I hope you sense the tranquility and beauty of nature all around you here. The fragrances of the valley, the earthy dampness cooling the summer evenings, the magic of fireflies twinkling in the deepening woods shadows, the call of the whippoorwill, owls hoot to each other, the coyotes yelp, a lone cry of a wolf, all are spellbinding. Every season here is rich for me. I find God's voice speaking to me and refreshing my spirit in this place.
I love the friendly small town feeling of this community. They celebrate their Norwegian heritage with colorful holidays like Nordic Fest in Decorah, IA, Syttende Mai in Spring Grove, and their farm life with harvest festivals, Steam-engine Days, horse and tractor pulls. I love the cultural aspects, Shakespeare Festivals in WInona, La Crosse's Art and Music Festival, Riverfest, Lanesboro's plays, and my favorite, Spring Grove's outdoor Black Barn plays. I love visiting the Amish farms with their produce stands, maple syrup, furniture and basket shops and bakeries.
My family have always enjoyed the outdoor activities, bike trails, canoeing the Upper Iowa and the Root River, the Mississippi backwaters around the islands. There's a bird sanctuary near Alma where during migrations, swans, pelicans, Canada geese and Snow Geese gather in noisy flocks. There are little towns up and down the Mississippi for shopping, music, great restaurants, wine-tasting. My kids loved the caves near Harmony, where you climb deep into the earth, a little too deep for some of us! We never run out of fun things to do!