Farmington

I arrived yesterday to Minneapolis for business. The Council is hosting a Fellows program and the first meet-n-greet is here in Minnesota. I'm lucky enough to take part and learn more about it. We're staying at a beautiful, rural retreat center. I arrived yesterday before everyone else (who arrive this afternoon around five PM) and had the chance to enjoy the center while no one was here.

There are beautiful nature trails and the facilities are nestled in a slightly wooded area. Where there aren't woods, there are flowers everywhere and the fields are open with dandelions blooming. I saw a wild turkey roaming the property yesterday. As I sit and type, I am staring out a window and have a perfect view of a large bird feeder outside. The feeder is about 5' x 2' x 2' and is filled with a variety of seeds. There's a microphone attached to the feeder and the sounds of activities on there is fed through a PA system and plays on some speakers that are on inside where I'm sitting. So, I can enjoy their sights while also hearing what they're saying. Neat, eh?

This morning I have seen some blue jays, cardinals, a huge crow, some little gray birds and some red-winged blackbirds (which I'd never seen before today). There are also some other birds that I'm trying to identify (via Google), but haven't had luck narrowing my search yet.

There are beautiful nature trails and the facilities are nestled in a slightly wooded area. Where there aren't woods, there are flowers everywhere and the fields are open with dandelions blooming. I saw a wild turkey roaming the property yesterday. As I sit and type, I am staring out a window and have a perfect view of a large bird feeder outside. The feeder is about 5' x 2' x 2' and is filled with a variety of seeds. There's a microphone attached to the feeder and the sounds of activities on there is fed through a PA system and plays on some speakers that are on inside where I'm sitting. So, I can enjoy their sights while also hearing what they're saying. Neat, eh?

This morning I have seen some blue jays, cardinals, a huge crow, some little gray birds and some red-winged blackbirds (which I'd never seen before today). There are also some other birds that I'm trying to identify (via Google), but haven't had luck narrowing my search yet.

After settling in last night, I made my way to the local small town, Northfield. It's about 15 minutes from the Retreat Center and is well worth the drive. The town is quaint and sits on the Cannon River. As I walked the main strip, with buildings only a couple stories high and a speed limit less than 30 MPH, I soaked in the small-town feel.

I made my way down a main road, I heard some live music playing and followed the sound. There were seven people on an outside patio of The Contented Cow, an English Pub located in the heart of downtown Northfield. The musicians were all playing stringed instruments except for an accordion. I saw a guitar, a mandolin, violin, cello and a couple other ones I couldn’t identify. The pub sat near the Cannon River and I could smell it as I listened to the music. I purchased a sandwich and house beer and took in the atmosphere for about an hour before leaving and walking along the river for a while. It was a gorgeous night and I was disappointed that I had no one with whom to share it.

When I left town and came back to the Center, I debated a swim but psyched myself out because I’d be swimming alone. I’m sure nothing would have happened, but all the horror movies I’ve seen have brainwashed me. I could just see myself swimming and something happening while no one was here. Nothing like coming into work in the morning and finding someone floating in the pool. Eh, I digress.

So, instead of a swim, I watched a movie and read before calling it a night. Overall, my time here has been relaxing.

The Fellows and Resource Team will be arriving in a few hours. From there, the festivities will begin! I’ve brought my camera and have already taken some pictures of the Center. I forgot it while going to town last night. If I go back, I plan on snapping some pics there too.