Relaxing trip to Wyalusing

We decided to go on a hike to Wyalusing State Park. There was a fair breeze and I figured we could stick to the shaded trails up on the bluff to take advantage of the shade and the light breeze.

With all the bright greens, I thought it would be fun to limit myself to my Infrared camera and shoot IR black and white.

I did bring a filter that allowed the camera to shoot in regular light. The greens and the sunlight through the trees were stunning.

The contrasts in B&W IR are startling. The 850nm light spectrum
shows green as white which gives the whole world a different look.
This filter also shows water and skies as black, and highlights barely perceptible clouds in the sky.

These are shots from deep in the woods from the Sentinel Trail.

This trail is has some demanding areas to negotiate.

The best part of this hike was being able to sit on some rocks and just have some peace and quiet while listening to the forest around us. Charlie enjoyed the rests, Hannah wanted to keep going.

I had brought plenty of water and snacks for the dogs to keep them occupied while we just chilled out.

In these shots, one can see how Hannah compares to Charlie. She weighs the same as Charlie, but Charlie is a small compact dog that has the Dachshund build and muscular body.

Hannah is slender, long, and taller. She looks as though she was built for running.

Her terrier energy seems boundless.

When we got to the 'stairs' I had to be cautious. The dogs are supposed to stay on a leash and I used the double leash. Hannah wanted to rush down the stairs and Charlie had to take one at a time. I may have to figure out a different way to handle that next time.

The double leash worked great until Charlie got tired.

At that point, I pulled out a separate leash for Charlie so Hannah wasn't pulling him.

More stairs!  👇

Our 5 mile route took us down to the boat launch at the Mississippi River.

We spent more time relaxing at the launch and cooling off to take the hike back up to the ridge top.

Hannah was in heaven when I tossed sticks into the river. She does everything with a certain amount of pure exhilaration. 7 seconds of fun....

Charlie got warm and tired on our way back up the Long Road. I tried to stick to all the shady spots, but at one point, Charlie just sat down and looked up at me. I can't refuse my pal so we took more breaks and a few times I lifted him up and carried him.

This is the Long Road ~ 

Seriously, that is the name of this trail/road that leads to a boat launch on the river at Wyalusing State Park. I walked this last fall with Charlie and was struck by the beautiful gentle curves through the forest.

November 3, last year...
It is amazing how different times of year
and the light changes the look of places!

Our last stop was a picnic table overlooking the overlook.

We had a fun trip and were tired enough for short naps when we got home.

I was relaxed and ready for the workers to show up on Thursday and my meeting with the person who has been our Financial Consultant for 14 years. 

Wyalusing trails: Old Immigration Trails and Old Wagon Trail

We arrived just as a snow squall/sleet settled in for the first 20 minutes or so of our hike. I figured it was perfect weather for us to tackle the steep trails.

So we did.

I'd forgotten Charlie's orange canvas safety jacket last week when we hiked at KVR, but we never saw or hear another human.

This was the case here too. We started before 10 am and finished at 12:30pm. Again, we were not in a hurry, we were browsing the Park instead of working for pace. 

Charlie picked the pace once more, so there were stops for sniffs and stops for photos. A few times I just stopped and watched a Kingfisher, Juncos, and Redtail Hawks down by the Wisconsin River. There was no hurry to get anywhere.

I'm still trying to get used to that feeling. I followed the Sentinel Trail past the connection to the trail I wanted so I could check a lookout. 

This is where it can get confusing. Sentinel Trail has a branch to Old Immigrant Trail. I wish they still handed out paper maps of the trails.

Don't try to read this map, I'm sure it is too little. However before I went I circled the areas on a pdf file that interested me for this time out and had it on my cellphone.

I returned to the Old Immigration Trail which went down to the confluence of the two rivers and headed along the backwaters of the Wisconsin River to join up the the Old Wagon Trail. Going up or down the bluff is a real workout.

I ascended 821 feet and descended 824 feet. Yeah. The ascending was a bit of a puffer.

There was so much to see and admire with the leaves gone. Tumbled boulders, cliffs, bluffs, birds, and backwaters.
I'd recommend the trail by the river and backwater  NOT be hiked during mosquito season. I found evidence of a lot of spring wildflowers along the river too. 

So this trail is definitely worth the walk in early spring since I found Hepatica, Anenome, and Ginger leaves along the trail. Imagine nearly 3 miles of wild flowers next to the river! 

Imagine a spring hike along this trail!

Below is a map of the hike I did. I really enjoyed it so much. One would think there was nothing to see this time of year. But I found so much to look at.

Here is the V in the trail behind Charlie. This is one of the areas where the hiker drops below some very incredible bluffs.

I understand that some of them develop ice sheets in the winter and there are climbers who climb the ice formations.

[That is JUST nuts!]

In places, there were stairs made out of stones and railroad ties. Lots of stairs to prevent erosions from foot traffic and keep the trail from being slippery.

If a person had bad knees, this would not be a happy trail for them. 

From the look out points, the scenery was pretty amazing  even with the grey skies. I was so taken by the reflections in the backwaters of the Wisconsin River.

When I got down next to the backwaters, the scenes were pretty breathtaking too. The first shot is taken looking west towards the railroad.

The second was taken looking north in the same area I'd looked down on from the lookouts.

It is stark and brown, but I found it beautiful in its own way. I think this could be a good area to watch for birds in the spring.

Our hike was 5.41 miles according to the Garmin Smart Watch I was using that tracked my route and steps. 

The route was not super difficult but there is a lot of ascents and descents that would tax most hikers.

The views and scenery is beautiful and well worth it.

Charlie and I made it back to our vehicle and we sat in the parking lot and had our packed lunch.

By noon thirty people started showing up. I counted 2 other vehicles.

I rather liked hiking on a Monday with some snow and sleet and cold weather. We had a great time.

Charlie was tired and actually slept in his new to us doggy car seat.

I have only a few days before hiking stops for a while. 

I may have to break out my Lego set to do while I what for the hunters to leave the state parks, private lands, and state natural areas.

Travels with Charlie....

Tuesday became an explore day. At first I was going to take Charlie in his bike trailer for a ride. Then I thought about another place nearby that I've always wanted to see. It is a small park alongside the Pine River in Richland County.

It's called Pier Natural Bridge Park. It has a little playground, a picnic shelter, and a rock formation that formed a bridge or tunnel. It has 10 acres and some interesting sights to see.

I thought it might be a nice place for us to have a late lunch.

When we first got there we tried out the long stairway to the top of the rock formation that is called a finger. It rises 60 feet above the Pine River. 

Charlie had to figure out the stairs and he did a good job. Not easy for a short legged doggy with a long back.

We walked along the half mile 'finger' and enjoyed the views through the pines.

You can't visit this place without walking through the long crack in the rocks. Charlie and I spent some time inside the 'tunnel' of rocks which had  a nice breeze whispering through it to cool off.

[Disgusting that people felt the need to add graffiti here.]

Cool breezes!

Charlie and I had a picnic lunch at one of the many picnic tables that were scattered all around. There are also benches made by a Scout Troop along the top of the rocks placed so a person can sit and enjoy the sights.

Pano of three shots stitched together from my OM-5 camera.

The Pine River is also a fairly popular little river to go kayaking on so there is a spot for taking your kayak in and out of the river in the park. 

I was actually surprised by the amount of visitors that stopped for a little bit while I was there. There was enough room that felt like we had the place to ourselves.

I think I will come back in the winter and then again in the spring to see how this place looks.

There is nothing more impressive than feeling so tiny next to a 1/2 mile finger of rock that is 60 feet tall. I took this shot of a car that pulled up and parked next to the tunnel entrance for a size comparison.

Let's just say, it was small, worth it, and scenic. Not to mention, a nice place to have a picnic and a nice little dog to accompany you.

By the way. Charlie is getting better about car rides. He used to whine and complain all of the time and now he is settling in with a lot less commentary about my driving.

I seriously adore his company.

We plan to try out the pet bike carrier this week too!

Quiet day

The Supervisor decided he needed to sit on hubby's lap and oversee his 'couch realm' today. He is definitely shows a preference to hubby.

I am just the slave to Charlie. I feed him, potty him, walk him, and tend to all non couch needs.

Charlie waits most mornings until Rich gets up before he gets up. 

During morning Imbd TV, Charlie rests with his head on Rich's leg.

Don't get me wrong, the dog loves his long walks. Yesterday we got a nice one in and Charlie got to chase two squirrels and one rabbit. 

He spent the afternoon snoozing next to The Boss. Rich has even allowed Charlie to occasionally take naps with him on the bed!

The afternoon...while the guys snoozed, I washed the stairs and peeled off the old butterfly stickers. I was ready for something different. I was going to leave them plain, but I like something on the stairs so it isn't all one color and to give the steps definition while running up and down them.

Yeah,

I'm a dork.

It was fun adding some cheer to the stairs. 
I think this summer I may repaint every other stair white. The paint I use is porch paint and it really holds up well to foot traffic and washes up nicely. 

IF I had my way, the walls in the house would not stay pure white. I would add color here and there. 

I brought in the rocking chair I have on the porch. I'd purchased it two years ago for about $5 dollars. I painted this chair last year with a few different bright cheery colors.

I was going to hand paint a design on it, but then decided to go with some of the leftover stickers I had.

Done!
It sits on the porch to greet folks as they walk up to the house.

I sit in the rocker often during the summer. Lazy afternoons are spent there reading or just day dreaming. Charlie has a rug I put on the bench and he sits on that so he can observe the yard from a higher perch.

My last thing of the day was to order fencing supplies to re do some of the mules' gates and add a third electric line for Mr. Pony Baloney and Goatie Goat to graze some problem areas. They cleaned up a hillside for me last summer so I have an area for the two of them to work on this year too. I have to replace some insulators in the woods where deer have gone through the lines and busted them.

Today? I pick up my new glasses! It will be nice to be able to see the distance again. Poor glasses may have been a big part of my continuous headaches over the past year.

Stupid things

Hold the scythe...
There won't be any war on burdock for the moment.

The other night I decided the windows in the upstairs bedrooms should be closed. So I charged up the stairs without turning on the lights and had stuff in both my hands.
Do you see where this may be going?

I apparently did not remove the little fan that blows the A/C air down the stairs and I forgot about it until I tripped on it and the next thing I know is I feel a crush against my chest and even with both hands that flew out and dropped stuff...I landed on the fan. Against the ribs on the left side.

So at first I just stayed still to see if I could still breathe. I could but the contact points where I landed felt like I'd been kicked by a huge mule. Then I wondered if I'd awakened Rich. I didn't. He never heard the noises I'd made.
Next I slowly pushed myself in a seated position so I could see if I could sit up.
I could and I was able to still breathe.
Well, I could breathe fine, just not huge deep breathes.

I stayed sitting and wondered how I would have handled it if I'd really hurt myself.
Well.

I turned on the lights, noted that I didn't break the fan. I shut the windows and carefully went back downstairs. I found some pillows and a blanket and made myself a 'nest' on the couch with an icepack.

How embarrassing, how stupid. How dumb. All thoughts that ran through my head. One little thing. Of course in the middle of the night I was thinking how just one small little thing like that could cause a life changing event.

Oh. And I was pretty sure I'd bruised the ribs and all the muscles in that area. Bummer. I wasn't going to CrossFit until they healed up.
Funny how the mind works in the middle of the night.

I went to see a doctor at the clinic. I didn't go the first day, it was too painful to drive. At the urging of my husband and a few of my CrossFit friends texting...to ask 'What did the doctor say?'
I went.
I was able to see a nurse practitioner who was a CrossFit nut like myself. She isn't currently doing it but we know all the same people. She was empathetic and understood my disappointment at hurting myself.

Xrays. No broken bones.
The treatment is the same for fractures and bruising. Though I don't have any skin bruises which surprised me. But that may be because the fan was plastic?

Anyway, the intrinsic muscles all the way down my left rib-cage are strained and sprained. Ice/heat, Tylenol, and a muscle relaxer were what she suggested.

So I may have to put the war on Burdocks on my list for later or not at all.

So what did I learn? Well turn on the lights? Don't rush?
You can bet that I won't do that again.
Well.
Not for a while.

I may have to take the Killer Fan and dispose of it.

Just Doodling

I started with this.
And then I started to just doodle with a pencil.

And then I started to doodle with paints.

I should have thought this out because after I got the doodling in, I realized I needed to repaint the white surface as it looked dingy with the bright new colors.

So, I went and got wood filler for the cracks and filled that in. Then painted the large area white and took a small brush to do the areas in between the doodles.

I also got the bright idea of making some trim around it, as if to frame the design in the middle.

Okay, my work flow is a bit bass-ackwards, but it is turning out nicely.

There. That is the almost finished stair landing. I won't be doing any more doodle marks, but will leave it as is. It feels just right to me...not centered, not symmetrical, and certainly it stands on its own. It doesn't match any other color in the house which is fine with me.

I need to put a couple of layers of clear coat on it to "hopefully" help it survive foot traffic when I have company. I may put a soft rug over it during that time too.

I like it.

The ol' Grumpy Guy didn't complain at all. He watched Netflix and was more worried about what I was making for supper. He didn't have an opinion on the landing at all. At least he didn't voice one.

....The upstairs awaits.

Rich did ask what I called that stuff on the landing.

I couldn't explain it...

But then I found this...

It just comes out of my subconcious.
If you asked me to draw you a doodle, I couldn't do it.
~~ Lois Frankel

That sums it up in a nutshell.

Inside work is the Pits, but...

....
sometimes you just have to do it. ~~~~~~
Cold wet rainy weather has prompted me to work on some indoor stuff.

The other night I had trouble sleeping so I went upstairs and laid down for a while.
When I came downstairs in the near dark I realize that even with my glasses on, the stairs all blended into a blob. I'd asked two years ago to alternate green and white on the stairs for better vision, but was voted down.

I came up with a solution.
The stickers come off without ruining the paint.

While butterflies are not my style, I had a bunch of them leftover from using them on a porch chair. I also tossed a few on the front of the stairs.
Hubby looked at them from across the room and told me I had all sorts of dirt on the stairs. His face was priceless when I told him they were butterfly stickers.
When I explained that they were a safety thing, he just shrugged.

[I would have loved Dragon Stickers, or something fun...just saying, the kid in me lives.]

I had walls to wash and cobwebs to conquer before my pals arrived for their next weekend.

I started by moving everything on the south side of the room away. Washing walls, using a broom and a vacuum to get all the gunk that collected there over the past summer.

While I was doing that, I decided to look for something in the basement. Uh-Oh. Three hours later I came up with an armful of winter gear to wash and two boxes of 'stuff' that hasn't been worn or looked at in two years.
I also brought up the paint to finish the work I started right after the Little House Remodel.

I begged to paint the walls around the big doors to the washer and dryer a neat green. I was met with that face of disgust.
I should have done it anyway. The green would look awesome with the pine doors.

I did these two walls in a jiffy.
The green can be seen below, that is the entry way to the house...

I want to do just one wall a different color in the bathroom just one little wall.
HE says no. I say yes. He says no.

I may paint it white now and add what I want at another time.

I asked to put up my favorite photos. HE said no. I said ... why not?
"I like the walls nice and blank, no clutter."

The good fight will continue. I was told that I could use 'the wall' opposite the washer and dryer to display my artwork and photography.

Grumpy ol' Cuss.

Meanwhile, upstairs I started back in on the west room.
A bit of hammered bronze spray paint and a bling sticker on some of the outlets.
Why not? It is my special creative room when no one else is here.

Re-arrange furniture to clear up one wall for Still Life Photography.

The rest of the room is still in a bit of dissarry but I'll get to that later. On the desk ... which I can NOW use, are wall stickers to create a silhouette of a tree.
I have a space to put it. Ol' Grumpy has no idea what I am doing.
The in wall Air Conditioner will be wrapped up and insulated for the winter in about a week or so.
It is ugly and I don't like it there, but it keeps the whole house cool on hot summer days and it IS no longer in the window.
So I will live with it for now.

I bought some wall/multi use contact paper and made a 'wooden' table. The contact paper is supposed to be easy to use. I will need practice to do what I'd like to do...

I think this would look neat on the wall behind this flip out bed...

Or it would look neat on the landing which is now old ugly plywood painted white.
The contact paper wouldn't stand up there I don't think.

So I got out a pencil and started free drawing some designs.
It will occupy my time coloring it all in with lots of colors of paints this winter.

If the Ol' Grumpy guy doesn't like it, he can install the nice piece of linoleum that we have saved for this spot.
I could install it, or I could have someone help me.

But why not do some doodling first?
I can always cover it up with something.

I'm thinking of putting some more photos up. Rich keeps telling me I can't as we need to finish the trim.

I'm ready to go get some lessons on the thingy out in the shed that cuts up the wood and make my own trim and put it where I want it.