Maifest 2013

     Hello, House Mouse here.  Just wanted to drop in on my very special blog, and announce that Maifest last weekend was a success, even though it was kind of raining.  I, as a house mouse, am much like my name "House Mouse", which means that I stay in the house, so the rain didn't really affect me.  However, the rain did bring many people into the General Store.  I make my way around the store quite easily in my adventures, withdrawing what is rightfully mine in the store.  My favorite target is the cheese, naturally, so last weekend when I went for my afternoon snack I made my way up to the main floor, hopped on the food cooler, and decided what kind of cheese I would like best.  I usually take cheddar, but on this special occasion I decided to try something different.  As I hopped into the cooler I forgot how many cheese selections we have at our store, so I realized this would be a very tough decision. We have Colby, Farmers, Havarti, Havarti Dill, Cheddar, Swiss, Garden Vegetable, Sharp Cheddar, Pepper Jack, and Calico Cheese.  Can you believe that!  So as you can see this was a very difficult choice. In the end I decided to take a pinch of them all! Stop in at the Amana General Store and check them all out.  That's all for now.......I can smell the nuts roasting up stairs.  See you next time!!

                       Me in my lederhosen surrounded by cheese!


Amana House Mouse.

A Country and Community United

Me with an Amana hand-crafted flag box

As we look to the past and all that’s changed since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, we can each remember exactly where we were when we heard and how we each coped with the event.  Although the Amana Colonies are hundreds of miles from Ground Zero, we found our own special way to pay tribute to those who lost their lives and preserve a piece of history from one of America’s darkest hours.

Knock on Wood

What a great surprise!

The other day, one of the ladies that works upstairs brought me a present – a mini-Adirondack chair!  Boy was I excited!  As a mouse, I am used to living simple, but this gift made me rethink the design of my little home in the Amana Coffee & Tea room.  To get the creative juices pumping, I decided to visit a shop with the most beautiful furniture on the planet – the Amana Furniture & Clock Shop.

A Warm and Woolen Adventure

Summer is my favorite season!

The Amanas are always busy with people, the Lily Lake is in bloom and every sunset is even more beautiful than the last.  One of my favorite summer activities is visiting the different stores in the village and seeing all of the products made in Amana.  The other day, I decided to trek down to one of Amana’s most iconic businesses – the Woolen Mill.

An Ode to Cheese (And Meat Too!)

Wilbur and I at the Amana Meat Shop and
Smokehouse.  Each of the seven villages had
its own meat shop in during the communal era.

I love cheese a lot.

Cheddar, pepper jack or swiss,

My love knows no end.

I can even remember my first bite of cheese as a wee mouse – a delicious golden curd of cheddar cheese.

Typically, many of my fellow mice are forced to scrounge for old curds in the garbage, but living in the General Store, I almost always have access to some of the world’s best cheese from the Amana Meat Shop and Smokehouse.  Yesterday, however, the store ran out of cheese!

And I was in dire need of some cheese.

The Blessings of Freedom

Happy Birthday America!

Two hundred and thirty-six years ago, the United States of America declared its independence from Great Britain and the land of the free was born.  Here in Amana, the liberties those men and women fought for during the Revolutionary War were fully realized by the Community of True Inspiration.

The Perfect Little Hole for a Home

Me hard at work blogging!

Guten Tag!  Welcome to my blog “A Bite of Cheese.”  After getting so much daily attention, I’ve decided to start blogging about my exciting life as the Amana General Store’s House Mouse.  I'm hoping it's the perfect way to stay in touch with all the friendly people I get to meet every day.

The Amana General Store is the perfect home for a mouse like me.  I chose to live here for a variety of reasons, none less than the constant supply of wonderful goodies and products sold at the store.  However, the history of Amana and the building itself also fascinate me.