Spring or Winter?

It was supposed to be a beautiful day on Sunday so I headed out to Kettle Moraine's Scuppernong Trails for a hike.  The wind was a bit strong so a forest hike was in order, but as I drove the temperature dropped, and by the time I arrived there was snow on the ground and it was only 35 degrees!  I was watching an episode of "Happy Endings" on TV last week and Jane said, "Early spring in Chicago is really just winter."  Got that right!  This time last year we were in North Carolina, enjoying what spring should really look like.

Well, I had hoped to search out lichens and other things that were harder to see once the forest leafed out, so I pulled up my hood and carried on.

There wasn't much to see and I was getting a little disheartened, but I checked a pile of rocks just off the trail and things got a little more exciting.

There wasn't much after my exciting lichen find, and I plodded on, up and down the ridge.  And just when I was getting tired and needed a lift.....

As I was taking pictures I realized I was catching my reflection and lined up for a better shot.  Even though the snow had melted it was a "merry" ending to an invigorating 2 mile hike.  Still, next time I'm in Kettle Moraine hiking I'd rather see some dragonflies, pull some garlic mustard, and hear the wind blowing through the leaves.

Hunky Junk

There is only one mural in Elkhorn that I know of, it's on the side of the building for Uncle Hunk's Junk, an establishment I have never entered.

The mural is pretty high falutin' for a "junk" shop.   I couldn't find an artist name.  I was just happy to find a mural on my route to Kettle Moraine for a hike.  More about that tomorrow!  Linking up to Mural Monday, see what everyone else found if you like.

Chain O' Lakes State Park...Life's Wet Rewards

I've tried to come up with a post for Chain O' Lakes a few times, but whenever I take my camera the photos end up disappointing. I went on Thursday for a short hike for the first time since fall, and even though it was only 40 degrees, wet and windy I got a few shots that were fun.

The Chain is not as large as some other parks at under 3000 acres, but it offers a lot of diversity.  Camping, hiking, cross country skiing, boating, fishing and horseback riding are all offered here.  We haven't camped here because it's less than 15 minutes from home and the sites are a little on the smaller side and closer together compared to the Wisconsin State Parks.

I've hiked the horse trails for a little variety before, got to watch your step though!  Dog walkers favor the other trails...so watch your step on those as well.  What can you do?  Otherwise the trails are well taken care of, and most are a nice mixture of sand and gravel that kept my boots from getting muddy, even when wading through big puddles.

I drove through the whole park before settling on my hiking spot, and I only saw this one mallard and his mate.  Where have all the waterfowl gone?  Last week there were so many geese out this way I was afraid they might be lining the roads soon.

With all the wet I was on the lookout for fungi and lichens, but did not find the bonanza I've come across in other states like Kentucky, North Carolina and even Minnesota.  There were a few interesting trees that caught my eye.  In the first picture I was struck by the striping, it reminded me of tiger fur, but in the second picture it looked like the tree was disrobing!

This log had quite a show going on, but it was the only example of fungal proliferation that I found.

Wildlife was scarce today, no geese, no hawks, but I ran across these mourning doves napping in the drizzle as I exited the park.  They didn't seem to mind my car or my camera so I got some wildlife practice with my new camera after all.

There was no one else out and about in the rain today except for Homer, who is stuck outside in all kinds of weather to help promote paintball at the Richmond Hunting Club.  I doubt he has had any takers in the weather we've been having lately!

They've Fallen and They Can't Get Up

While out driving in the rain I passed some familiar fellows in nearby Richmond who seem to be in a bit of an embarrassing situation.

I know I've seen a bison out here before, but perhaps he got carried away by whatever knocked all these guys to the ground.  The dinosaur might have had the same fate, except it appears he was chained up.  Chains didn't keep him upright though.

I've never seen a moose in a more humiliating position, but the horse just looks left for dead!

Someone needs to slosh through the rain soaked yard and help these guys get back up, it's not like they subscribe to the medical alert service and can rely on the local paramedics to help them out!

The Big Heads, 2009

The Big Heads! Is there anything more American?  I remember dusting a souvenir bust of these guys as a child that we kept on our shelves, but I was so young when we visited them that I didn't recall seeing them in person.  Our big trip west in 2009 included a stop at Mt. Rushmore, and I never thought to ask Wayne what he thought of this monument as a Canadian.  I forget sometimes that he's not a native and didn't grow up being steeped in the tales of our famous presidents as I did in grade school.

"Let us place there, carved, high, as close to heaven as we can, the words of our leaders, their faces, to show posterity what manner of men they were.  Then breathe a prayer that these records will endure until the wind and the rain alone shall wear them away."  - Gutzon Borglum.

Borglum was born to immigrant parents in Idaho in 1867, and began work on Mt. Rushmore in 1927.  He remained devoted to the project until his death several days befor his 74th birthday.  After his death the project fell to his son, Lincoln, who in turn put the finishing touches on his father's vision.

Over the fourteen year period of the carving almost 400 workers, men and women, labored at the Memorial.  Despite harsh and dangerous conditions, there were no fatalities during the carving work.

Taking the walk below the carvings on the boardwalk gives a great look into the amazing details that went into the work, such as Roosevelt's glasses and mustache!  By the way, rumors that they would ever add another president's head to the mountain are false.  The work is complete and will remain untouched.  You have to see it in person to appreciate the immensity of the task that was undertaken.



While we were posing at the railing, we got a glimpse of a mountain goat grazing in the auditorium area.  I later learned that the mountain goat is not actually a true goat, but actually a mountain antelope.  She had a kid nearby, but I couldn't get a good shot because of the trees and tall grass.

We soon learned there is more than one way to enjoy Mt. Rushmore.  The Iron Mountain Road is known for its series of pigtail bridges and its three single-lane granite tunnels that perfectly frame the faces of Mount Rushmore.  We lucked upon this fact when spying them in the rearview mirror as we went through the tunnel.  There are pull-offs outside the tunnels and we pulled over to get a shot at the same time as a tour group.  Wayne asked the tour guide for details, and we got the inside scoop for free! 

 

I'll leave you with some presidential words of wisdom:

"Believing that a representative government, responsible at short periods of election, is that which produces the greatest sum of happiness to mankind, I feel it a duty to do no act which shall essentially impair that principle."  - George Washington

"We act not for ourselves, but for the whole human race.  The event of our experiment is to show whether man can be trusted with self-government."  - Thomas Jefferson

"The first requisite of a good citizen in this Republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight - that he shall not be a mere passenger."  - Theodore Roosevelt

"I leave you hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until ther shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal."   - Abraham Lincoln

Silo Mural

While camping at the Thomson Causeway in Illinois a few years ago we went for a drive into Iowa across the Mississippi River and ran across this interesting "mural".  I still wonder what the inspiration was for this wonderful combination of music and agricultural architecture.

I've never done anything with the photo because the day was so gray and it didn't turn out well, but now I'm glad I didn't delete it and have a home for it linking to Mural Monday!

Further inspection reveals the words "Mooney Hollow Fiddle" painted at the bottom as well as the name of the artist, which was too hard to read.  Not the first time I've gotten more information from being able to zoom in on details in a photo than what can be seen with the naked eye at the time!

This is my last mural that I had in reserve...time to get out there and find some more, if the weather would only cooperate.  Yesterday was the first time the weather was nice enough for a long hike on my day off and I couldn't go because I had hit my ankle on the corner of a dresser the day before and my hikers pressed against the injured spot. GRRR! I have Thursday and Friday off this week and the high is forecasted in the upper 30's with wind and rain mixed with snow for both days. Really? Can't even go hunting for murals in weather like that!  Starting to think I'm cursed!  However, the good news is that there was no sign of mice in the camper when I inspected it yesterday.  Now, if the weather would only stabilize enough to take it out and use it! 

Lake Geneva Post Office Mural Monday

I don't normally outright copy someone's words, but the link I found for information on the history of our local post office mural in Lake Geneva was so well written that I'll just paste the best part in and if you want to read a little more you can follow the link to the National Postal Museum's website.

Throughout the United States—on post office walls large and small—are scenes reflecting America's history and way of life. Post offices built in the 1930s during Roosevelt's New Deal were decorated with enduring images of the "American scene."

In the 1930s, as America continued to struggle with the effects of the depression, the federal government searched for solutions to provide work for all Americans, including artists. During this time government-created agencies supported the arts in unprecedented ways. As Harry Hopkins, Roosevelt's relief administrator said in response to criticism of federal support for the arts, "[artists] have got to eat just like other people."

Often mistaken for WPA art, post office murals were actually executed by artists working for the Section of Fine Arts. Commonly known as "the Section," it was established in 1934 and administered by the Procurement Division of the Treasury Department. Headed by Edward Bruce, a former lawyer, businessman, and artist, the Section's main function was to select art of high quality to decorate public buildings—if the funding was available. By providing decoration in public buildings, the art was made accessible to all people. Post offices were located in virtually every community and available for viewing by all postal patrons—which made post office murals a truly democratic art form.

 

We have a few post office murals still scattered around Wisconsin and they have been added to my travel list.  The list is my own little treasure hunt which at this point includes murals, post office murals, art deco buildings, presidential museums, Peter Toth’s Whispering Giants, vintage diners and the sculptures of John Lopez in South Dakota.  What’s on your treasure hunting list?

Don't forget to check out the other murals I'm linking up to for Mural Monday!