On the Waterfront: Port Washington, Wisconsin

It has been gorgeous here in Southeastern Wisconsin lately.  Like, insanely gorgeous!  Normally by December 1, we have at least half a foot of snow on the ground and everyone is either digging out their snowshoes and gassing up their snowmobiles or stocking up for a long hibernation (sometimes until May).  But last Friday it was sunny and 50 degrees outside, so I decided to head up to Port Washington, a charming city 30 minutes north of Milwaukee right on Lake Michigan.  It was my first time there, and it was even better than I expected.

Port Washington is the closest I've seen to a New England town that I've been able to find in Wisconsin.  I love the rocky shoreline and the long piers jetting into the water.  When I got there, I headed right to the lakeshore and had a quick lunch of a very tasty fish sandwich at Smith Bros. Coffee Shop, located in the Duluth Trading Co. building, which used to be Smith Bros. Fish Shanty (you can see their original sign above).

One of the reasons I've been wanting to visit Port Washington is because of its new Port Exploreum, a maritime museum.  For many decades, starting in the 1840's, the port was used to export wood, wheat & rye flour, bricks and fish, and was a well-known place for commercial fishing.  However, both shipping and commercial fishing have seen a rapid decline in recent years.  The museum's current exhibit highlights these industries and, subsequently, some of Lake Michigan's most notable shipwrecks.

The lower level of the museum has a lot of interactive games for families, and a video where you can experience what it looks like to take a boat ride on the lake.

The most famous landmark in Port Washington is the Pierhead Light (also known as the Breakwater Light), which gets photographed often, including earlier this fall when hurricane-like winds pounded Lake Michigan and caused waves as high as the lighthouse itself.  I spent most of my time down at the lakefront taking photos of the lighthouse from all different angles as well as the city itself from a long pier over the water.

 

 

The lake shore has a lot of interesting statues including this one that pays tribute to fishermen lost in one of the lake's shipwrecks.

 

The day was so beautiful, I saw a lot of people out walking, biking and, of course, fishing:

Port Washington is a city I would love to go back to again and again.  Not only does the city celebrate its shipping and fishing history, it also has a great shopping district of unique shops & restaurants, fun summer festivals (all revolving around fish) and the largest number of surviving Pre-Civil War buildings in Wisconsin.  I would go back just to see those.  And now that I know how easy it is to drive up there, it may become one of my go-to road trip destinations!

First Snow of Fall 2015

Southern Wisconsin received its first accumulation of snow this weekend.  Although it's rare for us to get snow before Thanksgiving, it's not unheard of.  I went out this morning and took advantage of the sun and freshly laid snow to get some landscape photos around Hoyt Park in Wauwatosa, not far from where I live.

 

The interesting thing about having snow this time of year is the juxtaposition of the remaining fall color and the wintery dusting.

 



I don't know how long this round of snow will last since the temperature is supposed to go back up into the 50's again later this week.  And, I'm sure we will all be sick of the snow by February, but for right now, it sure is pretty.

Favorite Flower #2: The Chrysanthemum

In a previous post, I showed my collection of photos of one of my favorite flowers, the Dahlia.  Another one of my favorites, especially this time of year, is the Chrysanthemum (or just plain "mum").  Like the Dahlia, they come in many different types and colors and look pretty alone or in bunches.

Chrysanthemums are native to parts of Europe and Asia, cultivated as an herb as far back as the 15th century.  They were brought to the United States by Col. John Stevens and planted into the Elysian Fields in New Jersey.  One type, known as "Garden Hardy Mums" can survive northern winters, which is why they last so long where I live.

I visited the Mitchell Park Domes last month, where they showcased mums in their Show Dome.  I was amazed at how many different types of mums were on display from the Irregular Incurve (pictured above) to the Spider mum:

There is also the Semi-Double variety, probably the most popular:

 And the Decorative variety:

Chrysanthemums also come in Reflex, Anemone, Regular Incurve, Spoon, Quill, Pompom and Brush.  You can learn more about these different types here.

As I mentioned above, one of the reasons I love mums is that they are really the only type of flower you see in their prime in late fall around Wisconsin.  I love going to the farmers markets and seeing their bright colors all around.  They are always the last burst of color before we head into cold, gray winter.

I'm sure you can still see these vibrant, happy flowers at any botanical garden or farmers market for the rest of fall and, maybe, into winter.  They really do brighten any dreary day!

Art, Nature & Progress: O'Donnell Park & the Milwaukee Art Museum

Milwaukee is continuing to grow.  Recently, a first-class hotel was built by the Potawatomi tribe as part of their casino, drawings were just unveiled yesterday for our new arena for the Bucks basketball team, and, in my own area, Wauwatosa, the Mayfair Collection has added Osgood's, an upscale casual dining and ice cream treat restaurant.

I went down to the Milwaukee Art Museum this past Thursday, and finally got to see the construction being done on what will be the tallest building in Milwaukee, the remodeled Northwestern Mutual building.  You can see the skeleton of the building above.

Here is an even better photo of the progress being made.

I also took some time, in the sunny, 70 degree weather, to walk around O'Donnell Park, which is located just west of the Milwaukee Art Museum, and considered to be the divide between downtown and the east side.  We still have some gorgeous autumn color to see.

I also took a photo of "The Calling" a sculpture famous in downtown Milwaukee, designed by artist Mark di Suvero in 1982.  The Art Museum sits to the bottom right.

I couldn't leave without taking some more photos of the Art Museum itself.  The museum is closed for remodeling and expansion, except for its temporary exhibit, gift shop, and café.  It will re-open on November 24.

 

Finally Fall: My Visit to the Mequon Nature Preserve

I don't know about you, but it seemed like it took forever for fall to officially come to Southeastern Wisconsin.  Usually, by early October, our trees are completely painted in fall color.  But it took until the third weekend of this month to be able to get photos of the gorgeous red, yellow and orange leaves.  To do this, I decided to venture out to the Mequon Nature Preserve, a 400-acre park north of Milwaukee that has six nature trails, an observation tower, an education center, and ecologically-friendly wetlands.

Not only do they have large parcels of forest, but they also have a nursery for the cultivation of new trees.

I was pleasantly surprised by all of the autumn color in the trees, especially the vibrant orange leaves.

The Preserve hosts educational field trips where schools can come in and learn about the environment including hikes through the trails.  And there is no fee for the visit.

I decided to try something new with the forest photographs, mostly because I had seen other photographers doing it.  I raised by camera and shot up into the trees wherever I saw color.

I love how some of these came out with the contrast between the blue sky, the autumn colors and the remaining green trees. 

I also like how the trees look almost like watercolor paintings (at least I hope they do)!

The Mequon Nature Preserve is a really nice place to take a quiet, leisurely, relaxing hike in the middle of Milwaukee, and a great place for children to learn about the environment.  I will definitely go back!

 

Not Quite Fall in Wauwatosa

Normally at this time in October, we residents of Southeastern Wisconsin, are enjoying the palette of golds, reds and yellows that fall presents.  But this year, autumn is a little shy, and we still have many areas, including my city of Wauwatosa, mostly in the green.  However, I've been stuck at home for the last three days with a head (and now) chest cold, and was desperate to get out today and take some photos now that I'm feeling better.  So, I went to one of our local parks, Hoyt Park, home of the city pool, to try and get some shots of any fall color I could find.

The most popular place to take photos in Hoyt Park is its bridge across the Menomonee River.  In fact, while I was trying to get a good photo of the bridge (which was difficult so late in the day), I witnessed a wedding party, complete with Pomeranians, and two high school seniors getting their photos taken on the bridge.

There was at least some color to break up the green trees on the long walking path that borders the Menomonee River Parkway.

I had to try to get one last good photo of Hoyt Park's bridge before I left.  But, I think I'll try to go back early in the day next weekend for a better photo.  Hopefully, there will be more colors on the trees!

Wordless Wednesday: Autumn Vibrance

For this week's Wordless Wednesday, I'm posting an old photo but one of my favorites, especially now that this year's fall color is gone. 

Have a happy, safe, and filling Thanksgiving everyone!

Meetup at Holy Hill

Yesterday, I went out with members of one of my Meetup groups to Holy Hill in Hubertus, Wisconsin, about an hour northwest of Milwaukee.  Holy Hill is a very sacred retreat where, it is said, worshipers come to find healing.  There are many things to see and do at Holy Hill, including many masses performed in their chapel throughout the day.  But many people come to Holy Hill to climb the steep steps all the way to the top of one of the towers to see the beautiful scenery.

This time of year is a great one to visit Holy Hill since, when you reach the top, you can see miles of fall colors.  And the area is still mostly made up of farms and hiking trails so there is a lot of color to see.

 

The above photo shows part of the tower that visitors can take the stairs to the top. 

 



This sign shows visitors just how many steps they will be climbing if they decide to go all the way to the top.  I only made it about 3/4 of the way before my legs couldn't take any more.  Also, I was now at a higher altitude so my breathing wasn't the best.  But, I made it most of the way, and took some shots from the lower observation area of the fall colors.  The only bad part about yesterday was that it was very cloudy.

 Once we got back down, we went around the Basilica to take photos.  They have statues of all 7 stations of the cross located there.

And this is one of the entrances to the Basilica.  You can also enter from a couple of doors inside the tower.

Many people from all over the Midwest come to Holy Hill each weekend.  It's also a popular place to camp during the summer.  For more information about Holy Hill including its history and mass times, please click here.