Meander and I were back on the road and heading into Wisconsin. First stop Roche -a-Cri State Park. I hiked to the top of this mound to see for miles. The mound is Cambrian sandstone and at the base are petroglyphs from before 900 AD and pictographs from 400 years ago. Goldenrod brightens up the forest floor. I hiked all over this beautiful park.Council Grounds State Park was a bit further north with views of the Wisconsin RiverThe eye-popping yellow flower is the common tansy! It was abundant in this parkPaper maps and apps kept me almost on track!. Alex and Tim and I rode a loop on backroads and a amazing system of paved and maintained trails near Boulder Junction.The Dzakovic compound was the perfect rest stop for water sports, gourmet cuisine and good company! My second Labor Day weekend here. I think I swam out to the little island in the lake three times in one dayOn kayak or pontoon boat, the path to Ballard Lake is serene. We admire the song of the loon and glimpse an eagle or two in the tree tops. Peace !!After the perfect weekend, I enrolled in a mushroom course sponsored by the Cable Natural History Museum. We foraged for mushrooms on a rainy afternoon in the forest and learned what is dangerous and what is edible and tasty. This is a false morel mushroom and is poisonous !!The weather up north was too rainy so I went southwest to Merrick State Park to enjoy the Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge by bike and van !The Great River State Trail runs along the Mississippi and I could ride for miles between campgroundsI can’t seem to get enough of the mighty Mississippi. I spent several nights at Perrot State Park to explore this region on my bike. Ann provided maps for great rides The volunteer at the Wildlife Refuge told me about this winery. They were having an end of summer festival and tasting of wine and local beer. I liked the “Wild Spice” autumn blend.Do trees ever speak to you? This one looked so old and wise. I was hoping it would share some wisdom.Wisconsin is filled with unusual and fantastic venues. This is the Prairie Moon Sculpture Garden created by an Herman Rusch, a Prussian emigrant. In his retirement, he built concrete and stone planters and huge fanciful sculptures. The wall or fence is concrete and brick and is decorated with glass, stones and shells. You really have to see it to believe it. There must be something in the water!. Alex Jordan built a house on a rock and filled it with an unbelievable array of collectables! It is a a few miles from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin. I was enthralled by the calliopes. One was in an intimate setting and multiple instruments were playing some of my favorite classical piecesNearby is Pendarvis. Bob Neal and Edgar Hellum restored these buildings in Mineral Point. The lead and zinc mines were mined by Cornish men. They were called “Badgers” because they lived in caves dug out on the hill. Later, Bob and Edgar set up a tea house in this building to serve tea and raise money to restore the buildings. All the trees on the adjacent hill had been removed for the mining but now the hill has returned to its beauty and all that remains of the mining are the closed shafts. Governor Dodge State Park with access to the Military Ridge Trail for biking and evidence of the beginning of autumnRecycle your VW ! I was in Spring Green to see a play at the American Players Theatre. “Once upon a Bridge” was spectacular. I met Ann for breakfast in Middleton and then she took me to nearby Pheasant Branch Conservancy. The Frederick Springs produce over 1000 gallons of water per minute. The video is better but I could not get it up on this site !. Back to Chicago in time for the Children’s Service Board Fashion Show. Cathryn Schmaltz was Co-chair of this event. She brought her love and poise to raise money to help children with mental health needs! Thank you, Cathryn
