Wisconsin
I didn't get much rest those first couple weeks as Chris was
finishing up her canning and we had chores every day to do like haul firewood
and hay for the real horses. Then the bull kept getting out and I was awful glad
I got to stay home rather than have to herd him up. Chris has two Australian
Shepherds that like to chase cows and chase they do! She says they save her a
lot of work!
One thing I noticed about here is there is a lot of dirt roads, not many
houses and when there is one it is usually a farm. It is real rural here with
black and white cows and big red barns everywhere! Who knew there were so many
black and white cows! Oh, they come in other colors also like brown and white
and even a blue roan color. One strange one I saw was a brindle with wild white
spots. There also is some really hairy ones that look like wooley mammoths that
had a tendency to come visit. They were called Highland cattle and were to be at
their home a few miles away. I guess they liked it here better! I was looking
for some badgers but never saw one. I don't know why they call it the Badger
State but I sure do know why Wisconsin is called America's Dairyland!
Another adventure we went on was to a town called Abbotsford. It is almost an
hour away. Abbotsford is a small town but was Wisconsin's first real town! That
is almost hard to believe when you see it but on the way to opening up the state
to settlers it was the first town settled. There we stopped at a roadside ice
cream and cheese store. There are cheese stores everywhere you go! And after we
stopped there we we drove a little further south and stopped in Colby! Yup,
another cheese place! Turns out Colby is the original home to America's only
native cheese...can you guess the name of the cheese? We went down old Colby
Factory road and stopped at the historical marker telling the story of how Colby
cheese was created.
I guess they ain't called Cheeseheads for nothing!
On the way home we traveled down the Yellowstone Trail which is the road
followed by folks going west for a new life. We stopped in Thorp at the old
corner gas station where I was told about the shower head inside that Al Capone,
the infamous gangster, used to stop at and use on his trips up to his hideaway.
It is still a gas station but they don't let you shower there now.
Then on Sunday we went to Chippewa Falls as Chris was in the Fall Art Show
there and was attending the Artist's reception. I had my picture taken in front
of the gallery which sits on top a huge hill that overlooks the Chippewa River.
We stopped at the river and took my picture there. I was scared I'd fall in as
it was a long way down but all was ok. There is a dam and an old iron bridge
that was neat to see. Chris told me about how when the German people first
started moving to the area they would write home to family in the old country
and tell them of the Chippewa River, how it ran with beer! Now, it doesn't
really run with beer but because of the iron content in the rocks and soil, the
clear waters appear golden and add a little bit of froth and what have you got?
A Leinenkugel! Well, almost...I did get to see the real Leiney brewery too but
because I am under age I wasn't allowed any. That is ok, I prefer water anyway!
Oh, I also got to drink out of a 'bubbler'! LOL. These Wisconsinites sure are
strange...in a funny way!
On the way back we took Hwy. 29 which is dedicated to Veterans. There is a
huge roadside memorial to all the Veterans of all the wars including the 911
incident. I wanted my picture taken in front of the 911 memorial as it was so
touching...
Veterans are remembered and honored all over the area. There is the High
Ground in Neillsville that is just beautiful! It is high on a hill with lots of
paths and statues and even names engraved in bricks along the paths. I could
just feel the deep reverence for veterans of all wars, of all races...Women,
men, Native Americans, all have their own memorial. There are notes and flowers
left by visitors. It is very somber and touching.
Another stop we made was to visit the site of Abe the War Eagle in Jim Falls
(also home of the state's largest hydroelectric facility and largest CHEESE
factory, LOL).During the Civil War Abe was given to soldiers by the Ojibwe in
trade of food as they were starving. As it turns out Abe was hailed as the
soldier's good luck charm as every time they went into battle, Abe would hear
the bugle and get real proud, darting his head in anticipation of the sudden
shock, eyes flashing! The eagle traveled 14,000 miles with the regiment. After
the war he was brought back to Wisconsin and given to the state. The bird has a
two room apartment in the basement of the Capitol in Madison until he perished.
He was then stuffed and displayed. There are many tributes to Abe!
___________________________________________________
I didn't get much rest those first couple weeks as Chris was
finishing up her canning and we had chores every day to do like haul firewood
and hay for the real horses. Then the bull kept getting out and I was awful glad
I got to stay home rather than have to herd him up. Chris has two Australian
Shepherds that like to chase cows and chase they do! She says they save her a
lot of work!
One thing I noticed about here is there is a lot of dirt roads, not many
houses and when there is one it is usually a farm. It is real rural here with
black and white cows and big red barns everywhere! Who knew there were so many
black and white cows! Oh, they come in other colors also like brown and white
and even a blue roan color. One strange one I saw was a brindle with wild white
spots. There also is some really hairy ones that look like wooley mammoths that
had a tendency to come visit. They were called Highland cattle and were to be at
their home a few miles away. I guess they liked it here better! I was looking
for some badgers but never saw one. I don't know why they call it the Badger
State but I sure do know why Wisconsin is called America's Dairyland!
Another adventure we went on was to a town called Abbotsford. It is almost an
hour away. Abbotsford is a small town but was Wisconsin's first real town! That
is almost hard to believe when you see it but on the way to opening up the state
to settlers it was the first town settled. There we stopped at a roadside ice
cream and cheese store. There are cheese stores everywhere you go! And after we
stopped there we we drove a little further south and stopped in Colby! Yup,
another cheese place! Turns out Colby is the original home to America's only
native cheese...can you guess the name of the cheese? We went down old Colby
Factory road and stopped at the historical marker telling the story of how Colby
cheese was created.
I guess they ain't called Cheeseheads for nothing!
On the way home we traveled down the Yellowstone Trail which is the road
followed by folks going west for a new life. We stopped in Thorp at the old
corner gas station where I was told about the shower head inside that Al Capone,
the infamous gangster, used to stop at and use on his trips up to his hideaway.
It is still a gas station but they don't let you shower there now.
Then on Sunday we went to Chippewa Falls as Chris was in the Fall Art Show
there and was attending the Artist's reception. I had my picture taken in front
of the gallery which sits on top a huge hill that overlooks the Chippewa River.
We stopped at the river and took my picture there. I was scared I'd fall in as
it was a long way down but all was ok. There is a dam and an old iron bridge
that was neat to see. Chris told me about how when the German people first
started moving to the area they would write home to family in the old country
and tell them of the Chippewa River, how it ran with beer! Now, it doesn't
really run with beer but because of the iron content in the rocks and soil, the
clear waters appear golden and add a little bit of froth and what have you got?
A Leinenkugel! Well, almost...I did get to see the real Leiney brewery too but
because I am under age I wasn't allowed any. That is ok, I prefer water anyway!
Oh, I also got to drink out of a 'bubbler'! LOL. These Wisconsinites sure are
strange...in a funny way!
On the way back we took Hwy. 29 which is dedicated to Veterans. There is a
huge roadside memorial to all the Veterans of all the wars including the 911
incident. I wanted my picture taken in front of the 911 memorial as it was so
touching...
Veterans are remembered and honored all over the area. There is the High
Ground in Neillsville that is just beautiful! It is high on a hill with lots of
paths and statues and even names engraved in bricks along the paths. I could
just feel the deep reverence for veterans of all wars, of all races...Women,
men, Native Americans, all have their own memorial. There are notes and flowers
left by visitors. It is very somber and touching.
Another stop we made was to visit the site of Abe the War Eagle in Jim Falls
(also home of the state's largest hydroelectric facility and largest CHEESE
factory, LOL).During the Civil War Abe was given to soldiers by the Ojibwe in
trade of food as they were starving. As it turns out Abe was hailed as the
soldier's good luck charm as every time they went into battle, Abe would hear
the bugle and get real proud, darting his head in anticipation of the sudden
shock, eyes flashing! The eagle traveled 14,000 miles with the regiment. After
the war he was brought back to Wisconsin and given to the state. The bird has a
two room apartment in the basement of the Capitol in Madison until he perished.
He was then stuffed and displayed. There are many tributes to Abe!
___________________________________________________
