Close Encounters

Menominee Park Zoo was another stop on our visit to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The exhibits, grouped around a small lake, cover 8 acres in Menominee Park. Although the animals are somewhat less exotic than those of somewhere like Brookfield, they are, in most cases, easier to locate and fun to photograph.

There may not have been any lions or tigers at the zoo but we did have a close encounter with a chipmunk. I also had the opportunity to go eyeball to eyeball with a turkey.

We came across a giant tortoise named Dash that appeared to have the ‘run’ of the place, finding things to munch on as it made its ponderous way across the lawns.

There was also a rather amusing alpaca that appeared to be performing some kind of semaphore with its right ear. I should perhaps mention here that admission to the zoo is free thanks to a generous gift by Tom and Penny Harenburg and is open to the public from early May until late September.

Although there wasn’t an awful lot to see, it was a nice day and we enjoyed the walk, and before we left the park, we stopped off at the Chief Oshkosh Memorial for whom the city was named. His remains were purported to have been interred at the foot of the memorial but the truth of this appears to be in dispute.

For more on our visit to the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, please check out Flying High

Marsha kindly suggested that the sculptures in this post could well qualify for her Photographing Public Art Challenge so with that in mind, here is the link to her page Publically Going In Circles

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Getting Away

Another timely choice of theme for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge from our guest hosts this week, Rusha and Bert, who would like to see our take on Getting Away. We haven’t been far afield for some time but we did manage to get away on a trip to Wisconsin this past weekend. It’s amazing how many activities you can pack into a single day when the moving force is a three-year old.

Our youngest granddaughter started the proceedings with a demonstration of her ballet skills. I think she has quite an interesting technique.

Next she showed us how to have fun at the beach. Her choice of venue on this occasion was Bradford Beach, just north of Milwaukee, and I was able to get one or two interesting shots while we looked for shells and feathers, including one of the historic water tower nearby and an impromptu exercise class that had been conveniently set up next to the bar. I had to admire their enthusiasm and I joined them in spirit if not in body.

Our final stop of the day was at the Milwaukee Zoo, where we got some useful tips on feeding the goats. In between trying to stop our tour guide from climbing into all the animal enclosures I did manage to snag some shots of a Cinereous Vulture, one of three, who demonstrated clearly why it was unable to make it in the wild.

Also in the same enclosure were a couple of Southern Ground Hornbills. I’m not sure if this was part of a courting ritual but one of them seemed intent on impressing its partner with a dead rodent. She clearly wasn’t interested so he hopped nearer to the fence to show us. I could imagine him thinking, “What’s not to like?! as he waved his trophy around, looking for some sign of appreciation..

A little further on we came across two grizzlies, one of which appeared to be playing a game of hide and seek.

The last shot of the day was of a peacock chick. I’d never seen one before so I was quite pleased to be able to capture this image.

After all that, our tour guide was showing signs of fatigue and it wasn’t too long before she was fast asleep in the back of the car as we made our way home. I was feeling quite exhausted too and although it was great to get away and see the family, I have to take issue with that old saying about a change being as good as a rest.

Square Tops Photo Challenge – The Rock At The Top

This is my third entry for Becky’s Square Tops Photo Challenge. From the natural wonders of our State and National Parks to the man-made cairns on Cana Island in Wisconsin, it’s always good to be top of the heap.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – A River Runs Through It.

This week, Amy is asking us to find a place where a river runs through it for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge. We always seem to be drawn to water on our travels and, very often, rivers feature quite a bit on these trips.  There’s something fascinating about a river as it makes it’s way through so many different kinds of surroundings, from the quiet countryside to the bustle of a big city. The first two shots of the Bad River and its tributary,Tyler Forks, were captured at Copper Falls State Park in Wisconsin.

 

The next three images are of the Eau Claire River at the Dells of Eau Claire in Wisconsin.

The next two places are a little closer to home. The first is the Des Plaines River as it flows placidly through Joliet, Illinois. The next is the Fox River tumbling over the dam at St. Charles.

Normally, the Chicago River would just be gearing up for a busy season of river traffic but who knows what things will be like for the next few months. I’ll miss these familiar sights. I’ll be staying put for the foreseeable future, but these rivers will keep flowing on.  Stay safe, everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Patiently Waiting

This week, Amy has chosen Waiting as the subject for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge.  I know very little about horses, but one thing I’ve noticed is that they are very adept at waiting patiently.  The definition of ‘patient’ is to be able to accept or tolerate delays, problems or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. The definition of ‘waiting’ is the action of staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or until something else happens. Horses seem to have got this down to a fine art.  We humans could learn a thing or two from them.

Places in order of appearance; Wade House in Greenbush, Wisconsin – Fountain Square in Indianapolis, Indiana – Mackinac Island, Michigan – Wausau, Wisconsin – Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago, Illinois – Volkening Heritage Farm in Schaumburg, Illinois (2) – Old World Wisconsin near Eagle, Wisconsin.

Dome Lines

Plenty of lines at The Mitchell Park Domes Conservatory in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for Becky’s Square Lines Challenge.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Countryside Or Darkside

Another brilliant piece of timing by Amy in choosing Countryside for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge this week!  Last weekend we rented a log cabin in the Wisconsin countryside (a first) so the whole family could get together.  Daughters, spouses, grandkids and us, experiencing the joys of country living, at least for a couple of days.  As someone once said, “It’s a great place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.”  Don’t get me wrong. We had a wonderful time but there are just some things that I cannot get used to.

The bugs! My God! The bugs!! If nothing else, the size and quantity of bugs in the countryside make this city girl want to stay close to the city.  When we arrived at the cabin we were greeted by screams and shrieks coming from inside. “Aaaagh! Kill it! Kill it!”  This coming from the kid who once travelled up the Amazon in Peru and trekked through the jungle in Thailand. Even she was having a hard time dealing with the bugs in Wisconsin.

I don’t know why it is, but I feel far less comfortable in the countryside than I do in the city.  My imagination seems to get the better of me and my nightmares threaten to become a reality. Speaking of nightmares, I have this recurring one where I am walking in the country and suddenly come upon a wild animal, usually a lion.  I don’t doubt there is a psychological explanation for it but it makes me very nervous when I’m hiking through the woods.

Everything seems to take on a sinister appearance in the countryside and my fear of birds takes on an added dimension.

Even the most innocuous country scene promises to hide some new danger. Was that a bear I saw lurking among the bushes?

We were obliged to take refuge in the cabin for several hours one afternoon when we heard the sound of someone taking target practice close by.  Apparently I feel far less threatened by all the shooting that takes place in Chicago, even though, looking at it logically, the odds are probably in my favor here in the Wisconsin countryside.  And I probably stand more chance of being mauled to death by a pit bull in Chicago than I do of being dispatched by a bear in Wisconsin. But there it is. Give me the city over the countryside every time, except for short visits.

 

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Gardens

Cee’s choice of subject for her Fun Foto Challenge this week is Gardens. I seem to spend a lot of my time in gardens, my own and much grander ones around the country. It’s something we always look for when we’re traveling and the photo files are full of garden pictures. These are from a recent trip to Madison and the Olbrich Botanical Gardens.

Pull Up A Seat – At Olbrich Gardens

With everything that’s been happening around our house over the past few weeks, I haven’t really had much time to Pull Up A Seat and relax but we did visit Olbrich Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin where I found a few seats that I wouldn’t have minded trying out if we hadn’t been chasing after four very energetic youngsters who didn’t want to stay in one place for more than a few minutes.

APAW – Vanishing Point

Better late than never! Nancy Merrill had her eye on the vanishing point for her Photo A Week Challenge and, going through the photo files, I came across a few images that I thought might work.  The first two were taken at the San Antonio Botanical Garden and the third at a rest area somewhere in Texas.  The fourth picture comes from the Dells of Eau Claire in Wisconsin.

For more on Nancy’s Photo A Week Challenge go to Vanishing Point.