Happy Halloween: Haunted Carousel

No, not really. Just a negative of the image below. It's an antique wooden carousel zebra that Juli & Jim have in the corner of their living room, photographed through their front window.

SkyWatch Friday: Background Blue

The tall fluffy plumes of this decorative grass blow in the breeze against an October blue sky at my friend Juli's house.

See all SkyWatch Friday entries here.

Red Oak

Another view of the pretty autumn color blanketing southern Wisconsin this fall. This young red oak is near the Simmons Woods trail.

The Mighty Oak

Nik and I came across this gigantic white oak tree on the hiking trails that surround the Broken Hill subdivision. You can sort of get a general idea of the size by comparing the trunk to the smaller trees around it. The photo below shows the perspective of Nik alongside the tree. I'm guessing it might be over hundred years old.

Will B. Back

Another neighborhood inflatable Halloween display, complete with mummy, spider, and tombstone.

Cat Tails

These cat tails surround the boardwalk at the Simmons Woods marsh area in Pewaukee.

"Here we go 'round...

...the mulberry bush." Well, actually this is our neighbor's "weeping" mulberry bush. The up-lighting gives it kind of a creepy feeling this autumn night.

Turkey Hawk?

I'm not 100% certain - because my camera doesn't have a very good zoom - but I believe this was either a turkey vulture or turkey hawk circling high above the Ryan Road trails. Standing directly underneath, the wing span appeared quite spectacular, although it was hard to capture.

Throw Back

Brett Favre, the Packers' famous (or infamous to some) number 4, is of course playing for the Minnesota Vikings this season, but many of the fans at last week's game up in Green Bay still sported the number 4 jersey. This version is the blue and gold "throw-back" issue from 1994. Those were the Packers' original colors when the team first formed back in the early 1920's. Green and gold was first introduced in the 1935-36 season. Standing next to "Favre" is fan favorite, "Donald Driver" - number 80.

Modern Stoneage

On the way out of Green Bay, we drove past this Subway/gas station dinosaur. Reminds me of the old Sinclair mascot from years ago.

Hallowed Halls of Lambeau Field

The view of Lambeau Field from the stands at Green Bay on Sunday, October 18th. The Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions in a packed arena! We're the ones wearing green and gold. :-) Also note the cheesehead-wearing fan in the lower left of the photo.

Ol' Dead-Eye

No buried treasure here! Looks like this pirate is coming out of this neighbor's mulched garden to look for more. Below is the same view without illumination. (Notice his hands are chained.)

Coach

The quintessential coach, Vince Lombardi, watches over the crowd entering the hallowed halls of Lambeau Field on Sunday up in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It was a perfect fall day for a football game - partly sunny and in the 40's, however the 25 mph winds made it a bit chilly at times. Not a problem if you are dressed in layers. The Packers shut-out the Detroit Lions 26-0, although the overall execution of the game left something to be desired.

Boo!

Another ghostly trio - this time displaying a scary message to keep everyone at bay. Although it's not apparent in this photo, it also flashes alternating colored lights.

Mr. Pumpkinhead

Many folks in our neighborhood have the huge plastic pumpkins that attach to their lamp post light. The orange glow gives an erie Halloween feel to these cold fall nights. Above is one smiley version, below is a slightly different version which also shows the perspective of the post.

Autumn Sumac

A field of sumac has turned red up on the Ryan Road hiking trails.

Scarecrow

Another giant inflatable Halloween-themed yard decoration. This one is just down the block. More silly than scary, I'd say.

Ghostly Trio

In recent years, Halloween seems to rival Christmas for outdoor decorations in Pewaukee neighborhoods. Many are of the giant, inflatable variety. This ghostly trio, rising up out of a bubbling cauldron, is at the end of a nearby cul-de-sac. I'll be posting other 'spooky' examples during the days leading up to the 31st.

RJ Thirsty's

The little tavern across the street from the Cedarburg Cultural Center has an old neon Blatz sign. "...All Blatz is draft-brewed, that's why you hear: Blatz is Milwaukee's finest beer!" Or so goes the jingle from the 1960's.

This photo was taken at night. I over-layed a B&W equalized version and brought through the color of the sign by using the eraser feature.

Lighting the Way

In the entrance way of The Golden Mast restaurant on Okauchee Lake, a pair of these huge lanterns grace the brick walls on either side of the door.

On your honor

This untended pumpkin wagon is located on the edge of an old farmstead right, next to the railroad tracks on Duplainville Road. The little markers indicate different prices for each sized pumpkin - small, medium or large.

Wildflowers in Autumn

Purple asters, a few goldenrods and a sprinkling of Queen Anne's lace surround the reservoir pond near the Broken Glass subdivision walking trails. A serene setting on a cloudy chilly day.

SkyWatch Friday: Over the Hill

This tiny plane was flying low over the rolling hills of Pewaukee at sunset recently. We joke that it looks like a lawn chair with wings. :-) The photo was "equalized" to emphasize the color at the bottom.

See all SkyWatch entries here.

Congratulations!

We attended the wedding of Lauren and Matt last weekend. Our daughter, Kate, was the maid of honor and everyone looked beautiful and a great time was had by all. It was held at the Cedarburg Cultural Center, within the art gallery. A very classic and lovely setting. The gorgeous cake was provided by Simma's bakery in Wauwatosa. Each layer was a different flavor - delicious!

Nice Drumsticks!

Not the prettiest bird......but delicious! :-)

This family of turkeys has been wandering around our neighborhood all season. As long as they stay off the nearby game farm, they'll be safe.

Pumpkins & More

One of the many farm pumpkin stands that dot Wisconsin during the fall months was offering free kittens along with the produce! I almost took this adorable gray and white kitten named Zoey home with me. Not sure how Phoebe and Nik would have felt about that... :-)

The stand is over on Silver Spring Road. By "more" they mean squash, gourds, Indian corn, straw bales, decorative corn stalks, and a small variety of home-made canned goods and crafts. It's also a popular place for local grade school kids to take a hay ride and wander the fields to "pick" their own pumpkins.

Patriots Only

Talk about rough and ready. The Magnus Anderson American Legion Hall in Okauchee is protected with a missile - complete with launcher(!) - out front.

Happy

Few things are more cheerful than a bunch of Black-eyed Susan daisies growing in the wild, gently swaying in the breeze. Even though it's overcast here today, they put a little "sun" in our Sunday. Can't help but smile... :-)

Welcome to our Inn

My final installment of The Golden Mast series is their little Bavarian-style inn. The mural painted on the outside wall offers a welcome to visitors.

SkyWatch Friday: Chimney at The Golden Mast

The giant stone and stucco chimney at The Golden Mast restaurant (as seen in a few of my previous posts.) Nice blue sky on a clear, sunny day! The view of the whole building below shows the large picture window that overlooks Okauchee Lake.

See all Skywatch Friday entries here.

October Theme Day: Contrast - Now and Then

Last spring I posted the flower of the Milkweed (see below.) Now, as fall progresses, the flowers are transforming into spiky, light green pods (see photo above.) Soon, they will turn brown and crackly and pop open to release thousands of fluffy little parachute seeds. Quite a difference a season makes, eh?

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