Very few places are as unique as the Northwoods of Wisconsin. From the myriads of little lakes that seem to pop up around every turn of the road, to the interesting little year round Christmas shoppes that you drive past but never actually go into, the great north woods offers a lot of adventures for anyone who would care to look. Many people take the summer journey up to the family cabin or the historical family camp site to spend a few days away from their everyday lives. Memories are made by the licking orange waves of the campfires, by the creaking sounds of the trees, by the morning and evening calls of the illusive and haunting loons, by the smell of the wintergreen crushed underfoot, by the tenacious little animals vying for every piece of dropped popcorn, and of course by the friends and family that join you in the “Up Nort'” experience.
Whether your take on camping involves a tent, a camper, a mobile home, or a cabin, every experience is something to cherish. So take a weekend, go Up Nort’, and make some memories already!
Turns out, frogs are hard to catch. However, if you can manage to get close enough, they evidently stand nice and still to be captured in the best way I know how.
Farmers markets are fun. Whether or not you are there to buy your weekly stash of locally grown veggies, to take your kids for a stroll in the wonder that is great outside, or to hunt for that illusive bakery stall that gives you change in the form of a fifty cent piece (and might just have absolutely wonderful apple turn overs…), you’re probably going to see and hear some interesting things. You can see cow shaped cookies, maple candy, spicy cheese bread, and scratch and sniff tomatoes, and hear stories of the crazy middle aged drunken adventures people had the night before, children wondering what makes the peppers hot, and vendors trying to explain just exactly what this new “purslane” plant is.
The big market in Madison, WI is run every Saturday during the summer and spans the four city blocks surrounding the capitol (yes, where those crazy vindictive rich teachers wrecked the lawn and incited so much social unrest last year). Each time I’ve had the opportunity to go to the market on the square I’ve been impressed by the number of vendors, but more so by the number of people walking slowly from booth to booth, weaving between each other to slide into lines for whatever they’re trying to buy. Sunny day or not, and even though the sidewalks are so crowded you can only go counter clockwise around the square and you have to politely scoot your way from the “fast lane” into the “slow lane” to get to the booths, people want to be there.
Say what you will about the trendiness or hipsterness of the local food movement, I say it’s great. Regardless of the reasons people are there, they are being connected to where their food comes from, and to what goes on in those big, rolling farm fields surrounding their city. It also brings friends together, gives parents time to teach their kids, gives the kids time away from computer games, and provides income directly to those who put in time to grow good food. Personally, I’m generally there to get some carrots, maybe a unique yellow melon, and hunt for that illusive apple turnover.
This last time, I also took my camera. Below are some images of the Dane County Farmers Market filtered through the lens of my mind. Enjoy, and then go find the farmers market near you!
Shorebirds are hard to ID, evidently. I’m not particularly familiar with them here in Wisconsin, probably owing to the fact that they tend to be small, very camouflaged, and pretty flighty when approached. This bunch of tan spotty things were hanging out on a very large sand bar on the Wisconsin River just south of Sauk City, WI. The bunch was big enough, and there seemed to be plenty of food to be had, that I was able to get fairly close to at least a few stragglers on each of my passes along the river bank. I presume that the ones that aren’t obviously killdeer are some variety of sandpiper, but I’m not sure which. I was unable to get any good shots of them in flight, but do remember a dark stripe down the middle of the tail extending from the lower back.
Thus, I pose the question to you, oh nebulous floating consciousness that is the blogosphere, what are these little guys?
what Was, what Is, and what Will Be 