Return of Winter

Day 6 (3/3/12)

In Wisconsin we have a saying “If you don’t like the weather now… wait a minute”. Although it took more than a minute our trip down the bike trail today was quite different from two weeks ago. For one thing we were wearing snow shoes. Perhaps, snowshoes were a bit much but it was only the second time we had an opportunity to use them all winter so we went for it. Two weeks ago we had to keep an eye out for bikers and other pedestrians, today I think if I would have heard “on your left” shouted behind me I would have freaked. There were human tracks in the snow going one direction but otherwise we saw no sign of people. Another ironic twist was that we did see three cranes fly over the trail, a sign that spring is on its way but it sure didn’t look like it today. For whatever reason there was a goose following the cranes as if he wanted to join the flock but just couldn’t keep up.  We spent most of our time looking for things we had built two weeks ago. Some were still there and others were gone or covered by snow.

Tripod today

Tripod 2weeks ago

Dangler 2 weeks ago

Dangler today

Tree build today

Tree build 2 weeks ago

Cranes

Eileen on the trail

The Ice Critter

The start

Day 5 (2/25/12)

When I went outside this morning I noticed a small trail in the fresh powdering of snow. I tracked it back to where it had come out from the yard. I then followed its meandering trail as it wandered along the driveway toward the house. It then circled around changed direction and went over to check out an ice chunk before continuing back down the driveway away from the house. Finally I found it where it still sat not a creature at all but a small chunk of ice. By noon all trace of ice and trail had melted leaving only the memories.

On it's way

A little meandering

Checking out an Ice clump

The end of the line

Fruits of Our Labor

Algoma Stones

Day 4 (2/20/12)

I have had this one on hold for awhile. Last fall every chance we got Eileen and I could be found picking our way along one beach or another in search of the perfect rock or rocks. It actually started with a trip to Algoma where we were captivated by every flat little stone on the beach. Each stone seemed to be better than the last. After filling up our coffee cups and pockets we were well on our way to becoming addicts. The question was, now that we have the rocks what do we do with them? Before we even got home the idea had hatched to get a drill press. Eileen decided she was going to make jewelry out of them. We also decided that we were going to keep them separated by beach to give them a special individuality. So the first batch was Algoma Stones. Soon after they were followed by Point Beach stones, Harrington Beach stones and Amsterdam Beach Stones. The first motif was obvious, they had to be stackers. From there Eileen started making earrings and singles. I can’t take credit for anything but helping to comb the beach and supporting her drill bit habit. We are hoping to possibly market them in towns around their origins to support our habit but for now they are just piling up like rabbits. If anybody is interested in supporting our drill bit habit and caring for one of these mini cairns let me know.

Stackers

Danglers

More Danglers

Others

Bigfoot sighting, well almost

Day 3 (2/19/12)

After yesterdays wonderful day on the trail we tried a different section today. It started out quiet and we probably should have spent more time building. We managed to do one build each before the trail was teaming with people and it was impossible to build anything without being seen. As I have said before, we aren’t as secretive as we once were but we still like to keep it on the down low. So today kind of ends up being about the work of others, which is fun anyway. When we walked past “Tripod Build” we noticed that somebody had added to it since yesterday. But the highlight of the day came when happened across a path of Bigfoot tracks on the trail. Somebody had stenciled Bigfoot tracks crossing the trail. It was quite hilarious. A short way up the trail somebody else had rebuilt my “Prairie Build” including objects that hadn’t been in the original. Finally, on the way home we noticed one of our friend Grant’s “Plunkers” still on a pole. This is what I had hoped for when I had started five years ago, that others would start participating. The fact that somebody had planned, made stencils and spray painted the foot prints was very encouraging. Maybe someday people will head to the Interurban trail for the sole purpose of ReCreating.

My first build of the day

Eileen's first build of the day

Old building

Prairie Build rebuilt by others

Second build of the day

Rebuilding the Grotto

Grant's Plunker

Coq au Vin

History Repeats itself

Day 2 (2/18/12)

The Coq au vin is in the oven and there is an hour to kill. What a perfect time to hit the trail for a little ReCreation. It was a great day to get out and do some building. To our surprise we were not he first people out building. Less than a mile down the trail we came across a little cairn built by others and it was not the last sign of others building. This really makes me happy. After four years other people are starting to get into it. Since there was a nice pile of stones by the first others build we decided to build a couple of our own. After we got a mile out we determined to go a little further and check on tripod build. I guess we forgot that was another mile out. Remember we have coq au vin in the oven. Well the chicken can wait. When we got to Tripod, not only was it standing but it had been added to. I did a few things to it while Eileen did a new build of her own. She called it a Farnsworthesque build because it was elevated on spikes, a common device used by our friend Matt in his builds. Somebody else had built by Tripod which I added a couple of stones to. I don’t have a problem with people adding to mine, in fact I promote it so I hope nobody is offended by my adding to theirs. Somebody had gone through during the winter and cut down all the telephone poles so the K build was destroyed. Dangler was still up, making her the second oldest build next to tripod, but in need of repair. Perhaps we will get to it tomorrow. Two hours have passed and we are greeted at the door by the wonderful smell of Coq au vin cooking in the oven. Yes, it is perhaps a little over cooked, it is hard to get the chicken out without it falling off the bone, but it is delicious. Life is good. 

Cairn by Others

Building

Eileen's and My Builds

Tripod

Eileen's Farnsworthesque Build

Started by Others

Eileen's Tree Build

Snowshoeing

Day 1 (1/22/12)

It was the first day that all the stars aligned and Eileen and I were able to get out and try our new snowshoes. In all honesty, we probably wouldn’t have needed snowshoes since the snow was only a couple inches deep but we have been dying to try them, so try them we did. We carried them as far as the park behind or house and then strapped them on. We worked our way across the park to the bike trail. At first the bike trail was really good, when it was lined by trees, but as we got into the open much of the snow had blown off the trail. It was also very windy so after we went about half mile we decided to head on back. After we got back to the park we wandered around the ponds for a while. I think we are going to enjoy them if we ever get any snow. 

Looking Back

Day 14 (12/31/11)

30th Anniversary

It is the last day of the year and time for reflection. I cannot say that I am not happy to see 2011 go. It has definitely been a year of change. The year started out benign enough. I had started running again and things were looking good until Valentine’s Day when Scott Walker pulled the rug out from under all public employees. I had planned a weeklong celebration of our thirtieth wedding anniversary starting on Valentines and running until the twenty-first, our anniversary. I still tried to do a few things but the mood just wasn’t there. We did end up spending the weekend of our anniversary in Madison protesting which at least made it memorable. Every time things looked as if they were getting better they took a turn for the worse. I think the hardest part of the whole ordeal was the loss of respect in the community real or perceived. It was soon apparent that many people believed that we had gotten exactly what we deserved and that we should just accept our fate. I am proud to say that we did not. Instead there was a showing of solidarity that rocked the nation and still continues. I had never been much of a political type person. I had always enjoyed a certain amount of political bantering with the students but suddenly the fun was gone. It had become too real. What had been fun and harmless was now taboo and could even lead to disciplinary action. Soon the state was divided in half and not even the Packers winning the Super bowl could heal it. The year was not a complete loss and I spent a lot of time making paper. As I look forward to 2012 I have decided to not make any resolutions but I would like to spend more time on the bike trail creating again. 

2nd Trip to Madison

Tree Frog

Tree Fog

Knute