TRACY SEES STUFF 👀

Category: Blog

  • The Block – Dog Friendly Patio – St. Louis Park, Minnesota

    The Block – Dog Friendly Patio – St. Louis Park, Minnesota

    For Valentine’s Day, we brought our favorite Valentine (our rescue dog, Allen) to The Block in St. Louis Park to check out their dog-friendly patio. We were so impressed! They have thought of everything to make your dining experience with your pup amazing.

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    Allen has been to restaurant patios but has always been the only dog so we weren’t sure how he would behave in this setting with other dogs. When we walked in, I explained that to the server and she was so accommodating. She told me that they have frozen Von Hanson‘s smoked beef marrow bones that work well to keep the dogs busy and distracted. Of course, the bone worked and Allen LOVED it!

    Once seated, they bring your dog a mat to lay on, a big bowl of water and a little treat. They offer a menu just for the dogs from frozen bones to full meals. On one end of the patio, there is an awesome wall for photos and other end, a TV playing dog videos.

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    Besides being dog-friendly, the food was delicious! I really appreciated all of their gluten-free options. I loved this burrata salad and Terry loved all the craft beer choices. We also had cheeseburgers (mine with a yummy gluten-free bun) and the tater tots were perfect on this chilly Minnesota day!

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    For dessert, I was excited to see Muddy Paws Cheesecake, hand-crafted locally by our friend, Tami! They also offer some super fun, over the top, shakes that I can’t wait to try.

    Find the menu, weekly specials, hours and location HERE. We are so happy to have a new quality restaurant in SLP and to hang out on the patio in the summer!

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    The Block, 7007 Walker Street, St. Louis Park, Minnesota 55426

    ©Tracy Blowers

  • Sedona, Arizona – Hiking – Broken Arrow Trail

    Sedona, Arizona – Hiking – Broken Arrow Trail

    Broken Arrow is a new trail for us this year. We were hesitant to hike here because the trail runs parallel to the jeep path and we thought it would be disruptive. The jeeps didn’t bother us at all and it was fun to watch them cruising over the red rocks.

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    The hiking distance for Broken Arrow Trail is approximately 3 miles out and back. There are 12 parking spaces at the trailhead. The road to the parking lot is dirt for a short distance and very bumpy. There’s only room for one vehicle at a time on the dirt road to and from the lot so prepare to back up if another vehicle is coming. The trail is worth the little scramble of parking. This hike takes about 2 hours.

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    The 360° views are beautiful of the canyons and red rock spires.

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    Not far into the hike (at about 1/2 mile) you will come to Devil’s Dining Room. Devil’s Dining Room is a 50-foot wide and 90-foot deep sinkhole! The area is fenced off so you don’t miss it or accidentally fall in. 🙂 There are informative signs as you walk up explaining how the sinkhole was created and more about the bat colony that lives here.

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    Hello down there!

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    As you work your way up and you will see more signs for Chicken Point which is the top or you can take a side trail to Submarine Rock. Submarine Rock is a nice flat area to enjoy a picnic and the views. If you continue up to Chicken Point, you will also be connected to Little Horse trail to make this a longer hike.

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    When you see these views you will understand why so many old westerns were filmed in this area. You couldn’t create a better backdrop. I love the way the rock formations look in the shadow of the sun.

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    Almost all the trails in Sedona are pet-friendly as long as your dog is on a leash. Our little guy is having a blast hiking these red rock trails.

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    We always meet the nicest people hiking the trails. We met a professional photographer who offered to take our picture. So great to have a photo of the three of us on the trail.

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    Enjoy and keep on exploring!

    #WhatStirsYourSoul #RoadTrippinTheUS

    ©Tracy Blowers

  • Goodbye My Girl – This One Is For You

    Goodbye My Girl – This One Is For You

    When the new year started, I had big plans to write and all my blog posts planned for the month of January but then life happened. We lost our sweet girl, Utah. She was only 3 years old, almost 4 (her birthday would have been in February). We found out that she had chronic kidney disease on her 1st birthday. We knew that she wouldn’t live a long life so we made sure she lived a full life.

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    The older I get the less I care when life disrupts my plans. I would rather live these moments than stress about writing about them or getting everything done. Utah taught us balance. She would not allow us to go a day without some playtime or exercise. She made us laugh every day and showed us that being your unique, crazy self is the only way to live.

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    She loved road trips and adventures.

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    We walked and traveled thousands of miles with her in just a few short years.

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    If there was something she could get on top of and hold court, she took every advantage.

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    She was an awesome big sister to Allen and taught him the ropes before she left us.

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    She made us a family.

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    In her last few days, she still tried to make us laugh and make everything okay for US.

    We fed her all of her favorite things by hand because it was too hard for her to get up. She would only drink water from a bottle which was always one of our favorite things about her. I think she thought, if that’s how they drink water then I will too.

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    Keep facing the sun, lady-bird (her nickname) and we’ll see you there.

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    Forever in our hearts. We miss you so much. ❤️

     

  • Fort Snelling State Park – Twin Cities – Minnesota

    Fort Snelling State Park – Twin Cities – Minnesota

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    There are so many beautiful winter trails in the heart of the Twin Cities!

    We visited Fort Snelling State Park the day after Thanksgiving (we needed the exercise after eating so much food). 🙂 Minnesota state parks waive the entrance fees on Black Friday to encourage people to get outside and explore.

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    Fort Snelling State Park is where the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers meet. You can hike to Pike Island where they converge and enjoy 3 miles of packed walking trails. You can also leave the park and hike to the historic Fort Snelling.

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    The rivers offer amazing scenery and views as you hike the trails. We loved all the reflections of the snowy trees in the water. There are 12 miles of cross-country ski trails and snowshoeing anywhere but on the groomed trails.

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    Fort Snelling State Park also links to an extensive regional trail system.

    Our favorite thing is that the park is pet-friendly! The dogs loved getting out on the trails and meeting new friends.

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    There is a visitor center with gift shop, exhibits, and flush toilets that is open year-round. We got another sticker for the Thule!

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    It’s hard to believe this park is in the middle of the cities and right next to the airport.

    Make sure to get out and explore the Minnesota State Parks and Trails this winter!

    ©Tracy Blowers

  • See Things How They Are…

    See Things How They Are…

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    This quote! It always opens my eyes. We navigate our days and interactions based on how “we are”. We make assumptions without realizing we are doing it. There’s no way we can know what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes. Our hard might be easy for someone else OR our hard might be harder for someone else. Today I will do my best to see things as they are…

  • One Blanket, Two Hearts

    One Blanket, Two Hearts

    The human connection. 

    Traveling always offers the most interesting conversations and connections with strangers. Each encounter teaches us something and leaves an imprint.

    While staying at Jackson Lake Lodge, on a brisk early morning, we met Adel.

    One of our favorite things to do is to take the Jackson Lake Breakfast Cruise to Elk Island. We’ve learned from the past that mountain mornings on the boat can be pretty chilly and this year we packed a blanket.

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    Jackson Lake Lodge Breakfast Cruise

    After we arrived on the island, the sun was rising and I started warming up. I unwrapped from the blanket and had it resting in my arms while talking with the ship captain. An older, beautiful, petite woman walked up and stood next to me. I thought she was waiting to talk to the captain but shivering, she said…

    “It’s so cold, isn’t it?”

    As I started to answer her, I realized how cold she was and asked…

    “Do you want to use my blanket?”

    Her face lit up and she said, “Yes, thank you, thank you!” 

    She wrapped herself in it and my heart smiled. I felt so thankful that we brought the blanket and that I could share it with her. She kept herself wrapped in it all through breakfast and on the boat ride back. When we got back to the dock, we reconnected and she gave us this advice…

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    “Stay together, trust each other and love each other.” – Adel

    We hugged and as she walked away she said ” You’re an angel on earth.” which is exactly what I thought about her. That morning, strangers connected over a blanket. I will never forget Adel. ❤️

    The Blanket: We love our Rumpl blanket and bring it everywhere! It’s lightweight, packable, eco-friendly, and machine washable. We have two dogs and it’s their favorite to cuddle up in. It’s so durable that even after three years, it looks like new.

    Rumpl is offering 25% now through December 2, 2019! 

    Click here to purchase and for Free Shipping + Free Returns on Orders $49+

    This post is sponsored, which means if you purchase, What Stirs Your Soul may get something in return. Thank you for your support!

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