Sister Suzie Sittin' on a Thistle...

(Love that line from the "Music Man"!)

Every year thistles grow wild throughout the fields in the upper midwest, and every year I am always perplexed as to why such a gorgeous flower is considered a "weed."

[Note: Be sure to click the photos, and then click again, to see the full size view.]

Sandbar Party

Part of life on the river is boating. And part of boating (along with fishing) is cruising on a warm, sunny afternoon and enjoying the stops along the way. Sandbars are areas of sandy beaches skirting the wooded shores of the river and are popular spots for overnight camping, swimming, exploring, and general fun. The biggest challenge is keeping the mosquitoes at bay. Many a "S'more" has been enjoyed over an open evening campfire over the years!

Pontoon boats (below) are a favorite way of sailing up and down the main channel of the Mississippi near La Crosse.

[Note: Be sure to click the photos, and then click again, to see the full size view.]

Barge

A red barge docked on the Mississippi River near La Crosse, WI.

Bridges

During our La Crosse Queen excursion (see 7/16 post) we travelled up the Mississippi River to the railroad extension bridge between Wisconsin and Minnesota (above). We then turned around and continued downstream, past Riverside Park and under the twin span highway bridge also connecting Wisconsin and Minnesota (below).

Big Wheel Keep on Turning...

While visiting La Crosse, Wisconsin a few weeks ago, we took a "La Crosse Queen" paddleboat ride on the Mississippi River. The "Queen" is docked at Riverside Park and has a pretty regular schedule during the summer and fall months. Our sunset cruise last 1-1/2 hours and toured up north towards the railroad bridge crossing, and then headed back down south, past the park and under the Mississippi span bridges. (More photos will be posted over the next few days.)

Good Luck

This sign located along the Pewaukee Lake beach sidewalk seems to suggest the impossible. I believe it would have been better for the arrow to illustrate either right or left, rather than up!

Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay

The pier on Pewaukee Lake is a very popular fishing spot for locals and visitors alike.

Meet John

"What happens in the garage, stays in the garage!" claims his t-shirt." John is a retired gentleman with lots of stories to tell who frequents the lakefront during the summer, often chatting with old friends and making new ones.

He is a veteran of Korea (pre-conflict) and was a grocery store butcher for most of his working days. His daughter gave him the shirt to celebrate the fact that he is always in the garage working, fixing, or building something. Although now he's mostly a shoreline helper, his local claim to fame was performing in the weekly Pewaukee Lake waterski show as the character "MisterRogers." He would put on his sweater and canvas boat shoes all while on waterskis, and from a distance, most little kids were convinced!

A day at the beach

The lazy days of summer are here in full force, so we wandered down to the beach at Pewaukee Lake last week to enjoy the sun, sand, and water. Of course, the best part is people-watching!