I Moved

Due to space issues this blog has moved here.

Please come find me.

Pretty please!?!

HEY YOU GUYS!!!!!

I need help!! (Imagine that!)

Seems I have filled up my blog space, well 96% of it anyway. Go figure, a quiet shy thing like me filling up my blog space!!

So my dilemma is, what to do about it?????

What I'd really LIKE to do is purchase more blog space and keep this very same little ole blog going. BUT - - - I cannot find any place on blogger that offers me that option, or any other suggestions for that matter.

My second idea is to begin a new blog and link the old one as one big archive. My worry about that is Blogger could decide it is "idle" too long and delete the whole thing.

So - - - - all you blogging brilliants out there - - - - WHAT DO I DO?????

Back Home - - -

All of our kids, except Korie, were here to greet us last evening when we returned!!!

Kelly and his lovely girlfriend, Cathy. Greg presented her with this "small" diamond and said if his son was slow about asking her, we all wanted her to know that we love her and WE want to marry her!!! Hehehehehehehe Grins all around


Mackinley and Papoo reunited on the porch!!!


Piper's first trip to Papoo's house!!!


Mackinley antics - - - notice the cookie in his hand.


He made himself right at home.

Fur

This and the next two posts finish off my Northwoods Vacation saga. They really go together: Fur, Feathers, and Fins. Enjoy!!

The main furry creature that we saw in the Northwoods was Cheney - - - our vacation dog. He kinda "comes with" the cabin, belonging to the owner, Terry. He stops by several times each day for a visit and a snack.

We also saw deer, rabbits, squirrels, and a fox - - - but didn't manage to capture them with digi cam.

While fishing at Grindstone Lake one day, Greg, Mark, and Bob saw two bears on shore. If you look closely near the white boat rack on the left side of this video, you will see a black spot running left toward the woods. That is a bear cub. Mama bear was nearby and they also took a video of her - - - but for the LIFE OF ME I cannot find her in said video!!

Feathers - - -

We spotted quite a few of our feathered friends in the Northwoods. Too bad those feathered friends wouldn't hold still to pose before my camera - - -

Several times we saw a small flock of wild turkeys on the same road bank. I managed to catch a fleeting shot of one.


We take hummingbird feeders and always enjoy their frenzied antics. This is a female Ruby-Throated at our feeder. Notice the water line in the feeder - - - these birds have voracious appetites!!! Greg refilled the feeders about every other day.


Papa Ruby-Throat.


Red-Headed Woodpecker. This little scoundrel appeared often in our trees, but was very adept at hide-and-seek with my camera.


Cedar Waxwing. My only life-time sighting of this particular little beauty.


Loons. We are simply LOONY about loons. Here is an adult with a juvenile. Look closely for the red eye on mama.


Entire loon family. One parent has a fish in it's beak ready to feed the young.


On water these birds are all grace - - - different story when they go on land to nest.


Sand Hill Cranes.


Greg radioed in from the boat one evening that there were pelicans on the lake. I responded that we don't have pelicans in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, it must be something else. He, being a Floridian said, "Keetha, I know my pelicans!!!!" To which I asked what he'd been drinking!!!! Well - - - he snapped this picture - - - and what do you think? PELICANS.


Later in town he told the "experts" at the fly fishing store that he'd sighted pelicans. Their first question, "Was alcohol involved?" He promptly showed them this picture to which they said, "Those are pelicans all right!!!

Pelicans!!! In the Northwoods!!! Go figure.

They were only on the lake one evening and the following morning. We guess they were migrating from Lake Superior (which does from time to time have some pelicans) south.

And Fins - - - -

For Greg vacation is all about the fins!!

Northern Pike


Large Mouth by sunset


Maybe this was the 5 pounder bass - - - not sure since I neither fish nor was in the boat when he did.


"Kiss my bass."


Does little count?

Madtown Madness

Last year we started a new vacation tradition of stopping in Madison on our way home so I can make an annual pilgrimage to Camp Randall Stadium and just soak up the vibes.

This year I reserved a room in a downtown hotel so we could enjoy the whole university ambiance.

As soon as we arrived, hubby collapsed on the comfy bed and began to snore - - - LOUDLY.

I let him rest before we set out to walk to the stadium. I had checked the store hours for Bucky's Locker Room, and it seemed we had plenty of time.

Oh if ONLY those online hours had been correct - - - -


On the way, we passed the Kohl Center where the Badgers play basketball. Nice place - - - - but NOT the football stadium.


Camp Randall is just oozing with history, having been the camp that housed Wisconsin's Union Soldiers and held Confederate Prisoners of War during our Civil war.


This will give you all I know about that history.

And that's it - - - - that's ALL I'VE GOT for this trip to Camp Randall because though the web page PROMISED me the store was open on Saturday until 7 PM, the sign on the tightly locked, DARK store itself said it closed at 5 - - - - and of course we got there at 5:30. BUMMER

But - - - - we didn't let that totally spoil our evening. We found an eclectic little burger joint called "Dotty's." Yummy burgers.


Interesting decor.


Truer words were never written - - -


And what's this hand doing coming right through the wall?????

After we ate, we found a "lesser" sports wear store - - - -


And this is the loot we came away with. Guess which hoodie is mine.

Oh, of COURSE the coffee mug is mine and I'll share ONE insignia with hubby for his truck - - - the others are MINE. I have plans for SOME of them to adorn the windows in my classroom this fall.

And that is all the Madness we could stand for ONE day!!!

Last Northwoods Day - - -

On our way into town on Friday, we ran into this traffic jam on County "F." Honestly, how do the folks up here cope with such busy roads????


And we were forced to drive past this eyesore. Just look at those white birch trunks against that green pine background - - - hideous!!!

Hope you know facetious when you see it. :-)


Meet Rosie. One of my blogging friends, Heather, left me a comment saying her M-I-L works across the street from West's Dairy.

Sunday when Greg and I accidentally were at cross purposes (surprise, surprise) I stopped in at Rosie's shop and introduced myself. She was absolutely lovely in every way and took pity on me, a poor "street walker" at that time. ;-)

Friday on our last trip into town I went by to chat with her one more time, snap this picture, and say good-bye.

BTW - - - isn't that picture of the red Wisconsin barn in the background AWESOME??? I really wanted to buy it, but managed to resist the temptation.

A Farewell to the Library

This is it. That sad day that always comes - - - the last day of vacation. Bright and early we will be leaving the northwoods and our little cabin.

This is my last blogging session from the library. I have enjoyed this library - - - it has been an awesome place from which to blog.

This was my favorite library blogging niche. Unfortunately, it must also be the favorite of a lot of people because I couldn't use it every day.


But today as I make this final northwoods post, I AM sitting just like this at my favorite round table.

When I finish posting I always let hubby check his e-mail - - -


And his Facebook.

Tomorrow evening I will blog from our hotel in Mad Town on the way home. Once home, I have one last northwoods post to do, I'm still collecting pictures for that one.

Anyway - - - you have really helped make this vacation fun. I've had more hits and comments on my blog each day than ever before in any other two week period of my entire blogging history. Thanks!!!

I HOPE I can come up with more fun from home to keep you coming back.

TTFN

Or as the CBers say, "over and out."

A Touch of History - - -

When I was a little girl and up until two or three summers ago, this historic building was the Hayward Library. Even though the new library is lovely, I was really missing the old one. New buildings just don't have the, well the HISTORY of the old ones!!!

So imagine my DELIGHT to find that someone has purchased, restored, and lovingly renewed the library building!!! It is now a shop, Madonna Rae's, just brimming with ambiance!!!


As you enter the front door you are greeted by this quaint little horse bench.


Advertising art adorns the entryway walls.


Just look at all this wood!!! The entryway is split three ways - - - straight ahead is the stairway to the basement and on either side of it stairs to the main level. This is the right hand set of stairs to the upper level.


The shop is arranged and decorated so as to show off the architectural features of the building. They even saved the library service desk which is now the cashier's counter.


Dressing rooms


Their inventory ranges from furniture to toys and everything in between.


In the basement you'll find Persian rugs, antique armoires, book shelves and - - -


One really old antique!

Vacation "Clips"

AWESOME cloud bank


More "meeses" - - - - Gary Moose (My friend Geezer)

And Keetha Moose.


Musky anyone?


Getting ready for the fall College Football season!


This is what Greggie does at the library if he has to wait for me to finish blogging AFTER he's made his rounds of all the tackle shops!!!