People on the Street: CDP Theme for March

The frigid winter of 2014 has been testing even the most hardy of Wisconsin's souls. Yesterday's high temp was only 6 degrees and the windchill kept it feeling below zero most of the day.  With weather like that, there are very few "people on the street" in these parts! The best I could do was this bundled up gentleman dashing into the neighborhood Walgreen's.

Check out more City Daily Photo theme day entries here.

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.

Frozen

Just like the Disney movie of the same name, much of Lake Superior is 'Frozen.' As of Tuesday, Feb. 11th, it was 87.1% frozen and experts say that due to the brutal winter, it may freeze almost completely over for the first time this century.  A few weeks back, our good friend, Dana, drove up to Ashland, Wisconsin, to visit his daughter, Laura. She's a student at Northland College, which features a curriculum focused on the environment and sustainability. 

They carefully hiked along the shore and spent most of the day exploring the ice caves that are formed by water, wind, and frigid weather. It's been years since winter ice has been thick and secure enough for visitors to walk out to the islands that dot the area. The dramatic wall of ice below is ever-growing and shifting. As more water filters down through the rocks, segments are constantly being created and broken off. 

It's interesting to note that where the "ice falls" meet the frozen lake, there is a horizontal gap of several inches or more.  This gap rises and falls with the movement of the lake, and can be seen at the bottom of the rock formation below.

I also love Laura's cozy warm "Spirit Hood"-style hat, which is perfect for Wisconsin's below-zero windchill!

Photo credits for this post: Dana L. French (c) 2014

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!

A Blooming Good Time!

Well, this year's Amaryllis finally bloomed!  Since I go in with some friends on a variety package purchase each fall, it's always a surprise to see which kind I'll get.  This year, just like back in 2010, it's a "Candy Cane" variety.  About a month too late for Christmas, but that's because we keep our house pretty chilly.  (The key word around here is 'layers'!)