All around the countryside, the combines have been working overtime to get the summer grains harvested. A combine was busy in the field behind the barn and by now, the front field has probably been harvested during this sunny week.
Summer Grains
Picture of the Day for August 12, 2014
At the end of the dog days of summer, it is almost hard to remember that six months ago I was dealing with minus 25 degree wind chills during a very cold winter in which most of Lake Superior was frozen over, as seen here from Houghton Point near Washburn, Wisconsin.
Houghton Point
Picture of the Day for August 11, 2014
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, today is the end of the Dog Days of Summer, which runs from July 3 to August 11. The ancient Romans named “Caniculares dies,” or days of the dogs, the 20 days before the conjunction of the dog star (Sirius in the Canis Major constellation) with the sun, to 20 days after. With the exception of our sun, Sirius is the brightest star visible from Earth so the Romans believed when Sirius rose and set with the sun, it added to the heat to produce the hottest days of the year. But since the summer heat is a direct results of the earth’s tilt, the ancients were barking up the wrong tree blaming the ‘Dog Star’ for boosting the summer heat.
Dog Days of Summer
Picture of the Day for August 10, 2014
The other day I had mapped out a route to take me by some older country churches on my way to a funeral. With the help of aerial maps, I could tell ahead if the church looked old and how high the steeple was from the shadow on the ground. Some of the churches I could find out some history before I left on the road trip and I thought I knew which church would be the oldest one, built before 1900, but I was wrong as I found an older church.
And the first thing I noticed when I got out of the car, at what turned out to be the oldest built church on my trip, was the weather vane on top of the steeple which proudly displayed the year it was built. Section 10 Lutheran Church, east of Cumberland, WI, was built in 1893 on land given by Oluf Charles Christiansen Rolla with lumber donated by Peter Johnson, both are buried in the cemetery.
Although it is a small church, it is surprising how many lives it has touched, as not only does it have a family connection to me, but the band teacher from my high school years (which is more than an hour away), was also confirmed there and his grandfather helped build the church.
Section 10 Lutheran Church
And the weather vane which has weathered many years.
Picture of the Day for August 9, 2014
People have been enjoying the Wisconsin State Fair this past week, eating all the fair food, but if you enjoy a little more educational twist and headed to the Department of Natural Resources building, you could pick up the Wisconsin’s Great Lakes 2014-2015 Calendar which contains pictures from the photo contest earlier this year with nearly 500 photos submitted.
My photo, A Hidden Gem, was the first place photo in the natural features and wildlife category and is the 2015 May photo in the calendar. Lost Creek Falls is near Cornucopia on the shore of Lake Superior. Another photo I submitted of an old fishing boat placed 2nd in the cultural and historic features category and is the October 2015 photo and was my ‘Picture of the Day’ photo for 11/25/13.
Besides the calendar, the photos may be used in other DNR educational uses. To see the calendar and other winners, check out the Wisconsin Great Lakes photo contest page.
A Hidden Gem
Picture of the Day for August 8, 2014
It seems most of the summer flowers are orange, yellow or white but there are some other colors the bull thistle reddish pink blossom as well as some prettier purple flowers.
Sea of Purple
Picture of the Day for August 7, 2014
I had some recently limbs down but none of mine broken branches created an interesting face on tree trunk like this tree.
Tree Face
Picture of the Day for August 6, 2014
Recently there have been a lot of popcorn type rain showers springing up, with thunderheads dotting the sky and providing a firework like display inside the cloud as the lightning appears to slam around the inside of it. My finger was too slow reacting to catch the lightning flashes but it seems odd to be watching it from a distance knowing it is raining a lot under the cloud while I remained dry.
Firework Cloud
Picture of the Day for August 5, 2014
I didn’t peek inside this birdhouse, which is in the mouth of an old hand planter, to see if occupied or not, especially when I had a cat as an escort in the yard while taking pictures.
Planted Birdhouse
Picture of the Day for August 4, 2014
I don’t know if this old Chevy truck is ready for another work week as it looks like it has seen too many years of work and its ‘get up and go’ may have got up and left!
Not Ready for Work
