Several years ago, my husband and I took a trip down the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River and discovered so many charming little towns. River towns always seem to have a special ambiance about them and draw me to them. We then discovered Alma where I captured many memorable photos and memories in my store room of fun places to visit.
The train track runs alongside the river and then seemed to pass through, blowing it's whistle, every fifteen minutes. There was a small dining place along side the track that served the town's best breakfasts for traveler's and residents.
The town is set beneath a steep hillside that is dotted with lovely older homes, terraced flower gardens which splashed color everywhere, and long rising stairways that led to the upper level.
The overlook at Alma, offered a wonderful view of the town and river below. It was a wonderful place for picnics because of the view and the fantastic cool breezes that wafted on the air. It always seemed to be breezy on the overlook when we were there.
The old Burlington hotel no longer serves the superbly prepared cuisine that it used to, I am told, but I believe it still is there, under different ownership. I recall a beautiful gold colored railing that used to be in the forefront of the bar, which was there. It was a highlight feature and I wonder if that is still there.
We used to stay at a very welcoming, open door type, Bed and Breakfast run by a dear couple who were so hospitable. When a guest walked in, we were to look for an unlocked room and if it was empty, we signed in. It was very informal. The man and his wife who owned it, also had a farm nearby and often the man was out baling hay or doing farm chores. It was a very old home and I even drew a detailed drawing of that home which I shared with them. The architecture was lovingly planned and of course it, like all of the other homes, nestled on the hillside.
It is good to recall how things used to be when one visits them at an earlier time in life but they probably change over time like everything else. Don't they say nothing is permanent except change? Pictures and memories can capture the moments of our life and return us again to yesterday once in awhile when we feel nostalgic.
However, here we are in the present, enjoying our lives celebrating today and all the happier days of the past. Today is the day to start building more memories sharing life and love with family, friends and those strangers who someday may be our friends, also. Peek into the past, but move on ahead with enthusiasm. Live, laugh and love..is an appropriate saying and guide for each of us as we travel the pathway of life.
