Now That Spring is Here...Walking in the Parks

Now that Spring is here I've been out walking every day for at least half an hour, and let me tell ya, it feels fine!

Bald Bluff, Kettle Moraine South

In the two weeks since the last winter snow storm we shot right from freezing to temps in the 70's.  Ah, Wisconsin!

One lonely patch of Hepatica bursts forth

Things finally got green the last week of April, the daffodils bloomed, and now the spring ephemeral wildflowers are making their brief appearance.

Ice Age Trail, my old friend

Milwaukee isn't the only town under road construction, the summer tourists will be shocked to discover that the main road through Lake Geneva doesn't exist for the time being.  Traffic and parking are always a nightmare under normal conditions there once the weather gets nice, I can't even imagine what madness will follow when the Illinois visitors discover the detour.

The turkeys at the cemetery in Lake Geneva don't seem concerned, the tourists don't get over that way too often but I find it a nice place to walk when I'm out doing errands.

Another favorite of mine is Harrington Beach State Park between Milwaukee and Sheboygan, where you can walk in the woods or along the beach.  I always see deer when I'm there.

And last week I saw a mink swimming in the quarry!  I've never seen one that close up before, I really appreciated it letting me get a decent shot with my iPhone since I didn't have my DSLR with me.

I've seen Hepatica and Bloodroot but not the other wildflowers yet, hopefully this week I'll see them before it's too late and they're gone.

Bloodroot ready to open