This weekend marks the official beginning of cheese making workshops at Lonesome Hollow. Today we set up the workshop in preparation for 26 workshop attendees who will begin learning the art of cheese making tomorrow morning.

workshop set up for cheesemaking

 Steve the Cheesemaker, from Cedarburg, WI teaches the class. In 2009 Steve conducted four workshops at Lonesome Hollow, and this year he has signed on for another four. The 2009 workshop attendees came from as far away as Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, California, Virginia and Texas. The class will make its own soft cheeses overnight and will go home with some cheese that they helped to make. 

November Cheesemaking Graduates

Other cheese making workshops at Lonesome Hollow are scheduled for the weekends of May 22/23, July 10/11 (already sold out), and Nov 13/14. Call Steve at414 -745 -5483   to reserve a place in the workshop, and call Pete or Nora at the Inn at Lonesome Hollow for your lodging.

The world is a better place because of cheese!

The Inn at Lonesome Hollow is delighted to announce three culinary workshops this year featuring  chef Monique Jamet Hooker.  Participants in any of the 3 culinary workshops staying  2 nights at the Inn at Lonesome Hollow will get a $50 discount on their stay.  The first workshop this year is April 17th and 18th, and will be “Pates and Sausages”.  Learn how to make Pate de Campagne, garlic sausage, onion brats and more!

 Culinary workshop attendants can choose several ways to participate: from a full weekend, starting Friday night through Sunday, which includes 2 dinners, lunch, and Sunday brunch, to a shortened workshop on Saturday, which includes lunch.  The workshop will be located at Monique’s kitchen at her log home, which is nestled in the woods on a bluff above the Mississippi River.  Included with the workshop will be Monique’s award winning book,  Cooking with the Seasons, which introduces readers to over 200 recipes that emphasize seasonal distinctions of taste, texture, and color.

Monique Presents her Delicious Fare

Acclaimed chef Monique  came to the US from France in the sixties and took a position in her brother’s restaurant in New York state before moving to Chicago where she made a name for herself as a food stylist and caterer.  She also began teaching classes for people eager to recreate her art in their own kitchen. In 1983 she opened Monique’s Cafe’ in Chicago’s North River district which has since become the premier dining area in the city.

Since Monique has “retired” to the hills of Southwest Wisconsin,  she has been a spokesperson and chef with Organic Valley Cooperative, and is a frequent guest on “WPR’s “Here on Earth” and continues to teach, lecture and demonstrate the “art of seasonal cooking”.

Additional Lonesome Hollow workshops with Chef Monique Hooker will be November 5th-7th:  “All About Duck”-Roasted, Confit, Foie Gras, and more;  December 3rd-5th: “Chocolate and More Chocolate”-Cake, Truffles, Glaze, Dipping and more.

Photo by Jerry Quebe

During the winter months eagles congregate along the unfrozen portions of the Upper Mississippi River. The stretch of river from La Crosse, WI south to Priarie du Chien, WI always has a high concentration of  these majestic birds. After hitting a population low in early 1970’s the eagle population is once again healthy, and the eagle was removed from the Endangered Species List in 2007. Wisconsin now has more than 1000 pairs of nesting eagles, and more than 200 of those nest in the Upper Mississippi Valley.  

Eagle soars over the Mississippi

Many winter guests at our rural bed and breakfast, the Inn at Lonesome Hollow, take the short drive to the big river to view the symbol of our nation. The most spectacular viewing occurs when most of the Mississippi is frozen, and only small areas (often downstream of dams) remain open. The eagles gather in these spots because they can enjoy fine winter fishing. Often one can view eagles soaring, eagles perched in trees, eagles sitting on nearby ice dining on their catch, even eagles swooping down on the water to grab lunch - all in one spot of the river. 

There are a couple of local events that provide the opportunity to view the eagles along with programs, exhibits, and even winter hiking. In Prairie du Chien their Bald Eagle Appreciation Day is scheduled for February 27, 2010 and will be held at the regional tourism center at the Hwy 18 bridge entrance. Bird experts will be there to help inform the public about eagle behavior. Another eagle event, Cassville’s Bald Eagle Days will be held on Januray 30/31, 2010. Cassville is located about 30 miles south of Prairie Du Chien on the Mississippi River. 

Pete and Nora

In southwest Wisconsin, in the heart of the Kickapoo Valley, in the heart Wisconsin’s famed Driftless Area – lies a wonderfully rural and elegant bed and breakfast – the Inn at Lonesome Hollow. Lonesome Hollow is 160 mostly forested acres; it is one of the quietest and most peaceful settings you will ever find; it is a place of rugged landscape and abundant wildlife; it is the perfect setting for a romantic getaway.

We have put together a special winter romantic getaway for the months of January through March, 2010. Enjoy our newest, most spacious, and most private suite, the Upper Homestead Suite. This suite is located in the back of our private valley, out of view of any other building. The views are spectacular, with 300 ft high hills surrounding the Homestead house on three sides. The winter landscape is gorgeous. This suite offers a king bed, a large living room with fireplace, a spacious bath with separate whirlpool room, and a full kitchen. The living room’s floor-to-ceiling picture window looks out over the wooded, winter hillsides. 

Built in 2005, The Homestead Offers Deluxe Accomodations

This special package includes: a dozen red roses, full country breakfasts served either at the main Inn or at your suite; one wine and cheese appetizer;  one catered dinner – your choice of six entree items from a great local restaurant – served in your suite; and complimentary use of snow shoes for those winter days when snow conditions allow.

Enjoy Breakfast and Dinner in Your Suite

If you so desire, you never have to leave the suite for your stay. Celebrate your special day – birthday, anniversary, engagement, …  and stay warm and cozy in magnificent surroundings. The price for this special romantic stay is $349 for a one night stay or $499 for a very relaxed two night stay. 

We will do everything possible to make this an unforgettable time of peace and love.

Pete and Nora

The weekend of August 14-16, 2009 will be very special in the Kickapoo Valley of Southwest Wisconsin.  Two great events are scheduled: Wild West Days in Viroqua and Larryfest in LaFarge.

Wild West Days in Viroqua

Wild West Days will feature a rodeo, cattle drive, country music concert, and a parade that features more than 100 horses. Many of the Wild West Days events take place at the county fairgrounds in Viroqua, but the music event will be held in the beautifully restored Temple Theater in downtown Viroqua.   

The Crowd at Larryfest 2008

Larryfest is an exceptionally good bluegrass festival that takes place on a rural property near LaFarge, smack dab in the middle of the beautiful Kickapoo Valley. This will be the 12th annual Larryfest event, and they just keep getting better. Somehow bluegrass music and the Kickapoo Valley seem to be a perfect match.

Giddup and Dance

Over the past few years many area visitors who have attended these events have stayed at a rural B&B just south of Soldiers Grove, WI – the Inn at Lonesome Hollow (www.lonesomehollow.com). Rooms are still available for these nights.

On Friday and Saturday nights, July 24 and 25, the Inn at Lonesome Hollow (www.lonesomehollow.com) hosted a group of eleven friends from the Milwaukee area. Lonesome Hollow hosts many family get togethers and group outings, but this one was very special – the group drove here from Milwaukee in six vintage MG-B convertibles. Tim and Kathy Bradley organized this outing for the group.

On Friday evening the group enjoyed dinner at Country Gardens restaurant in Soldiers Grove, only a five mile drive from the Inn. On Saturday the group visited Vernon Vineyards and tasted the wine out on the scenic vineyard grounds near Chaseburg. Dinner on Saturday was cooked at the Homestead suites of Lonesome Hollow and included steaks purchased from Kickapoo Locker in Gays Mills. A Saturday night campfire capped the day for this fun group.

On August 28-30, 2009,  an uplifting women’s retreat with yoga instructor and wellness coach, Jeanne Penton, and author, Colleen Baldrica , will take place at Lonesome Hollow.  Take some long overdue “you” time and restore work/life balance through yoga, meditation, mind-body wellness workshops, circle time, laughter, and wine tasting. This retreat will offer morning and evening yoga and meditation sessions (90 minutes).  Weather permitting, the meditation portion will be held on the serene grounds of Lonesome Hollow. Yoga and meditation is a wonderful and awakening practice that doesn’t discriminate.  All levels are welcome.   The style of yoga taught is a non-purist blend, combining the elements of Vinyasa, Iyengar, and Anusara. The focus is on connecting breath with movement, letting go of competition with ourselves and others and achieving harmony within mind, body,and spirit.  Healing Touch will also be offered by Nora Knapik, Innkeeper at Lonesome Hollow, and Healing Touch Apprentice.  For more information, contact Jeanne at pathways2wellness@yahoo.com, or Colleen at colleenbaldrica@gmail.com.

Colleen Baldrica

About the Retreat Directors:   Colleen Baldrica (Moran) began her spiritual journey as a child.  Inspired by the teachings of her Native American grandmother, she carried that wisdom forth into her career as an adult.  With a Masters degree in Counseling  and a PhD in the Philosophy of Education, she worked in public education for 28 years. As the author of “Tree Spirited Woman” (Beaver’s Pond Press 2006) she has begun a new quest – to share with others what experience has taught her about those simple truths she learned as a child.  Colleen continues to enjoy the path she has discovered by taking long walks in the woods, sharing meaningful conversations with friends and family, and taking time to curl up with a good book. Colleen lives in Stillwater, Minnestoa.  Her website: www.colleenbaldrica.com.

Jeanne Penton

Jeanne Penton, B.S., ACSM has 15 years of experience in the health and wellness industry.  She is nationally certified through the Amerian College of Sports Medicine, and is a yoga instructor and public speaker.  She has worked with many populations including children, seniors, physically disabled, post-cardiac, diabetics, pre-post natal, cancer survivors, athletes, and general population fitness enthusiasts.   Jeanne has shared her knowledge and passion for wellness with many groups, having worked with corporations, schools, churches, fire departments, and served on faculty for the Department of Health and Human Performance at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, IL.  Self-acceptance, mind/body awareness, and stress management serve as the foundations of her teachings.  Jeanne lives in Sycamore, IL.

In the heart of Southwest Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, in a landscape of continuous hills and valleys, surrounded by farm fields and hardwood forests, sitting on a ridge above the Bad Axe River, waiting to be visited and enjoyed by midwest wine lovers – is Vernon Vineyards (www.vernonvineyards.com). The vineyard has more than 10 acres of grapes that hug the ridge contours more than 300 feet above the river below. A very comfortable tasting room opens to a wide. two-sided porch that offers wonderful views of the vineyard and the valley below. Bob and Loren, the owners, are gracious hosts who will make you feel right at home as they walk you through the tasting of their wines. If you want to talk grape growing, they will answer any questions you have and have actively supported other local grape growers in Vernon and Crawford Counties. 

Vernon Vineyard

The winery, the first ever in Vernon County, now offers nine different table wines and two dessert wines. These wines are a delight to drink, and are so consistently tasty that Vernon Vineyard wine is now exclusively offered to guests staying at the Inn at Lonesome Hollow (www.lonesomehollow.com), a  beautiful, rural Bed and Breakfast near Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin. Pete and Nora, owners at Lonesome Hollow regularly offer Vernon Vineyards Ridge Red and La Crosse White wines. They consider it a very special treat for visiting guests to relax over a glass of locally produced wine.

Tasting Room at Vernon Vineyards

If you are a wine lover, visit southwest Wisconsin to taste the product of other local wineries as well: Wegge Winery in Richland Center, Wisconsin; Spurgeon Valley Winery in Highland, Wisconsin; and Eagles Landing Winery in Marquette, Iowa. The Inn at Lonesome Hollow is centrally located to all four of these wineries, and the beautiful Driftless Area landscapes will provide rustic, scenic drives as you travel to any or all of these wineries.

macro photo taken by workshop participant

The Inn at Lonesome Hollow in Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin is again partnering with Bob Denny to offer a Digital Photography Workshop. The workshop dates are June 5-7, 2009. Workshop attendees must stay in a B&B room, cabin, or suite at Inn at Lonesome Hollow for both Friday and Saturday nights, June 5 and 6. Course content can be obtained from Bob Denny’s website at www.bobdennyphoto.com. This will be the third digital photography workshop offered by Bob at Lonesome Hollow.

The Inn at Lonesome Hollow is situated in the beautiful Kickapoo Valley of Southwest Wisconsin. The Inn offers 160 acres of wooded hills, private gardens, a large pond, four miles of private hiking trails, and superb accomodations. Check out www.lonesomehollow.com to view pictures of the rooms and the grounds.

To confirm your workshop attendance, please contact Bob directly. He is accepting a limited number of

Photo taken during workshop

attendees. Then contact Pete or Nora at Lonesome Hollow to make your room reservation.

We look forward to hosting you and seeing the great photos that result.

Pete and Nora Knapik