Skywatch Friday: Storm Front

This view is looking west down Capitol Drive between Brookfield and Pewaukee.  You can see the rain storm above (note the few raindrops on the windshield) and the clearing and sunshine ahead.

See all Skywatch Friday images here.

Tu-Lips? No, Tree Lips!

The shelf mushrooms are back again this spring, growing on an old tree in our backyard.  There are two, one growing on top of another... they kind of look like a big pair of cartoon monster lips!

You can see for miles and miles

The above photo was taken on the way up to Granddad's Bluff point, off the right side of the road.  It's looking north towards Onalaska, Wisconsin, and westward to Minnesota.  You can see parts of both the Black River and the Mississippi River in the distance. It had rained earlier in the day and was still very warm so there was a misty haze illuminated by the sunset.

The image below was taken from the top of Granddad's (where the telescopic view finders are) and it also looks northwest, but with a closer focus.  The marsh at the bottom of the picture is part of the La Crosse River flowage, which goes through Myrick Park, and eventually meets up with the Mississippi River in downtown La Crosse.

Click each one to see the enlarged images. These seem quite appropriate for Skywatch Friday!

Gimme Shelter

Above is the remodeled shelter house on top of Granddad's Bluff in La Crosse at sunset. Below is the view of the fenced path that goes to the lower look out.  From this vantage point you can see up and down the Mississippi River valley, including areas of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. The last image is looking back up at the shelter from the lower level.

I'll post a few more panoramic sunset views tomorrow.

Wall-E

While visiting my old hometown, La Crosse, Wisconsin, a few weeks ago, I finally had a chance to drive up to Grandad's Bluff.  Bliss Road, the winding road leading up to the top, has washed out & crumbled over the past few years, and they finally have it (permanently?) repaired.  The visitor area at the top has been remodeled with a new shelter house, bathrooms, safety fencing, and robotic telescopic view finders - which as you see from the photo, are reminiscent of something out of the movie "Wall-E" !

I will post more vista views over the next few days.

Go Forward

A few weeks ago I attended a fundraiser in La Crosse for an amazing young man named Casey Davis.  His mother, Nancy, is one of my good friends from childhood.  Casey and his equally amazing wife Carolyn, are shown above.  His story is one of courage and determination that few of us could manage to achieve. Injured in a forestry accident, he suffered great injury and pain, resulting in the paralysis of both legs.  However, from what I witnessed at the event, it is not going to stop him from setting and attaining lofty goals in his young life.  I think the kids receiving wheelchair rides while others raced to catch up with him could attest to that fact!

When I first heard Casey's story, I recalled that a half-dozen years earlier - after the untimely death of Christopher Reeve's wife, Dana - I had donated to the Christopher Reeve Foundation.  One of the perks I received was a cool "Superman" dog-tag necklace.  I thought it was time to give it a new home with Casey - someone who possesses the true spirit and determination of a Superman! (He's wearing it, above.)

Birthday Present

At the end of April, I received a coupon for a "free lunch" at the Chocolate Factory from our insurance agent.  It's a cute little restaurant across from Pewaukee Lake. The neat thing is that my husband - whose birthday is 12 days after mine - received one, too. Of course, there is no such thing as a free lunch... they were really just worth $2 each.  Still - it was nice to go out on a date for a sub, some fries, and a little home-made ice cream for dessert!

X Marks the Spot: SkyWatch Friday

These contrails aren't really that unusual, but it still amazes me every time I see them.  I'm always wondering just how close they really are as they pass over and under each other headed in opposite directions.  If you click to enlarge the photo, you can also just barely see the crescent moon near the top left-hand of the "x".

See other SkyWatch Friday entries here.