Thursday 6 October 2011

Welcome to Winona, MN

Welcome to Winona, We took a little drive around town to show you all some of our favorite parts of town. First, we drove up to the top of the bluff to a little over look that is super well known in town. As you can see, Winona isn't a tiny town- there are about 40,000 people and 3 colleges (St. Mary's (where I went to school) Winona State (10,000 students) and the Technical College (where I teach) ). So in the summer the city feels lots lots smaller when all of the students leave. There are 2 big lakes in the foreground of the picture... we spend lots of time there as there is a paved running path around both of them-- one is 2 miles and one is 3.5 miles--- perfect for pushing the jogging stroller... lots of parks/playgrounds as well. Then the town is next and then at the top edge of the picture you can see the Mississippi River so we are surrounded by water on both sides- which is why they call it an island city.
Here is Emi at the overlook- there is a huge wall built, but every year some drunk careless college students end up getting hurt messing around up there.
Both of my kids with the city in the backdrop.

You already know that I work at the Technical College *sorry no pictures* and teach online at a middle school (math). My husband works for a company that restores stained glass windows in churches. Most of the churches that they work on are in the south or eastern part of the US, but they do some local work as well and he stopped by with a new work truck after working the other day at the cathedral in town. Peter thought it was a fire truck in our driveway--- yes it was that big!
This is the school that I used to teach at- a k-8 Montessori school. I may go back someday, but right now I like the flexibility of working from home and spending more time with my kids.
Not the best pictures, but this is St. Mary's University- one of the colleges in town and where I went to college and where I met my husband. We spend a lot of time up here walking/running on the 10 mile trail system, exploring campus with the kids and cross country skiing in the winter as they groom the trails as well. It is super super beautiful- it is a mile outside of town and tucked back in the bluffs.

This is our church...
the start of the lake path... I can't believe how many times I have run around those lakes. 4 or 5 times a week since Peter was born 2.5 years ago ....
Our library. Love the place. The librarians are not the nicest ladies though... The non-fiction section has translucent glass floors.

Our Downtown- and the yarn shop that one of my best friends is the co-owner of... that means I get to teach classes, get freebies once in a while and a staff discount!

The River path- downtown juts up against the river and this is the bridge over the river- the next closest bridges are 30 miles upstream and 30 miles down.

And Finally... the Rubio's Taco Trucks. These are a fairly new addition to town... the nicest family every owns the mexican restuarant in town and we eat there once in a while, but they also are at most of the events in town- festivals by the river or lakes, art shows.... and they are downtown from 10pm-1am... the next time I am preggo, you can bet where garrick will be heading for my late night cravings. If we see the trucks we usually stop for a taco or two- they are that good!

Thanks for taking a look around our town- it is fairly normal- we have target, walmart, a few grocery stores, the colleges, no shopping mall or really anywhere to buy clothes etc... but we do have the 2 taco trucks!

3 comments:

  1. Such a cute little town you live in. Looks so peaceful! I love that you taught at a Montessori, we are sending our children to one starting next year.

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  2. I love your town! Very pretty.

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  3. love it! so peaceful! ....the library has glass floors?????? remember to never wear a skirt!

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