For nearly all of the 10 years I have been writing this blog, I have wanted to write a post about cranberry bogs. Wisconsin produces more than half of the world's cranberry supply, but all the bog action takes place on the western side of the state. So, until yesterday, I had never been to [...]
I thought about balance a lot in the days leading up to this week’s autumnal equinox, because we all seem to be doing more than our fair share of that these days. In the midst of this infernal pandemic, we continue to balance physical health versus mental health and we try to make the best [...]
Those stately old Erb Park trees have witnessed a lot in their hundreds of years -- the design and construction of three swiming pools, the 1970s Dutch Elm plague, the historic wind shear storm of 2011 and more teen-aged mischief than they'll ever report. This past weekend, they watched and participated in the Wisconsin Arborist [...]
Appleton rocks, especially this past Saturday where, within a two mile stretch, you could watch a National Tree Climbing Championship, attend the first annual Irish Fest, walk through a peak-season Farmer's Market and enjoy Rhythms of the World, a celebration of multi-cultural generosity and transcendent beauty. After all of that, we were also lucky enough [...]
Did you ever misread a situation so dramatically it lead you to question your ability to read signs at all? I did several times last week. A lonely looking man approached my daughters and me as we were sitting at a rooftop establishment waiting for sunset. "Is it okay if I sit over here?" he [...]
