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Beer in the Barn

Some of the best beer surprises are the ones you find in unexpected places. One of our new Iowa pickleball friends recommended that we try out a bar in St. Donatus for a good burger with homemade French fries. I asked about the beer, and the response was along the lines of “yes, they have beer.” St. Donatus, population 120, is a very small town founded by a Luxembourg early settler. If you blink at highway speeds, you could easily miss it. In doing some navigational research, I saw a listing for “Beer in the Barn” across the street from said bar and tucked behind an old Inn. As it turned out,  the burgers and fries at the bar were just okay, but Beer in the Barn was a stunning find.  The pictures we took don’t do it justice. The stone barn is supposedly the oldest standing barn in Iowa.  We asked the chief bartender/owner to tell us his story. In doing so, we learned that his wife is the brewmaster. We later learned from her that one of her best friends lives in Lodi. That Lodi woman i
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Chequamegon Bay

I’m camped along the shores of Lake Superior at Wisconsin’s northern edge. I have a reason to be here in another week: the wedding celebration of a friend’s son and his bride. The bride’s family lives on an area farm.

My reason for being here early, ostensibly, is to make sure we have a campsite with air conditioning when we have to leave Callie here all day on the celebration day. It’s been hot in Wisconsin, even here in the far north, although the high will not hit 70 today. 


My first view of the campground entrance was forboding. I decided to take a spin around and found one empty site.  I quickly backed in. Before I unhitched, the friendly host was in my driveway and confirmed that it was my lucky day. Someone had just left, and this was the only site available. 

Feeling Claustrophobic?

However, the host continued with even better news. Your luck will be even better tomorrow. Hang around in the morning, and there will be a better spot if you don’t mind moving quickly. All sites here are first come, first serve. 

Much better 

I’m here for a couple of weeks, enjoying breezes and cooler temperatures from Lake Superior. 

Comments

MFH said…
Phew, that was a close one! That first photo had me clutching my hair and screaming, NO! NO!

With the second one I was able to find the Elmer's and glue some back on.

Congratulations. I can foresee Callie putting in a good word for you to whoever's doing the final assessment at The Pearly Gates.
July 29, 2023 at 12:50 AM
John said…
Callie’s interests and my own are often closely aligned. Spending time up here is literally and figuratively a breath of fresh air. I greatly enjoy falling asleep and waking up to the sound of Superior’s waters lapping against the rocks a few steps away. No generators. No loud music or gunshots. Peace.
July 30, 2023 at 7:14 AM
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