One evening, just as the sun was setting, a couple of deer walked between our cabin and the lake; here's one of them.

On the drive home, we were lucky enough to see moose.........

.... two of them. We had spoken with another couple at the lodge who saw a pack of wolves on the road - we didn't see them, though it would have been a treat and I wonder how Misty would have reacted?

Snow shoeing........ really?

On our last full day of our Thanksgiving/anniversary celebration, we went on one last snow, shoe adventure. We did the Lost Cliffs Overlook and the High Cliffs Trail - the names say it all, it was high.

We had beautiful views.

Going up was hard, coming down was even harder. I started upright.....

Then quickly went down on the rear............

............ and kept sliding. But I made it down safely, no broken bones, just a few bruises and some snow up my jacket.

More of Thanksgiving

While on our snow shoeing adventures, Misty was vigilant for those furry burritos lurking in the trees. Her dream would be to have one fall right out of the tree and land at her paws.

Here's one in a tree, we couldn't get her stop staring it down.

She was always after this pesky squirrel who was lucky to feast on the fallen bird seeds.


In between the outdoor activities, there was some relaxing going on.

Everyone enjoyed the toasty fire.

Thanksgiving

We had a most wonderful Thanksgiving at the Gunflint Lodge in nothern Minnesota. We give it a fabulous rating. Cabins are next to the lake, staff there are super nice and welcoming, and best of all, totally pet friendly! Every dog lover needs to patronize this place.

We headed up the day before Thanksgiving, timing wasn't great as there was a snow storm headed this way. First thing to be thankful for, we didn't hit any dear. Second thankful moment, as the truck slid on ice and snow on the Gunflint Trail, we didn't hit a tree and were able to get out of the ditch. Needless to say, I was extremely thankful we all made it safely to the warmth of the cabin after 8 hours of driving. A beautiful scene.

Although the drive was not ideal, it made for good snow shoeing during our time there.

A view of the lake behind us.

He Did It Again!

It wasn't the best weather, but he was a brave soul. After a 2 hour drive from Eau Claire, he was ready for the inaugural Wisconsin Dells Marathon.

#307 is ready!

The start and finish of the race. It was pretty wet, but people still came out to support the runners.

He finished! And the support team of one was there with a towel, some liquids, and a congratulations!

Feelin' better after drying off, putting on some comfy clothes......and for those observant souls, that there is a can of Hawaiian Sun juice on the table. Now tell me, who takes care of the runner?

More Train Ride Pics

I couldn't resist, when we stopped I had to get in the train car just because I could.

We had beautiful scenery.

Abandoned train parts.

Found an acorn.

How do you know you're in Wisconsin? Bullet holes in signs. Wisconsin = land of beer, brats, cheese, and hunting.

Choo- choo.....All Aboard!

A few weekends ago I took a train ride - it was a gorgeous day for it. The train left from Durand, which is just 40 minutes south of Eau Claire. The ride was sponsored by the Lower Chippewa River Alliance; they promote stewardship and conservation through education. The train is operated by the Chippewa Valley Motor Car Association - they've done a great job salvaging these old, electric trains. It took them 3 years to clear 8 miles of abandoned railroad tracks that had been overtaken by trees.

These are old trains, never seen these types before. Some were covered, some were side by side bench seating. We could only go about 5 miles on the tracks; no further because of a broken bridge going over some water.

My friend, Jodi, and I chose the side by side seating for unobstructed views. The people who sat behind us were kind enough to switch sides with us on the way back so we'd have a different view.

One of the tour guides was Doug Faulkner, the Chair of the UWEC Geography Dept. Here he is passing out maps of the area.

Mycology Report

Mycology is the biological study of fungi - YEAH. I love to eat fungi - otherwise known as mushrooms. Unfotunately I don't think the ones growing in my yard are edible; too bad because there are lots of them and they keep gettin' bigger. Here's a ring of mushrooms - Todd says it's a fairy ring - what? Look it up on Wikipedia - it's kind of cool.

These were big several days ago, now even bigger.

This one looks like a different type, it was growing in the grass.

This one looks like a giant, yet slimey, pearl - pretty cool. Can anyone tell me what kind these are and if poisonous?

Doggy DayCare

Recently, Misty has been a bit obstinate in the mornings; she doesn't want to go to day care. But she needed to go today because I've got a crazy busy schedule. I dropped her off just after they opened so there weren't many dogs there (I think she likes it that way) and she played with a friend. She makes a sad face when I leave, but I know she'll have a good time as evidenced in the video.

Finally.......a new post

Anyone following the news lately? We've had an unusually wet summer and last week Wed. and Thurs. we got 24+ hrs of rain. I was beginning to think we'd float away and my thoughts weren't far from the truth. This past Saturday we went to check out the river near campus. Below is the path we'd take from campus towards the park.....not any more.

At the park - the tennis courts were completely submerged. But the ducks were having a grand time!

See that blue and white sign in the middle of the picture? The sign is at least 5 feet tall.

Here's some video of the rushing water next to the university.