MoTown, Memories and a Month of Music...

 I can't imagine life without music. Summertime keeps this addiction going with numerous fixes and boy have we had variety! You can never have enough music so even after a second visit to Arcadia for Ashley for the Arts on Saturday, we stopped in Galesville at the historic Arnold House where a celebration was taking place for its 140th Birthday and enjoyed some dessert with music. 

From new artists to legends, it's always comforting to know new lyrics and tunes are still being written and yet there's always  the classics. Tunes that transgress generational differences and no matter how many times these songs are remade, there's nothing like the originals... 

The legendary Beach Boys gave a fun concert in the small town of Arcadia  Friday night courtesy of Ashley for the Arts. The concert was advertised to last 45 minutes (much less time than our car trip there) and yet it lasted a good two hours. Perhaps another performer's cancellation enabled this schedule change but nobody complained.

Natureman even reminisced about cars that the concert screen and music evoked... Music does that... providing flashbacks of our past.

One of my best birthday treats, this past month, MoTown, the Broadway musical of MoTown's history, was another such 'feel good' musical experience and the audience couldn't have been more appreciative.  Doesn't the crowd and setting also make the experience?  Heck, yeah.  Although I admit I watched American Bandstand religiously, my  REAL favorite was dancing with the program 'Soul Train' in my younger days and wishing I could be on the show... 

Hey, I am still working on those moves.

Seniors filled the Arcadia seats with standing room only as seasoned talented folk musician John McCutcheon, 7 time grammy nominee, who entertained us with folk music Saturday afternoon as he played some keyboard, guitar, banjo, dulcimer, jaw's harps and double dulcimer. Gee I might have even forgotten one besides his terrific voice. So much musical talent and oh the story telling ... 

The stories will continue to be told with hopefully a lot of great lyrics and music accompanying them... and new memories will be made for another generation. 

  

FOTO FRIDAY: REPURPOSED

Sometimes someone beats you to a project. Natureman had found a great sculpturally interesting piece of wood in the wood pile for me. My thought was to see if I liked it hanging  on a beam on the front porch. My vision was to plant a nice colorful plant in it. 


Someone else had another idea.

Yep, wrens decided it would make a great home for their new family. They have been super busy feeding the new kids in the End of the Rainbow Valley.

So any unexpected repurposing happen in your life? 

Send me a pic and share another repurposing. 

If you haven't had a chance to check back on last week's submissions,  you have definitely missed some gorgeous moments in our summer. Take a look by clicking on: 
FOTO FRIDAY: SUNSETS/SUNRISES

No Need to Ask, What 'Cha Bean Doing?

It's that time of year again. It's green bean time. We may have not had a good pea crop this summer but we've got plenty of beans.  Lots of green beans.

Their canning process isn't difficult but it is time consuming. The beans need to be picked, washed and their ends snapped off and broken into thirds. Then each jar is packed with beans, hot boiling water added and only 7 quart jars can be placed in the canner at a time.  (10lbs/25 minutes if you are interested..)

2014 crop

Let's say so far this year about 100 servings have been canned. AND...  that's not counting the quart jars left over from last year. 



Thank goodness the beans that had been frozen have been used up as nothing is more valuable than freezer space at this time of the year. 

To tell you the truth I prefer canned beans over frozen ones anyway. It must be the childhood memories of those store bought rubbery tasting frozen ones.

If you're wondering what we'll do with the next set of beans, those will end up canned in our End of the Year Garden soup.

You 'can' rest assured if you stop by this month we will be harvesting something.  It's a busy time of the year right here in the End of the Rainbow Valley... 

Fame's Shortlived...Memories Linger...

Photo and article by Eric Lindquist of the  Leader Telegram 

I bet you remember me mentioning The Happy Bookers, my book group's July summer trip where we included a stop at Danzinger Winery in Alma. While there, a writer for the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram newspaper interviewed us and that article re: The Wine Trail recently was printed. 

*Here's a copy of that article in its entirety by staffer Eric Lindquist, 'A Fine Time for Fine Wine.' I have included some of our Kodak moments too.


*ALMA -" One by one the seven women bellied up to the bar.
They were greeted by two friendly servers who offered them each the opportunity to sample a flight of red or white wines, all made on site from grapes grown across the road.

After tasting six wines, ranging from dry to sweet, the women bought a bottle of their favorite and shared it on the patio as they basked in the sunshine and drank in the spectacular view of the Mississippi River Valley 600 feet below.

This serene scene took place on a recent Friday afternoon at Danzinger Vineyards atop a bluff just outside of Alma, but it could have been almost any day at one of at least 15 wineries that have popped up across west-central Wisconsin in the past few years.

"It doesn't get any better than this," Susan Sorrentino of Onalaska declared as she held her glass aloft for a toast to her friends in the Happy Bookers, a La Crosse area book club.

These women didn't have to wait for a book to come out about the rise of Wisconsin wineries to know that sipping a glass or two of wine with good friends in beautiful places is a delightful way to spend a day. They have indulged in free tastings at several wineries in the area along the Mississippi River being marketed as Wisconsin's West Coast and don't intend to stop the tours anytime soon.

"Our books get better reviews after we go home," quipped Karen Sherman of Chaseburg, drawing howls of laughter from the rest of the Happy Bookers.

Beyond the wine, the women relish the views of the Mississippi River and the surrounding bluffs along the Great River Road, said Mary Monsoor of La Crosse.

They're not alone.

As word gets out and more wineries emerge, wine-tasting excursions are becoming an increasingly popular pastime in west-central Wisconsin, where the development of new varieties of winter-hardy grapes has uncorked a whole new industry and sparked a home-grown tourist trade.

Six of the regional wineries have taken advantage of the flood of interest by joining with five wineries in Minnesota and Iowa to form the Great River Road Wine Trail, one of several regional sipping routes that have sprung up across Wisconsin in recent years.

The Mississippi River Valley wineries promote the concept through a website, greatriverroadwinetrail.org, and a slick brochure available at regional tourist destinations. The wine-tasting concept, which has been popular in California for decades, is growing as fast as the winery business in Wisconsin.

"It's a great way to spend a day," said Anna Maenner, executive director of the Wisconsin Winery Association, which has seen its membership nearly quadruple in recent years. "Wineries have a wonderful ambience and provide a new way for people to enjoy the beautiful Wisconsin countryside with their outdoor patios and vineyard tours."

The Great River Road wineries all offer a distinctive selection of wines and a one-of-a-kind setting for visitors.

At several of the regional wineries, visitors need only say the kind of wine they prefer - Chardonnay, Merlot or Riesling, for instance - and servers will recommend free samples of comparable labels from their own varieties.

Of course, the wineries will gladly sell bottles and cases of their products, along with T-shirts, wine accessories and other gifts.
Here's a sample of what area wineries have to offer:

Derick and Julianne Dahlen, owners of Villa Bellezza Winery & Vineyards, settled on Pepin as the site of their operation after learning the upper Mississippi River Valley is identified as particularly suited for growing cold-weather grape varieties. Grapes grown in the federally designated Upper Mississippi River American Viniculture Area offer a unique flavor because of the microclimate and soils along the river. "We wanted to be known as a place that people were drawn to come back to and also a place that had quality wines," Julianne Dahlen said.

Our stop at Villa Belleza ( photo courtesy of Connie)

Judging by the response from consumers - sales and visits so far this year are up more than 40 percent from 2013 - the winery is succeeding on both counts.

Guests standing at the modern horseshoe-shaped bar in the two-year-old tasting room can gaze at their options on large digital screens displaying the available wines, their notable characteristics and prizes they've earned.

Villa Bellezza, with its collection of vineyard-surrounded yellow stucco buildings and a central red brick square reminiscent of Italy, claims 26 varieties of wine made from 11 types of grapes grown on 11 acres.

"Our intent was to develop a wide variety of wines so we'd have something to appeal to everyone," Dahlen said.

Villa Belleza wedding setting with the vineyard backdrop

On a recent Friday, a father and son attending a wedding in the adjacent event center showed up early and raved about the villa's offerings.



Maiden Rock Winery & Cidery puts a sweet twist on the winery concept. As a hybrid enterprise, it brews about eight varieties of hard (aka alcoholic) cider, both still and sparkling, and five varieties of wine, including some grape and apple blends. The operation incorporates its production facilities, gift shop, tasting room and event space all under one roof in a 12-year-old barn, surrounded by 12 acres of apple trees, on a hillside a few miles outside of Stockholm. Owners Herdie Baisden and his wife, Carol Wiersma, buy their grapes from nearby Sanctuary Vineyard."We certainly focus more on cider than we do on wine," Baisden said, revealing that cider will account for 12,000 of the 14,000 gallons of product the business produces this year.

Maiden Rock Winery & Cidery, one of fewer than a dozen cider makers in Wisconsin, now sells its products throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin, including at The Coffee Grounds in Eau Claire.
Its hottest seller, Honeycrisp Hard Cider, incorporates the wildly popular honeycrisp apple for a taste that's slightly sweeter than the typical cider.

Visitors can sample Baisden's concoctions at the tasting bar or outside on picnic tables or in an orchard gazebo.
The proprietors believe the Great River Road Wine Trail concept benefits both wineries and people interested in tasting the locally made products.

"What we've found is that it serves us all well to be close together because we can offer such a wide variety of products and it provides people with a fun new recreational opportunity," Wiersma said.

Danzinger Vineyards, in its fifth season of making wine, offers 29 varieties of wine made from 11 types of grapes grown in curving rows on 18 acres of rolling hillside across the street from its elegant tasting room.

While tasting sessions are free, the operation also offers tours of the adjacent winery and vineyards for a fee. Groups of 10 or more are asked to call ahead for tour reservations.

Despite the vineyard's strong record in wine judging competitions, the owners have resisted the temptation to broaden distribution of their products, choosing instead to emphasize the experience of visiting the winery.

"We don't distribute at all," said David Danzinger, who operates the winery along with his brother Melvin. "If you want to buy our wines, you have to come here." That policy hasn't been much of a deterrent, as sales have climbed steadily from 15,000 bottles the first year to a projected nearly 36,000 this year, Danzinger said.
He estimated that about 10,000 people visit the winery annually, half of whom travel from the Twin Cities. In addition to summer weekends, fall is a popular time, as many guests enjoy gazing at the fall colors while sipping a glass of wine.

"Like they say about real estate, it's location, location, location," Danzinger said. "It's the same way with grapes, and we have a great piece of property."

Seven Hawks Vineyards in Fountain City takes a different approach, keeping its downtown tasting room separate from its vineyards just a mile north of town.

The tasting room and wine bar is located in an 1870s renovated river town building that still features its original ceiling and floor, said manager Chris Hermann, who summarizes the characteristics of each wine as he pours.

For guests who want to know more, Seven Hawks, like the other regional wineries, provides a sheet with detailed notes on each wine. Its La Crescent Reserve, for example, is described this way: "Brilliant apricot and peach bouquet, with soft citrus finish. Compares to a sweet Sauvignon Blanc. Serve chilled with fish, poultry, white meat or Asian dishes."

The facility, which typically attracts 150 people on summer Saturdays, offers visitors the option of standing at the tasting bar or sipping the winery's 11 flavors of wine at tables on the second-floor deck with views of the Mississippi River.

Seven Hawks, owned by Brad Nilles of St. Paul, doesn't give regular vineyard tours in part to avoid injuries on the steep bluffs where it grows nine varieties of grapes and also to guarantee serenity for guests at its cottages and lodges nestled among the nearly 21,000 grape vines on 45 acres.

About two-thirds of tasting room visitors say they're following the Great River Road Wine Trail, Hermann said.
"It's a beautiful drive, so why not put some grapes along Highway 35," he said, alluding to the concept's appeal to tourists and entrepreneurs alike.

Visiting from Winona, Minn., recently to sample the winery's wares, Jesse Sievers and Allison Byom appeared all too happy to drink to that, clinking glasses as they worked their way down the wine list."

** I wasn't sure if my link to Mr. Lindquist's article would limit the number of views but do click on it so this newspaper knows we appreciate this article! Fine Time for Fine Wine 

*** Here's also the link to that Happy Bookers excursion:
       Stockholm or Bust

Hot, hot, hot... Not Always

Originating in the Mexican city of Puebla, the poblano chile is a mild chile sometimes incorrectly called a Pasilla here in the U.S. One of my most favorite dishes, the traditional Chile Relleno, uses the poblano and for this very reason, we have started growing poblanos here in the End of the Rainbow Valley. This summer we have a beautiful bumper crop...

Hence I roasted and froze some poblanos to use later for Chile Relleno (to be filled with cheese, batter dipped fried and baked) and with the remainder of the first harvest cooked a tasty new easy to make southwestern recipe called  "Quinoa Stuffed Poblano." If you like southwestern and some heat, you'll enjoy this recipe. The poblano tends to gain heat (spiciness) when reheated.


Ingredients:

butter for baking dish
4 bell peppers, seeded 
2 c vegetable broth
1 c quinoa
3 T olive oil
1 sm yellow onion, diced
1/8 t salt
1 c sweet corn
1 c canned black beans
1 c grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 t chili powder, or to taste
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/2 T dried parsley (I used fresh cilantro)
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 c 4-Cheese Mexican Blend, divided (I added *Rotel)
plain yogurt / light sour cream, for garnish, optional

Instructions:   Preheat oven to 350.
Grease baking dish.
Place bell peppers in casserole dish and set aside. 

quinoa cooks in broth until liquid absorbed 

Remove from heat, gently fluff with fork, set aside.
Heat oil over med heat.
Add onions. Season with salt; 
 cook 1 min/until translucent.

Stir in sweet corn and beans; 
 cook 2 min until fragrant.

I doubled the recipe...

Stir in grape tomatoes and cooked quinoa; season with chili powder, cayenne pepper, dried parsley, salt and pepper.

Add 1 c cheese; mix well, cook 3-4 min until everything's heated through and cheese's melted.

Remove from heat.

 stuffed poblano pepper uncooked

Divide mixture evenly between peppers, packing quinoa mixture tightly into pepper. 

Bake 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and top each pepper with remaining cheese.

Put back in oven and continue to bake 5 min./until cheese's melted.

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt or light sour cream.

RECIPE SOURCE: DIETHOOD

* Rotel, a canned staple in my household
  (chopped tomatoes with jalapeños)

Excitement in the Little Town of Stoddard...

Septic tanks being added

It doesn't take much for me to get excited. So this summer  I have been observing some new Amish construc-tion going on in the town of Stoddard (5 miles from us from the End of the Rainbow Valley ) after you turn off of HWY35S in Stoddard onto HWY162, pass the ball field, go about a block down on your left there it is...  


Five pristine 2-bedroom cabins owned by Waters Edge Motel Marina and Campground have been situated on Frog Point Lake with a new dock where guests can enjoy fishing/paddleboating/ swimming/ canoeing/ volleyball in addition to the Mississippi River being only about 6 blocks away - 
                 How exciting!

Equipped with a new dock. On far right a volley ball court... 

The owners's Dad was kind enough to show me around after I stopped by and told him I wanted to write about this endeavor. 

                                           Sweet. 

Inside each cabin you'll find an  

 equipped kitchen, 

 a full bath,

OK, they could use my local photography for their walls...

dining/ living room combo

with a 42" flat screen tv if you have time to watch it/ down time and...

WiFi and cable connections. 

*Note the possibility of sleeping more bodies... 

and 2 bedrooms with queen sized beds.

room air conditioners and there's also central heat...

And from the cabin's front you have the view of the 4 acre lake from around a firepit while grilling in the provided bar-b-que...

What else do you need for a get away? 

Laundry?  Coin operated washer/dryer located at one end of the units...

In winter the lake just may become a skating rink. How fun is that? You'd also have the possibility of ice fishing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing/ the snow mobile trail that runs on the opposite lakeside ... Walking distance for dining : Rocky's for their famous cheese curds/ the Thirsty Turtle's daily specials... 

Anyhow for $135(tax not included)/ night for 4 adults / $10 extra/person you can stay in these fully furnished cabins. They are a perfect fisherperson/ hunter/ family getaway. Women's weekend??? 

This weekend the first renters occupied these little vacation home away from home.  55 reservations are in already. 

I can't see how this business venture could go awry... 
Tell your buds. Chicagoans, Twin City folks, even you locals that want a break from the 'town' life. 
Here's their link:Waters Edge New Cabins
Tell 'em Chaseburgmama sent you... 

* If I'm amiss with any of the info, they'll be sure to correct it!

FOTO FRIDAY: SUNSETS

Since I caught a magnificent sunset this week I thought what a great time to encourage my readers to submit a favorite sunrise/ sunset of yours.
Mother Nature certainly has been working her magic lately.

After a concert and picnic in Riverside Park our stroll along the Mississippi allowed us to witness a spectacular sunset.

Let's see one of your favorites...
Jennifer adds a sunrise I bet from one of her early morning walks.

La Crosse WI

Sue snaps this pic from her La Crosse southside home.

Colleen's statement that photos are are never as good as the real thing is true but her pic of Perrot Park is pretty magnificent.



Cheryl not wanting to be outdone submitted 2 of the same sunset from Minnesota wanting extra credit for walking out through weeds and grasses in her clogs to snap this. 

Pam' sunrise over the Sea of Galilee was one of her more memorable sunrises and very awe inspiring.

Judi's foggy morning

And some days are just foggier than others. Whether you are greeting a new day/ saying goodbye to one.

Have you seen the last 2 FOTO FRIDAYS?

FOTO FRIDAY:INGENUITY

FOTO FRIDAY:PARKTIME