Detour Season in Minnesota

Yep, it’s detour season here in Minnesota. I had a 3pm appointment off Snelling in St. Paul the other day. I barely made it there in under an hour.

First, the colleague I was meeting with directed me to stay away from Highway 280 because it’s under construction. So I opted to go the long way, heading over to North Branch to take 35E into St. Paul, then 94 west to Snelling. I neglected to remember that the path to North Branch was also under construction!

(Word to the wise: Don’t try to take Highway 95 either west or east from Cambridge. There’s a bridge out towards Princeton, and the road towards North Branch is torn up.)

Thus, with no time to spare, I was heading north on a detour instead of going slightly south to North Branch. Aiiii. We ended up in Harris before we were heading south the way we wanted to go.

Amazingly, I made it just in time to Coffee News in St. Paul.

Upon leaving, I opted to head north on Snelling instead of battling rush hour traffic on 35W. Bad idea. The north end of Snelling (near Northwestern to 694) is also under construction!

So, beware, you drivers. There’s road construction everywhere here in Minnesota.

Other diaper tools

If you do opt to use cloth diapers, here are a few other 'tools' I've found helpful.


Make your baby happy by buying a wipe warmer. I know some people say not to do it because then the baby hates when you're out of the house and have to use cold wipes. While that may be true, the happiness a warm wash cloth brings to my baby is worth it! Diaper changing time is her favorite time. All crying stops when she's on her diaper changing table. We don't use wet wipes, but instead fill the warmer with baby-sized washclothes. I fill it up with water every day (even though the package said it would only need filling once a week. Yeah, right!).



Connect a sprayer to your toilet. It makes clean-up so much easier. We decided at first to do it ourselves, so we trotted off to Menards and dropped over $40 on supplies. My husband spent the better part of a Sunday afternoon connecting the sprayer up. The next day we discovered a puddle on the floor; it had a slow leak. After looking it over a bit, my husband decided to give in and purchase the ready-made package from Bum Genius for $40. It was easy to install and works great. I love it.

To keep the odor down between washings and to get the diapers cleaner, I spray each with Bac Out after I spray it out. You can purchase Bac Out at natural food co-ops; I stocked up by buying 4 gallons off Amazon.com. It has a fabulous lime scent that I love.

Not your momma's cloth diapers

Cloth diapers aren’t what they used to be. I know what you envision when you think ‘cloth diaper’. You picture a white square and sharp safety pins. Well, think again!

Today’s cloth diapers are actually oh-so-easy to use. Think velcro and fleece. Plus, they’re actually adorable! Picture Dr. Suess and frog prints.



Today’s cloth diapers consist of an inner layer of cotton or fleece and an outer layer that is waterproof. Pop the diaper on and then put the cover over it. Others, known as all-in-ones or AIOs, have both the inner and outer parts in one diaper. I prefer those for use when I’m not at home. Daddy also prefers those and thinks they’re easier.

I began my quest for cloth diapers by visiting Pea Pods (www.peapods.com) on Snelling in St. Paul. I wanted to see and touch. I spent $100 and got a variety to test, including Bum Genius, Bamboozle (made of bamboo!), and Kissaluvs. I figured after I had tried them I could then order seconds off Craig’s List. The nice thing about cloth diapers is that although they are not cheap to buy new, they do retain their value very well.

Here’s what I’ve learned after three months of use:



My favorite diapers are Thirsties, and they’re not easy to find used. Thirsties are made of soft fleece and have velcro. They resist staining the best. And they come in great colors: bright orange, melon green, hot pink and more. The accompanying covers have gussets around the legs, which work well for my chubby-legged daughter.



I also love Bummies covers. They are great! The Bummies Super Brites also have gussets, but the regular have worked just fine for us. I love the frog print the best. Oh so cute!



The diapers that leak every time for us are the Kushies. Although they are the cheapest, and easily available at walmart.com, I wouldn’t recommend them. The triangular shape doesn’t keep anything in; it all seeps out around my daughter’s legs.




Although many rave about Bum Genius, I am not part of their fan club. They’re not terrible diapers by any means, but they’re not the best either. What I dislike most is that they are hard to get clean. With the Thirsties, the poo practically rinses out. The Bum Genius require scrubbing and whitening in the sun.



Kissaluvs are my second favorite. We actually started with about 20 used Kissaluv newborn diapers. They lasted my 9 lb, 12 oz baby only 2 weeks, but they worked great. The snaps are nice and make it easy to adjust for a tight fit around baby’s waist. Kissaluvs tend to be on the lower end of the price range for cloth diapers.



I also have about five AIO Bumpkins. They come in great designs. I use these most when I’m out of the house. They are Daddy’s favorites because they take just one step to put on.

PRICES:
Bum Genius 3.0 One Size Pocket Diaper $17.95
KIssaluvs pre-fitted $12.95
Thirsties Fab Fitted $14.25
Kushies: $49.95 for five
Bumpkins AIO: $24.95 or 6-pack bundle for $109.95

Bummies Super Whisper Wrap $12.25
Thirsties diaper cover $11.50

SIZES
Thirsties: XS 10-15 lbs, Sm 12-19 lbs, Med 14-22 lbs, Large 16-25 lbs
Kissaluvs: Size 0 - 5-15 lbs, Size 1 - 10-25 lbs, Size 2 - 20-40 lbs
Kushies: 10-22 lbs
Bumpkins: Sm 6-12 lbs, Med 12-22 lbs, Large 22-32 lbs, XL 32-42 lbs, Youth 42+ lbs
Bum Genius: one-size; adjust the snaps to lengthen

Coconut-Lime Soup

I just have to share this recipe because it is so delicious.

I found it in a recent Better Homes and Garden magazine.

1 2-2 1/2 pound deli-roasted chicken.
1 15-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups water
1/4 cup lime juice (2 medium limes)
3 medium carrots, thin-sliced diagonally (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Thai seasoning blend
1/4 tsp. salt
Fresh cilantro (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)

Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Shred chicken. In large saucepan combine shredded chicken with coconut milk, water, lime juice, shredded carrots, soy sauce, the 2 tsp. Thai seasoning and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 8 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender. To serve, sprinkle bowls of soup with additional Thai seasoning and cilantro. Pass lime wedges.
Makes 4 servings.

Forestville Day 3 - Mystery Cave

Today we’re heading home. After waking up and making what’s left of the bacon, we pack up. We’ve got one more place to see before we turn the truck back north. It’s actually the reason we came to Forestville.

MYSTERY CAVE
The name itself is enough to entice me. I’ve always been interested in going underground to see what wonders have been carved into stone by centuries of dripping water. I’ve been in caves outside Monterrey, Mexico, in Tennessee, South Dakota and Missouri (the Mark Twain Cave). It could have been Mark Twain himself who inspired my love of caves with his book, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” Until recently I had no idea there were two caves in Minnesota. Both are near each other: Mystery Cave is within a 15 minute drive of Forestville State Park off of County Road 5. Niagara Cave is located a little closer to Harmony.

We dressed in pants and long sleeves for our trip underground. The temperature in Mystery Cave is a constant 48 degrees Fahrenheit. We opted for the one-hour tour which is offered between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day between Memorial Day and Labor Day. (Tours are also offered on weekends in the spring and fall between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.) The one-hour tour is accessible by wheelchair and stroller. The trail has been paved with concrete and is level. While it took away some of the mystique, it was nice to not have to worry about where my next step was.

I’d like to go back for both the two-hour and Wild Caving Tour. Both are through different sections of the large cave. The two-hour tour is rustic with in-depth interpretation of cave geology, according to the cave brochure. Folks walk on narrow, winding gravel passageways. The only light is the lanterns each person carries. This tour isn’t suitable for children under age five, and sandals are not allowed. The Wild Caving Tour is a real adventure. People crawl and squeeze through the undeveloped portions of the cave. You wear protective gear and spend about three hours underground. You have to be 13 or older to try out this one. Doesn’t it sound fun?

To get to the cave we walked from the visitor center through a picnic ground. In the spring the area floods. The old visitor center was in this area, but floods kept damaging the building. In 2004, the new center was built on higher land. We crossed a bridge spanning the Bend River; much of the water seeps into the cave. Our guide noted that in the summer, the river can all but disappear in this area, coming back south of the cave. Our path led us to a vault door. Our guide opened it with a key. I wondered why they needed to lock it during the day when tour groups are constantly going in and out. This entrance into the cave was dug near a small natural entrance. The natural one was filled in a few years ago a few raccoons found their way inside and damaged some areas.

Mystery Cave is the longest cave in Minnesota with over 13 miles of passageways. Our guide told us that number grows each year as naturalists explore deeper and deeper into the cave.

The cave has been managed by the Department of Natural Resources since 1988. Prior to that it went through a variety of owners. Damage was done to some staglatites and other formations when passageways were deepened. Our guide, a park naturalist, obviously disapproved of such techniques and such work is no longer done in the cave. It took over a year to reopen the cave after the DNR took it over; creating the concrete paths wasn’t an easy and quick task.

Our tour focused on the natural aspects of the cave, including how it was created slowly over time as water dripped down. I wondered how much was fashioned during the flood in Noah’s day. The cave itself reminded me of the Mark Twain Cave in Missouri along the Mississippi River. Most of the formations were muddy and wide. There were but a few thin soda straw (hollow in the center) staglatites. Most were formed by water running down the outside and leaving calcium deposits that slowly widened and lengthened the formations.

We both enjoyed the tour and would recommend it. The baby cuddled deep into her sling, and took a one-hour nap. We’ll bring her back someday when she can appreciate it! I’d also like to tour Niagara Cave and view its 60-foot underground waterfall and wedding chapel. I’ve heard it has a lot of stairs.

ON THE WAY HOME
After stopping in Spring Valley for Subway sandwiches, we continued north on Highway 63 to Rochester. We passed a race track, Deer Creek Speedway, just outside of Spring Valley. It hosts races most weekends. Another place to come back to.

There’s so much to see and do in our great state.

PHOTOS AND ORIGINAL POST AT
http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Minnesota/Root-River---Harmony-Preston-Valley-State-Trail/blog-404666.html

Thoughts from a garage sale

The behavior of people fascinates me. I spent the last two days sitting at my garage sale watching people come and go. What amazes me is what they bought - and what they left.

No one even looked at the Noah’s Ark crib bumper and blanket set my mom set out. Or the baby bath I had for sale. But nearly all the bird houses my mother-in-law was getting rid of were sold.

All my furniture went: the futon, the bed frame and mattress, the television, and the entertainment center. Yet my sister couldn’t hardly sell the beautiful globe end table that I really wanted but don’t have room for.

Folks hardly gave her slipcovers a chance — but tried to buy the patio chairs underneath that weren’t for sale.

The table with kitchen gadgets - mugs, a George Foreman grill, pizza oven, and camping trays - remained untouched for two days.

The clothes my mom and I were selling for 10 cents never went, but the ones my sister sold for $5 went. Yet all the shoes went, and most of the purses.

It’s strange what people are shopping for at a garage sale. It really is.

Forestville Day 2 - Historic Forestville

I love the sound of rain on a tent, and the fresh smell it brings. Although the weather man said rain was in the forecast for Saturday night, it came on Friday. Figures. But we didn’t sweat it; our tent was leakproof so we just snuggled down deeper and kept sleeping. I was worried about the baby, but she was fine.

She seems to really enjoy this camping thing. She’s been sleeping better and longer than she has in weeks.

BABY GEAR
Well, I learned that you don’t need much baby gear for a 2 1/2 month old baby. We didn’t need the pack N play; she slept in her car seat with a wool blanket draped over it for warmth. And we only used the strolled once; I preferred to put her in the sling when we were out as she’d been in that car seat long enough. I did not regret bringing almost all her clothes and a full package of Huggies Natural diapers, however. We could have used another wool blanket, as well. It got pretty cold at night. I’ll wait to bring the pack N play when she’s crawling.

After years of staying in a small two-person tent, we enjoyed having a spacious 6-person tent. It’s nice to be able to stand up sometimes. We borrowed a tent from my in-laws, but I think that one of our own will be our next purchase.

TAKE A HIKE
We slept in and woke up leisurely — just the way I like it. Amazingly, I remembered how to use my camp stove after not having used it in years. We had cups of hot cocoa in no time. Being so close to lunch, we opted to leave the bacon for another morning. The day stayed cool; not the hot summer days I had anticipated. That was probably due to the thick tree cover over the campground and trails.

We headed over to take showers. Not a great experience. At 11:30 am the water was only lukewarm. I hate cold showers more than anything. It was nice to be clean — and nice to shower in a place minus mold — but I wasn’t too happy when I walked out of there. On the plus side, it was nice to have personal shower stalls.

At lunchtime, we got a fire going and roasted cheddarwurst. Accompanied by pasta salad, it was a filling lunch. Then it was off to explore. We followed a trail down the Bend River, stopping to search the water for trout. Two park rangers told us the evening before that the park is well known for three trout streams. Jesse got the urge to go fishing. But without any gear, we chalked that up to the “do it next time” list. Because of recent rains, the water was a bit muddy and we spied only one trout lurking near a downed tree branch.

The trail led us to an equestrian crossing. We watched two strong horses power their way across the river and up the bank. Their hooves splashed us, but it felt good. I asked the riders how far Historic Forestville was, and they replied about 2 miles. We decided it was a bit too far to walk, and would go later via truck.

I love hiking in late spring/early summer. Purple columbine were blooming every where, as were other plants I can’t name. The dandelions had just gone to seed. Amazingly, there were no mosquitoes. That’s a rare find in Minnesota in the summer.

HISTORIC FORESTVILLE
After a nap for baby and husband, we headed over to Historic Forestville. Our journey led us over a bridge built in 1899. It was blockaded; I guess it was damaged in a spring flood and closed to vehicles.

The old townsite is small; a few barns, a general store and a home. But it is very picturesque. Not sure what to expect, we headed to a new barn to purchase our tickets: $6 per adult. We treated ourselves to Schwan’s ice cream while there. Dodging chickens, Jesse and I tried out an old-fashioned mower. I remember my folks having one of these when I was a child... Glad we’ve upgraded to gas! We were directed to some benches under the big tree. There we were introduced to the folks who settled in the town, the Meighen family. The costumed guides were wonderful, staying in character as they told us how things were done. I was astonished to learn that the general store has original merchandise in it. How was it not stolen by vandals over the long years the store sat unused? Apparently the house attached next door continued to be rented out, and their presence halted any thieves. The site has been managed by the Minnesota Historical Society since the 1970s. Jesse had a great time getting into character, particularly in the general store. I couldn’t stop laughing. Again, the baby slept well in her front carrier - minus a few minutes in the kitchen when her daddy popped her in the wood bin for a photo op.

At each different location, the guides changed, keeping things fresh and interesting. We strolled through the kitchen garden which the children cared for, sampled a piece of fresh cinnamon bread in the kitchen, and marveled over the seed separators in one barn. Jesse tried his hand at wood carving in the larger barn, and we both tried out the rickety grinder. Apparently the barn is quite a feat of engineering. In order to drive a carriage through one side and out the other, no beams were placed in the center. Instead, 20-feet-long screws run from the roof to the ceiling and carry the weight of the structure. Amazing — although for a moment I wanted to get out of that building in case it came down!

We ended our trip to Historic Forestville by posing in an old carriage. You had to be pretty nimble to get in and out of those!

EVENING
Again, we cooked another over-the-coals tinfoil meal. This time we had trouble with the fire though, and after an hour the potatoes were still hard. Oh, well. You can’t make a gourmet meal every night. The s’mores with peanut butter cups in place of chocolate pieces were to die for, and made up for the smaller dinner.

It got really, really cold that night, and I worried about the baby. Dressed in a fleece snow suit, however, and sharing my body heat, she was just fine. Poor Jesse sure wished for another wool blanket, though.

PHOTOS AND ORIGINAL POST AT
http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Minnesota/blog-404745.html

Driving down to Forestville

With a two and one-half month old baby, we knew we couldn't undertake a long road trip for our first anniversary. But I had a hankering to go someplace. My hubby gave me these perimeters: 3 hours or 200 miles. I knew I wanted to go south, having gone north and froze too many times in early summer. I dug out one of my favorite books, "Backroads of Minnesota", and starting reading.

Forestville State Park caught my eye. It sounded like a great place to camp with fun things to do nearby. We could be as busy or as relaxed as we wanted to be. Sounded perfect.

Being a vacation our way, we didn’t get started until mid-morning on Friday, May 29. Baby was fed and ready for a nap right about then. Things didn’t start looking different until we switched from Interstate 35E to Highway 52 in St. Paul. Soon we hit the rolling hills this part of the state is known for. Bluff Country is beautiful this time of year. Newly planted fields were being watered by huge sprawling sprinklers that followed the contours of the hills.

We passed a meat shop that advertised award-winning sausages just north of Cannon Falls. A few miles later we were kicking ourselves for not stopping. Another time, perhaps. (On our way back Sunday, they were closed.)

We stopped for an emergency bathroom break in Zumbrota. Bit of advice: don’t take the first exit into the city. You’ll get nowhere but on a loop back to the highway. And there are no gas stations on that loop until you hit Highway 52 again. Plus the road is bumpy - hard on a full bladder! Stopped already, we decided to eat lunch at the Subway there.

I saw a sign pointing to the one covered bridge left in Minnesota as we drove through town. I need to go back there.

A few miles south of Zumbrota we headed west in Pine Island. My Google map didn’t show the name of the road I wanted to cut west on, so we just took one that looked like it was going southwest. It went southwest all right - for a few miles - then it doubled back north and hit CR 11. Guess the road that went north first wound up going west after all! A few miles later we hit our southern road, CR 57. It led us through Mantorville. What a fabulous little town in the middle of fields in southern Minnesota. I’ve never seen a more beautiful courthouse building! A river runs through the town and there is a park following it. What a perfect place for a picnic. Another place I’m going back to.

ZOLLMAN ZOO
In no time we were at Highway 14, which took us east a few miles to Byron. At the stoplight, we headed north, passing by a fabulously designed high school. At Valleyview, we turned right and then took an immediate left onto CR 105. And we were in Oxbow Nature Park, our first destination. I’d like to go back and camp here some time. It is a great, county-run park. Hiking trails and picnic areas dot the 572-acre facility. There are 29 camp sites, 10 with electricity. The campground has running water, showers and restrooms.

While the hubby napped, I got the baby changed and fed. Then we were off to explore this small zoo. Zollman Zoo is a fabulous place — and it’s free! The place was full of 30 native animals, most of which are permanently injured or on loan from other facilities; they can never be released into the wild. On this Friday afternoon shortly before school let out, several classes were touring through. The enthusiasm of the kids was contagious. They counted out the number of prairie dogs darting up and down. They tried hard to see the badger hiding in his hole — but it wasn’t until they had dashed onto the porcupines that my husband and I caught sight of the shy animals. I loved the cougar and snowy owls the best. My husband was enthralled with the river otters playing in their enclosure. Baby fell asleep, lulled by the walk. We decided to skip the Gordon Yeager Memorial Area, a spacious area with bison, elk, antelope and white-tailed deer.

The zoo was established through the donation in 1969 of native Minnesota animals by John Gilbertson, a regional park warden at the time.

FORESTVILLE STATE PARK
An hour or so later, we were back in the truck heading east to Rochester on Highway 14. In the city, we caught Highway 52 again and proceeded south. In Preston, we headed west on 16, and began seeing signs for Forestville State Park. At 5, we turned left and proceeded south to the park entrance. We opted for the annual park permit as I hope to go camping frequently this year (make up for last year when we didn’t go at all). We paid $20 a night for the site.

There were two horse trailers in front of us when we stopped. I guess this is a popular equestrian park, with many horse trails. There were 3 camping loops to choose from: A, B and C. C is for RVs needing electricity. A and B seemed to be for tents. We opted for A2, a site with a clear view of the Bend River. It was a gorgeous site. We fell asleep to rippling water each night.

There were two drawbacks. One, the fire ring lacked a nice grill. For some reason the tiny grill space was a mere 6 inches from the base of the fire, almost impossible to grill on. Second, the only shower/toilet facility is in the middle of rings B and C. We were stuck with two vault toilets on the end of our loop. I don’t mind outhouses - and the vault design kept it smelling pretty fresh - but I hate not being able to wash my hands.

We also learned that you’re not allowed to bring your own firewood into state parks. A bundle cost $4 and lasted one night.

Our meal that first night was simply delicious. Food tastes so much better when cooked outside. I don’t know why, but it just does. We ate over-the-coals dinner — tinfoil packets stuffed with onions, peppers, potatoes, carrots, califlower and kielbasa. A little seasoning and some butter, and they were ready to hit the fire. Fourty minutes later we were dining like kings.

We had trouble getting our fire going, and were pretty chilly. I don’t think we made it past 9:30 pm that first night. Ah, the blessedness of sleep.

PHOTOS AND ORIGINAL POST AT
http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Minnesota/Root-River---Harmony-Preston-Valley-State-Trail/blog-404666.html

VIDEO Historic Forestville

While away an afternoon in Historic Forestville. Guides bring you back to 1899. Shop in a general store with original merchandise left on the shelves. Then head over to the kitchen to sample tasty bread cooked that day. Bring the kids out to the barn to try wood carving. Located in southern Minnesota inside Forestville State park, the historic site is managed by the Minnesota Historical Society.

VIDEO Zollman Zoo

Bring the kids to Zollman Zoo in Oxbow Park. Located about 20 minutes west of Rochester, this county-run zoo and park is free. Check out owls, prairie dogs, badgers, bald eagles, cougars, river otters and more.

Robin's Remedies

I’m always on the look out for new ideas on how to treat ailments. I prefer natural, home remedies. Hospitals are for serious troubles. Everything else I can treat at home.

My family discovered Wobenzym a few years ago. Fabulous stuff. My mom takes it every time she throws out her back. It also helps with sprains, etc. With most pain, there is swelling causing it. Wobenzym attacks the swelling, and helps things heal faster.

When there is pain, I also give the homepathic remedy Arnica. It works best when given right away.

My husband isn’t much of a believer in my non-traditional methods, but he will take EmergenC as soon as he starts feeling like he’s coming down with something. The little packets make a delicious fizzy drink when mixed with water. They provide a great dose of vitamin C, and helps your body fight back.  Even our local Walmart sells them.

Robin McGraw shared these home remedies with “The Doctors” not long ago. 

CHEST CONGESTION

Chop onions and mix them in petroleum jelly, then rub on your child's chest. You can also tie the smelly remedy in a scarf to be wrapped around the sick person’s neck.

Dr. Jim's Explanation: This may work because the onion causes people to form tears, which are essentially saline. The saline runs through the nose and acts like a decongestant, opening up the nose and allowing it to run. This is similar to why when you cry your nose runs. Alternative ways to help relieve congestion are taking a steamy shower and using a vaporizer or neti pot.

DIARRHEA 

Burnt toast — Have your child eat a piece of burnt toast, or scrape off the blackened part into a cup of water and have your child drink it.

Dr. Jim's Explanation: The toast is the T in the BRAT diet recommended for diarrhea. (Banana, rice, applesauce, toast.) It is gentle on the stomach and may help to firm-up stools, and white bread tends to have a constipating effect.

TEETHING

Soak a washcloth in apple juice and freeze it. Let your child teethe on the frozen towel.

Dr. Jim's Explanation: The cold helps numb the gums, and the sugar may have a slight pain-relieving effect. Studies have shown that sugar water on a pacifier helps release endorphins during painful procedures. Be careful not to give your child too much juice.