I am linking this week to the sites whose badges are pictured on the right
including Fertilizer Friday and Fishtail Cottage's weekly party.
there is something very special about waking up early next to one of the world's great rivers... we climb to a spot where we can watch the sun come up through the fog. This is the Mississippi and the location is the town of McGregor, a very special place indeed.
Despite our high perch, the town's grain elevator towers over us as if the Empire State Building of the mid-American plains...
... and out on the water, a small fishing boat with folks who also rose to greet the sun that heralds the beginning of another beautiful day.
Nestled in the midst of this small town, an 1840's log cabin... home to Sadie for 90 years and now a B&B with the second 'B' delicious...
We were on another of our short getaways, this time celebrating our 41st wedding anniversary. We had decided to once again indulge in a favorite sport... exploring the bluffs that stand sentinel over the Missisippi River. This day we found a very special spot... that being Pike's Peak state park, named after the man who would eventually discover Pike's Peak in Colorado.
It is here that the Wisconsin River joins the Mississippi...
The hiking trails are wonderful and we especially enjoyed the many steps down to the Bridal Veil Falls despite the drought having taken a toll on the water passing that way...
We definitely want to return here during spring run-off as well as fall color...
We also enjoyed the view from a bluff just north of Genoa, Wisconsin as a number of barges passed beneath us. The juniper was beautiful as well, loaded with a myriad of fruits...
Perhaps one of the best known bluffs along the Mississippi is Grandad Bluff which towers over LaCrosse, Wisconsin. We are afforded a wonderful view of the city and UW LaCrosse, as well as the surrounding countryside, from this vantage point...
While on the topic of Mississippi bluffs, I'll share a couple more we've enjoyed recently. The first is just north of the bridge that connects Iowa's only island city (Sabula) with Illinois...
And one of our favorite overlooks of the great river is the Buena Vista bluff in Alma, Wisconsin...
Speaking of a sense of flight without wings, the Kickapoo Valley near Ontario, Wisconsin is not without its charms either. The Kickapoo River, named after the Kickapoo Indians, is an oddity in that despite being almost 130 miles long, as the crow flies it's only 60 miles, frequently doubling back on itself. The views from 1200 feet on Wild Cat Mountain of the Kickapoo Valley are wonderful indeed...
Back at home, it's definitely Brugsmansia time. Bloom had been limited due to the excessive heat but with cooler weather, these very poisonous plants are at their best. I was recently quite amazed to learn that even their amazing fragrance can deliver their tropane alkaloids... no more sitting under them at 3:00 a.m. soaking up the sweet smell I guess! That's it for today...
Take care, Larry
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