Times, they are a changing...

Back in 2009 I posted a photo of Farber's, the old-fashioned barber shop over by Pewaukee Lake. Just recently it closed and it looks like a new independent insurance agency has taken over.  I wish them the best of luck, since it's a tough climate for small businesses these days.

What's for Breakfast?

Decided to try a new recipe from Martha Stewart for "Sugar Buns," or as we call them here in Wisconsin, "Morning Buns" ...bundles of cinnamon-sugary goodness! The featured image above shows them rising in my grandmother's vintage muffin tins.  Below are a few photos of the process, followed by the final product. I must say, they turned out pretty scrumptious. :-)

I even had a a little dough left over to make a mini "Monkey Bread" - a pull-apart loaf that's fun to eat. I'll freeze the little pan below and bake it up some cold Sunday morning in the future.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Motif, a local Pewaukee gift shop, has an array of paper-mache gold hearts hanging in their window display. Here's wishing you all a lovely day with your special someone!

Reservoir Pond Sunset: SkyWatch Friday

This reservoir pond sits in the midst of our nearby shopping center.  Beyond the far edge is a little subdivision of houses and the Simmons Woods trails.

See more entries in SkyWatch Friday here.

Dog-Gone

This old house in the Village of Pewaukee is currently used as a dog grooming facility.  Rumor has it that this - and several of the neighboring homes - will soon be razed to make way for a Kwik-Trip.

Giddy Up!

This huge mushroom was straddling the base of an old maple tree growing in our tree line. It's hard to tell if it's a single organism split in half, or if it's two separate mushrooms grown together, but it was nearly 2 feet across! Dryad was a wood nymph in ancient Greek mythology, and so this fungus is called a "Dryad's Saddle" because they often have the appearance of a large saddle. They are also related to the "Pheasant's Back" mushroom, which I've posted here as well. Below is a photo of the creamy white spongy bottom of the Dryad, which almost has the look of a slice of bread.

One Way Cafe

A nice place to stop for a cup of coffee or tea while shopping in the Village of Wauwatosa.  And yes, it is on a one-way street. ;-)

Hibiscus

The oppressive heat has been good for at least a few things around here - one of them being our coral hibiscus.  (As long as I remember to water it once - sometimes twice - per day.)

Ace Hardware

The Ace Hardware store in the village of Wauwatosa is celebrating its 91st year in business in this beautiful old gothic stone building. The inside brings you back to simpler times, and while walking through narrow aisles, the oak plank wooden floors creak with every step. They just don't build 'em like this any more!

Lamp Posts

These signs were displayed from the area lamp-posts in the quaint downtown village of Wauwatosa. During our recent afternoon walk we visited a number of cute shops, photos of which I'll be posting throughout the week.  

Peace Sign

We spent a recent Saturday afternoon walking through the quaint shops of the Wauwatosa Village. This sign was posted on the door of "French Country Pine & Design" on Underwood Ave.  The point is that Wisconsin recently enacted an open carry firearms law... and while few people actually do so, many would rather not see it at all.

Below is the storefront of this cute shop which offers lots of whimsical design accents.

Fireworks!

One of the splendid fireworks displayed over Pewaukee Lake on the Fourth of July. So many communities around here in southeast Wisconsin had their celebrations canceled because of the near draught conditions and increased chance of fire.  However, since Pewaukee shoots theirs over the lake, they were allowed to continue.

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!

Wild Cucumber

While hiking around Balmer Park just east of here, Nik and I stumbled upon an unusual vine weaving itself through the shrubs. The leaves were so pretty and bright green, almost like a Sycamore. But then I saw the itty-bitty spiky fruit hanging here and there, and realized they were wild cucumbers. I had never seen these before because they don't bear fruit until fall and usually I'm not looking for that sort of thing. Plus this little guy was camouflaged among the wild grape vines.

According to Wikipedia, they are not edible, but with those little spikes, not sure I'd even want to try!

Sunny Delight

We are growing a variety of sunflowers in our garden this year and they are in full bloom. I love this burgundy/peach version, and apparently, so do the bees! If you look closely at the photo below, you'll also see a shiny metallic Japanese Beetle in the center. They were especially pesky this year and invaded many of the trees and gardens in our neighborhood.

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!

Parker Pears

Our neighbors have a beautiful "Parker Pear" tree in their front yard. It's healthy and compact and each year in early autumn bears these gorgeous juicy, red fruits. The only challenge is keeping the bees at bay while picking them!