Children's Festival

Lions Shelter down at Winona Lake, Winona. Thursday August 13, 5 PM-7 PM FREE TO ALL FAMILIES- come meet ELMO-and get a coupon for a free icecream cone, donated by McDonalds. Free icecones/cottoncandy, donated by J&J Entertainment, he also donated the bouncie houses, maze, and slide-and also a train ride. Home daycare providers donated FREE tattoos, face painting, and balloons. Even a clown will greet you when you stop by! HyVee and Midtown donated fun-size water bottles. COME CELEBRATE FAMILY UNITY---enjoy a picnic lunch-brought from home if you wish-no food is available except for what is listed above for FREE-----COME JOIN EMLO and WINONA COUNTY HOME PROVIDERS and have some fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Canoe Crazy Family Festival

Family Fest is this Saturday, August 15th from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This year’s theme is “Canoe Crazy” to celebrate the exhibit: The Art of the Canoe. The event is free thanks to generous sponsorship by Winona National Bank.

In addition to seven craft activities, face painting, lunch and more- Wenonah Canoe will be there with over 15 canoes to allow families the opportunity to try out canoeing on the Mississippi River!



Hope to see you all there!

Please visit minnesotamarineart.org for more info!

Is summer really almost over?

My mom always said that she saw summer as a big weekend; June was Friday night, July was Saturday, and August was Sunday. We're almost to Sunday already. Target's back to school area is filled with school supplies and we are already digging our school backpacks out of the closet. But, don't pack the swim suits away yet! Summer programs are winding down, and your back yard may be getting a little tired. You might be out of ideas for activities or getting a little bored, but this might be the perfect time to head out and try something you have been putting off.
Here are a couple options you may never have thought of or tried, and they are all within a few minutes of the Winona area:

-Check out our fantastic Aquatic Center or hit LaCanne Park's beach.
-Hike up to the Sugar Loaf. (Its not that hard, really!)
-Check out Garvin Heights. (For the less adventurous.)
-Try spelunking at Mystery Cave or Niagara Cave, both easily doable with small kids.
-Head to Pepin, WI and hunt down the "Little House in the Big Woods" Laura Ingalls Wilder wayside rest.
-On your way back, stop by the Nelson Cheese Factory for some gourmet cheese and a delicious scoop of ice cream. Yum!
-Speaking of ice cream, when was the last time you went to The Penguin Zesto or Lakeview Drive in?
-Or how about walking to Bloedow's for a sweet treat?
-Head on down to WSU. Did you know they have a koi pond and several fountains including a children's fountain? They have lots of lush grass to frolic on, too. Head to Mugby Junction on Huff Street for frozen hot chocolate or a frappe for a treat when you're done.
-Check out Levee Park.
-Check out Windom Park.
-Go to Lanesboro and head down their fantastic bike trails for some fun.
-Or just bike around our lake!
-For a special night out, head to the Trempealeau Hotel for one of their famous walnut burgers and enjoy the trains that roll by.
-Take a short trip up Hwy. 61 to Kellogg. Take a spin on the HAND CARVED carousel and check out their toys and toy museum!

So there are a few more ideas for you. Now get out there and make the most of the rest of the summer!

Berry Picking!

Sunday was a lovely, sunny, summer day. We decided to make the most of the afternoon by venturing to The Berry Patch, a quick drive down Highway 54 about halfway between Winona and Galesville, WI. We arrived and picked up our berry boxes, happily marching up and down rows and rows of fragrant strawberry plants. In Swedish, the word for strawberry is "jordgubbe" which literally means "earth fellow." It is hard not to feel a little closer to the earth when you go berry picking, if not a little more aware of how farmers feel when their hard work of planting finally pays off.


We didn't have to pick very long until we had over 5 lbs of delicious berries. Even though my two oldest are seven and five, we started the tradition of berry picking when they were much younger. If you've shied away from this activity because you think it might not appeal to a younger child, think again!! As my almost 6 year old helped to fill our boxes, it seemed like just last week when he toddled up the rows at age 2.5, filling his box one berry at a time.


We made our way to the counter to weigh and pay for our strawberries. The total price per pound was $1.15! The 70-something man who helped us was festooned with a colorful plastic lei and Mardi Gras beads. He informed us that he never washes a berry, unless it has dirt on it of course! I asked if these berries are sprayed with pesticides and he said, "No! We spray once before the berries pop out, and that's only for mold." I was happy to hear that!


They also have pick your own raspberries and I asked when they will be ready, he said on Labor Day. (If you want the already picked kind, those are ready the middle of August, our knowledgeable informant told us.)


If you want the strawberries, however, you've got to hurry! We were told that strawberry picking will only last until this Friday.


The Berry Patch is owned by Brian and Becky Kriesel and the number to call for more information is 608-539-5541. Happy berry hunting!