Category: Travel

It has been a little under two months since we arrived in Hartford, Wisconsin and the family lake house on Pike Lake.

John and I have had the place to ourselves for the most part.  It already feels more like home now.  There also have been a few larger gatherings of friends and family when the house is a hive of activities, comings and goings, laughter and chatter, communal meals and libations, the beauty of the lake, boat rides and that joyous laughter only children can make.

But there have also been those peaceful moments of tranquility and time for reflection and contemplation.  Dreaming and exploring.  Basking in the pleasure of a beautiful sunrise, the morning chatter of a multitude of birds. One forgets how adorable a baby chipmunk can be.  How joyful is a hopping squirrel gathering morning goodies.  The grace of a grey crane taking to flight.

To be sure, we miss our urban lifestyle that feels so comfortable to us.  We recognize how much we take for granted.  Convenience, seemingly endless variety, access to so many natural treasures, the ever changing diversity, cultures and entertainment.

Mostly, we recognize how very fortunate we are to have so many friends and family around us.  It is though we experience Thanksgiving every day, with every contact, telephone call, Skype/FaceTime, note card, or gathering.

J&J

PS: A big heartfelt THANK YOU to Jennifer and Matthew for making us so welcomed.

 

Every once in a while you discover a real jewel, something unexpected, a discovery that just makes you feel joy and fortunate for the discovery.  This was how we felt when we went to the Museum of Wisconsin Art.

It is small enough to navigate through the galleries in a couple hours or less.  It is varied enough to satisfy most art interests: something old, some new, some contemporary and some things avant garde.  There is a little gift shop with some impressive items.

There are also a variety of “workshops” of interest to the community.  During our visit there were creative workshops for young children and next door a room of seniors listening to an art appreciation talk.

It is definately worth a visit if you are in the area.

205 Veterans Avenue, West Bend, WI 53095, www.wisconsinart.org

 

 

There are several galleries of Wisconsin art.  Here are some of our favorites.

 

  

There was a preview of a photographic exhibit coming to MOWA.

  

And for your next visit…

Lynden Sculpture Garden

The address is 2145 W Brown Deer Road, Milwaukee, WI 53217.  Just off I-43 and Brown Deer Road is the estate and former residence of inventor and manufacturing tycoon, Harry Lynde Bradley.

Today the gardens cover over 40 acres with over 50 monumental sculptures.  It is a delightful way to spend a few hours and enjoy a walk when weather is favorable.

 

Holy Hill: Basilica and National Shrine

Located less than 10 minutes away from the Lake House is a jewel that attracts half a million visitors each year.  The views are expansive.  There is a huge gift shop.  There is also a rustic cafe serving breakfast and lunch/snacks.

Most importantly, there are elevators from the visitors entrance to both the Basilica and the lower level chapels making it easier for little ones and the elderly to enjoy this facility.  If you are in the area, it is a pleasant way to spend a morning or afternoon.

Holy Hill, 1525 Carmel Road, Hubertus, Wisconsin.  (30 miles Northwest of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.)   www.holyhill.com

 

A big HELLO to everyone!

After only 10 days in Wisconsin, we have learned the June mornings come early and the evenings linger.  They are our favorite times of day.  Morning walks are becoming the norm.

This morning we encountered squirrels, bunny rabbits, a wild turkey, chipmunks and all sorts of birds.  We also explored an old 19th century graveyard, discovered a charming old barn and a lovely little pond.

And a beautiful ending.

Greeting to all!.  Today is our fifth day since our arrival at our family lake house in Wisconsin.  John and I have been settling in on our own until now.  Today we met with dear friends for brunch, Susie and Gary from Minneapolis.  What fun it was to meet old friends and get caught up on all things of interest.

Today I must report on the last 24 hours.  Yesterday about this time, the sky darkened and slowly became windy and thunderous.  It lasted for hours, wave after wave of downpours.  (This is something common to Midwest residents but non-existent to West Coast folks like us.)

Fast forward 18+ hours :  still no power.  This is a problem, that means, no water (well water requires a pump!), no water for sewage (that requires water too!). Torrential rains overnight and this morning means excessive water requires sump pump to deliver excess water away from the house (that requires power again).

As a side bar, the gardeners yesterday excavated an old suffering garden and replaced it with new soil and fresh seed only 30 minutes before the storm hit.  Today they came back to fix the damage.  Awesome tradesmen.

Now, I can report the power has been restored.  Most household systems have been restored and all but the garage opener are functioning as normal.  So has the image outside our window, a pristine blue lake with glorious sunshine and a beautiful horizon.

What will tomorrow bring?!  We send best wishes to you all!

J&J

Adjusting to a new living environment is always an incremental process.  The lake house will be our summer residence but it will also be a gathering place for family and friends.

The first thing of note is the light.  Mornings come early and evenings linger. There is almost always a breeze off the lake that softens the afternoon heat. Another quality of note is pacing.  The environment encourages pause. Watching the birds forage for breakfast or a baby squirrel exploring a big old tree.

The seemingly endless activity on the lake is a focal point as most of the main rooms face the lake.  Kayaks, rowboats, pontoons boats of all sizes.  Water skiing, jet skis, and watercraft of all of shapes and sizes.  And yet there is an overarching sense of calm and beauty.  We are starting to like these qualities very quickly.

Today, we will are off to explore the local farmers market.  Later maybe a movie or explore one of the many little towns or hamlets in the area.

As Day 7 comes to a close we are in La Crosse, WI.  We are are officially in Wisconsin, albeit tomorrow before we make it to Hartford.  We will be happy to unload and unpack.

Today’s journey seemed slower than usual.  Maybe because Minnesota’s speed limit was the slowest of the last several states.  Perhaps it was because there were very few cities or stops available on Minnesota’s section of I-90.  By lunchtime, we decided to shed the Interstate and take a chance on the only route noted as a scenic byway ending at our destination, La Crosse.

 

What we discovered was an excellent road, unspoiled with virtually no traffic, MN Highway 16.  It was a pleasant ride.  We arrived in La Crosse with time to explore the town and enjoy some time walking along the Mississippi River.

 

It was a long and exhausting day.  It was also filled with lots of discovery and exploration.  Shortly after  leaving Rapid City, we left the Interstate and took a back entrance to Badlands National Park.  There was a big storm that passed though over night with residual rain this morning.

Nonetheless the scenery was spectacular.  The road was only 39 miles long but we made numerous stops for photos as each scene seemed more beautiful than the last.

Reluctantly, we were back on the interstate for the long drive to Sioux Falls.  After checking in to our hotel and a brief rest, we decided to explore Sioux Falls, a city of 150,000 people.

We discovered a charmingly gentrified downtown, a vibrant public art scene and a wonderful public friendly urban park.  We finished the day with a couple of local beers, shared a wedge salad with blue cheese, bacon and chopped tomatoes and topped it off with a thin crust pizza with olive oil, garlic, mozzarella, fontina, and bits of spinach.  It was awesome.

Our total driving miles, including today and yesterday, was 570 miles.  But we are now getting excited to get to our destination and start our next adventure at our family lake house.  One and a half days!!

 

What fun we had today!  First, we drove to Mount Rushmore.  What a spectacular National Monument.  The weather was perfect this morning.  Low 70’s and clear.

Next we drove through Custer State Park.  It had beautiful scenery, lovely facilities, well maintained roads and several surprises like scenic drives through unspoiled forests, narrow one lane tunnels through granite mountains and wildlife including buffalo, antelope, prairie dogs, and birds of all sizes.

Leaving the park we drove the Needles Highway, a narrow windy road through some of the most beautiful and unique terrain we have ever seen.  All and all, a delightful day.

 

Tomorrow, back on the road for 2-1/2 more days!  Stay tuned!!