A view from atop the prairie at River Bend Nature Center. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
WITH TREES MOSTLY STRIPPED of leaves, a visible shift in seasons has begun. But look closer, beyond the trees, and even more signs of a transition toward winter appear.
A weathered trail marker. I love these rustic, handcrafted signs placed throughout River Bend. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
I’ve found the much-beloved River Bend Nature Center in Faribault an ideal landscape in which to hike, observe and photograph the nuances of seasons.
A view of River Bend from the overlook shows the interpretative center and adjoining parking lot plus the surrounding woods. The nature center covers some 823 acres. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
So on a recent unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon, my husband, Randy, and I hiked on the north end of River Bend, first to the overlook providing a sweeping view of the land below. And then we returned to the woods before aiming through swampland toward the prairie.
A splash of color among more muted and golden tones. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
All along our route, I paused, photographed and appreciated.
Sumac. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
Beauty, for me, is not splashy, but rather subtle. A dried seed pod. The rusty hue of sumac clumps. Red leaves twined to twigs.
Luna, riding in a bicycle basket, wears goggles to protect her eyes from trailside branches, her owner said. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
In the distance, leaves still clung to a few trees in a stubborn refusal to let go of autumn.
Towering swampland grasses sway in the wind. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
The wind blew fierce on this first day of November, making photography a challenge at times. Yet it was the wind which made for the best part of the hike—the dance of the tall grasses. I’ve always been captivated by the way the wind gracefully bends grass stems. It’s poetic and lovely and mesmerizing.
Towering grasses dwarf Randy as he hikes. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
I stood next to the towering swamp grasses—as high as 10 feet—for a while, studying the angle of the sun edging toward sunset, watching the slender, grain-heavy stems bend, bow, lean into one another.
A view on a portion of the Prairie Loop Trail leading to the top of a hill.(Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
And then I headed up hill to the prairie, low gray clouds sweeping the sky, a hint of blue remaining. I thought of Willa Cather who wrote of the prairie. And Laura Ingalls Wilder who lived on, and also wrote of, the prairie. And my own prairie upbringing which influences my work as a creative.
A drying cattail. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
Fungi. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
Randy found an interesting stone along a trail. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
Much beauty exists here beyond a first glimpse. A puff-tipped cattail. Fungi laddering a tree trunk. A stone found on a trail.
A biker and his dog head up a trail toward the overlook on the north side of River Bend. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
On this balmy, for November in Minnesota, afternoon, hikers and bikers migrated to River Bend, some alone, others in pairs, some with their dogs. All were enjoying a day that felt like a fond farewell from autumn. The wind and warmth kissed us as we embraced this loveliest of lingering autumnal days.
Waves in Green Bay, used for illustration only of blue waves. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
WAVE TO GO, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Texas, Kansas, Maine, Iowa, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, and on and on. All contributed to the blue wave sweeping the nation in Tuesday’s mid-term elections. I couldn’t be more excited about the results, with the exception of some localized races.
My husband, Randy, crafted this sign for last Saturday’s weekly protest in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
It’s good to feel optimistic, to feel like “we the people” are reclaiming our country from the brink of disaster. I’ve felt for nearly two years now like the United States has been failing on so many levels under the leadership of a narcissistic, power-hungry president (and his minions) who could care less about the people.
Election results, which now put Congress in DFL control, give me hope that this country will see a restoration in the balance of power (among executive, legislative and judicial branches), an end to the corruption which has marked this presidency, and real change that will move us back into a good place.
It’s clear from election results that people are fed up with out-of-control prices, tariffs, trade wars, the Iran War, illegal immigration enforcement, unaffordable healthcare, constant belittling of people, hateful rhetoric, attacks on free speech and the press, destruction of the environment, gutting of government agencies, and on and on. You add your own concerns.
All of these DFL candidates, featured on the side of a Get Out the Vote tour bus in Faribault last week, won election to top state offices in Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2026)
In Minnesota, we’ve elected our first female governor, Senator Amy Klobuchar. Ohio did the same. Minnesotans also elected the country’s first female Native American senator. Our neighbors to the east in Wisconsin voted in their first Black governor and Georgia elected its first Black woman to that state office. Texas will welcome its first Latina governor. And in Michigan, voters elected the first Muslim to the U.S. Senate. All are DFLers.
It was a big night, a big blue wave, for the Democratic party. If the President was expecting an endorsement of him and his policies when he asked voters to vote like he was on the ballot, well, that didn’t work out so well for him. He was resoundingly defeated. It seems he’s losing his grip on those who believed his promises to Make America Great Again.
I crafted and carried this sign at the October 31 weekly protest in Faribault and then placed it in my front window up until the election. That’s a Rebel Loon pin on my stocking cap. It’s a symbol of resistance that arose during Operation Metro Surge. The loon is our state bird. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo by Randy Helbling, October 2026)
In my U.S. First Congressional District in southern Minnesota, typically a Republican stronghold, voters flipped the seat. Jake Johnson, a high school math teacher, is the apparent winner over the incumbent Republican by a slim margin of 323 votes. That will generate an automatic recount. I’m thrilled that I will have a representative who listens, who will continue to hold town halls, who seems to genuinely and deeply care about the people he will serve.
We need that now more than ever. A willingness to listen. A willingness to stand up to the President and his policies. A willingness to work together for the good of all, not just the good of the wealthy and those with a singular, selfish agenda.
I’m excited about my local city council, which will now have four women serving, joining two councilmen and the mayor. On the school board, though, the only Latino on the ballot failed to get elected, a major failure on the part of voters, in my opinion. We needed his representation for our diverse community.
Republicans retained control of state House and Senate seats in my districts, another disappointment. But their challengers did well. That should send a strong message to the incumbents.
All in all, Tuesday’s election results give me hope that life will get better here in America.
Pumpkins photographed at a roadside pumpkin stand in Stanton. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
WHILE AT THE GROCERY STORE the other day, I picked up limited edition pumpkin spice bagels and pumpkin spice cream cheese spread. Yum. I crave the seasonal taste of pumpkin, not in excess, but just enough to satisfy me.
A sidewalk dining area, next to a parklet in downtown Northfield, features autumn decor that includes pumpkins. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Every autumn, pumpkin prevails. If I wanted, I could have bought pumpkin spice coffee to go with my bagels. Or pumpkin spiced cereal or whatever other foods feature this flavor. The options seem endless.
I do have two cans of pumpkin in the cupboard for muffins. I probably won’t make a pie. Does anyone make pumpkin pie from scratch, from baked pumpkins, any more?
A sign along Minnesota State Highway 19 directs motorists to a roadside stand in Stanton. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
That brings me to roadside stands that pop up in Minnesota each autumn to sell pumpkins, squash and other garden goods. There’s something about a wagon loaded with bright orange orbs or a field of pumpkins that makes me break out in a wide smile.
A roadside produce stand in Stanton. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Charles Schulz may have influenced my reaction. The Minnesota-born artist created the “Peanuts” cartoons. I grew up watching his animated cartoon TV specials, including “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” There’s something endearing about a boy—Linus—sitting in the pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin. His is a testament to unwavering hope and faith, trusting that the mighty pumpkin will appear.
Trust is essential for anyone running an untended, self-serve roadside stand like the ones I saw recently along Minnesota State Highway 19 in Stanton and also between Faribault and Northfield along State Highway 3. Pick your product and drop your money in a secured lock box. Now that’s trusting on the part of the vendor.
Pumpkins are incorporated into an autumn display outside Althoff’s Floral & Gifts in Cannon Falls. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
While picking from the pumpkin patch is mostly done with Halloween over and jack-o-lanterns carved, pumpkins are still in demand as Thanksgiving approaches. Or at least I think they are with pumpkins often centering autumnal décor in yards, planters, at businesses, inside sanctuaries and elsewhere.
Pumpkins, squash and gourds pack a wagon at a roadside stand in Stanton. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Pumpkins in various sizes, shapes and colors, mixed with squash, gourds, corn and mums, make visually-appealing displays that say “autumn.” And I’m all about prolonging autumn for as long as possible before winter settles in for the next too many months.
A city of Faribault water tower located at City View Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
HERE IN FARIBAULT, we’re only hours out from a public hearing on proposed rules for data centers.
Nationally, we’re less than a day from the mid-term elections.
I don’t need to tell you that both are important. We are all affected by election results. And all of us are affected by data centers, even if one is not built in our communities.
I’ll start with the data center since I want locals to be aware of the 6 p.m. Monday, November 2, Faribault Planning Commission hearing in the city council chambers. It’s important to attend, even if you opt not to speak.
According to a media release, the planning commission “is considering proposed rules which will better address data centers through enforceable performance standards that are intended to serve as regulatory safeguards for our community.”
You can bet many of us support regulations that will protect our environment, our health, our communities. Think water, air, light, noise, pollution, emissions, utilities, cost, land use…and on and on.
And, yes, it appears likely a data center will be coming to Faribault, despite opposition.
MORE UPCOMING MEETINGS ON DATA CENTERS
The Faribault Planning Commission will forward a recommendation to the City Council, which will discuss the proposal at a 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 17, work session and then set a date for a vote on the issue.
Additionally, the city’s monthly Council Chat at 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 18, at the city’s public works building will focus on data centers.
In a media release from the city, the event is detailed: “During this community engagement event, staff will have various stations focusing on key ordinances, such as land use, water and sewer, noise, lighting, and other rules of interest. The public will gain a better understanding of the intent of the rules and why they must be legally defensible and enforceable.”
That covers basic information for anyone concerned about data center regulations in Faribault.
A sticker handed out to voters at a previous election. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
VOTE
Now on to the election. Please vote if you haven’t already. In my decades of voting, this ranks as one of the most important, if not the most important, mid-term election in this country.
Every vote matters. Every voice matters. Locally. And nationally.
Be heard. Let your voice rise whether at the ballot box or at a public hearing.
My grandson Everett. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
“WHERE IS EVERETT? I don’t see him. Does anybody see Everett?”
Repeatedly, my 21-month-old grandson ducked under his elephant blanket and hid. Even with one foot sticking out and parts of an arm and fingers exposed, Everett thought he was successfully hiding. Of course, he wasn’t, but his mom and I played along.
He was our little, well not so little at 35 pounds, ghost. Not a bit scary or scared. But rather one cute pajama-clad toddler learning that Mom and Grandma will still be there when he emerges from hiding.
That’s not to say Everett is fearless. When Randy and I arrived at his home in Madison, Wisconsin, recently, he started screaming. Not in excitement, but rather fear. We dropped our suitcase and other belongings inside, promptly turned around and went for a walk, giving Everett time to calm down.
It’s not that we are strangers to our grandson. I typically video chat with him and my daughter twice a week. But given the 265 miles between our homes and work schedules, we don’t see him in-person all that often. A screen and direct human interaction are not the same, especially to a little one who is growing, developing, learning.
Today when Everett heads out to trick-or-treat with his parents, he’ll dress, not as a ghost, but as Cookie Monster. I know he likes cookies. I brought along some chocolate chip cookies and he gobbled half of one right down. No hesitation.
Maybe there’s a lesson here. Next visit, walk in the door with a chocolate chip cookie in hand. And just to be certain Everett is OK with his grandparents popping in, bring blankets to quickly transform into ghosts if necessary.
I stand beside the DFL Get Out the Vote bus touring Minnesota days before the election. I’m holding a campaign sign for Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a DFLer on the ballot. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo by Randy Helbling)
ONLY DAYS BEFORE the mid-term elections, the big blue bus rolled into Faribault in a DFL-led Get Out the Vote effort. I was among those who gathered to listen to candidates talk not only about their goals, but also about the importance of this election. There’s no denying this election is especially important given the current federal leadership in this country and the very real threats to our democracy.
As I listened to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon share that his office is preparing for possible election interference by the federal government, reality hit. Hard. Yes, I’ve heard this, read this, intellectually understood this. But still, to hear this spoken aloud by the man in charge of elections in Minnesota took me back to the January 6 insurrection and the current threats by a President hell-bent on suppressing/manipulating voting, even bribing Americans with the promise of $5,000 payments if Republicans retain control of Congress. Really? Buying votes? Not mine.
The DFL Get Out the Vote Bus pulled into Faribault late Thursday afternoon for an hour-long stop to fire up voters. Minnesota consistently has the highest voter turn-out in the country. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
I struggle to understand how anyone can support any candidate aligned with the President. So, yes, I am voting blue. Right down the ballot.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addresses the crowd in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
I am concerned about the rising costs of everything from fuel to healthcare to groceries. I am concerned about tariffs. I am concerned about the unnecessary war in Iran. I am concerned about the United States’ damaged relationships on a global scale. I am concerned about an immigration enforcement program that has targeted not the worst of the worse, but also those who are here legally. I am concerned about Americans shot to death on the streets of Minneapolis by agents of their own government. I am concerned about the blatant racism and hatred spewed by our President and echoed by too many of his own party. I am concerned about the name-calling, the lies, the deception, the calls for violence. I am concerned about efforts to suppress free speech and freedom of the press. I am concerned about those who are losing their healthcare or unable to afford health insurance. I am concerned about those who live on the margins, who need our help, our compassion, our support. I am concerned about…the list is seemingly endless.
Parked along busy Minnesota State Highway 60/Fourth Street in Faribault, the DFL bus was highly-visible during its Thursday stop. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Perhaps I care too much. But I’ve always been someone to stand up for what is right and good and decent. I champion for those who are bullied, probably because I was bullied as a middle school student and even as an adult.
Lieutenant Governor candidate Ben Schierer speaks for his ticket. He’s running with Senator Amy Klobuchar in the gubernatorial race. In the foreground, supporters of Minnesota House District 19A candidate Martha Brown listen. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
I refuse to remain silent, becoming somewhat of a political activist in the past year, if you call protesting weekly and planting my corner yard with DFL campaign signs political activism. My vote is also my voice.
A message posted on a house in Dundas, Minnesota, in August 2020. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo August 2020)
Here are some motivating quotes on voting that resonate with me:
Voting is the foundation stone of political action.—Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.—U.S. Representative John Lewis.
We cannot be silent when our rights and our democracy are under attack. The way we win is by standing together—and by making our voices heard in every election.—Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey
Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.—President Abraham Lincoln.
Your vote matters. Even if you disagree with me. Vote.
Scott “Scooter” Hoffbeck. (Photo from his GoFundMe page)
WHEN I FIRST “met” Scott “Scooter” Hoffbeck, the 61-year-old rural Faribault man was lying motionless in the street outside my home severely-injured following an August 26 car-motorcycle crash. His damaged Harley Davidson motorcycle lay nearby.
Now, just over two months later, Scooter continues to heal and regain strength at a local care center. He spent weeks at St. Marys, a Mayo Clinic hospital in Rochester, some of that in ICU. His injuries included a broken pelvis requiring surgery, internal bleeding, a severe head wound, traumatic brain injury and no movement on his right side.
Scooter’s motorcycle, photographed after he had been taken from the scene. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo by Randy Helbling)
When Scooter was transported by ground ambulance directly to the Faribault airport and airlifted to the Rochester trauma center, none of us at the crash scene knew whether he would survive. Miraculously, he did.
And this Sunday, November 1, the community will gather from 1-6 p.m. at Faribault American Legion Post 43, 112 Fifth St. NE, to support Scooter at a benefit fundraiser. All proceeds will go toward his medical expenses.
The event includes a silent auction raffle, food, bake sale and music by Tiger Ries, a Minnesota musician who performs classic rock, country, blues and ballads.
Randy Helbling and Paloma Sanchez, center, pictured with Scooter after the awards ceremony. Officer Todd Bristol, second from right, responded to the August 26 crash. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2026)
To see Scooter for the first time several weeks ago proved especially emotional. Many of us were either crying or on the verge of tears. That included Scooter and his family who expressed their gratitude for life-saving actions. I look forward to seeing them again on Sunday.
The Community Certificate of Merit Award presented to Randy (and also to Paloma) summarizes his actions that helped save Scooter. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2026)
When you’ve been through something like this, you pause to consider how life can change just like that. One minute all is fine and the next you’re fighting for your life or trying to save a life.
Thankfully, Scooter remembers nothing of the crash. The body has a way of protecting itself from trauma. And this was trauma for all of us involved and for his family processing the aftermath.
In all of this, I’ve witnessed the strength of the human spirit and the value of family and community love, support and prayers. Through a GoFundMe, $11,055 of a $16K goal has been raised to help cover Scooter’s medical expenses. And now this Sunday, there’s a second opportunity to give.
This is not just about donating money to pay medical bills. This is also about uplifting, surrounding, supporting, caring, embracing and loving on a man who is grateful to be alive.
Among the many animatronic frights at the Cauldron County Scare Grounds, 234 First Avenue Southwest, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
WHAT SCARES YOU? If you say nothing, I won’t believe you.
Ghosts overlook Bridge Square on the second floor of Cottage Tearoom Fare in Northfield. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Here are a few things that frighten me: Tornadoes, pandemics, bats, mice and unleashed dogs in public places. But not Halloween.
The hand of an animatronic fortune teller in a Faribault Halloween display reaches out. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
A time existed, though, when Halloween held some fright for me. Imagine for a moment a Halloween party in the basement of a local veterinarian’s house. Then imagine playing a game of touching objects while blindfolded. And then imagine being told you were fingering a cow’s eyeballs. That would be me, a gullible elementary-aged girl who truly believed that cold grapes were a bovine’s orbs. Why wouldn’t I trust the veterinarian’s daughter?
A hanging skeleton in the Lanes’ Halloween display, which is open to the public. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Coy Lane drew the clown for this bean bag toss board while Kathy painted it. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
While the Lanes buy many of their frightful props, they also craft many, making this a truly home-grown display that includes games for guests to play. Last time I stopped in about a week ago, they’d already counted 1,000 visitors to their Circus De Soulless which is open from noon-9 p.m. daily through October 31.
Halloween decor is featured in the front window of Antiques of Northfield. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
While out and about in the region, I’ve seen the creativity of residents, business owners and others who clearly enjoy Halloween.
A funeral staged in the window of Fate Vintage, Northfield. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Take Fate Vintage in Northfield, a Division Street antique shop now showcasing skeletons in funeral and medical scenes. Definitely creatively creepy, these front window displays draw shoppers inside to peruse racks of Halloween costumes and more in this packed store.
A Fonzie costume for sale at Fate Vintage. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Looking at a “Happy Days” The Fonz Halloween costume here, I was reminded of the importance of choosing just the right costume. My two Minnesota grandkids, ages seven and 10, chose Gryffindor and Ravenclaw robes from houses at Hogwarts School as their Halloween attire. Mega fans of the Harry Potter book series, their choice did not surprise me.
A Little Free Library in Elysian offers some books fitting for Halloween. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Over in Elysian next to Scoops Ice Cream & Rentals, readers won’t find Harry Potter books in a Little Free Library. But they can take home books in The Vampire Diaries and the Goosebumps series.
Suggested Halloween reading at the Cannon Falls Library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
To the east in Cannon Falls, the public library has gotten into the Halloween spirit by creating an outdoor “DYING FOR A GOOD BOOK” display. Staff slipped covers of fright-appropriate books, like Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Tales,” into empty DVD cases and hung them on a tree. I’ve always found the story of the headless horseman to be ghoulishly creepy.
“Bloody” cupcakes at Sweet Kneads, Cannon Falls Bakery. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Down the street and around the corner from the library, display shelves at Sweet Kneads bakery are filled with Halloween-themed cookies and cupcakes, some cutesy, like an over-sized green spider, and others macabre, like a blood-dripping knife stabbing a cupcake. It’s all in good fun.
A roadside stand in Stanton vends pumpkins, squash and more. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Fun comes in choosing a pumpkin from a patch, roadside stand or store and then a parent carving just the right face while the kids supervise. I remember those jack-o-lantern days.
A scene from the Faribault Fall Festival earlier this month which included kids in costume and kids’ activities. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2026)
I also remember, and this is going back to my childhood again, the rock-hard popcorn balls handed out by my Great Aunt Gertie. To eat one was to risk a trip to the dentist. And, yes, my siblings and I chomped our teeth into the sugary sweet popcorn balls. Now I’ll take dark chocolate candy over any Halloween treat, if you’re so inclined to “treat” me.
Halloween fun in Faribault began October 3 at the Fall Festival. The event included a chili contest with this offering from Faribault Transportation. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Ah, Halloween. Onward with the fright, the fun and the sweet, and not-so-sweet, memories.
The Cannon River in Welch. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
DESCENDING DEEP into the Cannon River valley, it’s easy to feel transported, disconnected, as if in a place distanced from the realities of everyday life. At least that’s been my reaction when I’ve traveled to Welch, an unincorporated burg nearly 40 miles southeast of St. Paul in Goodhue County.
Gravel roads like this twist through the state forest. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
On a recent fall color drive, Randy and I aimed east toward this riverside location as we left Cannon Falls along Minnesota State Highway 19. Not long after, we turned off the paved highway onto gravel, eventually following Wild Turkey Road and other routes that twist through Richard J Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest toward Welch. The state forest encompasses 1 million acres in seven southeastern Minnesota counties.
Before driving deep into the woods, we saw farm sites and acres of farmland. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
I felt completely lost as gravel roads rose and fell before us, as farm sites came into view, as an occasional house hugged a forested hillside, as we looped back and forth, seemingly without direction.
Because I grew up on a square prairie grid where roads run straight, I always feel off-balance when I can’t grasp a sense of direction. But I trusted that Randy would get us back on track with the help of a paper atlas. There is no trusting cellphone service in remote areas like this.
A gravel road takes us deep into the forest. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
As we traveled, I appreciated the natural beauty of the forest. But my imagination sprinted, too, with stories of fictional crimes committed here deep in the woods. I am a fan of mysteries, especially those set in Minnesota.
Heading down winding Goodhue County Road 7to Welch. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Eventually, we reached a paved roadway that runs between Vasa and Welch. I admittedly felt a sense of relief when I spotted a guy picking up his mail, then saw vehicles packing the parking lot along the Cannon Valley Trail, a popular state recreational trail for bikers. By then we’d met a sprinkling of vehicles also. I felt like we were back in civilization.
If this all sounds a tad dramatic, it’s not meant to be. Rather, I’m simply trying to describe this region. Remote. Rugged. And beautiful.
Muted fall colors remained on our October 23 visit to the Welch area. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
It was here, winding our way through the Cannon River valley, that we saw the fall colors we’d hoped to find. Not as bright or brilliant as anticipated on a windy, hazy day. But beautiful none-the-less.
Randy steps on shoreline rocks to view the Cannon River up close in Welch. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
In warmer weather, this area is a recreational destination for those wishing to canoe, kayak or tube on the Cannon River with Welch Mill offering rentals and a launching spot. I walked to the edge of the Cannon, taking in the tranquil scene of water flowing between tree-lined banks. To my right, the river curved out of sight. To my left, water flowed under the county road bridge we’d just crossed.
A unique railing built of paddles subtly markets Welch Mill. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Other than a pest control truck leaving a public parking space and motorists pulling in to park and dine at The Bleu Dog Cafe, all was quiet in this village. I expect there are times when Welch thrums with activity. But not on this day.
A colorful treeline along Highway 19 between Cannon Falls and Vasa. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Shortly after taking in the river view, we returned to Goodhue County Road 7, winding our way uphill through hardwood forest toward the unincorporated village of Vasa. On this afternoon, the route proved popular for motorcyclists out for a fall color drive. Just like us.
Following hilly Highway 19 back to Cannon Falls. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Eventually we emerged from the woods, heading back on Minnesota State Highway 19 to Cannon Falls, detouring briefly onto a gravel road flush with color.
FYI:Please check back for more stories from this late October day trip that took us east to places within 40 miles of Faribault.
All along, and on, our route, we saw farmers working, bringing in the harvest. This scene is near Nerstrand. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
LAST WEEK’S STREAK of gloriously warm, sunny days here in southern Minnesota beckoned Randy and me to hit the road on Friday to view the fall colors. We’d worked hard earlier in the week, me writing and painting and he laboring over automotive jobs.
A sign propped outside a downtown Cannon Falls business fit the focus of our day trip. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
As life-long Minnesotans, we understand that these golden autumn days are fleeting. And, indeed, the weather has now changed to cold, gloomy and rainy. So our decision to take a day off and away proved the right choice.
Grazing in a pasture near Nerstrand on a beautiful autumn morning. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
I love these day trips into the countryside and into the small towns in our region. It’s an opportunity to get out of Faribault, reconnect to our rural roots and delight in new discoveries.
The sky of sunrise as photographed from my home on Friday, October 23. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Before this outing even began, though, the day opened with a sunrise so lovely that I simply stood at my living room window taking in the scene before me. Light in shades of red, gold and orange fired across the eastern sky, blazing between clouds, creating a painterly visual.
Soon we would be off, picnic lunch packed, driving east into a landscape hazy with wind-blown harvest dust and land in need of a good, soaking rain.
The colorful Big Woods of Nerstrand on October 23. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
We saw our first masses of color in the dense woods of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. We opted not to stop at this busy fall destination park, but rather continued on to the small town of Nerstrand.
A home decorated for autumn in Nerstrand. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
A quick drive-through didn’t reveal much new in Nerstrand. But I did spot the most inviting front porch area graced with autumn décor of pumpkins, mums and a corn shock plus a vintage bike and lush ferns. I wanted to walk right up the front steps, knock on the door and ask to sit a spell in one of the comfy wicker chairs for conversation and perhaps a mug of steaming coffee. I’ve always wanted to live in a house with a front porch.
A colorful treeline between Nerstrand and Dennison. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Onward we drove, winding our way toward Dennison, past farms and occasional splashes of colorful trees.
The name of this new business in Dennison, with the grain complex in the background, grabbed my attention. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Once in town, I noticed a new establishment, Cattlemen’s Saloon, which seems a fitting name for this small farming community. The saloon, previously the 625 Bar & Grill, opened a year ago under the same ownership but with a new focus and branding.
Warning signs posted in a vacant storefront window in the heart of Dennison. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
I also happened upon some no trespassing signage that left me feeling uneasy. I got the message, as intended, that I ought to stay clear of this vacant property or else. I just don’t share the owner’s sense of humor regarding weapons.
Next we aimed toward Cannon Falls, twisting through the picturesque Sogn Valley area. Some fall color tinted hillsides of trees, but nothing spectacular. We realized that perhaps we were a week late to see the peak of autumn hues here.
This up-high vintage draws my attention in Cannon Falls. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Yet, a drive like this doesn’t depend on a singular attraction to make it enjoyable. Rather, I delight in the unexpected, the quirky, the details that help define a place. And first off in Cannon Falls, that was an old John Deere tractor hoisted high atop a metal frame on the south edge of town. I wondered how that tractor was lifted into place.
With sweet treat murals painted on front display windows by Dani Liana of Red Wing-based Legacy Murals, there’s no mistaking this as a bakery, Sweet Kneads bakery in downtown Cannon Falls. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Beautifully-decorated cookies in a display case at Sweet Kneads, Cannon Falls Bakery. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
But it was in downtown Cannon Falls where I found the highlight of the day—Sweet Kneads. I love a good local bakery. Only on day trips do I treat myself to a bakery sweet, this time a blueberry Bismarck donut that was over-the-top yummy, oozing with blueberry filling that tasted fresh, not canned. It was one of the best bakery treats, if not the best, I’ve ever eaten.
Cannon Falls businesses, like this floral and gift shop, do a good job of creating inviting exterior seasonal displays to draw customers inside. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
With sweets fueling us, Randy and I were ready to hit the road again, but not before a quick look at seasonally-decorated storefronts at neighboring businesses. We could easily have spent several hours downtown, home to restaurants, boutiques, a cheese shop, florist, winery, brewery, antique store and much more. Cannon Falls offers a lot. We’ve previously lingered for hours here. But this trip we focused on finding fall colors. So out of town we headed, eastward bound toward Welch.
FYI:Please check back as I continue on this fall color day trip into rural southern Minnesota.
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