and I AM SO GLAD I DID...


50 artists display their work here -- and I loved so much of it! The space was incredible...
The artist-potter-woman who was working in the gallery told me she lives in the tower (on the right hand side). There were SO MANY beautiful things to see inside this building!

It reminded me of my day on Vashon Island last spring. In Mineral Point, there is a park with restored pioneer buildings -- called Pendarvis. They give daily tours and tell the story of the Cornish miners who came to America and worked the iron mines here...


At the Red Rooster Cafe, they feature a daiy ""Pasty" special. That's the hand-pie that the workers used to carry with them down into the mines. Mary Mulari told me about Pastys -- and in her part of the world, they always use rutabaga..


Thanks, Wisconsin. For the beautiful scenery and a great quilt show. I enjoyed Culver's ice cream cones -- and some wonderful restaurant meals. What a great time I had -- meeting nice people, enjoying some intriguing art, shopping for thrift store bargains.

And no matter WHERE you live -- I'll bet that within a 3 hour radius -- you have some wonderful small towns you could explore.

IF YOU DON'T TAKE IT FROM ME -- listen to the people at NIKE...

JUST DO IT...!!