The Practically Perfect Hodgepodge Day

I realize that this is a bit late, but along with an attempt to answer the Hodgepodge questions for today, I'm going to post the remaining photos that I took in Lake City, MN on February 20th at Lake City Marina. There was so much blue! And although a chilly day on the shores of Lake Pepin, it was also snowless and therefore wonderful. I believe they got a foot of snow in the next day or two. I am so glad to have missed it.

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1. What is one area of your life where you're a perfectionist? Is that a good thing?

I'm trying to think of something. Probably in making and packaging my soaps for sale and I guess maybe also in editing photos. But I think the real definition of a perfectionist is not someone who strives to make something as perfect as possible, but someone who's never quite satisfied with the projected outcome in their minds, so they give up trying altogether, or don't even start, for fear of failure. That's definitely not me. If I don't start or don't finish, it's because I'm lazy.

This is one of my smaller boats. LOL

2. What's something you find perfectly ridiculous?

I think it's ridiculous that cable TV can have a zillion channels and nothing at all worth watching at any given moment.

3. What's a skill you've developed by way of that old fashioned saying, 'practice makes perfect?

I'd say (here's a broken record) that it's probably the quality and appearance of my handcrafted soaps. They are quite different from when I started making soap some years ago, but I've got it down to exactly what I want at this point, so I'm happy with it. I guess that's a skill. And baking homemade bread, scones, and cookies. Does that count?

4. What's your idea of a perfect breakfast?

My idea of a perfect breakfast would be to take my favorite protein bar, a thermos of coffee, and a camp chair to the top of our hill on a warm summer morning. After Wisconsin's always-too-long winter, I'm looking forward to that morning.

I hope to be back at Lake City Marina when the water's liquid again.

5. What's a trip, holiday, vacation, or day outing you've taken that you'd rate a perfect 10? Tell us why.

A favorite day trip would be either to Duluth, on Lake Superior, or traveling along the Mississippi River. Even though we stopped at Lake City for only a while, I would love to go back in the summertime and spend time there and at other little towns along the Mississippi.

Not surprisingly, a longer trip would be almost any trip I've taken whose first leg ended in London. If I could take only one trip over again, it would be the 2015 trip to England, meeting friends and visiting amazing, awesome cathedrals. Never too many cathedrals for me. If I could visit only one cathedral in England again, it would be Durham -  or York. Or maybe Canterbury. But then there's Salisbury and St. Paul's and... ... ... ...Did you ask that?

Icy cold Lake Pepin

a big bulge in the Mississippi River

6. What quote or saying perfectly sums up your life right now? If you can't do perfect, how about one that comes close?

'Hey Jude, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better.' What are the Beatles doing in my blog post?

And there's this:

'Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.' Romans 12:12

And in case anyone's wondering, spring really is coming to Wisconsin, we are gaining daylight by leaps and bounds, the robins will soon be back, singing their little hearts out at 4:30 AM, and life is good.

7. How would you spend $300 today?

I wonder how far $300 would go toward getting the downstairs re-painted. OR I might purchase closet organizers.

Lake Pepin and RR Tracks

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

As I was thinking about Joy, I was looking for a quote by C.S. Lewis or Chesterton, and came across this by Billy Sunday. I'm pretty sure I've never before quoted Billy Sunday. But I had to share this, because I think it is so true. Joy and happiness are two different things. Happiness is brought about by circumstances, as in winning airfare to London. Joy is deep down and abiding, regardless of circumstances, regardless that I didn't win airfare to London.

Leaving Lake City, MN

Scroll down for kitty photo.

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Playing Vampire

Vintage Buildings, Chester Town Hall, Wabasha County, MN

 Chester Town Hall in Wabasha County, MN

I labeled this post, 'Vintage Buildings...' because I can't label it 'Wisconsin Barns' since it's not a barn and isn't in Wisconsin. So maybe older buildings other than barns or other than being located in Wisconsin will find a home here in this category. We'll see.

This pretty and little town hall lies somewhere between Rochester and Lake City, MN  

(see location at the end of this post. Did you know that 'location' is sitting there on your Blogger sidebar so that you can use it in your posts? I had no idea, until Mike from A Bit About Britain pointed it out to me. I would make a terrible eyewitness, wouldn't I. Anyway, once you plug in a location, the link to a map will show up after the Linkwithin thumbnails. This is important to a map lover like me).

P.S. There seems to be some misunderstanding about that 'Location' link. I am not going to be plugging in my own location, heaven forbid, but will use that link to show the location of places I blog about.

Moving along...We got off the beaten path for a bit and took a few photos of the countryside. Chester Town Hall is where the people of Chester Township go to vote. I made sure to track it down and yes, it's true. Evidently, what's on today's ballot has to do with the state legislature, a recall, and school board business. Just thought you'd want to know.

And BTW, town halls in Wisconsin look very much like this. There's really not too much separating the two states except for that huge river.

On County Road 3.
Looks like they're gearing up for May.

I believe that's a realtor's sign out front, in case you're interested in purchasing this country store SW of Lake City, MN.  I have a few other Lake City, MN photos to show you also, but they're a whole different theme for another day.  Okay, just one peek for now, for I don't know when I'm going to get around to posting the other photos of Lake City.

Taken in Lake City, MN

What you're looking at is Lake Pepin,

which is really just a bulge in the Mississippi River.

I love that river. It's beautiful.

I love to watch barges and boats on the Mississippi.

It looks like I'll have the opportunity to visit Lake City the first part of June. It should be beautiful then.

Have a great day, everyone!

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