June 3

The last day in St. Petersburg before we finally begin travel by boat.  It was a cruise, after all.  This would be a long day not unlike the preceding one – a visit to Peterhof Palace on the morning; St. Petersburg by canal in the afternoon.  Let’s begin . . . 

[This may or may not have been Goulash soup night, but this is where I found it in my jumbled literature.  Whenever, it was yummy!!]

[On the road to Peterhof Palace, about 30 km (or 40 minutes), west of the city, past the now familiar highrise contruction projects . . . ]

[The Super has settled in for the trip . . . ]

[Lot of activity going on here . . . ]

[Pretty in Pink . . . ]

[Donning a winter coat?]

[And then, there it was . . . ]

[The Peterhof Palace is a series of palaces and gardens located in Petergof, laid out on the orders of Peter the Great. These palaces and gardens are sometimes referred as the “Russian Versailles”.  The palace-ensemble along with the city center is recognized as a UNESCA World Hertitage Site.  The dominant natural feature of Peterhof is a 16-m-high bluff lying less than 100 m from the shore. The so-called Lower Gardens (Nizhny Sad), at 1.02 km² comprising the better part of Peterhof’s land area, are confined between this bluff and the shore, stretching east and west for roughly 200 m. The majority of Peterhof’s fountains are contained here, as are several small palaces and outbuildings. East of the Lower Gardens lies the Alexandria Park with 19th-century Gothic Revival structures such as the Kapella. Atop the bluff, near the middle of the Lower Gardens, stands the Grand Palace (Bolshoi Dvorets). Behind (south) of it are the comparatively small Upper Gardens (Verhnyy Sad). Upon the bluff’s face below the palace is the Grand Cascade (Bolshoi Kaskad). This and the Grand Palace are the centrepiece of the entire complex. At its foot begins the Sea Channel (Morskoi Kanal), one of the most extensive waterworks of the Baroque period, which bisects the Lower Gardens.  (Wikipedia)]

[A brief stop at the entry so Alexey can ‘splain stuff to us – like how to find your way back to the bus!]

[And we’re off . . . ]

[This is the two-headed eagle rooftop feature . . . ]

[We were told to walk toward the two-headed eagle to find our way out . . . ]

[And where the two-headed eagle resides in the grand scheme of things . . . ]

[Gathering for final instructions, the Super grinning at something on her tablet . . . ]

[Again, the gardens will be more fun for me than slogging through the crowded palace interiors . . . ]

[Fortunately, we fit the bill . . . ]

[Inside now, looking out onto the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea . . . ]

[Here’s Peter!  The world has oft been told he was Great!]

[The model, or doll house, of the palace . . . ]

[Once again chagrinned these places don’t come with escalators . . . ]

[Ceiling art, amongs other things. The lady in the immediate foreground was our shipboard neighbor, from an English-speaking country not ours . . . ]

[Another “selfie” heaven . . . ]

[Alexey notes there is a lot of art in this room . . . ]

[The Super takes advantage of a rare near-empty room for a photo op . . . ]

[My footies on the floorie . . . ]

[Catherine II]

[Suspect Catherine, though I can’t find this one in the literature . . . ]

[Gold ballroom . . . ]

[Thought a work of significance, but of what do I know?  Can’t find it anywhere?]

[White Dining Room . . . ]

[The Picture Hall . . . ]

[Floor in the Portrait Hall . . . ]

[Tsarina Elizabeth Petrovna, 1760 . . . ]

[A room with lots of great china . . . ]

[A room with lots of green chairs . . . ]

[A rather modern looking model – I think they snuck in a ringer?]

[Somebody slept here . . . ]

[Peter’s man cave?]

[The great outdoors . . . ]

[The Peterhof Marine Canal to the Gulf of Finland . . . ]

[Let’s go exploring . . . ]

[We’re beginning our walk down through the grounds to the Gulf . . . ]

[Looking back at the palace . . . ]

[The Super with a new friend . . . ]

[Admittedly, a rather grand place . . . ]

[As I point out here . . . ]

[You’ll notice here the top is a cross; our two-headed eagle way out is on the other side . . . ]

[A tree-top canopy walk . . . ]

[To the land of fountains in Lower Park . . . ]

[Discovered just off the beaten path . . . ]

[Looks like Paul Revere; allegedly another statue of Peter . . . ]

[Not Peter, but maybe they dated . . . ]

[The Sun Fountain . . . ]

[Monplaisir Historical Palace Museum . . . ]

[This is where we are now – we ambled to the right (on the map) of the Great Palace on the Upper Park and then down to Monplaisir on the Lower Park waterfront . . . ]

[The museum gardens . . . ]

[The “Sheaf,” the main fountain at Monplaisir . . . ]

[The Gulf of Finland . . . ]

[In the distance, the Lakhta Centre skyscraper . . . ]

[The Lakhta Center is an 87-story skycraper currently under construction in the outskirts of Lakhta in St. Petersburg.  Standing 1,516 ft tall, the Lakhta Center is the tallest building in Russia, the tallest building in Europe, and the 13th-tallest building in the world.  The Lakhta Center is also the second-tallest structure in Russia and Europe, behind Ostankino Tower in Moscow.  Construction of Lakhta Center started on 30 October 2012; it was topped out on 29 January 2018.  The center is designed for large-scale mixed-use development: composing of public facilities and offices.  The Lakhta Center is intended to become the new headquarters of Russian energy company Gazprom.  (Wikipedia)]

[Of course, there was controversy (no, not involving Trump).  As the historical centre of St. Petersburg has become a World Heritage Site since 1990; the World Heritage Committee opposed the construction of the 400-metre tower of Okhta Center as it would affect the cityscape of historic Saint Petersburg.  In December 2006 UNESCO World Heritage Centre Director Francesco Bandarin reminded Russia about its obligations to preserve it and expressed concern over the project.  In 2007, the World Monuments Fund placed the historic skyline of St. Petersburg on its 2008 Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites due to the potential construction of the building, and in 2009 reported that the tower “would damage the image of Russia.”  During the 36 session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO held in St. Petersburg in 2012 it was stated that a large area of St. Petersburg falls within preservation and buffer zones provided for UNESCO World Heritage Sites. That is why it is good for the city that the Okhta Center, which had been planned by Gazprom in front of Smolny Cathedral was moved to Lakhta.  (Wikipedia) (Stock photo of the building)]

[The beautiful waterfront at Monplaisir . . . ]

[The Super with a trident friend . . . ]

[Looking over to the pier . . . ]

[A last glance back at Lakhta . . . ]

[Now we had to fast step it back to the Great Palace for the fountains show . . . ]

[And here we go!!]

[Let there be fountains!!]

[Woo-woo!]

[Beautiful day, beautiful venue . . . ]

[Heading back now in the direction of . . . yes, the two-headed eagle . . . ]

[On the bus back to the boat.  Could that be a golf course?]

[Yes!!]

[Back to “our” bridge for lunch.  Part 2 will be our afternoon cruising the canals of St. Petersburg.]

The secret of good politics?  Make a good treaty with Russia.  ~  Otto von Bismarck

Up Next:  Part 2

September 3

Is it just a coincidence that my birthday (tomorrow, actually) generally coincides with the Labor Day holiday weekend; or was this weekend chosen for Labor Day because it coincides with my birthday?

[Firstly, the Super got me a set of nifty new wheels . . . ]

[Jami took advantage of the situation to abscond with my old wheels!]

[Roy-san got me a cool Pachinko game . . . ]

[The kids came up with a little light reading for me . . . ]

[We met the new neighbors . . . ]

[Discovered our new winery . . . ]

[Enjoyed fine outdoor dining . . . ]

[Enjoyed the winners of instrumental album (CD?) of the year . . . ]

[Noshed at Whitey’s in Minneapolis with a Department of Labor colleague from the last century . . . ]

[Ate bean & ham soup, a personal favorite . . . ]

[Went to a William Kent Krueger book signing at Cherry Street Books, but his book, Desolation Mountain, had sold out already!]

[Joined a bajillion people at the winery on a beautiful day for Robb Justice and the Loose Canyon Band . . . ]

[While Jami and friends were enjoying Hamilton in Minneapolis . . . ]

[Jami did deign to join us after Hamilton . . . ]

[To help mom out with some stuff . . . ]

[On the dock of Lake H2Obert . . . ]

[And to pose on the dock (blind shot holding the camera out over the water . . . ]

[And sit on the patio . . . ]

[Kiss mom goodbye until next weekend . . . ]

[Drive off in her “new” wheels . . . ]

[And the first result of house upgrades, with Jami’s assistance . . . ]

[And hope to be around again next year to write some silly stuff about my 72nd!]

Addendum

The actual birthday, at the Depot, where I got the 71% discount for being . . . 71!

First you forget names, then you forget faces, then you forget to pull your zipper up, then you forget to pull your zipper down. ~ Leo Rosenberg

Up Next:  If I don’t finish Russia, it’s never going to get done!

June 2

Let’s go for a walk through St. Petersburg . . .

[When last we left you, we were entering the St. Petersburg subway system for a ride “downtown.”  Well, here we go . . .]

[As I recall, this was the longest escalator ride in the world. The ride down took 3 1/2 months (but seriously folks, it takes 5 minutes and you can see it on YouTube). Dr. Kiehne seems relieved to be reaching the bottom . . . ]

[Sasha finds us on a “where you are” map.  Pam captures the map for posterity . . . ]

[Here comes the train . . . ]

[Most places you go in the world, you can figure these things out.  Cyrillic, however, makes it really difficult . . . ]

[You gotta love the “up close and personal” aspects of big time subway systems (Marcus, this is where we really mixed with the locals) . . . ]

[And now coming up and out . . . ]

[The subway stations are works of art in themselves . . . ]

[We’re out on the street, Sadovaya Street specifically . . . ]

[And across the street is the Majestic Hotel.  This lavish downtown hotel occupies an 18th-century building in St. Petersburg’s prestigious Golden Triangle, and lies within 1 km of Kazan Cathedral and the Russian Museum. (the hotel site)]

[Adjacent to the Majestic.  “DOM” in Russian means residential building, house, home.]

[Back on the main street, which you will recall from your studies, is Nevsky Prospekt . . ]

[Not John Lennon . . . ]

[Window shopping galore. . . ]

[Catherine the Great, Ostrowski-Platz on Nevsky Prospekt . . . ]

[With the Alexandrinski Theater, one of the most famous theaters in Russia, in the background . . . ]

[And a flower bed in the foreground . . . ]

[Ozzy?]

[Eliseyev Emporium Coffeeshop, famed in song and story . . . ]

[Eliseyev Emporium is a large retail and entertainment complex, including a famous food hall, constructed in 1902–1903 for the Elisseeff Brothers. Located at 56 Nevsky Prospekt, the complex consists of three buildings, although the corner one is the structure that is referred to as Elisseeff’s store or shop. Designed by architect Gabriel Baranovskii, it is one of the most striking examples of St. Petersburg Art Nouveau architecture, although at the time of its construction the building was considered controversial. (Wikipedia)]

[A “flapper”?]

[From the outside . . . ]

[I want one of those!]

[If you can’t cross a wide, busy street, walk under it . . . ]

[Bookvoed, a bookstore where an author was doing a public reading . . . ]

[Teaspoon . . . ]

[It’s a restaurant . . . ]

[18th century Armenian Church . . . ]

[Pedestrian window shopping traffic jam . . . ]

[If Ozzy, why not Freddie?]

[Tom climbs to greater heights for a photo op . . . ]

[The Belmond Grand Hotel Europe vies with Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg and Hotel Astoria for the title of the most luxurious five-star hotel in Saint Petersburg.  One of great hotels of the 19th-century Europe, the Grand Hotel Europe opened its doors to the public on January 28, 1875, replacing an earlier inn situated on the same site. Its marble-and-gilt interiors, sweeping staircases and elegant furniture have attracted crowds of well-to-do visitors, including Ivan Turgenev, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Claude Debussy, H.G. Wells, Igor Stravinsky, Gustav V of Sweden, Elton John, Jacques Chirac and Bo Savander to name only a few notables who lodged there.  (Wikipedia)]

[You could tell it was a big time place when we saw a group gala-dressed movie stars, rock stars, models (???) were entering the building . . . ]

[Pushkin in front of the Russian Museum in Arts Square . . . ]

[Their main man, Alexander . . . ]

[Walking . . . ]

[Walking . . . ]

[Until we came upon the walkways along the Griboyedov Canal . . . ]

[Beautiful day; all of St. Petersburg was out for a walk . . . ]

[With our ultimate destination being the Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood . . . ]

[Incredible piece of architecture . . . ]

[Find shade, take photos . . . ]

[The Super provides perspective . . . ]

[As we circled the church, more reminders of the upcoming World Cup, just a few days away . . . ]

[We were not allowed to take any photos inside – so here’s a stock photo stolen off the internet . . . ]

[Back outside and on the other side of the canal . . . ]

[Remember the “movie stars” at the Grand Hotel?]

[Well, in my defense everyone else was taking her picture too . . . ]

[Meanwhile, back at the World Cup . . . ]

[Without amber, there would have been no Jurassic Park . . . ]

[One of my favorite photos of the whole trip.  The only identifier, nothing in Cyrillic, for what seems likely to be a sandwich shop . . . ]

[And there are hostels (hoping to quell any hostilities?) . . . ]

[And cafes, hotels, and art halls . . . ]

[Chicago?]

[Obviously some sort of official building . . . ]

[Alexander Column in the Palace Square . . . ]

[Walking toward the Atlantes of the Hermitage, the portico of the Winter Palace . . . ]

[And here they are:  In classical European architecture a column is often replaced by a sculpture in the form of a man supporting whatever is above him. This is called an atlas (plural atlantes) although the figure is not portrayed with the world on his shoulders.  The portico of the final addition to the Hermitage complex of buildings in St Petersburg has ten atlantes carved from dark gray granite holding the ceiling at head level. They were carved by the sculptor Alexander Terebenev, who needed one hundred and fifty assistants to complete this task. Terebenev himself worked on the faces and assistants were assigned specific parts of the figures.  The figures are very detailed and realistic with well defined muscles. Even the veins of the feet are delineated. The Portico is located on Millionaires Street a short distance from the Palace Square.   (www.360cities.net)]

[With Notre Dame (?) in the background (OK, see following soon) . . . ]

[The Super has a foot fetish . . . ]

[Why, yes, I was the model for the sculptures . . . ]

[Shooting through the Hermitage . . . ]

[Alexander Column with the General Staff Building in the background . . . ]

[OK, that’s St. Isaac’s, not Notre Dame, in the background . . . ]

[The Hermitage . . . ]

[The Admiralty Building with the spire . . . ]

[Tom photo ops the Hermitage . . . ]

[A different view of Alexander Column . . . ]

[The Palace Square readying for the World Cup . . . ]

[Back on the Neva, a big time photo op locale . . . ]

[Dr. Kiehne sure thinks so . . . ]

[Liteyny Bridge . . . ]

[I wonder if “Mister Sandwich” is horizontally integrated with “Bread & Meat”?]

[Peter the Great as a boat builder on the bank of the Neva . . . ]

[Liteyny Bridge again . . . ]

[The Building of the Admiralty . . . ]

[St. Isaac’s Cathedral in the Admiralty district . . . ]

[Mindful of the Golden Dome at Notre Dame?]

[On the Senate Square, Constitutional Court building . . . ]

[A college mall lookalike . . . ]

[Peter the Great . . . ]

[And, St. Isaac’s . . . ]

[Cinderella?]

[Making sure I have enough shots of St. Isaac’s . . . ]

[Admiralty Building . . . ]

[A final goodbye to St. Isaac’s . . . ]

[The people who make our boat work . . . ]

[The evening is just beginning, but first – let’s eat!]

[Of course, I have no recollection of whatever it was . . . ]

[But it looks good?]

[And wrapping up with a couple of desserts . . . ]

[Amazingly, we’re still all awake as we await a Cossack folk music and dance extravaganza in a tent parked next to our boat . . . ]

[Get down, get funky . . . ]

[Let’s boogie . . . ]

[How do you like that contrabass balalaika?]

[Just stepped outside at intermission to catch the sunset . . . ]

[Intermission is over . . . ]

[Joined by forcefully volunteered (ha!) audience members . . . ]

[Back in the USSR . . . ]

[Wow, this was a long day! And another one coming the following day!!]

St. Petersburg is a gem of world culture and Russia’s most European city.  ~  Valentina Matviyenko

Up Next:  More Russia?

August 23

[So let me entertain you, and we’ll have a real good time . . . ]

[The Super and I arrived at Theatre L’Homme Dieu for a year-end fundraiser for the campus facilities and to celebrate the end of another wonderful season . . . ]

[Executive director Nicole Mulder, and Board member Phil Eidsvold and his crack committee went all out for this production number.  It was perfectly suited for a “resort elegant” dress code for the 100-something guests . . . ]

[But first, the bar area highlighting the auction items: Cabo San Lucas, Newport Beach, and “Hamilton” in either Chicago or Minneapolis.  Oh, and the lead-off item was a night of fine dining at the “Merc”!]

[The Super said this is all well and good, but as for us – a new house, a new car, and a couple of trips on the horizon . . . ]

[And they’re arriving . . . ]

[The blur is Nicole – an executive director always in action . . . ]

[The key to fundraising is to show them what it’s for . . . in this case, leading tours through the 100-year old cottages in serious need of plastic surgery . . . ]

[And then going back to the staff cottages, built by the high school in the late 70’s but untouched since, until one enjoyed a volunteer makeover this year . . . ]

[“Looks pretty good,” says the Super . . . ]

[Nicole lays out the scenario for a long range plan.  Like all long range plans it takes time and money . . . ]

[Let’s go back for dinner . . . ]

[Well, maybe not yet . . . ]

[More time in the full-service bar is always fun . . . ]

[I think we’re being filmed . . . ]

[And filmed by drone!]

[And the surprise entertainment!  Six Appeal, from Minneapolis, recently back from Moscow where they won first prize out of a 180-group, 16-country a cappella competition!  Quite a get by Nicole!]

[Let the good times roll . . . ]

[The Super takes a photo of our Table 11 . . . ]

[Our table mates, known far and wide as great table mates . . . ]

[And for our dining pleasure, many thanks to the Garden Bar on 6th . . . ]

[The Super and I opted for the salmon, our favorite at their restaurant . . . ]

[Nicole, in the background, greets the attendees . . . ]

[Then Phil took over as the evening’s emcee . . . ]

[Let’s make some pledges!]

[The weather forecast called for a possiblilty of evening rain – but fortunately, it turned out to be a beautiful evening . . . ]

[Six Appeal performed intermittently, to the delight of all . . . ]

[The long range plan for this arrival area should be a crowd pleaser . . . ]

[I told you it was a beautiful evening . . . ]

[The classic lodge on the left, while a fun place for apres-play parties, is in dire need of botox injections . . . ]

[Yes, we have a great campus for this kind of stuff . . . ]

[Bar activity ebbs as dinner arrives . . . ]

[And as we dig into our entrees . . . ]

[Mmmmmmmmmm!]

[Photos all around – Lisa, another board member . . . ]

[No hydration shortages at our table . . . ]

[Let’s put it all in motion . . . ]

[Thanks to the Wedum Foundation beginning with a matching sum, we may have netted over a hundred grand!  Woo-woo!  Many thanks to all the donors!  So maybe you’ll join us next year?]

Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.  ~  Bill Nye

Up Next:  I’ve got to get back to Russia.

August 4

Pack, have breakfast, say good-byes, go home . . .

[The Gang of 10 on the last morning. We arrived in 3 vehicles from Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, and Minnesota – we would similarly depart. The DOM had an itchy shutter finger so I’ll just go with all his photos . . . ]

[As requested by the DOM, so why not join the party?]

[I SURVIVED A WEEK IN A SORORITY HOUSE! Yes, the only guy in Rappaport this week – with five co-ed housemates. They tolerated me because I did the dishes.]

[Bill volunteered to be the photographer and thus was absent from the final Gang of 10 photo . . . ]

[The drive home begins by skirting giant Lake Winnebago, here heading downhill into Fond du Lac at the south end of the lake . . . ]

[Then by Oshkosh and its airplane legacy . . . ]

[And the last photo of the trip, in Oshkosh, see y’all again next year!]

Of all the paths you take in life make sure a few of them are dirt. ~  John Muir

Up Next:  Back to Russia . . .

August 3

The previous day we visited beautiful gardens; on this day, on our own, we would visit beautiful toilets . . . 

[You recognize this as the beginning to every day . . . ]

[Today was a road trip.  With six of us partaking, we took Reetz’s mini-RV.  I guess the Super volunteered to be the pilot; Anne the co-pilot . . . ]

[Our destination, the Kohler Design Center, in Kohler of all places (just outside Sheboygan) . . . ]

[Where it’s all about bathrooms.  We have been here before, but it’s always worth another visit . . . ]

[Such abounds – too cool!]

[Bathtub guy . . . ]

[Reetz reprises her bathtub role from the previous day . . . ]

[Never pass up a selfie op . . . ]

[Why yes, I do believe in a 16-bathroom house with one bed is all one needs . . . ]

[You’re flush with possibilities here . . . ]

[“Intelligent toilets” sound scary – like what would they do if they took over?]

[Let’s try level 2 . . . ]

[It really is like touring an art gallery . . . ]

[Foot massage? Please!]

[And thank you!  Bubbly?  Why not . . . ]

[I’ll take it!]

[Can you install it by next week?]

[Cordial?  Sure . . . ]

[Another selfie, but we lost the Super . . . ]

[OK, got her . . . ]

[Is the chauffeur back yet?]

[Would you please ask the butler to bring my nonsmoking jacket . . . ]

[Reetz thinks this would look just fine in her log home . . . ]

[“The Thinker”?]

[Or just a man alone with his thoughts and bunions?]

[Our “favorite” bathroom just keeps coming . . . ]

[“The Biddies” have discovered nirvana . . . ]

[Bill thinks, “What the . . . ?”]

[No bathroom would be complete without one . . . ]

[Peel me a grape . . . ]

[Would someone please draw my bath? Then a brandy and a Cuban cigar would be nice too.]

[Northwest motif?  Why not . . . ]

[The Kohler history is in the lowest level . . . ]

[And Whistling Straits is now part of their legacy . . . ]

[It must be lunch time . . . ]

[Untitled, but it appears the informal name of the following sculpture is still available?]

[The nickname for this guy in Bamberg, Germany, is “The Headache.”]

[The American Club – not a bad choice.  Welcome to The American Club®, a five-star, five-diamond hotel that has stood as an icon of gracious hospitality for 100 years. Set in the quaint Village of Kohler, Wisconsin, the full-service resort hotel offers elegant accommodations and unparalleled service. The adjacent Carriage House, home to Kohler Waters Spa, offers the same renowned service with a more contemporary ambience. (From its website.)]

[Just across the street, Kohler Company General Office Building . . . ]

[Entrez . . . ]

[Lunch destination is . . . ]

[Here . . . ]

[Is this another selfie?]

[Back in the RV, heading back to camp . . . ]

[In camp – Cindy was Rita’s best friend, and good friend to all of us . . . ]

[This tree was planted in her memory . . . ]

[The last supper on the patio. Local high school kids work in the dining hall.  This is Carli, her 3rd year doing such.  She said Elkhart Lake schools start on September 4.  She didn’t recall, unsurprisingly, that that is also my birthday . . . ]

[The DOM, in all his glory . . . ]

[The counselors charges are all reintroduced at the end of the week.  Lena was first.]

[A DOM camera duel . . . ]

[Let’s line dance . . . ]

[The last night with Phyllis, and John and Rosalba . . . ]

[I no longer play, of course.  But if I did, this is a bit out of my league.  Thanks to John and Rosalba, though, for the memento!]

[Sundae fixin’s in background tent always the highlight of the last night . . . ]

[Jami’s secret concoction . . . ]

[Lena having a chat with her folks, Kent and Jenny, and Katie . . . ]

[The last night and last camp fire . . . ]

[The oldest “kids” – Katie and Cassie’s group – with a humerous final skit about their counselors . . . ]

[Anne, Kathy, and Reetz frame the final fire.  And now, goodnight.]

How is it that one match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box of matches to start a campfire?  ~  Christy Whitehead

Up Next:  Camp ends.

August 2 (still)

Continuing our guided tour of the spectacular Christopher Farm & Gardens on Lake Michigan . . .

[On to the food gardens . . . ]

[The grape, oft crushed ‘neath naked feet . . . ]

[Likely less edible plant material . . . ]

[Here’s looking at you, kid . . . ]

[It’s time for a rest . . . ]

[Again, John and Rosalba, the camp couple of the year . . . ]

[Monarchs among the coneflowers . . . ]

[Maybe a monarch?]

[Sorry, didn’t get the tree label . . . ]

[Readying for a venture to some newer gardens . . . ]

[“The Biddies” waitin’ for the Robert E. Lee (it was never there on time).]

[Showing tremendous ease around a rodent whose relative in D.C. once nipped her finger . . . ]

[Yes, try to find a garden, park, or golf course steel bridge that isn’t from Alex!]

[We’ve been here twice now but have yet to see an operating train . . . ]

[Could that be Babe, to blue ox?]

[A multiple train station garden . . . ]

[How often do you come across a silver baby elephant?]

[Toga party?]

[The Super points out the Alex bridge . . . ]

[And bridge builder . . . ]

[Nope, didn’t try it.  The can was too big . . . ]

[We believe this is where Reetz lost her glasses.  A week later, CFG found them in a bed and mailed them back to her . . . ]

[Appears to be prairie blazing star . . . ]

[Took a photography class.  Gotta ‘B.’]

[“Jayrassic” Park, ultimately a full hosta garden – with dinosaurs!]

[Watch out, Kathy!]

[A pterodactyl and T. Rex . . . ]

[Kathy and a raptor . . . ]

[A dino-owl?]

[Now on the tee . . . ]

[While searching for Reetz’s glasses, “The Biddies” came back with a guy and a dog and a golf cart?]

[And a final passing “thought” about CFG from the Super . . . ]

[Meanwhile, back at camp, the first pontoon ride of the evening returns to port . . . ]

[And we’re next!]

[Pulling out into the shipping lanes, that’s our dining hall . . . ]

[That’s the Sputh Round House, morning coffee, muffin, and newspaper . . . ]

[Waterfront (duh!) . . . ]

[And outside dining area (chipmunks and squirrels would “police” the area every night) . . . ]

[The swimming area with Annex above (Anne & Bill were on the lower level) . . . ]

[The “haunted” boat house . . . ]

[Our pilot Sam reported that the leaf area along the shoreline is eaten back to a uniform level by deer feeding from the iced over lake in winter . . . ]

[Our “sister” pontoon with a smaller number of passengers . . . ]

[The house in the background was allegedly rented by Tom Cruise when he raced at Road America . . . ]

[Allegedly Paul Newman’s place when he raced at Road America . . . ]

[As darkness settles in , we realize we were not going to have a sunset . . . ]

[These birds circled in in swarms like I’ve never seen on a lake before – like the Quelea in Africa.  It was so dark already I couldn’t tell what they were – not water fowl, nor gulls.  Finally figured they had to be . . . ]

[The Common Tern (borrowed photo)]

[Heading back into what would have been a sunset on a clear night, Sam steers us home . . . ]

[And goodnight, as we pass the $9 million Johnsonville Brat house . . . ]

I’m tired of being set upon by crazed Christians one minute and unbridled libertines the next. Girls, I’m going camping.  ~  Bailey White

Up Next:  Day 7?

August 2

[It’s another sunfish morning . . . ]

[After breakfast, the ride back up the hill.  Yes, ride.  For the first time the Super rented a golf cart for the week.  Some of us aren’t getting any younger – and from Rappaport to the water is about 75 steps, and going up and down at least 3 times a day (just for the meals) gets to be a bit much.  I think the golf cart is forever in our future.]

[Home, Jeeves!]

[It was going to be a big day at the Christopher Farm.  We were here two years ago and thought a return trip well worthwhile . . . ]

[The Christopher Farm & Gardens is a privately owned residence requiring advanced registration for tours.  Go to our Contact page to fill out a request form for a group guided tour.  Our 500 acre farm and botanical garden is located along the western shores of Lake Michigan in the scenic Pigeon River Valley of Mosel Township, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.  We encourage you to explore our website to acquaint yourself with the various agricultural, horticultural and artistic aspects of the farm and gardens.  (christopherfarmandgardens.org)]

[Group led tours are on a request basis as our staff schedule permits. We request a $2.00 minimum donation per person be made to Sheboygan County’s Meals On Wheels program.  Our preferred group size is 15 – 100 participants. Email: christopherfarmandgardens@gmail.com]

[Doris Christopher was the founder of the Pampered Chef, which Warren Buffett bought for a reported $900 million in 2002.  Thus, Jay Christopher is able to fund a private operation of this scope . . . ]

[Coming through the entry gate . . . ]

[Such of children are throughout the gardens . . . ]

[These are runoff holding ponds, beautiful with fountains, that are used for irrigation . . . ]

[Remembered him as our guide two years ago.  He’s a full-time employee . . . ]

[The walk through begins . . . ]

[The sign leads the way . . . ]

[The natural prairie, with a sighting of Lake Michigan in the background . . . ]

[A path through the prairie is the direct route to the lake overlook . . . ]

[Now please beware of the bears ahead . . . ]

[But first . . . ]

[And special bonus coverage – ]

[The Super says I found it . . . ]

[Through the prairie . . . ]

[Oops, some folks can’t find their way out . . . ]

[Heading into bear country . . . ]

[It begins . . . ]

[It’s a Packers jersey (Mr. Christopher is a Bears fan) . . . ]

[Thanks, John!]

[And the mama’s bed was just right!]

[Onward to the lake . . . ]

[Anne is lucky that bison is penned . . . ]

[Purple coneflowers (I checked sources to learn that) . . . ]

[Reetz (I checked sources to learn that, too)]

[And I got help from the sign here . . . ]

[“The Biddies” and Lake Michigan – quite a trio!]

[John and Rosalba – and they also played Whistling Straits . . . ]

[Karina (another longtime camper since childhood), to the best of my knowledge, did not play Whistling Straits . . . ]

[The family Gross . . . ]

[Coneflowers are everywhere!]

[Always good to know, because no matter where you go, there you are . . . ]

[About to head back inland . . . ]

[Why yes, we are tourists!]

[The Super model . . . ]

[And again . . . ]

[The Cialis bathtubs . . . ]

[Reetz, with the aforementioned Cialis bathtubs . . . ]

[Watch out, deer, there are bears in the forest!]

[Last shot of the prairie (for a while) . . . ]

[The Great Lakes watershed . . . ]

[And where Alexandria stands in the grand scheme of things . . . ]

[Now we’re in the children’s educational garden . . . ]

[Sasquatch . . . ]

[Lotsa nice evergreens . . . ]

[And tall evergreens . . . ]

[Lilies and black-eyed susans . . . ]

[A close personal friend . . . ]

[We work out at the same gym . . . ]

[Help, I’m sitting and I can’t get up!]

[We’ll wrap up Part 1 in the Japanese garden . . . ]

Is that weird, taking my Louis Vuitton bag camping?  ~  Jessica Simpson

Up Next:  Part 2

We take a momentary sabbatical from Russia and camp for . . . 

BRUCE’S GARDEN PARTY – AUGUST 10

“Went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends, a chance to share old memories and play our songs again…” -Ricky Nelson

Join us for an evening of fun to celebrate Bruce Olson’s retirement. Bruce is one of the original founders and the first and only Executive Director of the Legacy of the Lakes Museum. He has been a visionary force, providing the spark, enthusiasm and leadership to transform a start-up product into a respected, vibrant museum, campus, gardens, education and event center.

Doors at 5:00 pm
Dinner served 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Music from 7:00 – 9:00 pm

Ticket includes a beef brisket meal with savory sides catered by Wurst Machers and gourmet desserts by Country Blossom Farm, LLC.. Plus, a Music in the Gardens concert by the entertaining Davina and The Vagabonds! Remember to bring your lawn chair. Cash bar. 21+.

This is a fundraiser event. Proceeds will help fund a Gardener’s House to be built for the museum and garden volunteers’ work space and storage. 

[We came in the front door.  We hadn’t been to the museum for a while and were startled by this amazing art display upon entry.  It’s presented here for your leisurely enjoyment absent further commentary . . . ]

[Welcome to the museum . . . ]

[And now on to the event at hand.  This was a maintenance building, its conversion to an event center recently completed . . . ]

[And every time we come, so much more has been done to the gardens.  I think they’re pretty much complete now, extending to all the property boundaries, and are a definite destination for visitors to the area . . . ]

[Let’s just go for a stroll around . . . ]

[Bruce designed the performance stage, complete with “sails” . . . ]

[There was dining inside and out – a very warm and sticky day . . . ]

[The Super enjoys . . . ]

[Brisket given kudos by all . . . ]

[The Olson family table.  Congratulations, Bruce, you did good!]

[Davina and The Vagabonds]

[The crowd settles in . . . ]

[Canadian wildfires have had a dampening effect on our sunshine lately . . . ]

[Kevin Kopischke, retired president of the local college, readies to memorialize Bruce’s career at the museum . . . ]

[And then does . . . ]

[Kevin continues . . . ]

[Olson kids talk about dad . . . ]

[And the gentleman of honor . . . ]

[Fellow museum poohbahs (their official title, I believe), Fred Bursch . . . ]

[And Jim Eidsvold also honor Bruce . . . ]

[We probably first met Bruce and Marie in the early 2000’s because of the young woman between us.  Their daughter Ahna, who from graduated high school in 2006, was on the Cardinal hockey team.  And of course that became our favorite spectator sport.  We probably hadn’t seen her in 10 years, so it was nice of her to come all the way from Palo Alto to do so.  Oh, she came back to Alex for her dad’s retirement shindig?  Never mind.]

The only way to understand painting is to go and look at it. And if out of a million visitors there is even one to whom art means something, that is enough to justify museums.  ~  Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Up Next:  Back to camp.

August 1

We begin each day at the waterfront . . . well, after breakfast.  Let the games begin!

[Anne and Bill ready to attack Elkhart Lake in a double kayak . . . ]

[And they’re off, no injuries were reported . . . ]

[A right turn, clear of the mooring area . . . ]

[Trying to sync . . . ]

[Past the swimming area, then out of sight . . . ]

[Waterfront staff prepares to receive incoming vessels . . . ]

[Other waterfront staff keeping an eye on things from the pontoon . . . ]

[Next up, Katie and Cassie ready for a paddleboard adventure . . . ]

[And away they go (I hope someone is keeping track of such things) . . . ]

[At the request of their family, I shot other longtime campers sailing to shore . . . ]

[Those of us not into such strenuous activities find comfort on shore, in the shade.]

[Anne and Bill found their way back home after circumnavigating the entire lake.]

[Name that cloud!!]

[I think it’s a puppy on its haunches?]

[The best photo ever of these two guys (if I do say so myself) – the DOM, on the left, with Wiley, the outgoing camp director.]

[It’s time for cornhole!  The DOM here, teamed with Vicki, unfortunately ran into a buzzsaw, i.e., the defending champs, in the opening round . . . ]

[Vick launches a couple . . . ]

[She had to carry the DOM . . . ]

[Jami teamed with Kathleen in a match that went down to the wire . . . ]

[Good form . . . ]

[Nice follow through . . . ]

[Kathleen shoots back . . . ]

[The bag is airborne . . . ]

[The Fort Wayne Dynamos stayed for the continuing action . . . ]

[Kathleen, lookin’ good!]

[Cornhole!!]

[Woo-woo!  Jenny was impressed . . . ]

[And the save of the day . . . ]

[I was able to dive into the bowels of Elkhart Lake to save “The Biddies” from the clutches of the plastic horrors befouling our planet’s waters!]

Anna had read books about people in the cities going camping.  She couldn’t imagine something so ridiculous.  ~  Gail Sattler

Up Next:  I believe we’ll go to the Legacy of the Lakes Museum.