Wisconsin

The woods of northern Wisconsin

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We spent the past weekend in northern Wisconsin near the shores of Lake Superior.  It was a true late summer’s weekend with hot sun and blowing winds.  To get a break from the heat, we drove to the southern part of Ashland County.  Off a remote gravel road in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is a trailhead leading along Morgan Creek to a cascading waterfall.   Here in the forest with the canopy of trees and the gurgling of the creek, we found a welcome respite from the summer’s heat.  The trees are still a glorious green, but occasionally we saw a few leaves that were starting to change in anticipation of autumn.  With this image of Morgan Creek I wanted to bring together the green of the forest, the blue reflection of the summer sky above, with a few hints of autumn color also visible in the water’s reflection.   These are the photos and memories that we will be savoring in the middle of January when our scenery has turned to white and the temperatures have plummeted into winter.

A drive-in delight on a hot summer’s night

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It’s summer here in the mid-west.  We’ve had temps in the 80’s and 90’s, and humidity that sometimes matched those temperatures.  One of the best ways to cool off on a hot summer’s night is to be on or near the water, whether it’s a pond, a lake, or a river.  So last night we headed over to Hudson, Wisconsin and with our feet in the water, we watched the sun set over the St. Croix River.  It was beautiful and delightful, especially with all the sailboats and recreational boats on the river.  Afterwards, it seemed only appropriate to finish off the evening with some cool ice cream.  We were on the east side of Saint Paul and stopped at the Dari-ette Drive-In.  Here you can order from your car or walk up to the window.  We ordered our ice cream and sat outside at a table to enjoy the evening.  With its neon sign, the flashing ice cream cone, and the lights of the cars going by, I couldn’t help but pull out my camera to photograph one of the last few drive-ins that still exist in the state.  If you’re in Saint Paul or passing through, I’d certainly recommend a stop at the Dari-ette Drive-In.

Sunset over Chequamegon Bay

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It was a hot and steamy holiday weekend.  We left the rush of the cities behind and headed north to the quiet of the woods and lakes, spending the weekend near the shore of Lake Superior.  In the northern part of Wisconsin between the towns of Washburn and Ashland is an inlet of Lake Superior called Chequamegon Bay (pronounced “sha-wahma-gann”).    The name comes from the Ojibwe term meaning “sand bar place.”   (Those of you that have followed my blog will remember that in the cold of winter we have snowshoed across this bay over the frozen lake.)  After a hot and humid day the clouds were beginning to roll in over the hills to the west.  The sun had just enough energy left to break through some of the clouds and lend its lengthy reflection to the rippling waters of the lake at it moved below the hills.  Wading in the cold waters of Lake Superior and savoring the calm and color that the sunset provided was the perfect way to close out a long summer’s day in the north.

Book Across the Bay, 2010 edition

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We’ve just returned from a delightful weekend in Ashland, Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Superior.  With a dear friend from Seattle who wanted to experience the fun of a snow-filled winter event, our visit coincided with the 14th annual Book Across the Bay.  To celebrate the uniqueness of our upper-midwest winters (and just because we can!) over 3,300 people donned their skis and snowshoes and crossed frozen Chequamegon Bay from Ashland to Washburn, Wisconsin.  The distance of 10 kilometers was lit by frozen luminaries, and included warm bonfires on the ice marking each kilometer.  After snowshoeing for a bit more than a kilometer, I looked back to photograph this winding curve of luminaries leading to the lights of Ashland.  Although the event started under partly cloudy skies at dusk, the clouds cleared  as we worked our way across the bay, ending under a bright partial moon and a canopy of stars.  The promise of a big party, great friends, and good beer at the finish-line was our incentive to “book” the distance.

Golden autumn colors

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Golden fall_StaatsBy all accounts, it’s been an unusual autumn.  We had summer-like weather into late September, then a cold front dipped down from Canada and turned our thermometers past fall and straight to winter and over four inches of snow.  After a hard freeze many of us were afraid there would be no autumn color.   Although it isn’t as prevalent as usual, there are some brilliant golden colors in the landscape.  Yesterday I drove along the St. Croix River, north of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.  I was treated to a brilliant display of gold and yellow as the road hugged the side of the river.  The sun was setting the leaves aglow — one final hurrah for fall before the white of winter settles in.