Wonderful Wisconsin

The Miura family took a little Spring Break from work, school and even blogging last week to escape to the Wisconsin Dells. Yes, it's famous for waterparks, fudge and tacky souvenier shops, all of which we indulged in, but it's also a beautiful part of the country. You can see the scenic side by driving around outside "the strip", or heading a short ways down the highway to Devil's Lake and Mirror Lake state parks. You can also see the dramatic rock formations by taking a Dells boat tour, a helicopter ride or a Duck ride, which goes on land and in the water (kind of noisy, though). Our preferred mode of transportations is horseback. My daughter and I make an annual trip to "The Ranch" -- our favorite stable -- and meander through the woods for an hour or so. This year we met Norman, an adorable miniature horse (see photo). Another great way to see some of the Dells natural wonders is to take a horse-drawn wagon ride through Lost Canyon.

Some of my favorite shops are the Mouse House (not Mickey -- we're talkin' CHEESE) where you can get awesome cheeses and sausages, cow pies (chocolate candy with caramel and nuts) and an amazing array of preserves and snacks. Oh, and cheese curds, of course. You can't leave Wisconsin without a bag or two! I discovered a wonderful artsy shop at the far end of downtown Dells. If you go, check out Artistic Expressions. You'll know it by the Moose out front (see photo).

Check in next week for a virtual trip to Sweden...and recipes too!