Harvest Fest Parade

Charlie attended her first parade last weekend! The family took a scenic drive up to Viroqua to check out the farmer's market, shop the stores and watch the Harvest Fest Parade.

She was well-behaved at the farmer's market as we strolled up and down the walkways. When I waited in line to purchase things, Charlie sat patiently next to me, watching all the activity around her. And she fell in love with the scent of alpaca-fur which turned out to be her favorite part of the day (I practically had to drag her away from that booth!).

There were several dogs about as people lined the street to watch the parade but Charlie remained very calm, just taking in the atmosphere and enjoying being around people. As the parade began to make its way down the street, we saw stilt-walkers, children dressed in costume, bicycles and heard the beat of... drums.

 

As the drumming got closer, Charlie began to shake. The costumes were scary enough, but the drums were more than she could handle. I quickly excused myself and made a bee-line for the end of the street so we could cut back up a side road to the park where the parade would end. Once on the side road with the drums behind us, Charlie relaxed and turned her attention to the squirrels busily gathering nuts in the park.

Everything was good again.

People gathered at the park to continue the harvest celebration and we took a seat on the hill to watch the festivities while sipping coffee and sampling our baked goods purchased earlier at the farmer's market. Charlie was content to play with sticks and acorns and watch all the other dogs and people around us. Children playing hula-hoop and frisbee caught her attention and she desperately wanted to play with them, but this was not a good time or place to be off-leash!

I was really proud of how well she handled herself in a busy crowd with tons of new stimuli. And even though some things spooked her, it was a good experience overall. She's such a good girl!

 

IAT: John Muir Segment (Treasure Hunt Ends)

After a fun-filled and relaxing weekend spent with family, Charlie and I headed back home last Sunday afternoon. Driving through Madison was stressful and nerve-wracking, leaving me short of breath at times and gripping the steering wheel tightly. Traffic was unusually dense for a weekend and I was almost side-swiped by a vehicle changing lanes. Just out of town and back on the Interstate, I witnessed the tire of a semi truck blow up and shred off its rim right in front of me; a cloud of dust and pieces of rubber flew everywhere. I slammed on the brakes and swerved, narrowly missing a long strip of rubber in the middle of my lane. Having recently just got my car fixed from the vandalism incident, I was starting to feel like I was doomed for another repair.

In order to calm myself and be able to continue on our journey home, I decided to pull off the highway and go hiking. Going into the woods always makes everything better. Plus it was a gorgeous sunny day with crisp temps in the 60's and I wanted to enjoy some fresh air instead of spending all day driving in my car. We headed for a segment of the Ice Age Trail where the treasure hunt for the Our Wisconsin magazine had just ended - John Muir Memorial Park in the Town of Buffalo.

At first glance this park doesn't look like much. There's a tiny picnic shelter, a sign kiosk near the trail head for the IAT segment and pit toilets with no doors on the stalls (seriously, anyone could walk in and see your lady-bits hanging out!). A very nice boat launch is available for non-motorized boats and there's a small baseball field, but otherwise it's pretty simple with very few amenities. However, if you do a little research prior to arriving, you'll find that this is a very special park indeed!

The lake itself is a 30-acre kettle lake, and on this particular day it was vibrant blue, full of sun sparkles and reflecting the colors of the season along its shore. Upon further Google research (later in the day), I found a really nice piece written up by Kara Silva for the Chicago Tribune back in April of this year. She fully researched the historical importance of this area and captured the feeling of hiking the trail in late winter. I highly recommend reading her article, Where 'Green' Began.

The trail begins in a prairie, filled with tall grasses, glowing gold in the late-day light of October. A soft and sandy trail winds its way into oak groves as it follows the curve of the lake. The dwindling canopy reveals intermittent views of the cobalt blue lake and marsh birds flitting about in the reeds. Large oak limbs, like arms, reach out over the trail with branches tapering into fingertips, pointing toward the lake as if beckoning you to enjoy the view.

Learning about the significance that John Muir had in the creation of America's National Parks and his connection with Wisconsin will give you shivers as you explore this park and realize that you are standing on the same earth that this man grew up on. It's quite an experience.

And then there is the car.

This car has been like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow dangling in front of me for months as I searched parks all across the state for the hidden key. I had a feeling all along that I wouldn't be the one to find the key. Most events in my life are tainted by Murphy's Law; I am not a lucky person. But I offer my congratulations to the winners and hope they enjoy driving their new car; it really is a great vehicle.

TRAIL VIDEO:

A Weekend Tree Project

Charlie and I road-tripped down to Platteville this weekend to visit family and attend the 'That Tree' gallery opening by Mark Hirsch in Dubuque. Friday night was magical as my dad and I strolled through Gallery C admiring Mark Hirsch's photos and discussing topics ranging from the photo compositions and old memories to my own current project - writing and photographing for this blog.

My dad is so proud of me. Maybe you can imagine how profound that feels.

Gallery C was the perfect space for this exhibit:  original brick and stone walls, exposed wooden beams and polished wood floors. The entire space oozed with history of its former life as a warehouse and factory but also felt earthy, warm and inviting. New elements of wood and metal were complimentary to all of the old historical elements and the walls themselves felt like works of art.

As people milled about sipping wine, snacking on cheese and crackers and admiring the photos, the sweet sound of Mark's son, Tristan, singing songs and strumming his guitar filled the gallery. I even heard him do a rendition of 'Flightless Bird' from the Twilight movie soundtrack! I stood in line and waited to have my book autographed and had a chance to chat with Mark for a few minutes. It turns out that he and my dad knew several of the same people. Small world.

It was a special evening spending time with my dad while honoring a fellow artist, congratulating his success and enjoying the fruits of his artistic gift. It is truly amazing. I found myself getting a little bit emotional while looking at some of the photos as I imagined the amount of time and thought that went into each composition as well as the dedication it took to stand by a single subject for an entire year. I was surrounded by so much imagination and talent and at the same time, my dad continued to praise my own photography; it was a bit overwhelming, but in a good way.

....

The next morning, my dad and I woke early and walked the dogs around his property. There is a particular giant oak tree - possibly the largest in the county - residing on his land that he wanted to show me. I took it upon myself to do my own little 'That Tree' project of my dad's tree. I have to be up front here and say that I am not copying Mark's project; this is a one time thing. I am simply honoring a beautiful weekend spent with my dad by incorporating an event that we shared together with something that resonates with him personally. Some people say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, some people are offended when their ideas are copied, I hope you enjoy it and take it for what it is... a daughter's love for her dad and their shared love of the outdoors.

Road Trip to see That Tree

We're heading down to Platteville this weekend to visit family and attend the gallery opening of...

I'm totally excited at the prospect of meeting this photographer! If you haven't already seen the creative photos he's taken, make sure to visit www.ThatTree.net.

Mark Hirsch was even featured on the CBS Sunday Morning program (one of my favorite shows!):  http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50151807n

Given that Charlie and I spend so much time amidst the trees, I completely understand how one tree could capture your imagination for a year, and perhaps forever. If you're interested in learning more about Friday's gallery opening, here's the link:  Gallery C

Also, The Driftless Area Land Conservancy is holding a 'That Tree' event on Sunday:  http://driftlessconservancy.org/

Errand Hikes Return!

Now that cooler weather has returned, I can start bringing Charlie along when I run errands since she won't get overheated in the car. I leave all four windows down halfway and the sunroof open so she gets plenty of fresh air and keep her water bowl filled in the backseat. I love seeing her silly butt in the driver's seat every time I return to the car!

Today we had three quick stops to make, pick up some dinner at Rocky Rococo Pizzeria and head over to Bluegill Bay Park for a picnic dinner, a hike around the bay and some fetch. Charlie was overjoyed as we approached the park ~ she could smell the water. Unfortunately, I had just applied her monthly tick medicine this morning (which is highly toxic to fish - hence the instructions to keep dogs out of water for 48 hours) so I was going to have to keep a close eye on her near the water's edge.

Luckily, 6-year-old Caleb and his parents were playing nearby and I chatted them up to see if Caleb would be interested in playing a round of Pine-Cone-Fetch with Charlie. Before I could even finish asking permission, Charlie and Caleb were off and playing! Charlie loves kids and we were all laughing while watching them romp through leaves, playing with pine cones and sticks like only little boys and playful dogs can do. So sweet.

Back in March, when I blogged about this park HERE, I mentioned that it was a great place for bird-watching and also listed on the Great Wisconsin Birding & Nature Trail website - NOW is the time to visit this park if you're into birds! The marshlands along the bay are alive with sounds of migrating birds.

Get out and get active with your dog!