Picture of the Day for January 3, 2014

With predicted wind chills of -40 to -60 later this weekend and early next week, I don’t think I will be staying in this building as it might be just a wee bit too drafty.

I wonder the history of the building as it looks like there was a stove pipe opening on the front which is now covered over with a piece of tin. Was it the original homestead of the settlers or a bunkhouse for the hired hands? Did it later become a chicken coop or storage shed? Has the old building seen the late 1800s and now the early 2000s? The answers are probably locked up in the timbers never to be revealed.

A Wee Bit Drafty

A Wee Bit Drafty

Picture of the Day for January 2, 2014

The sun is out bright this morning, but all it reveals is a very white, cold landscape and all one can do is dream of a warm, green summer day colored with yellow even if goldenrod is considered a weed, it is still nice to see instead of white.

Goldenrod is in the aster family and is often blamed for hay fever but since the pollen of goldenrod is too heavy to be blown far, the ragweed that blooms at the same time is the main culprit. Goldenrod is a good sources of nectar for bees, flies, wasps, and butterflies and Native Americans used the seeds of some species for food and leaves are edible from young plants and some herbal teas are sometimes made with goldenrod.

While the golden plant might provide food, like the amber honey, just seeing the golden color is food for the soul on a cold winter day.

Golden Delight

Golden Delight

Picture of the Day for January 1, 2014

Happy New Year!

Some may have rang in the new year last night, but church bells that rang today may have been ringing for peace in the new year. Pope Francis spoke of peace today and said, “This brings a responsibility for each to work so that the world becomes a community of brothers who respect each other, accept each other in one’s diversity, and takes care of one another.”

I wish everyone a wonderful, healthy and peaceful new year!

Ringing in the New Year

Ringing in the New Year

Picture of the Day for December 31, 2013

The new year is just around the corner and the “old” year has just about completed its journey. For some, the past year was a difficult one with the forces of nature destroying homes and lives. This barn weathered nature for years but in the end, it lost the battle and will no longer be able to stand tall in the coming year and soon all its former existence will fade from the landscape.

The End

The End

Picture of the Day for December 30, 2013

“Red sky at morning, sailors take warning; Red sky at night, sailors’ delight.” This rhyme is an ancient rule of thumb for for weather forecasting, dating back over 2,000 years, based on the reddish glow of the morning or evening sky, caused by haze or clouds related to storms in the region. My grandmother would substitute the word fisherman instead of sailors and shepherds was one of the earliest phases used.

Well the red sunrise may not have brought a storm but it sure brought some frigid temperatures so the shepherd had better found shelter for his flock!

Red Sky Warning

Red Sky Warning

Picture of the Day for December 26, 2013

It seems like cows get blamed for a lot of things, like starting the Great Chicago Fire. And Mrs. Jelinek’s herd of cows took the blame for collapsing the 1894 wooden bridge in Bayfield, WI which connected “Swede Hill” with the city’s “Catholic Hill”. After the collapse of the wooden bridge, a 230 foot iron bridge was built over the ravine and was completed on December 26, 1912 although it wasn’t open for use until the following October.

The iron bridge survived the 1942 flood and was in use for vehicles until 1968 and until 1982 for foot traffic. A restoration project in 1988, re-opened the bridge back up to pedestrian use and from the bridge, one can see Chequamegon Bay and under the bridge, the Gil Larson Nature Trail winds along the little creek at the bottom of the big ravine.

Bayfield’s Iconic Iron Bridge

Bayfield's Iconic Iron Bridge

Picture of the Day for December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas Everyone!

It definitely is a very white Christmas this year and I wish everyone a very wonderful Christmas.

(And all those of you singing “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” or “Let it Snow”, will you please be more specific where you want it to snow as I have to head out now again to shovel show and I haven’t sang either of those songs as there is enough snow at my place already!)

White Christmas

White Christmas