How are you today?

GREAT!  I am so glad to have this opportunity to visit with you!  I have so much to share with you about myself and the history of this beautiful building that is now the home of Stone Mill Hotel & Suites.

I tell you, there is never a dull moment here, or in Lanesboro. And over the last 50 or so years I have gotten to know a lot about this area, The Lamon – Mortimer family that takes such good care of my home here at the Mill and all of the unique little nooks, crannies and people that make Lanesboro such a great place to live and visit!

Hum…. (Fosse takes a thoughtful pause….) 

What, sorry … I was drifting off thinking about all the fine grain I am going to have for dinner….  Oh, you want me to tell you how I got to be here at the Mill.  I remember it like it was only yesterday!

The first time I set eyes on Stone Mill (then it was SL Fosse:  Dealer in Eggs and Poultry) it was a beautiful summer day.  I was out in the coupe doing what chickens do best (pecking grain that is) and the next thing you know I was in a crate, on the back of an old 1930’s Ford truck.  That wind from the ride ruffled my feathers terribly!  Every feather literally out of place and then if that was not bad enough they took the crate inside and yanked me out and started to pluck out my tail feathers!  I had had enough!  I was not going to stand for such treatment.  So, off the table I hopped and flapped and squawked until I could find a place to hide.  After that I learned how to stay out of the way of you crazy humans!  But I won’t hold that against you.

Anyway, time passed and they forgot about little oh me, and I learned to survive on crumbs dropped from the workers lunch pails and then when the building became grain storage some time in the 1950′s when the Hager’s became owners of the Mill, well, I tell you I was the happiest chicken this side of the Mississippi!  I had all the grain that I could eat and there was so much of it, no one even realized that at night I would eat my fill.  I had to have put on a few pounds during that time of plenty!

That’s the short of it!  I just wanted to take a few minutes to introduce myself, and share with you that I Fosse the Chicken will be making a few public appearances on the Stone Mill Hotel & Suites blog.  I will be telling you about events that come to town, like the one I just missed the Ibsen Festival, but we have a quite a few others so don’t you worry your pretty little head about that.  I will share with you some of my explorations around the Mill and read those great Journals that folks write in sharing their favorite things they did here in Lanesboro and some of the great people that live and work in Lanesboro.

So, so long for now… there’s a grain truck passing by and if I hurry I might just be able to catch some extra BˑEˑAˑUˑTˑIˑFˑUˑL grain as an appetizer before dinner!  I am a  connaisseur of fine grains!

See Ya soon and when you visit Lanesboro don’t forget to stop by and take a tour of my lovely home, Stone Mill Hotel & Suites!

Bring your bike or rent one and explore the Root River Trail.  As you ride the trail and enjoy the gentle breeze, your cares from the day fade away.  After your outing, check out one of the dining spots.  Intermission, Lanesboro’s newest, is right next to the Commonweal Theatre and joins the list of signature restaurants.

When you visit on Saturday, May 19, be sure to make plans to attend the Standstill Parade in Whalan.  Whalan is a short, five mile bicycle ride from Lanesboro on the Root River Trail, one of Minnesota’s scenic bike trails.  Our neighbor to the west, Preston, will celebrate Trout Days on May 18 – 20.  When you visit on June 2, plan to attend Lanesboro’s annual Rhubarb Festival.  If your visit is later in June, plan on attending Art in the Park on Sunday, June 17.

Having dinner is just the beginning of a Lanesboro evening.  Make reservations for a performance at the Commonweal Theatre or attend a performance of Over the Back Fence.   Before you call it a night, a nightcap might be in order at Riverside on the Root’s Dirty Martini Lounge.

I’ll be back soon to let you know of more things to explore.  The lights will be on and the doors open shortly  . . . .

A visitor to Lanesboro,Scott from White Bear Lake, took this beautiful picture of the tulips right outside our front door last weekend.  Thank you Scott!

As Lanesboro continues to awaken, the Commonweal Theatre Company will be hosting the 15^th Annual Ibsen Festival on April 13 – 15.  This year, Pillars of Society, has been chosen as the Ibsen production.  A complete listing of the weekend’s events can be found at www.ibsenfest.org.

In addition to the Ibsen Fest activities in Lanesboro, Bluffscape Amish Tours will be offering tours.  The tours will depart on Friday and Saturday at 10:00 or 1:30.  The tours depart from the Lanesboro Feed Mill.  To schedule a tour, please call 507.467.3070.

To add a little relaxation to your weekend, the Lanesboro Day Spa has appointments available on Friday afternoon and Saturday.

Season 5 Opening Day

Bluffscape Amish Tours is excited to announce their 5th Amish tour season starting Saturdays only in March and daily Mon – Sat, April – October. Ticketing and departure location is at the Lanesboro FEED Mill at 102 E Beacon St, Lanesboro, right next door to the Stone Mill Hotel & Suites. Tour times are at 10 am and 1:30 pm. To learn more about the Old Order Amish of SE Minnesota, please visit our website at www.bluffscape.com or call 507-467-3070. Immerse yourself in the history and lifestyle of the Amish while munching on their buttery cashew crunch while riding on a Bluffscape Amish Tour.

"I'm having so much fun"

For those of you whom haven’t been introduced Rick² includes the team of my Dad and Rick Sjarpe our very skilled maintenance and handyman that has been part of our family for 9 years.  In the photos you are seeing that our “Check In” Area will now be located in the “Red Mill” building to the east of the Stone Mill limestone building.  I look forward to providing posts on the process of changes to our lovingly restored FEED MILL.

Eagle Bluff News Letter

New Years Eve in Lanesboro, MN

If you’re among the few who have yet to see this charming
holiday comedy, don’t miss your chance!
Call the box office at 467-2525 for reservations.

Adrienne Sweeney
Associate Artistic Director
Director of External Communications
Ibsen Festival Coordinator
Commonweal Theatre
(507) 467-2905 x208
CommonwealTheatre.org