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Our Country Lane

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:48 am

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Our Counter lane is just a quiet little road leading in to ours and our neighbors homes. Our country lane is much like all other country lanes, and at the same time it is completely unique. Our country lane is our connection to the world, and it is a quiet, beautiful, and peaceful place. It is a place where a young couple, very much in love, can walk slowly hand in hand, lost in dreams of their future together. Where an elderly couple, very much in love, walk slowly, hand in hand, lost in memories of their many years together. It is a place where one can take a restless dog for a quiet walk at 2:00 in the morning, or watch the pained expression of a jogger as he makes his way in the early morning sunlight. It is a place where I often hear the happy voices and laughter of children at play. It is a place where I can see the Eagles nest high in a White Pine. It's a place where friends can take a leisurely stroll together, and enjoy talk of nothing of any importance at all, or just walk quietly with no talk at all. It's a place where one can go for a bike ride just for the fun of it.
In the spring, I can smell the fresh scent of the woods coming out from under a winters snow cover, or watch the doe as she takes her prancing new fawn for it's first adventure into the woods.
In the summer our Lane becomes an active place, people coming and going, boats going into and out of the lake, ATV's, bicycle riders, go carts, walkers, runners, even a golf cart, making their way in and out and about. In the summer the old ant hill, as long as I am tall, and so high you could hide a canoe behind it, becomes active for at least one more season. In the summer I can hear and see many of the birds that make their homes in the woods along the lane.
On a fall evening, just after dark, I can hear the coyotes, somewhere out in the woods, yipping like a bunch of kids at play. In the fall, I can smell the new aromas of falling leaves and the forest getting ready for the coming winter. In the fall I can enjoy the day to day changes in the colors in the trees. In the fall I can watch the young Eagles stretching their wings as they soar above the forest and the lake.
In the winter, I can enjoy a brisk walk on a bitter cold day, so cold that it causes tears to run down your face, and freeze on your cheeks. The snow, falling quietly, gracefully to a fluffy bed on the ground. The amazing bright sunny morning after an overnight snow. The sound of the plow scraping the old lane, to clear our path to the world. I can see the foot prints of those before me with their dogs, walking and enjoying a wonderful winters morning. Seeing the breath of that same fawn I saw this spring, as he stops to listen for a moment, during his search for a winters meal. Our Country Lane is so much more than just an old road leading to ours and our neighbors homes.
Tom










Last edited: Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:49 am

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The horses rule

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:59 pm

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We just returned Thursday, from 6 weeks in the city, celebrating the birth of our 2nd grandchild, and helping out, the now family of 4, however we could. Mimi loves her 4 horses very much, and for her to be gone from them for such a long time, requires the most important of events, and of course Connor's birth was just such an event. The day after we returned, the kids came up for a week's holiday at the end of Mom's maternity leave. I tell you all this because it all sort of leads toward all 6 of us going to the barn to spend some time with the horses, and introduce Connor to them, for the first time. This is my first visit to the barn since our return, but Mimi's second. Her riding horse, Gwen, has been used by a young girl, at a summer day camp sort of a thing. The youngsters are learning to ride and care for horses. Therefore Gwen has had activity during our absence, but was none the less, obviously glad to see Mimi's return. Gwen was turned out with several other horses, and very much to Mimi's pleasure, as we approached, Gwen spotted us, and she came trotting up to the gate. The baby, Pablo, has had some difficulties of late. He may have had a seizure, of unidentified origin. There is some concern there, and the Vet is doing some testing. The yearling, Payton, full brother to Pablo, is great, as is their mother, Dahlila. While there, I took some 40 pictures, here you will find some of them.



Gwen greeting us


Gwen again


Connor getting his first seat upon a horse.


This is the baby, Pablo


Pablo again


Payton, Pablo's full brother, Older.(Yearling)


Payton loves getting his ears rubbed.







Last edited: Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:00 pm

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Fourth of Jully Boat Parade

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 11:40 pm

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Well the fourth has come and gone for another year. With the fourth falling in the middle of the week, we have almost had 2 fourths this year. Living here in a tourist area, we see those that come for the first week end, with the fourth at the end of their stay. And those that come for the second week end, with the fourth at the beginning of their stay. Then there are the more fortunate, that come for the whole week, and both weekends. The town is sure hopping, and the local stores and restaurants are doing stellar business. The lake's are full of boats, water skiers, swimmers, and fisherman, all having a wonderful time. The weather has been great. Our town, Land O' Lakes, is celebration it's 100th anniversary. Young from many viewpoints, but old from ours. The anniversary celebration has worked it's way into most of the events that occur during the year. The official Independence Day celebration started off with the fireworks on the evening of the 3rd, at the airfield. Then on the fourth there was the parade, down main street, followed by a picnic at the local park. Later in the day, our lake's boat parade. The boats are decorated, and the best get prizes. I'm sure many of the other lakes here do the same. Which brings me to my photos. Our neighbor, and very good friend, came to our dock to watch the parade, and come to find out, she was asked to be a judge. To help her, I took photos of all 13 boats, and loaded them into the computer for her to review. I thought there might be some interest here at the Stew too, so here they are.



The lead boat.


We are big on Loons here.


All that is required to enter the parade is to display an American Flag.




I took this picture seconds too soon, they all turned and mooned us.






















We had an unexpected visitor.

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Update on the new horses.

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:01 pm

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Mimi wanted to go to the barn yesterday, and said that she would buy breakfast at a small restaurant that we both enjoy, if I accompanied her. I haven't been there for a while, and wanted to get some pictures of of the new colt (Pablo) so I went along. There are 5 newborns, ranging in age from 3 months to 2 weeks and one still yet unborne. There is also a new born Lama.

Patrick, the first to be born, has lost his mom, due to a severe case of intestinal colic, which, in horses, can be fatal. Patrick was not weaned, and needed mothers milk to survive. Mimi,s Mare, (Dahlila) who had just delivered Pablo, has taken over the task, and while at first wasn't sure about the whole thing, has now become a fitting step mom. And, the two half brothers have become good buddies, they romp and play together.

The barn owners have acquired a Lama and have it in with the yearling's. Lamas become protective of the horses that they are living with, and unlike horses will face attacking predators head on and often can fight off a wolf or coyotes. Anyway, the Lama turned out to be a female, and a pregnant one at that. So along with the foal's there is a young Lama.

All are doing well, except that already noted, and following are some pictures of the youngsters, and Mimi's riding horse, Lady Guenevere.



This is pablo, he blinked



This also is Pablo, he wanted more attention














This is Payton, Last years Foal


This is Lady Guenevere



This is the Lama

Last edited: Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:02 pm

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A Loons Story

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:30 pm

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A Loons story

We here on Black Oak Lake, love our loons. Summer would surly be a lesser quality time without them. Their haunting calls, the distinctive silhouette as they move slowly across the lake, and their devotion to their mates. We usually have 2 or 3 families on the lake. Normally each family produces 2 young, which they devotedly care for. Some times they can be seen with a baby on their back as they go for a ride. Because they dive for food, and swim very well underwater, they are a relatively heavy bird. They ride low in the water, and it takes them a long way to get airborne. They seldom go inland, their nests are at the edge of the water. They are very nervous and will quickly dive when they feel threatened. They can swim long distances under water, but very shallow. Unfortunately, they are sometimes hit by boats while swimming underwater.

Last year, towards the end of the season, an Eagle got one of the Loons and it's absence was obvious, as the remaining Loon from the couple was always alone. Occasionally the Loons would gather into a group, I think as they prepare to move to their winter homes. The lone Loon was not a part of the group. As winter approached, the group of Loons left for their winter homes, but the lone Loon stayed behind. We noticed that he (or she) had been acting unusually, in that he would rear up and flap his wings and one wing didn't seem to be normal. One day another lone Loon appeared on the lake, and the two seemed to develop a friendship, and for several weeks they could be seen together at different locations on the lake. ( we have a Loon watch program where if you see a Loon out on the lake near your home, you note the time and location, then we compare notes, and hope to learn from the results) By this time they were the main topic of e mails that went from home to home among the concerned people. Someone contacted a wild bird organization and some folks from there and some of us got together in boats, and one cold late fall evening, attempted to capture both or at least the one that seemed to be injured. They caught the injured one but the other was too quick, and got away. The injured bird had a very badly broken wing, that had healed crooked, and unfortunately he had to be put down, as Loons don't eat or survive in captivity, and he surly wouldn't survive long on the frozen lake.

The remaining Loon, the newcomer, was spotted in the lake until the ice covered the lake completely, and then he disappeared. We fear that he became feed for the Eagle, or a wolf or coyote. I guess that we must accept the food chain as a matter of life, and love both the Loons and the Eagles.

Tom

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The New Calomaar

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 2:06 am

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I hesitated writing this, because Mimi says that I sound pretentious when I start talking about the new house. But, I think that it's just getting excited about something that I like a lot. I really enjoyed the whole thing, from the first parts of planing, through the building, and now living in the new house. But, I'll give it a try, and try to keep it short and simple.
Calomaar was our a summer home, on Black Oak Lake, in the far North Woods of Wisconsin. We are the 3rd generation of our family to enjoy it. But Mimi & I wanted more from it than those previously using it. For years, it was our plan to retire to Calomaar and live there full time for the rest of our lives. There were very many things about the house that would need to be dealt with for that plan to work. For one it was intended to be a summer cottage when it was first built by grandpa Wenz in 1933. The house lacked insulation, good windows, had very small bedrooms, baths and kitchen, and lacked a lot of the comforts that we would need in a full time home. It was not very guest friendly. Over the years, as it was handed down from generation to generation, and many changes were made, and it was much better than it had started out. However we found that during the few times that we kept it open over winter, the heating costs were very high. Then there was the crawl space, under about 70% of the building. It was dirt, and there were still tree stumps left in place from when the house was built. It was open to the outdoors, and it produced a musty smell that could be a little offensive at times. The crawl space was a real dungeon and no one wanted to go into it for any reason. I could go on, but, there's no need to belabor the reasons, and there were many. We decided early on, we needed to make drastic changes. When I retired in April 2001, we had been living in our home in the city (Milwaukee area) and using Calomaar as a vacation home. Mimi would stay there for the summer, and I would drive up on the week ends, After I retired we both lived there during the summers, and closed it for the winters. And of course our daughter and her husband Erich and our grandson Alex were frequent visitors. We started to talk (and make lists) about what the new house would need. One thing we wanted, was to keep as much of the integrity of the old house as we could. Also the old house is located just 24 feet back from the lake, and affords wonderful views in three directions. And, there is a lot of history there. If we took it down, local building codes would require that anything new would need to be built 75 feet back from the lake. With all that in mind we started drawing a verity of different ideas for additions and remodeling. There came a point when we both agreed on a design idea. We made some "to scale" drawings to take to the building inspectors, for their approval. For a verity of reasons, we were refused. I purchased a copy of the official building codes, and spent a good deal of time studying them, learning about what was required. We modified the plans and resubmitted them only to be refused again. Somewhat discouraged, we put the plans on the back burner, and went on with our lives for a while.
After 8 or 10 months, we were having a conversation with a friend, about another family that had just completed a remodel. Their remodel involved removing a part of the old house, and adding to the remaining part. We got to thinking about their project. That kind of motivated us, so one day just for fun, I tried to draw a building, added to just a part of the old house. I was trying to design it so that all the rooms had a view of the lake. I had several different ideas, when Mimi came up behind me and said that she really liked one of them. Our interest was rekindled, and we got serious again. I got the CAD program going, and made the first attempt at our current home. Mimi, who has some training in drawing homes, sat down at her drawing table and we compared notes as we both worked at it. Several days later our combined efforts produced a set of plans that we both loved. We submitted it, and to our surprise, it was approved. Because neither of us are architectural engineers, and we new that there were a number of things about our plans that needed further engineering. We took our plans to an old friend from high school days, that could provide the needed skills. He reworked a few things and provided working plans.
We had built a garage a few years before, and liked the two guys that put it up, and made them our first contact when we started looking for a builder. We considered several others, but after several meetings, and with their bid in hand we chose them. The only problem was, they were not able to do all the work. So, Mimi and I decided to act as contractor and we would arrange for the rest of the sub contractors needed. We hired an excavator, 2 cement contractors, one for the walls and one for the floors. Cabinet maker, Counter top maker , Gas Company, Electric Company, Telephone Company, and on and on. It also meant that we needed to be in the area during construction. We rented a small house locally to keep us close by. To keep this as short as I can, I'll just say, from July 12th 2005, when we began demolition on the old house, until April 2006, when we moved in, we managed, worked, picked up parts, answered questions, arranged contracts, kept the schedule, and in the end, got everything done. I undertook the heating and A/C as that was the business I was in before I retired. We came in on time and on budget. There were no terrible setbacks or $ surprises. The only stumble was, that I had a very mild heart attack, on September 11th (9-11). I was back on the job by Sept 17th. It was good we were here during construction, because as things came up, we could make the decisions that would otherwise have been made by others. That saved problems down the road. Deputy was a hit, and on the job every day, and the guys were all his friends throughout the work. He has paw prints in the concrete, and his name in only places that the workers know about.
We are in the house for a year now, and it feels like home. I sometimes wonder how our ancestors would feel about what we have done. I hope, where ever they are, they are smiling down on us. After all it is still, as it has always been, Calomaar. The old parts of the house remain much the same, you can sit in the living room, enjoying a fire, and not tell anything has changed. By the way, we did get a lake view from all the rooms, except for one of the bathrooms.



The old house just before construction



The old house



The part of the old house we saved



The new basement of the addition



The 1st floor, floor.



The finished house



A view from the air, during construction



A view of the new house from out on the ice.



Last edited: Sun May 06, 2007 2:06 am

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In the spring, some mens thoughts turn to ---

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:27 pm

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I say the following despite the fact that there is predicted up to 12" of new snow today and tomorrow, and there may be a high temperature in the teens in the next few days.

A sure sign that spring is here, is that the pro baseball season has started. And, as we do each year, we fans start the season with great expectations for our favorite team. In my case, The Milwaukee Brewers. I have been a baseball fan for as long as I can remember that there was such a game. At the beginning of my memory, there was The Milwaukee Brewers, of the American Association, a minor league. Then one day, and at my age then, I didn't care a hoot about the reasons, The Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee, and thus began a great devotion to the Braves. I knew every player, their batting averages their place in the line up, and so much more. To this day I can still tell you who played where on that team. If I had spent as much mental energy on something useful, there is no telling what I may have accomplished in life. Any way, I loved them win or loose, through 2 world series, and towards the end, some bad seasons.

Then one day, and I still don't fully understand why, ($$$) I guess, the Braves moved to Atlanta. Boooo Hisssss. Since then I have carried a mighty grudge, and hate the Braves with a passion, equaled only be that toward an old girl friend that dumped me back in high school. But that's a different story. Then one day a very dedicated Baseball fan and antrepinure in Milwaukee named Bud Selig, worked some magic, and arranged for the Seattle Pilots to move to Milwaukee. The new team resurrected the name of the old & beloved Brewers. We again had a pro baseball team. And still do to this day. The Brewers have had some good seasons, and some bad, more bad than good of late, but that doesn't matter, each spring as the season gets started there is cause for hope that this may again be a season such as 1982, when the Brewers went to the world series, (sadly they lost in 7 games to the Cardinals), or like the 2 World Series years with the Braves, (while in Milwaukee). So here I sit, the day after the opener, and the Brewers are undefeated, and they looked very good in their first game. I know there are still 161 games left, and there is a slim chance that they might loose one some where along the way, but to have an undefeated season, you must first win the first game. And there in lays my great hope for this season. All this going on in my mind, despite the weather, is a sure sign that spring is here. Can't wait for the game to night, it's on TV here.

Tom


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Spring, and a new life comes into the world

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:45 am

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Saturday evening 3-31-07
Ahhh Spring, spring suggests new beginnings, and new life. The Tulips and Daffodils poking up their new flowers. The trees popping out their new leaves, the seeds just planted breaking through the surface of the ground with a new plant. How about the birds, I saw our resident Eagles, sitting on their nest, likely guarding the new lives in their eggs, or the Robins that have arrived back from their winter playgrounds, getting their nests set for their eggs. There are deer out in the woods giving birth to their fawns. The bear coming out of hibernation, and the new cubs seeing the light of day for the first time. Well spring has sprung in our extended family, and there is new life. Mimi's horse Dahlila, gave birth last night to her new foal. A colt, as yet unnamed. Younger brother to Payton, who is about 1 1/2 years old. That makes 4 of them, horses that is, when you count her riding horse, Gwen, more properly known as "Lady Guenevere". ( there has been much debate about the spelling, I believe this is from the movie )
After our usual morning breakfast with the group, Mimi & I headed to the barn, a 45 minute drive from our house. We found Tina, the lady that owns the barn, her young daughter and their 4 dogs all visiting the mare and 1/2 day old colt, in his stall. After a couple photos, we moved them into the indoor ring to get some exercise. The little fellow followed his mom like a shadow. She moved around the ring, coaxing the colt to follow along. He trotted and at one point broke into a canter. I managed a few more shots with the camera, however the indoor is rather dark, and the pictures are not the best. It didn't take much before he became tired, and he lay down. An attentive mom stood guard. One of the dogs, Jake, thinks he is a special emissary to all the babies that come into the world at that barn, and he promptly lay nose to nose with the colt.
Isn't it something how all the very young of all species are so cute and innocent?? It continues to surprise me that new born horses, which are prey in the natural scheme of things, will let people, come right up to them, and scratch their ears and neck, and they will nuzzle back at you with their noses, seemingly with out any natural fear. They are amazing animals.
Now for a name, it should start with the letter "P" as his fathers name is "P" ( just the letter P ) and all his offspring are customarily named, starting with a "P". as is Payton, his older brother. "P"s lot in life is to stand in stud for all the mares in the barn, and he does rather well, as there will be 7 new babies this season. 5 last year, and he has been doing this for years. So there is a shortage of P names. I've heard rumblings that Pablo is in consideration, and I feel that is wrong, as P is a warm blood, of North Eastern European descent, not Spanish, and Pablo just doesn't hack it. Anyway, I don't have much to say in the matter, it's pretty much up to Mimi and Tina from the barn. So there you have it, spring is sprung, the "colt" is riz, and I don't know what his new name is. ( I've always wanted to use that little diddy, just never had a place where it fits, not that it fits all that well here either.) Tom - Calomaar










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Fun on the Lake

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:54 pm

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Each year for as long as I can remember, two of our friends here on the lake have a friendly competition. The point is to be the first person, to be in a boat afloat on the lake. The two of them will spend weeks after the fact, debating who actually won. Each year a new "rule" gets added to make it fair for each. Then each new year one of them finds a new way to be first, and the debate begins again.
One year John was out in a small fishing boat with a motor, playing among the melting ice sheets. He looked like a mini ice breaker, as he charged a sheet of ice and smashed through. There was a wind that day, and as I watched, I could see the ice sheets moving about some. John wound up out near the middle of the lake, and some of the ice had closed in behind him. Now our lake is not exceptionally large, just 600 acres or so, but to John at that moment it must have seemed like Lake Michigan. All that ice between him and his shore. We teased him for months after that.
Another year John put a small row boat in when there was a few feet of open water along the shore, and rowed along breaking ice as he went, over to Walt's house where he claimed victory for that year. Walt claimed foul, he said that there needs to be enough open water so that you don't need to break the ice to get through. After a couple weeks of debate, they made a "rule" that to be the winner the boat must not break through any ice.
Another year Walt rowed his small row boat over to John's house, but to keep clear of the ice, he needed to stay very close to shore, and spent more time dislodging the boat from the rocks on the bottom than he spent sitting there rowing. John cried foul, he claimed that the boat has to float, and not come into contact with the bottom. A couple weeks later they agreed on another "rule", the boat must float and not come into contact with the bottom.
Yet another year, John put his kids Kayak into the lake and paddled over to Walt's house, with out hitting the ice, and without contacting the bottom. Walt cried foul, to be fair John needed to use a boat that he would likely use normally during the summer. The Kayak was not fair competition. You guessed it, they "discussed the kayak issue every time they saw each other for the next several weeks. Their wives finally made a "rule", They needed to declare a winner sooner.
So, in the spirit of their competition, this year Mimi and I decided to add to their fun, and made our own entry, and in the process broke as many of their rules as we could. See the picture below. Using a kayak, on the ice, weeks before any open water appeared, and a woman in the boat. I Emailed the picture to both of them, claiming victory, the resulting Emails were both keepers.
Tom (calomaar)




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Away from home for a few days

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 8:15 pm

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We have remodeled our former summer home into a year-round home, and now live their fulltime. We still, however, have our home here in the Milwaukee area. We just drove the 5 hours to get here on Sunday. We are trying to get this house ready to sell. Since we made the decision to move to Land O' Lakes, the house here has been somewhat neglected. Now to get it ready to sell, there is an overwhelming amount of work. First of all we need to keep the house operational so we have a place to live while working here. Then everything else gets divided into one of four categories; stuff that the kids get, stuff that goes to Good Will, stuff that gets thrown out, and finally the stuff we will be moving up to the lake. So today I've been going through the bedroom closet, which has become the home for far more than just clothes. The problem comes when I open a box and find old school papers from our 37-year-old, pregnant, daughter, from when she was in 2nd grade. I spend more time looking at the papers than I spend cleaning out the closet. So you say, why are her things here in our house, If you have kids, I'm sure that you know, that even if the kids have there own home, their house is for short term storage and Mom & Dads house is for long term storage. Even if they tell you when they bring it here that it's only temporary. Why not, Mom & Dad are empty nesters and have lots of room. They have a nice little Cape Cod style home with a full basement and a garage, but I bet when they see the pile of things that is earmarked for them they will say "we don't have room". Anyway, my closet cleaning task today has taken most of the day, and progress has been slow. I just found a box of old pictures from just after we were married. There goes a couple more hours. At this rate we will still be getting it ready to sell for a couple more years.
Poor Deputy, our 13 1/2 year old Yellow Lab, is bored stiff here, he doesn't do stairs to well any more, and all our work has been up stairs. He loves car rides, even the 5 hour trips, and goes most every where with us. Every time I go down stairs he thinks he can convince me that we should go for a walk, and when he realizes that I'm going right back up, he gives me that "look". I don't know where he learned the "look" but those big sad brown eyes can break your heart. I think it's time to take a break from looking at old pictures and take the poor guy for a walk. Tom.


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