Murals of Menomonie

A few weeks back we took a day trip down to Menomonie WI. We get there a few times a year; there is a great brew pub in an old depot, a sweet historic downtown similar to Hastings on the river, and a a quiet Americana vibe. But we were tipped off to a weekend festival and packed up the dogs in the car on a beautiful, hot Saturday afternoon. 

What I love are small towns like this that still remain vibrant, vital and choose to invest in their history. It was sponsored in by the Chamber of Commerce, the Historical Society, the University at Stout as well as a huge handful of local business partners that thought it was important enough to pony up some money.

Bring in the Walldogs! We spoke to a member at an info desk and they are this amazing guild of mural artists - the real thing. They specialize in vintage wall art using modern painting methods. They come from all over the US. The mission is not to do commercial hard-sells, but to keep a lost art form alive. And the part we I found most inspiring is their mission to connect in a community way.

We found a fabulous celebration of a city that is proud of who they are and where they came from. There were 15 murals, and each designated a product native to the area, a landmark or an important moment in the Menomonie's history. Who knew Swiss Miss Cocoa is from there and is still manufactured? Old Cigar brands, Lumber companies, Baseball teams. They were all being brought back to life in a giant photo album along Main Street - literally.

And what was even more uplifting is that the local community was on board doing the grunt work right next to the artists. We went on the Saturday, prior to the grand reveal on Sunday. Each team has a designer/ artist who creates the work. And then a project manager, just like an architecture firm who delegates how to get the work done in a finite period of time over the weekend. Some volunteers were mixing paint and cleaning up messes. Others with theater skills or interior design were doing some of the broad strokes while the Walldogs team did the detail work as they were coming to a close. They are all hosted in town by families and it felt like an old potluck, community event. Artists had time to tell you about the choices, pet the dogs and just chow down on donated food from the local restaurants. It all felt like important work and will be a lasting arts legacy that the city will have for another generation.

From the Menomonie website; "Every mural tells a story, and every person who contributed is part of that story." We look forward to going back later in the summer to take in the finished murals.

the Walldogs weblink 

Murals in Menomonie 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer in the City

This has been a hard year for Minneapolis on so many fronts. But our resilience is not lost on me by any means. Today was a glorious summer day with sunshine. It seemed as if life had returned to our new normal. After taking it all in with Jeff and the dogs, I cannot understand why anyone would not choose the abundance of urban living.

Let's start with home. On these summer mornings I live for a cup of coffee and a walk through the garden. Although it is lessons in patience, I take in each plant and notice every increment of growth or find surprise in the new bloom that was not there yesterday. But the major event today was our community garage sale. Yes, it was a great excuse to sort through those piles in the basement and do some purging. But the concept of our neighborhood was to frame it as a Swap. We were encouraged to price low or simply gives things away so everyone could take something on impulse or need. We threw in our old fire-pit, vintage lamps, Jeff's book collection, coolers and the remains of my dahlias tubers. The people we spoke to, the conversations we had about so many things and shared moments with sweet kids and our dogs. All shapes and sizes with stories to share. There is simply no place like home.

There is something for everyone; which takes us to our 2nd outing. We used our small haul from the garage sale (still over $100) and walked a few blocks to a favorite haunt in Pizza Luce`. The outdoor patio is a perfect size and the menu has great cheap pizza & sandwiches with a cold beer. We weren't aware that it was their annual Tour de Luce` sponsored by Fulton Breweries. Bikers register and can choose their own route to go from Luce to Luce among their 8 locations across the cities on their own time. They grab a slice and beer at each site with featured live music and fashion shows at each one. We were glad to find a seat on the patio and just take it all in. Happy people in bike gear and cute kids all wanted to come and share pictures with Duke & Rosie. Perfect vibe and a fabulous turkey pesto sandwich on homemade Italian foccacia.

This does not even include the many other events gong on all around us. There was the Edina Art Fair or Grand Old Days in St Paul. The three I would have loved to take in; The weekend Prince Celebration downtown Minneapolis celebrating all things of the purple wonder. It was spread over 3 days at 3 venues - Paisley Park, a block party at First Avenue and a huge blowout concert at the Armory. Fashion shows and group sing-alongs. I can see it was a blast.

Something close to home is the bizarre Pencil Sharpening at Lake of the Isles. There is a huge mansion along the lake front that has erected a giant #2 pencil as a piece of artwork in their front lawn as a novelty work. A few years back they created a community celebration each summer where they pull out a giant sharpener and make a big deal out of raising it to the tip of the pencil while crowds cheer. It has musical guests, cheerleaders and choreography. Silly insanity, just as Minneapolis is known for costumes and irreverence.  

 

Another escape I love is our Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in St Paul. I usually escape there to get some greenery and serenity in the middle of winter. But this week there is anticipation as Horace, the giant stink plant, is due to bloom again after two years with its massive bud. It is officially a Corpse Plant which reaches a height of 10- 15 feet. The Twin Cities are waiting its arrival over the weekend where it will be viewable for only 12-24 hours.

 All this is to say, there is no place I would rather be than Minneapolis. When living in suburbia or rural you can always take a trip into the city. But it is not the same as being right in the middle of it. We don't need to drive miles for that trail, a sunset or a dip on the lake. I can walk there. And above all, it is the community and connection of shared admiration and support that is the real gift.