Sunsets, Crystal clear water and John Prine

So we left early Friday morning, and when I say early it was before nine o'clock.  The plan was to travel north.  It was technically still a work day for Kelly so  I was just riding along while he made his stops to talk to dairy farmers. Not long after we started I took this picture of an apple tree.  It was just growing along the roadside and there were hundreds more.  No wonder there is so much wildlife up here, there are apples and berries everywhere!

 This place that we stopped at was the coolest and largest dairy farm I have ever been to.  That is Kelly and one of the owners, talkin' business.  Behind them are cows standing on a rotating turn style,  I like to call it a Milkin' Mama Merry Go Round.  It holds 60 cows and milks them as the rotate a complete circle in just 15 minutes.  This farm has 2000 cows to milk 3 times a day. 

Milk, it does a body good.

Back on the road we went.  We made several other farm stops.  Six total and then we decided we should stop and grab a bite.  This is what I had.  Yummy!

(Just an FYI, neither of us were drinking Bud Light.  They were using that as a carrier for ketchup, mustard, napkins, etc.)

After eatin' all that grub, we thought it would be a good idea to walk some of it off.  We stopped at a park called Copper Falls and walked its two mile trail.

This was the begining.

After a while, we saw this.  Isnt it cute!  And yes I was that close.  This baby along with it's Mama and what we thought was an older sibling were just nibbling along the trail. Occassionally they would glance our way but they were in no way afraid of us. I guess living in a protected area made them nearly domesticated.

Here is one of the falls that we saw.  It is called the Cascading Falls.

 I set my camera on a post and did a timed photo with it. 

 I had to have proof I was in this beautiful place.

Here was another one. It was amazing. And loud.

We got back in the car and drove up to Lake Superior to find a place to spend the night.  We searched and searched for a place to stay and everywhere we called said they were full.  Wow, I thought, what a popular place.  Later I had learned that the only reason the places were full was because John Prine was there to perform a concert on Friday and Saturday night.  We didnt go. 

There was just so much other stuff to see. 

Finally we found a place with 2 rooms left so we grabbed one.

This is the sight from the hotel where we stayed.  Amazing I know.

We unloaded our stuff and headed for a walk down the pier.

Superman had to get a shot of the amazing sunset. 

Stop for a little smoochie.

The next day we headed to the lake.  We saw a lot of these. 

And some of these adorable little ducks just beggin' for some popcorn.

When we got to the island this was our mode of transportation.

Just love my mighty hunter, manly man on his moped.



Here we are! At the beach.  The most beautiful place ever!!  I could just sit with my feet in the water for hours.  Maybe days.

It was amazing.  The sand, softer than sugar.  And the water, crystal clear.

 And it went on forever.

 Then we got back on the ferry.

Went back to Bayfield. Got in our car and drove home.

 

The end. Maybe.  But I hope not.

Manly things

So on Thursday evenings Superman and his brother head off to a bow shoot.  I have never been to one. It is my understanding they traipse though the woods and seek out and shoot decoys to better prepare themselves for the hunting seasons which lay ahead. They are gone for hours. Hours that I have all to my self.  To watch tv, play on the computer, sit on my swing outside and look towards our woods hoping to spot a bear or deer, read a book or listen to music turned up so loud that I drowned out my own singing (which is probably a good thing). 

Anyway, my BIL went on a little vacation with his beautiful wife so I was invited to come along on the shoot.  Why?  I am still not sure.  I am thinking just to hold Superman's cooler.  Did I have some desire to peek into the secret lives of the mighty hunter? Um no but personally, I couldn't imagine turning down a photo op so I grabbed my camera and off we went.

Here is where it all begins.

Inside this building is pretty much one large room with various dead animals mounted along the walls.  There are t.v.'s, chairs, tables, and a bar at the end.

We entered and he pays the fee and picks up some necessities for the afternoon.

 Here he is starting down the trail.  Notice his back pocket.  In it is a full can of deepwoods off.  They supply it freely and deeply suggest that you take it with you.  This could be a bad sign.

 At last!  His quest is over!  We spotted a bear in the woods. 

Not really it was just one of the decoys.  He he he.

 Here he is taking a shot. Just look at the concentration.  So intense!

 Oh and I spotted the cute little frog while crossing a bridge.

After you take two shots you go and retrieve you bows.  However, you are supposed to be in front of the decoy, not searching behind.

Sorry, he so rarely misses his shots that I had to harass him this one time.

 Here he is returning from another retrieval. 

It was a long shot and of course he nailed it perfectly.

Kind of a strange decoy to shoot at if you ask me.

Aiming for yet another shot.

 

 There he is going off again. 

While I stand waiting. 

Carrying his cooler of refreshments on one shoulder and my camera on the other.

 Just couldn't turn up this shot.  The contrast was beautiful.

 Oh and this is the tiniest mushroom I have ever seen.  It was smaller than a dime.

 And this little purple flower stood out like a light in the woods.

Not very manly, I know.

 Here was another decoy.  Seriously!? 

Plan on hunting wild baboons somewhere in Wisconsin?

 How about some wild turkeys?  That's more like it.

And I spotted these on the way back to the building.

I just can't help myself sometimes.

 And finally we were done.  Not too bad.  Although normally they would return to the "cabin" and sit around telling hunting stories and eat what ever they had out on the grill.

Just Fishin'

Today was a beautiful day in Wisconsin.  This summer there are so many of them, beautiful days that is, they all seem to run together.  Superman and I just cant believe August is almost half way over.  We decided to take advantage of the above freezing weather and go fishing.  Well, he went fishing and I took my camera and a book.

This is where he decided we would spend the afternoon.

 So, he cast his line and waited.

 He stood a while.

 And sat a while as it sprinkled on him a little bit.

Not a single bite.

But I did get this quick shot of a dragon fly. 

So for me, it was a successful fishing trip

Suprise!

Took a tiny ride to Missouri and then on to Arkansas last weekend and here are a few things I saw when I was there.

This beautiful sunset greeted me when I pulled into the farm on Friday night.  Well worth the ten hour drive from Wisconsin.

 Beautiful

Mike was making us some delicious spaghetti one evening and it got really quiet.  Here is why it was quiet.  Miss Kylie just couldn't wait.  Its a good thing they had just bought one of those can openers that don't leave sharp edges.

What?  Am I in trouble?

I told you it was delicious.  Just look at that face.

 After dinner the princess was doing some reading for us from her little Bible.

"Pastor Princess?"

And once again, Madisen never seemed to be around when I had the camera out.

Imagine that!