We just got back from a few days in Fairmont MN. Cooler temperatures and lower gas prices made it the perfect time to get away. At just a 4.5 hour drive door to door it does make for an easy getaway. A visit with my brother in law and sister in law.
In the heart of pastoral landscapes with corn and bean crops on either side of the road creating an interesting tapestry of shadow and movement we saw a crop duster (something I hadn’t seen in a very long time) and even a helicopter duster! It made me wonder what would happen if all this was taken away. With so much draught, NE included and so many wild fires and obvious climate change what if all our natural resources just burned up and went away. What would we turn into as a country. Well that’s a scary thought for another time. Hopefully not in my lifetime or my kids!
An evening around the fire pit and a surprise visit from the nephew and new girl, his dog and the cutest cockapoo I couldn’t see! There just isn’t anything finer then a wiggling puppy biting at your chin. I so wanted to see this pup but by the time they got there it was dark with just the fire and a little light on the collar to illuminate his black fur. All I can say was I had fun snuggling with this cute little guy.
The next day the guys of course went fishing and my SIL took me for a drive thru various neighborhoods where the houses are still original to the community. Yes the’ve gone thru significant metamorphosis over the years, adding on or going up, some of them just stunning. But there is no feeling of urban sprawl here. No sense of the McMansion next store. Just how can I make this home mine now, how can I make it right for my family. Yeah I could do this!
A nice midwestern water town with 5 beautiful lakes that are connected by canals. This is a town that is still approachable. Small with just 11,000 full time residents Fairmont is that town where everyone really does know your name!
The county courthouse is getting a facelift with new copper dome.
Fairmont has the necessities it is not a shopping mecca. Grocery store, pharmacy that also serves as a home furnishing store/garden center with cute accessories a few nice pieces of upholstery, and hey you might as well pick-up those fall mums while you’re at it. While your at the register paying for the “World’s Greatest Grilling Spice” they greet you kindly and know you are an outsider. “Where are you from”. Omaha I say. She says we’ve been thinking about going down to Omaha what should we do while we’re there. The conversation moves to all the great things there are to do here. Pretty soon a man walks up to my SIL “oh haven’t seen you in ages, how’ve you been, we have to get together and introductions all around. If it sounds like I’m mocking this I am absolutely not. I could see myself living in this unpretentious town. Where the water is king and the restaurants say Channel Inn instead of McDonalds. A place where you drive your boat up to the dock and mosey on up to the restaurant and grab yourself a really good sandwich and your cocktail of choice. A place where you see a friend on the lake and you stop your boat in the middle and sit a spell and have a chat.
Later that afternoon I had my boat ride. The boat gets docked across the street at the neighbors and there are 80 some steps down to the water. Yikes but there is a newly refurbished lift which my SIL and I took advantage of. Couldn’t believe how much it cost just to refurbish the lift. Not even replace the basket. All I can say is wow. On the water we troll around the lake just relaxing and enjoying each others company. A slow drive thru one channel after another and an interesting view of terraces and back yards. Very few people are actually on the water so it is interesting to see how they gain their lake access. This is not manufactured lake living like in Omaha this is the real thing.
Suddenly a pop up storm comes our way and my BIL guns the boat (which I loved) and we head to the protection of the canopy at the dock. We shelter there for maybe 15 minutes and the storm blows over and off we go again. Yeah I could do this.
A wonderful Totem at this cute cabin on the water.
After the storm!
After dinner the guys decide they are going to go fishing again. The weather looks very iffy but our intrepid fishermen mosey on across the street with rods and buckets at hand and they no more get to the boat and the skies open up again. For 1.5 hours it absolutely pours to the tune of an inch and 1/2 of rain, and where are our boys? Having the time of their life fishing from the dock under the canopy from the boat.
The next day my SIL and I set out for Okoboji. I’m kind of learning to understand the appeal of this tiny resort town. At just 45 minutes down the road from Fairmont it’s a very easy drive. The traffic is insane both on the water and off, but there is so much to do for a small Iowa beach town. Mainly all we did was have a great lunch on the water and do some shopping. Like any resort town there are lots of places to spend your money. There are several nice home furnishing shops and of course your fair share of souvenir shops but for the most part things are very tasteful with a coastal vibe.
That night we did have dinner at The Channel Inn and a fabulous Bacon Blue Cheese Burger. A bit chilly sitting outside on the water but I had on a jacket so I was comfortable. Once again running into friends with introductions all around. Yeah I could do this!
So ended our quick escape. Just what the doctor ordered.
Thanks for stopping!
Shelley
