These days I travel a bit less, but still find stuff that makes me wonder...

This guy has been threatening the parking lot with an axe since I was a kid...  Paul Bunyan of Wisconsin timber lore, stands next to his "trusty" ox Babe... 

I grabbed a lunch at the "Cook Shanty" last week.  I knew going in I would remember my own kids eating here as well as my mom and dad also.  The memories were so wonderful!   I am sure that many of my blog followers have such a memory about a place in Japan, Germany or Brasil... this was a little piece of my own history and I liked the trip down memory lane!

Then it was on to yet another graduation.  Another gymnasium full off talented young people on their way to do great things.  I applauded all of them! Oh, and here's a short update on Hazel too.

Hazel was out on morning patrol when she ran up to a coyote... I let her out arounf 5 AM and she was wondering the tree line, when I saw a deer pop up and then run off. I was happy and a bit relieved she did not give chase. Then a few seconds  later I saw what was chasing the deer... a large coyote who was now focused on hazel.  Hazel has only ever known the chance meeting of another dog and understood no danger.  She's small and gets run over in the dog park... so when I saw a 60 lb coyote bounding after her along the tree line it was all I could do to run towards her and shout. 

She was a good 300 feet away and the coyote was almost right next to her when I bellered some sort of indescribable "you stay away." Braugh....something...as low I could make my voice go and as big as I could make my body be!

As fast at the situation came about... the coyote turned an ran off, Hazel started to follow... only I yelled REALLY loudly to come, and it was over.  Phew, crazy English Setter! 

More road side oddities to come! Think Badger!

Summer has been wonderful!

By the way, anyone ever hear of the fore runner to the North American Big Foot fable?  Ever hear of the Hodag... more about that in my next post!

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Another commencement!

This time at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.  Always inspirational, watching an arena full of young and talented people process to the stage and receive their degrees is a genuinely joyful experience. But first a couple of odd paintings from the restaurants I go to these days...

Not a roadside oddity per se, but worth posting. Kind of a Grant Wood - American Gothic - only with black bears...

And this classic - The Bear Dance...

Yes, indeed.

So we went down to see a young lady who has worked hard and achieved much graduate! 

Anyone recognize these guards?

I took a programming class from IBM in downtown Milwaukee back in the late 80's and these carvings were in the lobby back then...

You are correct if you guessed the Pfister! We rolled through the night before commencement... There are a few hotels, like the Black Hawk and the St Paul that ooze 1930's charm.

Always an enjoyable experience, the murals and paintings remind me of Europe

Whoa, what's this?  A time capsule!

The Panther Arena - the venue for UW-M's spring commencement.

An arena full of parents and loved ones here to see their graduate receive a degree.  Energy, happiness and a little pride! This is about an hour before the show started.

This is where it all happened!

Always a wonderful time!  Congratulations to all of the newly minted engineers, architects, B-School grads and so many others - well done!

JRO, here's to you and soon your own new orange tassel - all my love!

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Spring has arrived with the clatter and bluster of a really good storm!

 I ran across this wonderful quote published upon the recent death in a family I knew and thought I'd share it... spring is a time for reflection and these words put some order to our priorities.

"At the end of life, what really matters is not what we bought but what we built; not what we got but what we shared; not our competence but our character; and not our success, but our significance. Live a life that matters. Live a life of love.” (author unknown).

Oh boy! The first big storm of the season and it is headed towards me!



All set! I even tucked the car under an eve... just in case!

And... Meh... the whole front stayed South!  A lot of "heat lightning" but this was just the first storm.
Everything is now very green, and the trilliums are starting to pop up.  Spring time!

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Rare treat to see some touch ang goes...

An F-16 Fighting Falcon of the AZ National Guard in Tucson

What?  A T33A Shooting Star on static display

What a cool roadside oddity. The T33 was one of Kelly Johnson's Lockheed creations.  Amazingly, these started flying in 1948! 

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Tin Man Driving Tractor

Well, thisonewas too good to pass up!

Strange but true. The Tin Man got a heart and is now farming in Southern Wisconsin...

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