Stillwater, Minnesota

Yes, I have been a bit delinquent on writing, we were in Stillwater a week ago.  Now we are in Carbondale, and there has not been a free moment since we have arrived here.  Our grandson Nathan is 18 months old, very active and too cute to ignore for very long!

We visited Stillwater with our niece Kathy, husband Doug and their three children.  The town was settled in1843 at the site where the St.Croix River widens into Lake St.Croix.  We climbed a steep bluff which overlooks the town and river, and it was at the top of that hill where I took the above picture.   The town is in the Minneapolis-St.Paul vicinity, and just over the border from Wisconsin. 

Kathy and Doug's children are still at the age when they enjoy a good playground.  Teddy Bear Park is a delightful playground with several other teddy bear statues, also a sand lot and rock wall to climb.

We spent some time walking around the historic section of Stillwater and noticed, by reading historic markers on some of the older buildings, that the town was where a convention was held in 1848 to organize Minnesota as a  territory.  We passed on going to the Minnesota state fair for this trip to Stillwater, so decided that we were justified in indulging in some of the treats this town has to offer.  After a visit to an ice parlor, we visited a popcorn and candy store.  A statue of Linus was outside of the candy store, the words under him say "Life is like a Bowl of Chocolate".  Charles Schulz, cartoonist of Peanuts and the charactor Linus, was born in Minneapolis and grew up in St.Paul.   John and I had also seen another statue of Linus in the little town of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota the day before.   We will be in Carbondale for another week, then on to St.Louis.  Not sure when or where the next posting will be, just stay tuned!