Cold Spring to Clearbrook

We finished up in Pierz in what was an amazing week.  The town was so nice we were swearing that it was going to disappear once we left.  We had a great cast, the town was super nice and had some of the best pie.  My tour partner won $250 at a drawing at the bar and gave me half which was too nice.  Plus the weather was wonderful and they had a swimming hole. We didn't go in but it was lovely to sit by.

Then we went to Cold Spring.  The town was about 3000 and was okay.  The kids were even better than Pierz and the sponsor was great.  The town was kind of sad.  There wasn't much to do or eat and was just plain boring.  It was my tour partner's birthday week and I felt kind of bad since there wasn't anything to do.  

Then we came to Clearbrook.  A town of maybe 500.  We passed through Bemidji to get here and that city is like a smaller version of Lawrence, KS and that was the best part of the week.  We walked around and bought groceries at a co-op and then we got to the middle pf nowhere.  There is nothing around, everything closes at 4 and the kids are okay.  I think we were spoiled after having two awesome weeks we almost deserve to have a crappy week.  I wish I was happier to be here because I can tell you that when you are in a better town or a town that makes you feel good you work better.  I know the kids can't tell that it isn't a great week...they are just happy we are here but I am ready to head to our next town in Little Falls.  

On a side note about our kids this week.  We have a little black girl who is about 8 and her name is OJ.  Not O.J. like it is short for something but legit OJ.  Her parents are white and who knows if she got her name from them or before she was adopted but I feel bad when people her age start to figure out what it can be connected to...it will be rough.  We sometimes joke that when we have bad kids or unfortunate kids that some people just shouldn't breed.  I know that sounds awful but joking and having funny really keeps you sane because the process is so intense.  It is great but nuts at the same time.

The Swimming Hole we found in Pierz.

Please, please, please!

Well thank goodness!

We found this on the side of the highway.

The first of many found.

The second one...maybe we can find some more.

I think I need to own this.

My new friend. 

We have a lot planned for our Sunday drive to Little Falls.  We are going to stop in Bemidji again and get breakfast and then stop at the co-op again for groceries, a local store with art and crafts by local artisans, a wool shop and a chocolate shop.  Then we are going to go Paul Bunyan's Animal Land and then stop in Walker and have a walk around and maybe a picnic lunch.  If time was on our said we would go to the co-op in Brainerd instead of Bemidji but I don't think we will make it on time.  Little Falls is going to be very nice. 

Pierz, Minnesota

Last Saturday we finished our last week in Jamestown, ND.  While we were there we saw this:

That is the World's Largest Buffalo and it is bigger than you would think.  It looks over the town.  I imagine that he protects it.  Along with that is a little pioneer village.  We arrived a little late that day and missed the shoot out but over all it was cute.  The only issue is that there are all these mannequins in costumes in all the rooms that you can look it.  Whoever is in charge obviously tried to make it look authentic but the jeans all say Levi's and were obviously picked up in a Goodwill but nice effort.  There was also a little museum dedicated to Louis L'Amour.  He is from the area and you can buy his books in every store.

As for the show.  It was okay.  The group we had is a summer program that is run in many different cities and the kids aren't necessarily signing up for a play so they didn't really want to be there.  Our Dorthy on the other hand was great.  She had everything memorized and was the sweetest girl.  We found out that she has been the lead in Prairie Fire shows for the past few years and one would worry we are going to give her a complex but she is not like that at all.  A genuinely nice girl with natural talent.  The rest of the kids were sweet with some talent but they were always tires because they had to walk a mile from the school to the performance space at the college.

We stayed on campus at the college.  We had wi-fi which was nice and a full kitchen but we had to share it with two other groups and they ate some of my food as well as my tour partners.  The teachers were really nice too.  They had either just received their teaching license or had been teaching for a year.   Plus, they were all boys so it was nice too.  One of them was interested in my tour partner and he invited us to a barbecue.  It was basically all the teachers from the summer program including the ladies working with K-1st.  It was nice to be around people who weren't under the age of 11.

Sunday we left and passed back through Barrett.  The second week of training was leaving and it was nice to be able to meet up with everyone for a few hours and chat.  We were all coming from the same direction and heading in the same so we may be able to meet later in the week for a movie or something.  I know that we are trying to do that because for the rest of the summer we aren't this close and we have become really good friends and want to keep that contact.

Then we arrived in Pierz, MN.  It is a great town.  Everything is within walking distance and it is cute.  We had auditions today and it was hard because we had so much talent.  Usually you are trying to figure out who you think could give you something but this time we had the exact opposite program.  Most of the kids had been doing Prairie Fire for a couple years so we had some really talented kids that we were sad that we couldn't give them all parts.  Plus everyone in the town in really nice and they have a wonderful space.  It is a gymatorium but  a ton of backstage space and the sponsor is very helpful.  Plus the place with wi-fi has the best pie ever.  I think this is going to be a good week!

P.S. We are staying at the Hillbilly Haven!