Lest You Think There is No Civilization Here...

...I was accosted by Girl Scouts selling cookies.  Well, to be truthful, I had to stand in line to purchase.  They were outside of Walmart - outside, mind you...in northern Wisconsin in February.  These girls are a hardy lot.  I chatted with one of the leaders for awhile.  She loves the camp experience for the girls.  I shared that I was a "Cookie Mom" at one time and a leader for Junior Girl Scouts for 3 years.  Good memories.  I took my box of Thin Mints and my box of Chocolate-Peanut Butter Patties home and directly to the freezer.  On an extremely hot day this summer the boxes will be brought out and thoroughly enjoyed.

Winter Garb Continued

Last week a technician from our satellite company came out to bring us a new DVR.  Our old one, leased since October 1, 2010, no longer records.  He was dressed properly.  Of course, if we needed a new dish, he would be on the garage roof.  That restored my faith in Wisconsiners dressing ability.

...until church last Sunday.  As we were driving out of the lot, we stopped to let a couple cross in front of us dashing for their car...without coats. 

I am not totally Wisconsin yet

This is a priceless, true story about living in Wisconsin.  Let me set the scene...

On the way to church I pass a local bank with the time and temp always going.  At church I was assisting with youth club which happens when the teachers have an institute half day.  The children spend the afternoon at church doing a serious thing or two but mostly fun stuff.  It was the time in our schedule to cross the small street from our education building to the church sanctuary where Fr. Wilger was to talk about Ash Wednesday and Lent.  The adult leader for that day asks the adults if the children need coats to cross the street.  The other adults are thinking and slowly shaking their heads.  This common sense Illinois girl pipes up,  "It is 7 degrees outside not including the windchill.  Yes, the children are wearing coats!"   Good Golly!

Good thing we did... Fr. Wilger had our group outside burning the palms from last year's Palm Sunday to make ashes for the service.  WOW!

Walking in a 2016 Winter Wonderland

Our lane to the mailbox

Bushwacking a snowshoe trail - what a beautiful workout!

Complete Circle of Lake Superior

I will end this travelogue with me standing atop Brockway Mountain at the end of the Keewanaw Peninsula.  That is the long finger of land that juts from the south into Superior from Upper Peninsula Michigan.  All of that geography is to say that this is the freshest air on earth - self-proclaimed.  The wind comes from Canada across its forests and across Lake Superior to this spot.  No manufacturing, little sign of civilization.  The air was clean.  You could smell it.  Glorious!

As of this writing December 1, 2015 the peninsula is closed.  They get so much snow that, well, you get the idea.  A few hardy souls do stay out on the tip all winter using snowmobiles and Arctic Cats  to go for supplies.  Good to be home in Hayward with a 5 inch snow falling and four-wheel drive. 

Upper Michigan Dunes

Beyond where Case is standing is a vertical drop of sand to Lake Superior.  You are to use a rug or cardboard to slide down.  There are signs saying not to do this.  And where I stood to take this photo is as far as I went.  Case did back his way up to me.  Then there are also signs of who to call in an emergency.  And driving out...there was an ambulance station quarter mile from these dunes.

The waves were so rough that day that no tourist boats went out to view the Pictured Rocks.  The noise of the waves was tremendous.  We will have to return another time to see the Pictured Rocks.   

Correction

Peninsula