This is the second go round for Older Space. The first Older Space crashed and burned about a year ago. Since then, I’ve learned how to update a blog without totally destroying the database! I was able to save some of the articles I published and some have been imported from my poetry and fiction blog, Shyrhymes.

Winona, MN, where I live, is truly one of the most beautiful spots in the Upper Mississippi River Valley.  Although much of Minnesota was flattened by a glacier, in this area, the river kept the glacier at bay. It’s called a coulee because the river is lined on both sides with tall, beautiful bluffs where bald eagles do dare to fly and nest among the many species of deciduous trees that are 4-season gorgeous.

Built on a sandbar that extends into the Mississippi, Winona is the only city where the Mississippi river runs west to east, rather than north to south. Because of the coulee, Winona is also protected from the harsher weather that folks who live on the Minnesota prairies or “on the ridge” (the top of the bluffs) experience.

Rochester, MN, the home of the Mayo Clinic is less than an hour away and Wisconsin is just on the other side of the river, a distance of two miles. The half-hour drive to LaCrosse, Wisconsin is breathtaking. During autumn, tourists still flock to Winona to drive along highway 61 (the road Bob Dylan wrote the song about) and take in the spectacular autumn colors that come from the trees having one last ‘dress-up’ fling before winter returns. Although the autumn colors are gorgeous, the changeability of the river as well as the bluffs extends to every season.

If you think ice comes in white only, have a look at Winona (area) during winter. Ice floes cascade down the bluffs and display in every color of the rainbow as tall evergreens stand guard over bare birch, hickory, walnut, maple, oaks and many more stately trees.

In spring the bluffs light up with every color of green you can imagine. Song birds return and the hills are alive once again.

Summer is time to take advantage of the waterways. Because of Winona’s dedication to the environment, rivers as well as area lakes abound with fishermen (and women), water sports enthusiasts, and swimmers. Its also the time to stand at river’s edge and watch in wonder as small riverboats push huge barges up and down the river… and of course to see the grandeur of the large riverboats like the Mississippi Queen and the American Queen as they dock for an afternoon visit.

Maybe it’s because of the beauty of this area but the people here are among the friendliest, most good-natured, and warm-hearted that I have met anywhere. Everyone is welcome in this town of approximately 30,000 and the welcome is sincere.