Second to last day.... + video in These titles mean nothing.

… was open to serendipity.

It started with another trip to Maggie’s Diner. This time we were the first of the lunch crowd and had our choice of tables. So we sat by the window with the view. We were happy to be in time for pie. So in time for pie that we had pie with our lunch AND bought three pieces to go.

Pies were -

• rhubarb ala mode
• strawberry rhubarb chiffon ala mode
• raisin sour cream (for our Norwegian heritage)
• apple
• peach raspberry.

Then on Jim’s suggestion we went to Villa Louis which is the very pretty ornate Victorian home of Hercules Dousman and his descendants. Dousman was an early fur trader. The present house is the second one built on an Indian mound to protect it from flooding. In the great 1965 flood when the river was 25 feet above flood stage there was one foot of water in the basement.

It’s a glorious place to visit, And guess what!!!! On the table in the family’s parlor were the laid out hands of a game of Authors, the same card game that lbh, Jim and I had played the night before. We had a nice guide. It was a beautiful day.

And another guess what!!!!!!! On the Villa Louis grounds - which are very roomy since all the other homes were removed after the 1965 mega-flood - was the Carriage Classic - the largest horse and carriage contest in the country.

It involved all sorts of horses, big, small ones, medium ones. The drivers varied in age and size also. The carriages themselves were works of art and many had significant historic stories. We talked to a man who had trained thousands of kids to ride horses and we talked to a mother of 14 yr old competitor who had won several ribbons but didn’t win in the contest we watched.

Here is one contest lined up for the judging.

The blonde horse in the second photo is a Norwegian Fjord horse. Note the distinctive mane.

After the horses we found a pizza to bring home.

Plus a video of the carriage horses being ridden.

Last updated September 13, 2015