Really Neat Stuff

Kroner's True Value Hardware on Pearl Street is one of the few original businesses remaining in downtown La Crosse. It has that old-fashioned feel with creaking wooden floors and tall ceilings. The original tile sign above the door also has great Art Deco typography typical of the 1930s. It carries just about every type of hardware, paint, or tool you might need, along with lots of great cookware for the gourmet chef.

Since La Crosse is a cradle of Norwegian heritage, they also carry some wonderful Scandinavian cooking supplies. (See window display below.) Lefse is a very popular soft Norwegian flat bread made from potatoes -quite similar to a flour tortilla- and you must have very specific items to make it. Kroner's is the local go-to place to buy the required potato ricer, lefse iron, rolling mat, and flat "turning stick" needed to create this tasty staple found on dinner tables from Thanksgiving through Easter. We are purists and just roll it up with butter and use it in place of dinner rolls, but some people enjoy rolling it up with cinnamon-sugar for breakfast or dessert.

It's April, yet note the poor little gold Christmas ornament forgotten at the bottom of the display in this photo? (Hey! I think I actually want that stainless colander!)

April Showers Bring Spring Flowers

Well, we've had lots of April showers (and hail and snow and sleet!) - but no sign of any greenery, much less flowers, outside of our doors up here in Pewaukee.  So, to brighten the mood, I'm posting a photo of a bouquet I bought recently for our dining table. COLOR! My heart lightens a bit just looking at it. :-)

Hoo-Who?

While waiting at an intersection the other day, I had to do a double-take at the utility pole across the way.  Upon closer inspection, I realized it was merely an owl decoy placed to keep other birds from congregating in the area.  I'm not sure why there are no wires attached to the pole itself, unless it's just a throw-back to the "olden days."

Shivering Oaks: SkyWatch Friday

The setting sun on a blustery day as seen from Highway 16 in Waukesha County.

You can see more SkyWatch Friday photos here.

Whoosh! SkyWatch Friday

Near my work there is a small shopping area with a few restaurants, shops, and a hotel.  Driving over there for lunch one day I noticed the clouds appeared to be "whooshing" across the sky, leaving a trail behind.

See more SkyWatch Friday photos here.

Dam the Lake!

These photos were taken last weekend, during our very chilly walk by the Pewaukee lakefront. As you can see from the ice and wind-rippled water, it looks more like Thanksgiving than Easter. The particular area below is an inlet dam that flows under the street from the lake into the Pewaukee River on the other side. 

Heart Rock Tree

During our walk up Lindsay Road the other day we saw a little asphalt heart-shaped rock tucked into the base of this tree.  Sweet!

Pedestrians Crossing - Theme Day, April 2013

This snow-covered road winds up a hill from the Simmons Woods boardwalk area to the street above.  The sign on the chain across the road is a warning that cars cannot enter this section of the park. While no one is in sight, the two sets of footprints tell the story of a couple who had been there and gone before me.

See other "City Daily Photo" Theme Day entries here.

Happy Easter!

March is going out like a lion around these parts - damp, cold, and windy. But since the sun was making a valiant effort to peek through the clouds this afternoon, we decided to take a drive down by Pewaukee Lake. We had barely walked the dogs the length of the beach before the northwest wind swirled around us like something from the the Wizard of Oz, so we headed back. On the way home we drove past this house with some inflatable Easter critters in the yard. Hope they were tied down tightly!

End of the Leash

Pewaukee's very own pet supply shop - "End of the Leash" - is located down by the lakefront, across from the beach.  It has everything from soup to nuts for your furry friend, including toys, beds, collars and leashes, food, treats, and much more. As much of it as possible is green-friendly, sustainable, organic, and local.

But my favorite part is the bakery section. For Easter they were offering holiday dog cookies shaped like carrots, eggs, and bunnies, so I got Nik a special treat.  Looks good enough for me to eat, too - if I didn't know better!