Mary Louise Eklund

Tag: Lake Michigan

  • Superstorm Sandy’s Wind Came to Wisconsin

    Superstorm Sandy’s Wind Came to Wisconsin

    Thankfully we weren’t slammed by Sandy like Cuba and the upper East Coast of the US were.  However she did get here going against the usually pattern of getting our weather from the West.  We got mostly winds from the storm.

    One night when it was in the upper 20sF here we got a wonderful ice ring around the moon.  Bigger than my house- here’s a few photos of it.

    ice ring around moon from Sandy moisture (2)

    ice ring around moon from Sandy moisture (1)

    ice ring around moon from Sandy moisture (6)

    ice ring around moon from Sandy moisture (4)

    The next day the wind rolled in and we got some great waves. Many people were out at the point and on the beach making pictures of it. I was one of them. Rappy went with me and enjoyed the crowd much more than the waves. The waves scared her. Our usually blue lake was brownish being churned up by the high winds.

    Lake Michigan after Sandy 1

    Lake Michigan after Sandy 16

    Lake Michigan after Sandy 13

    Lake Michigan after Sandy 20

    Lake Michigan after Sandy 32
    TAKE MY PICTURE BRO!

    Lake Michigan after Sandy 27

    Lake Michigan after Sandy 33

    Lake Michigan after Sandy 25

    Lake Michigan after Sandy 30
    Looking back to town big waves
  • Milwaukee Lake Shore Parks Watch the Skies

    Milwaukee Lake Shore Parks Watch the Skies

    Three planes make smoke loop in sky

    On Sunday Mike and I went to the Milwaukee Air Show. It’s held out over Lake Michigan. It’s free you just have to stake a seat in one of the many beaches or parks along the lake shore in Milwaukee. We chose to pay for parking it was convenient and the money went to the parks that were hosting the event. We chose to sit near the marina and watch the planes over the masts of the sailboats.

    It started at 10am. However we didn’t wake until 9am, having an aversion to setting alarms on the weekends. We had flopped into bed pleasantly exhausted from the picnic, zoo viewing, and car shopping (still haven’t bought). Needless to say we didn’t hop in the car straight from bed to race the hour to Milwaukee. Instead we got ready quickly and got up there after it started. When we spotted the loop in the air there we knew we were getting close.

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    On the drive in we passed the skyline and the Art museum. I started spotting planes and enjoy the parks. I’d not been down to the parks on the lake shore they were beautiful on the way in and out. I can see why they are gold medal winners. If you visit Milwaukee in Spring or Fall (too hot in Summer and OOH SNOW ick in Winter) take drive down and visit the parks. Maybe enjoy a stroll there after taking in the Art Museum!

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    We saw the water walker. It’s an apparatus where you have jets of water pumped down and they lift you up. There’s photos of it after the jump and a few more on my Flickr. Mike had read about it in the Sunday paper. You can rent it by the hour. Interesting to watch that’s for sure not sure I’d want to do it. It looks hard to keep balance to me. Then again I’m not known for coordination, that’s why they didn’t name me Grace.

    It was a great day on lake enjoying beautiful weather, watching planes, and relaxing. Enjoy the photos of the day, you can click on one and be taken to my Flickr account where there are more for the browsing.

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  • Lunch With The Animals

    Lunch With The Animals

    Racine Zoological Gardens, Racine, Wisconsin

    Saturday Mike’s employer (he’s a reservist) had their annual company picnic at the Racine zoo. It was a lovely day for it. Clear, sunny, not too hot, great weather for a picnic. The zoo sits right on the shore of Lake Michigan so we added the lake breezes as a bonus.

    Racine Zoological Gardens, Racine, Wisconsin

    The great thing about this picnic is we didn’t have to haul food and tend it. We just showed up and were treated to a great meal and then walked it off looking at the sights and animals of the zoo. Join me for a photo tour. If you want more click an image to be taken to my Flickr account and you surf images there until your heart is content.

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  • Restoring the Keeper of the Light

    Restoring the Keeper of the Light

    Kenosha Light Station, Simmons Island, Kenosha Wisconsin
    Kenosha Light Station, National Register of Historic Places #90000995

    Saturday when I attended the Pike River Rendezvous the Kenosha History Center was having a fund raiser for the restoration of the Simmons Island lighthouse. I made a donation and toured the  keeper’s house as well as a bit of the lighthouse. The house is completely restored downstairs. Upstairs is in process with one room is complete.

    I didn’t go all the way up in the lighthouse. The deck up there was closed so there’s not much to see at the top. It was extremely hot so I just went up part way and enjoyed the wonderful wrought iron stairs in there. Why don’t we make every day things beautiful any more? Like stairs and warehouses?

    The lighthouse and the keeper’s house were built by the federal government in 1866. It is 74 feet above lake level. The light only operated for 40 years but light keepers lived in the house until the 1940s. There are other harbor lights they tended and posted weather warning flags on this lighthouse. It is being currently being renovated. It’s funded by donations and grants. It was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1990.

    Kenosha Light Station, Simmons Island, Kenosha Wisconsin

    Enjoy the tour after the jump. Until next time!

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