Autumn in Wisconsin

I don't have pix of what I did yesterday. I actually accomplished a lot but I don't think you want to see my clean bathroom or the buttons sewn on a sweater or the box of things I'm accumulating to donate to Goodwill. I had planned on making some doll clothes but instead I spent my afternoon finishing doll clothes that needed the final touches and not starting anything new. I did these things yesterday by staying indoors as it was cold and cloudy all day and finally, rainy late in the afternoon. I did make a pot of chili and it was the perfect supper on such a day.

When I look out my window today, I see more gray skies and rain threatening weather--and it continues to be cold!  I thought I'd grab some photos off the internet to show you what Autumn in Wisconsin is supposed to be like. :)  

I grew up in neighboring Minnesota near the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul. However, I chose to head up North to Bemidji for college and my first job was in Duluth. All I can say is my heart is in the Northland and I never wanted to return to the metro area. (My husband, however, has a different viewpoint of the North and its long cold winters!) I love the clear and pristine lakes of northern MN and WI--the two states are quite similar in geography I think--so the first picture is of one of these lakes showing it's fall foliage a bit. I would love to be sitting under these trees on a warm Indian Summer day, with a good book, or a bit of embroidery to pass the time.

Since I lived about 12 years in Duluth/Superior, I fell in love with Lake Superior.  This looks like part of the North Shore, with the waves crashing against the rock cliffs.  This amazing body of water is never the same from one day to the next.  It's as large as the sea and I'm always amazed that Mother Nature has created such an awesome body of water.

This is an image of Lake Superior's South Shore, or as we refer to it here in Wisconsin, the "North Coast."  I love going to the towns of Bayfield, Ashland, Washburn and Cornucopia as I did in the days when I was self employed and made many road trips to these charming little towns on the South Shore. 

I had to include this picture of the caves of Sand Island in Lake Superior. I took my first kayaking trip to these caves along with my son when he was 15 or 16 years old.  It was just amazing to be able to bring our kayaks right into the caves!  In the winter, if the lake ice is strong enough,, people can hike the two miles from shore and go into the caves.  As for me, I'd rather paddle out there on a warm summer day!

Wisconsin is still known as the Dairy State and wherever you travel, you'll find these kinds of farms and barns.  More and more of them are sporting brightly painted barn quilts and I'm always trying to spot them. This barn could use a bright barn quilt!  

I tried to get a picture of a couple of black and white Holsteins in an autumn field but couldn't find any that were any good, so we'll have to make do with these brown cows.  They may be Jerseys or Brown Swiss--I'm not that good at identifying cows other than the prevalent Holsteins.  But I like the picture of the farm at sunrise. Or is it sunset?

Of course, there have to be corn fields in harvest time. Usually the corn plants look like they've been sheared off about a foot above the ground after the combine has gone through, but in this field, the farmer has gathered the corn stalks the old fashioned way into shocks.

Wisconsin isn't all rural areas.  Madison and Milwaukee are the two largest cities and Milwaukee is a wonderful city in my opinion. I love going there for the parks, museums, theater, terrific restaurants, and just browsing through the old ethnic neighborhoods. When we lived in the southern part of the state, I spent quite a bit of time there including 2 years of graduate school at UW--Milwaukee.  Now we usually go to spend time with my son and his family.  I still love this city on the shore of Lake Michigan.

That's my little travelogue of Wisconsin in Autumn.  I hope you enjoyed it.  In case you haven't guessed, this is my favorite time of year.  I think I'll spend a bit more time today gazing at these beautiful warm and sunny pictures instead of looking out my own window. And later I will definitely make some doll clothes!