Back In Venice - The End Of The Rainbow!

Hi! Happy New Year, All! 20Greateen! I got back to Venice late last night after a long break in the absolute tundra of Minnesota, and I have to admit, I was pretty torn. I always have a great time back home for the beautiful holidays with my lifelong loved ones, and with all its Winter Wonderland vibes and total hoopla surrounding our upcoming hosting of the Superbowl (GO VIKINGS!!!), and all of my awesome friends and family ... it was hard to leave. When I turned on my phone after the long journey (don't ask), my entire social media accounts were all full of rainbows over Venice! Beautiful, perfect rainbow photos (like the below one from Jennifer Everhart) telling me that here is a lovely place to be ... and I took it as a great omen.

                                                                                                                           Photo: Jennifer Everhart

Home was the movie Frozen ... like there were several days that did not make it above zero. The entire Minnehaha Falls was frozen solid - a stunning spectacle of winter beauty.

The historic Grain Belt Beer sign was re-lit above the Mississippi River after being dark for decades, and the event took place on a night that was -15 outside. We went anyway. It's been a long time since I was that cold, but it was great, and invigorating, and makes you feel ultra-alive (unless you freeze to death - an actual concern).

It's always cool to be walking out on a lake or river that is usually water, and a trippy feeling every time. I ate it all up, and wanted more.

Then, as it goes in Minnesota, yesterday before I left yesterday, the temperature soared to +45, and I found myself wanting the cold. There wasn't that much snow to begin with, and it all melted yesterday. Now I hear there's going to be a ton of snow tomorrow and back below zero - always right when I leave. Only in Minnesota, indeed. THANK YOU to every single wonderful soul that made my time at home so very special, once again. I love you.

I got back to a bright, sunny Venice, having missed the rain entirely (kind of a bummer), but met with such warmth and beauty that you can't be missing rain that you missed. I took a walk to the beach to greet the beauty that I had also sorely missed, and bumped into seemingly everyone I knew along the way.

People I had been thinking about suddenly appeared, and things have been falling into place beautifully right from hello. There is a whole bunch of exciting work coming up, and this is where I need to be right now. I missed you, dear Venice. Thank you for always being such a fantastic spot to return to. I breathe it all in deeply, and exhale in gratitude. 2018 ... invigorated and ready to go!

See you soon.

Summer In Minnesota - Salt Of The Earth

"Greeted by thousands of lakes reflecting the sunrise up to me ... I'm back home." That was my Facebook status the morning I landed back home for a quick little Summer vacation at home to touch the roots and re-charge the spirit. It was so beautiful, I choked up (as usual) and even though it was 6:00 a.m., I hit the ground running. First stop ... Wood Lake. It's almost surreal to see it all so green and gorgeous after the desperately long Winter everyone in Minnesota endured. As a friend's boat is called, "Worth The Winter".

The first night back was a Richfield Happy Hour that was a festival of non-stop laughter. At one point I looked around the tables and realized that a good portion of the friends there were ones I've had since Kindergarten. KINDERGARTEN! That's special. SPECIAL! They're some of the best people on this Earth, and each time I'm back home, I realize the love and support I have and get to carry with me through the adventure of this life. I couldn't be more blessed.

I got to have my first Danny Hendrickson Shed experience, the grown-up version of being invited into the Tree House. It did not disappoint. It had rained all day - poured - and this photo below was taken of Danny and I the exact instant the sun came out ... Divine Intervention for the Basilica Block Party we were pre-partying for.

Flocks of Minnesotans filled the streets around the Basilica, all of them ecstatic to have an evening that now actually felt like Summer. The surroundings and the majesty of that sun emerging gave it all a rather Holy feeling ...

Which was only elevated by the performance of the Main Men, Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite. They were there to entertain the crowd with the tunes from their Grammy-winning album, Get Up. And the parishioners indeed rose for them.

Ben and Charlie BROUGHT the Blues, and the full moon rose up behind them, perfecting the Heavenly experience. You could hear many in the crowd adding their own personal witness, as the guys gave it everything they had. Chills.

As the music ended, performers and congregation alike bowed their heads, raised their arms and gave thanks. Amen.

Then, BEHOLD! The next day dawned (and we saw it happen) to be the most gorgeous, blue sky with puffy clouds day that Minnesota is famous for in Summer (usually). As is my absolute priority, I had my swim in a natural body of water, this time the beautiful St. Croix River. Best friends from one generation sharing the day, stories, love and appreciation with the next ...

Time always flies too fast (and I'm skipping a lot even so), but I got to see so many wonderful, old friends that I was just beaming the entire time. I have a songwriting project with my dear friend, Matt Jennings, and when we went into a parking lot for him to play me one of our new ones, we turned it into a sunset tailgate jam for friends and passersby alike.

Please enjoy "Mermaid Triathlon" by Carol Gronner (lyrics) and Matt Jennings (music). And then stay tuned for the whole shebang that we'll unleash on everyone one day soon. Great times!

My darling Mother had spent the day leading her choir in festivities for Norway Day at Minnehaha Park, and was still in costume when she met up with us for the evening fun. I love this woman so much I could burst. Clearly. Skål!

It was pouring rain my last day, but we had to go visit the Falls, because Mom had told me how much it was gushing from all the recent rain. It did not disappoint, and I ended the visit home the way it began, surrounded by the green and glory of nature and home in the North.

When I've told some of these home stories in the past, a friend commented, "That's the real salt of the earth stuff right there." And he was right. Wonderful people, stunningly beautiful scenery, wholesome (and crazy) fun ... that's what it's all about.

As I come up on spending almost half of my life in both Minnesota and California, I realize how firmly I have a foot in each, and always will. How lucky am I to have two such truly special and spectacular places to call home?!

This was Minnesota Nicest. Salt of the earth never seemed so sweet. Bless each and every one of you that completely fills my heart, home and away.

A Minnesota Summer Vacation

"Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days, and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world." - Ada Louise Huxtable

I just got back from an idyllic birthday week in my home state of Minnesota, where it indeed felt like all was right with the world those days. It was so beautiful, so loving, so FUN ... that I just have to share some highlights with you now, as I sit in my sunny room back in Venice feeling grateful beyond words. Or pictures. This is my thank you note to everyone back home...

First, and best, I got picked up by my beautiful and HEALTHY Mom! There is such a change in her from when I saw her last in the hospital, that every bit of awesomeness that happened after seeing her was just extra credit. But REALLY good extra credit ...

We did the greatest hits right away ... drove around the lakes ... checked out Minnehaha Falls, flowing like crazy, then cooled out at SeaSalt with a Surly. Yum.

I paid my respects to Hiawatha and Minnehaha ...

I walked around one of the very most sacred places to me, Woodlake Nature Center, smack in the middle of the city .... stunned silent, it was so breathtaking and beautiful as I practically floated, hand in hand with my sweet Mom. I want my own bench there, to sit and watch the seasons unfold when I'm there.

 I taught my fairy goddaughter Jane how to whistle! My very best student to date.

 
Captain Krsnik cruised us around aboard their Croixation Sensation boat, and we docked on a sandbar in the middle of the river to behold one of the most stunning, golden sunsets of all time.

The boating friends threw a delicious shrimp boil out on the sand, as the moon and the stars put on a show.

There was a bonfire. There were S'mores. Of course.

I celebrated my birthday at HOME for the first time since I moved away back in the '90s. I did as I always do, and had some annual reflection while floating in a natural body of water, this time, the St. Croix River that separates Minnesota and Wisconsin. I watched the sky, and reflected my gratitude back up into the clouds.

The girls made me pancakes and bacon right on the boat, and we made up stories and stayed in the water all day long.

I had a BLAST at my class reunion the night of my birthday, and brought along a whole posse of crashers. My camera ran out of battery at this shindig, which is probably for the best. They had a photo booth though, so we're all good. They had cake for me. I love my Richfield friends. For life.

I picked rhubarb for pies back in Venice and chatted with the generous old Norwegian man who let me take it from his yard. Thanks, Mr. Rosvold!

Mom and I saw twin baby cows be born right in front of us at the Minnesota State Fair! It was 105 with humidity that day, so I think all the cold jokes about Minnesota can be put to rest. Until winter. Seriously, the place is so extreme, I think it's what makes the people so interesting. The neighboring boat on the St. Croix was named Worth The Winter. Exactly. The all you can drink milk helped at the Fair. So did Ole's Cannoli. Delish.

I saw happy faces like these (as Elsie and Inga learn to garden!) ... also enough to carry you through the winter.

I laughed and dined and drank with old and dear friends, who remind me every time just how important your roots are to who you become. I never seem to be able to squeeze it all in (Sorry to my folks I didn't see, and sorry for me I missed First Avenue and still no Twins game when I'm in town!) but I do my very best. It's so great to have an excellent place like Venice to return to and live, but home will always be home.

I'll let Slug from Atmosphere take it from here, in a snippet from his Minneapolis homage, "Shhh"

Such a pleasure to come home
Cuz I...I have a very special love for this city
I wanted to make a song about where I'm from
You know? Big up my home town, my territory, my state
But, I couldn't figure out much to brag about
Prince lives here, we got 10,000 lakes
But wait, the women are beautiful, to me they are
And we're not infested with pretentious movie stars
And it hit me, Minnesota is dope
If only simply for not what we have but what we don't
It's all fair, it ain't out there, it's in there
It's in the mirror, behind the breast under the hair
Follow the dream doesn't mean leave the love
Roam if you must, but come home when you've seen enough
I love New York and Cali, but I ain't movin'
Too overpopulated saturated with humans
And I'm not big on rappers, actors, or models
If I had to dip, I'd probably skip to Chicago
None of this is to diss no one, nowhere
Like damn, I'm from Minnesota, land of the cold air
Too many mosquitoes and our fair share of egos
But like my man Sabe says, that's where my mommy stays ...

THANK YOU, MINNESOTA!