August 2023

 The Raspberries and Blueberries are just about done, but the wild Blackberries are just beginning to ripen.  The tomatoes will be taken off pretty soon. 

Aug 2: Visited with cousin Linda and Danny at their place on Twin Lakes in Hayward. We took a fun boat ride and even caught a fish!  No picture of Eric's baby Northern Pike.  but plenty of my Crappie!

The fish got loose!

way too close to me, I panicked

Danny held it up for the picture

Big Birthday Weekend began on Friday Aug 4: off to Madison Wi.  We left the house at 7:15.  Plenty of stops for hiking and birding before landing at the DoubleTree at 4:30.  We made a stop at Necedah NWR but they were closed because of very bad storm.  We expected to arrive in Madison around 6 pm. the closure shortened our day.  

After a long day of driving we decided to eat at the hotel. 

August 5: Who is 70???  Looks to be a great day to celebrate...  We began the day with a Birthday donut and breakfast in our room.  Made a friend at Cherokee Marsh, Chuck who is 80.  It's never too late to make friends!  We hope to see him again on Tuesday before we leave. Lots of walking and enjoying the beautiful surroundings and weather.  

a Plaque to Otis Redding who died in this lake in a plane crash.

After a bit of a nap...  we went to 15 Naples in Downtown Madison.  We got the first seating at 5:00 pm.  I had kind of high expectations for this place but they far exceeded our expectations.  The service was phenomenal, the food was very very good, tasty, plentiful and presented flawlessly.  The place filled up before we left at 6:30.  

Scamorza al Prosciutto Crudo: this appetizer was so very good we ate the whole bowl!

Linguine al Limone al Sapori de Mar: Scallops, shrimp, mussels and clams

Eric had the Zita Reginella

Tony Bennett ate here!  I think Robert DeNiro did too but did not get a picture.

Our server made me a Happy Birthday Cannoli..  She was really special.

 Luckily this restaurant is too far to return.  We have found that if we go somewhere that is over the top, and we go back it's just not the same.  Thus we have expectations and disappointments...  

We enjoyed the rest of our time in Madison. 

Found this plaque near our hotel.  it is on a street corner, not sure of its validity...  

 is it true?  

Monday we found a cute brewery Karben4

Tuesday Aug 8:  we met up with Chuck H. at the Arboretum.  He leads a birding group every Tuesday morning.  there were 17 people.  We met a few new birding friends.  Beautiful morning.  We left the group at 9:30 in order to get home before dark!  

Thursday Aug 10. Cousin Linda and Danny came by for a fun day of boating, grilling and fun conservation.  We don't get to see them enough.  We celebrated the August birthdays, mine on the 5th, Danny on the 16th and Linda on the 18th.  

working on their birthday lottery scratch offs.  Danny won nothing, Linda $30!

Aug 12: Its been quite awhile since we canoed.  Getting in and out is the really hard part.  then sitting for 2 hours hurts a bit too!  But we had fun paddling our lake.

Aug 13: we found a Porcupine walking down the driveway today

notice the quills around his backside in ready position if we get too close!

the fawns are a bit leery of the turkeys

hmmm..  smells like a turkey

I am a bit tired

me too, lets sit in the shade for a bit...

Aug 23: Our baby is getting so big.  He is flying like a pro... (he is is in-between mom and dad)

Harvest time is beginning in earnest

Not too many plums but oh so sweet, lots and lots of pears, Heirloom Tomatoes are coming along, green peppers are plentiful and the Purple Asparagus Beans are going strong. Eric has Jalapeños growing but I don't touch them!  

We had two cool days in a row which means it time to make some Caldo de Res!

Back to warm temperatures for the end of the month.