Lake of the Woods Elementary, Baudette, MN

After Mr. Melbey, the Dean of Students at Clearbrook-Gonvick Elementary, helped us unload our equipment from his van and load it onto our truck at Sorensen Motors, he wished us a safe trip. The time was about 3:50 PM and he said, "If the weather was good, you would be in Baudette by 6:00 PM." We thanked him again for his kindness and were on our way east to Bemidji, north east to Blackduck, and then north to Baudette. The roads were the most slippery before Blackduck, but there is something unsettling about that beautiful, long, lonesome stretch of road between Blackduck and Baudette, where one feels quite threatened by the deep ditches and the lack of traffic.

My goal was to stay between the two road ditches, as we hoped our mechanical difficulties 

had been fixed earlier in the day at Sorensen Motors in Bagley.

Not too far off the mark, we arrived at the Walleye Motel by 6:20 PM and had a restful evening.

On Wednesday, February 22, 2012, we met Mr. Nelson, the principal at Lake of the Woods Elementary School who scheduled our shows, and after he greeted us he immediately showed us to our performance area. We set up quickly for our first show, scheduled at 8:15 for students in grade five.

From left to right are Kelly Friemoth, me, and Sara Larson.

Before the first show the librarian, Kelli Pelland, welcomed us, and two FFA students from the high school came to watch the show and represent the local chapter of the FFA. 

The fifth grade students watch my program, which included my story A Farm Country Picnic.

During the Q and A session a student told me her mother, Jenny Davidson, and I have the same publisher, Beaver's Pond Press, Edina, MN.

Kindergarten students and their teachers watch my program, which included my story If I Were a Frmer: Nancy's Adventure. 

Kindergarten students turn to wave to Nancy in the photo above, 

and in the photo below first grade students do the same.

Third grade students ask questions after my program, which included my story A Farm Country Picnic.

Students in grade 4 hold up their two fingers as they learn how 

farmers teach a newborn calf how to drink from a pail.

Above second grade students turn to wave to Nancy and below they line up 

to feel the oats after our sixth and final show for the day.

Once again, Nancy and I want to thank all the teachers for inviting us into their classrooms, Principal Nelson for scheduling the day and welcoming us to the school, the FFA members for sponsoring our visit, and everyone, students and staff, who told us that they enjoyed our shows.

As we went back through town to take the longer, but familiar route back to Crookston, where we would stay for the night at our friends' home, Nancy snapped a photo of the famous Baudette Walleye wearing a cap of snow.

We left Baudette at 1:50 PM and arrived at Crookston about 5:20 PM 

and gladly relaxed with an early supper at a local restaurant.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson