First-off there are too many raccoons around these parts. And while they're more trouble in an urban environment they're murder on ground-nesting birds, they crap in the deer stands and they're carriers of parasites and diseases.
They're so common on the trail cameras most days I give thought to setting a trap and thinning the herd.
Almost a month-apart (to the day) here are digital images of five raccoons together. What are the odds?
Oftentimes known as SRV, Stevie Ray Vaughan was the guitarist and frontman for Double Trouble. He is singularly considered one of the most influential musicians in the history of blues music and one of the greatest guitarist on the planet.
Like many talented musicians he struggled with substance abuse for most of his short life; nevertheless, he turned things around, began flying straight and level, and commenced touring again with Double Trouble in late 1986. His fourth and final studio album In Step climbed to number 33 in the US in 1989. Including his hit single Crossfire; the album was both a critical and commercial success.
His mainstream career spanned only seven years; cut short on August 27, 1990 when he, and four others, were killed in helicopter crash after a performance at Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wisconsin. An acquaintance of mine was witness to that performance and the tragedy that followed.
Good thing someone had the presence of mind to tape this. Live at The El Mocambo, Toronto, Canada, 1983......
Twenty four years ago I was driving to the office listening
to WHAD’s Tom Clark interview someone in New York City. The interview was punctuated by the
interviewee in New York noting that first responders had been dispatched
following initial reports of a small plane crashing into one of the World Trade
Center towers.
Arriving at the day job I
found Mike had live coverage of the smoking tower on the television in his
office. Details were sketchy. As we speculated upon the crazy notion of how
someone could possibly fly into a skyscraper a second plane crashed into the
other tower - a commercial airliner. We
knew then that it was no small aircraft that struck the first. That tower collapsed and we watched until the
second structure fell.
Four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda on that day. So as we reflect-upon the solemnity of this anniversary let us not forget
that that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi Arabia citizens. Dozens of well-connected Saudis had fled the
United States on chartered flights in the days after 9/11. The House of Saud is a notoriously loathsome
collection of individuals. The gruesome murder and dismemberment of
Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi is further evidence of its odious persistence.
As far back as the early 1980s I enjoyed multiple opportunities to tour the towers. This photo was snapped on the observation deck. I have some photos of Connie Chung doing a live broadcast from the CNN studio. I’ve even dined at the 107th floor Windows on the World restaurant.
That day almost two and a half decades-ago was a seriously bad day. Strange how all of the details remain so fresh
in the present day. My Pearl Harbor life event I suppose.
Ask if you would include the Saudi royal family among your friends.....
From an earlier walk we found this perfectly camouflaged katydid perfectly blending in with the shadows.
Kermesse, or kermis, or kirmess,
is a Dutch
language term derived from 'kerk' (church) and 'mis' (mass) that became
incorporated in French and English. Its origins are originally
associated with the mass said on the
anniversary of the founding of a church (or the parish) and in honor of
the Patron Saint. Such religious celebrations were regularly held in
the Low Countries, in Central
Europe and also in Northern France, and were accompanied by feasting,
dancing, drinking
and sports.
The
Dutch-American Village of Little Chute, Wisconsin, has celebrated Kermis
annually since 1981 with a street festival. The Wallonian settlements in
Door and Kewaunee Counties have celebrated Kermis with traditional
Belgian dishes and events for as long as anyone can remember.
Traditionally, Kermis around here stretched over several calendar weeks as each small settlement - Namur, Brussels, Rosiere, Little Sturgeon, Forestville, Lincoln, Duvall and Casco celebrated the harvest and the life-giving bounty of food.
Getting back to the subject of culinary traditions I happened-upon this short video published only a few years ago. I'm sharing it as it is about the tradition of hog butchering in both English and Walloon. Walloon is a national treasure around these parts as it's actually an endangered 'Romance Language' of the Langues d'oïl family - spoken primarily in the Wallonia region of Belgium.
One of the elements of the past that is alive and well is a local favorite called Belgian Trippe.
Trippe (pronounced like: trip) is a sausage similar to a bratwurst but with a not-so-secret ingredient. The thrifty Belgian settlers extended their pork sausage with the inclusion of cabbage. Further seasoned with onion, salt, pepper, thyme, nutmeg and ginger it is made locally by Marchant's.
It's pretty good stuff for breakfast, lunch or dinner and you won't find it anywhere outside of northeast Wisconsin.
Here's a newspaper clipping from 1963 with a recipe for 60+ pounds of the sausage for serving at a Kermis - or Belgian harvest festival....
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From our walk we took a moment to check on our burgeoning vineyard - wild grape, likely Vitis riparia - Riverbank Grape or Frost Grape.
Seems like too much work when I can just purchase Merlot by the box; nevertheless, perhaps there is wine-making in my future?
This is a common hawk around these parts and remarkably sometimes captured digitally on one of the trail cameras. Like this one from the last batch of photos we recently uploaded.
Don't take my word for it; if you go to the 'LABELS' feature on the left side of the blog homepage you can click on Red-Tailed Hawk or Raptors to see previous posts on the subject.
This bird comes in a range of colors stretch from dark brown to almost white. Typically they're shades of brown, white breast and a distinctive rust-red tail. Both sexes are similarly-colored with the female being slightly larger in size. Yes, you'll find photos here of a pair.
They raise one brood a year and the young of the year don't develop the red tail until the second year. Contrary to what the book says - this species is found here year-round.
Here's a captive (rescue) bird; providing a good look at the talons found on this raptor.
If a raptor goes to a nail salon do they get a manicure or a pedicure?
It has been a terrific year for tomatoes; half the number of plants and just about the same yield at harvest. I have a couple of San Marzano tomato plants that are not growing in rich volcanic soil in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. The are thriving in crappy, Door County clay soil and are absolute tomato factories. Consequently, our diet features tomatoes at virtually every opportunity.
Tomato tart, tomato seafood stew, venison bolognese, caprese salad, you name it.
Just the other day I found myself with about 5+ pounds of ripe, San Marzano tomatoes so I whipped-together eight pints of homemade salsa and canned it for winter use.
We all know the uncomfortable truth; that our lover affair with fresh garden tomatoes is a brief and fleeting dalliance. Incredibly sensuous; and short-lived. By the time January rolls-around and Ma Nature is hurling freezing sleet against the windows and temperatures hover in the single digits we all would consider felonious behavior to get our hands tomatoes such as these.
Can 'em while you got 'em.......
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| Prevention.com |
Near the dawn of
time, the story goes; Coyote saved the creatures of Earth. According to the
mythology of Idaho's Nez Perce people, the monster Kamiah had stalked into the
region and was gobbling up the animals one by one. The crafty Coyote evaded
Kamiah but didn't want to lose his friends, so he let himself be swallowed.
From inside the beast, Coyote severed Kamiah's heart and freed his fellow
animals. Then he chopped up Kamiah and threw the pieces to the winds, where
they gave birth to the peoples of the planet.
Yote - short for
coyote, Wile E. Coyote, Canis latrans. If
you were to inquire of a wildlife biologist they would tell you that there are
nineteen subspecies of coyote that are exceedingly well-adapted to living in
urban, rural and wild America.
The trail cameras confirm that this year's fawn class is growing into young adulthood. In a few instances the fawns are almost the size of mom.
In this instance curiosity seems to have gotten the best of this one.
A couple of years ago I noted and celebrated the 50th anniversary of my high school graduation from James Madison High School in Milwaukee. The Mighty Knights. This song figured significantly in that period as it was the theme song for a high school prom - Knights In White Satin.
Composed by Justin Hayward it was featured on the album Days of Future Passed. It was originally released as a single in 1967 barely charting in the US. When reissued in 1972 the single rose to number two in the US on the Billboard Hot 100 making it the band's most successful single in the US.
Nights In White Satin was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
This is a terrific 1970 live recording from my favorite city....
From our walk this morning there was more than a whiff of autumn in the air.
From one of our morning walks we kept a sharp eye peeled and took note of the acorn crop materializing on the swamp and bur oaks. Deer hunting should be good this fall with natural mast food sources.
Another first.
From our walk there was white turtlehead (Chelone glabra) is a native perennial wildflower known for its distinctive white, two-lipped flowers that resemble a turtle's head. It thrives in moist to wet soils, such as those found in swamps, stream banks, and rain gardens, and prefers full sun to partial shade. This plant is a valuable host for the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly and attracts pollinators like bumblebees and hummingbirds.
On a recent visit to the Naked City we took some time to take a stroll through a new park in our former community; Wauwatosa’s Firefly Grove Park.
Meet Mama Rosa, a towering 24-foot troll sculpture created by world-renowned artist Thomas Dambo. She's the first of his trolls in Wisconsin and a striking symbol of sustainability and imagination.
Made from trees recycled from Wauwatosa's urban forest and other materials from the city, Mama Rosa weighs over 4,000 pounds and features flowing hair crafted from oak branches. In her hands, she holds a bouquet made from old Wauwatosa streetlight posts—an artistic nod to her curious, flower-picking nature.
The park is a one-of-a-kind experience featuring a picnic shelter, accessible play area for children of all ages, a pump track for BMX and mountain bikes, a living willow hut, sledding hill, walking paths and stormwater management features that filter up to 600,000 gallons of stormwater during major rain events. There is a solar power facility at the park that reduces its carbon footprint, LED lighting from repurposed city lamp posts, landscaping incorporating native trees and plants and future plans to connect with the Oak Leaf Trail.
Firefly Grove Park was built 100% with grant funding—no local property tax dollars were used. "Mama Rosa", was funded using hotel and motel room tax revenue—specifically through Wauwatosa’s Tourism Commission, intended for tourism and community attractions.
Check it out; it's located at 1900 North 116th Street in Wauwatosa, WI.
Antlers are unique among mammalian structures because they are the fastest-growing bone in the animal kingdom. While growing, they’re covered in a fuzzy skin called velvet, which contains blood vessels, nerves, and nutrients that fuel rapid growth.
Scientists study velvet antlers because they are a rare example of a mammal regenerating a large, complex organ each year—making them a model for regenerative medicine and bone growth research.
From the trail camera trap line there are velvet bucks....
Quercus bicolor - the swamp white oak - is a North American white oak species. A key player in our overall reforestry plan we planted thousands of them decades ago. Its acorn development follows a fairly consistent cycle, typical of white oaks, but with a few species-specific traits.
The cap is distinctive - shallow and scaly - covering about one-third of the nut, often with loose, fringed edges. The acorns reach full size (about 1–1.5 inches long) in September–October and are light brown to chestnut brown when mature. They drop to the ground soon after ripening, and because they lack a dormancy requirement, they often germinate in the same autumn if soil conditions are optimal. They're dispersed mainly by gravity, squirrels, and jays.
This species of oak tends to have high acorn production in mast years, but irregular cycles with bumper crops every 4–7 years. As a wildlife food source they're relatively sweet (low tannin) compared to red oaks, making them highly favored by deer, turkeys, ducks and squirrels.
I have an aux naturele bait pile.....
Just down the road from where we live you will find our local Field of Dreams in the tiny town of Kolberg Wisconsin. It's a regulation ball park with a small set of bleachers, a new fence and backstop along with a new concession building including bathrooms. Home to the Kolberg Braves - included in the lineup of teams belonging to the county's baseball league.
We spent yesterday afternoon with friends for the last game of the season. What a spectacular summer afternoon in the shade with a cold beer or two, brats, peanuts admission and parking for a fraction of the cost of VIP parking at American Family Field in Milwaukee.
In the first week of September, Mars will lie low in the west and near Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. You’ll need a clear western horizon to spot them in the evening twilight. Then on September 12, Mars will line up with Spica, which currently shines much brighter than the red planet. After mid-month, Mars will become more difficult to spot low on the western horizon. Mars will be descending more each night this month, setting with the sun by month’s end.
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