Cool Breeze

Hiking today with my group was near perfect conditions with no bugs being the icing on the cake.  Oh, the hostess did serve chocolate cake.  That was nice, too.  Now I'm home puttering.  I can feel a light breeze coming through the window.  That is one of those small things in life I really enjoy - a light, cool breeze.  Life is good.

Skin Cancer

The docs call it basal cell carcinoma.  Sounds so much better.        I had a place on my back that didn't seem right to me.  It was skin cancer so a "divot" was removed which included good skin to insure all the bad skin is gone.  The procedure went well.  I have now begun the itching/healing stage. 

When I mention this to friends, they all start pointing to their body parts and holding up numerous fingers to show how many times that THEY have had this procedure done.  Quite common, I guess.  The doc and I will keep checking for any more in the future. 

This I do know...my string bikini days are over.

Sprucing Up

The weeds around the Spider Lake Town Hall were really getting to me so I called a few people and we went over and took care of it.  New landscape cloth, sifted old rocks, added new ones.  It looks wonderful.  Afterwards I called the man of the town board in charge of the grounds and told him what we did.  He had seen it and was delighted.  "Go ahead and do other things.  We'll reimburse for supplies."  That's how things get done around here - usually without permission.  This group that I am organizing will be looking at the outside and the inside of the town hall.  I need a name for this group. The Sprucing Up Group comes to mind.  If you think of a clever or non-clever name, pass it along to me.  This is grass roots at its best.

Good to be Home

Case and I visited family and friends for a few days in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.  We had a great time.  Always good to catch up.  But there is something about driving in your own driveway, being in your own house, sleeping in your own bed.  We definitely consider this home. 

Water Sprinkler

No need for the water sprinkler today.  It has been pouring most of the day.  Our road goes up and down a few hills so we get deep ruts.  When it stops raining, the neighbors and we will head outside with our rakes to put it back in shape.  It is a community road and the seasonal people on the road don't want to pave it because it will ruin that Northwoods look.

No comment.

Orchids in a Bog

The walking group literally sloshed through a bog with a guide this morning to find the elusive bog orchids.  We found many plants in bloom.  What a thrill!  This is a Grass Pinks Orchid which opened within the hour.  The guide walked the area before we came and it had not yet bloomed.  The second one is a blooming Pitcher Plant.  The carnivorous Pitchers with water to draw in insects to eat them is on the ground.  The Pitcher flowers are almost 18 inches tall.  We all managed well because there are no leeches or snakes in bogs - water is too acidic.  Fun in the Northwoods!

Recall Election

Last Tuesday was the recall election of current Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.  He was not recalled and remains in office until the end of his term. 

Most of the local political pundits say that this recall was less about Gov. Walker and more about using the recall process improperly.  The recall was definitely legal.  However, most people feel it should be used against someone in office who has committed a crime or something big - not just because you disagree with his policies.  There were 900,000 signatures on petitions that caused the recall which cost 125 million dollars of taxpayer money.  That is approximately $139 per signer.  I think each signer owes the Wisconsin $139.