The Great Lakes Dilemna

One of the last things that I wanted to do before exiting this Wisconsin series was bring to light an issue that has been spoken about for years.  It is a controversial one and one that I thought I'd share.  Growing up, I remember a discussion about creating a pipeline between the Great Lakes and states that had limited fresh water resources. It was a similiar discussion to that of the Colorado River servicing states like Arizona, Utah, and California.

The shocking part was the discovery that a pipeline actually does exist in Mantowoc.  At first, I had thought, "Did they do the unthinkable?" The answer was yes and no.  The pipeline directs water from the Manitowoc lakeshore to the bay of Green Bay.  Technically the water isn't going anywhere as it all stays in the same lake.  But I have to wonder, is this just the tip of the iceberg?  I'd hate to think what this would do ecologically to the Great Lakes region if they decided to go this route en masse.

While not a Tucson sunset, this is just as beautiful as it sets over the port of Manitowoc.   Water from the Great Lakes is considered "safer" than that of country water which has been contaminated with copper or mercury.  The following writing is from a really nice guy back at home.  I used to babysit his kids!  But here are the facts by Doug Day....

            "Six suburbs of Green Bay, Wis., are looking forward to another Midwest winter, because that’s when they expect to have a new, cleaner, and more reliable source of drinking water. By the end of 2006, a $106 million pipeline will transport water from Lake Michigan and the lakeshore city of Manitowoc along state and county highways, under picturesque rivers, through solid rock deposits, and up and down the scenic hills of the northeastern Wisconsin countryside to Brown County. When completed, the pipeline and associated distribution system will deliver 8 mgd from Manitowoc’s microfiltration water plant southeast of Green Bay. It will take about 65 miles of pipeline to cover the 30 miles and deliver the water to six communities, say members of the Central Brown County Water Authority. The communities lie along the north, south, and western borders of Green Bay. By 2030, it’s expected that about 12 million gallons a day will be pumped to customers in the fast-growing suburbs — one city, three villages and two towns. The authority may also build a 10-million-gallon storage reservoir sometime in the future to supplement individual communities’ storage capacity." End of article.  Source here.

Lighthouses dot the shores of the Lakeshore.

So what will that do to the city of Manitowoc?  What will it do to the lakeshore?  What are the consequences?  Are there any? So many questions.  I would imagine a study was done by the Wisconsn DNR.  I just hope that there aren't any negative repercussions to it all.

Growing up on Lake Michigan, I remember that some years the lake would rise and fall during others.  In fact, in the late 19th century, my old high school was built on dunes....no water at all!  The lake slowly covered the dunes and today maintains those levels.

My question to you, "Should people be messing with Mother Nature?"  I can tell you the folks back home are mostly for this plan.  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources does a great job keeping things in order(well minus the loads of paperwork that prevents Park Rangers from leaving their desks:)  What do you think?

The Dyke

I know. I know.  This title to the blog sounds wrong, but it's actually the right word to use.  This was an old stomping ground for me as a child and it has all of the magic that I think a garden should have! The above pic shows the entrance to the dyke.  There is a wishing well, curvy trees, a frozen river, and a wetlands area right next to it.  In the States, apparently "dike" is used, but I learned this European spelling in school which today is still used..."dyke".  In fact, Wisconsin has a town called "Dyckesville." Oh, the fun people have with this town's name:) But what is a "dyke"? It's a ditch or a water filled drainage trench.  It can also be a levee natural, artificial slope or wall that regulates water levels.  Today I take you to my Grandma's place that is both artificial and not.

This space is truly amazing.  As children, we would run up and down this path.  One side was a wooded river shore and the other was a swampy area that filled up during rains or times of excess water on the river.  There are times when the "swamp" is full and in times of drought, there may be just a trickle or stream of water entering the area. Either way, this area is off limits for construction as the city protects these important environmental spaces.  The East and West Twin rivers have been known to overflow and flood large tracts of lands.

This series of shoots today and tomorrow will speak about the history and magic here.  My Grandma still lives here with her husband and they built a house overlooking this large tract of land. The wildlife here is incredible!!!  You'll find turtles, waterfowl, turkeys, deer, rodents, hawks(mostly Cooper Hawks).  In fact during that day, we spotted one in the sky.  What I loved most about this space as a child growing up was how close everything was to nature.  We ice skated on the river, chased fireflys in summer, fished off the river banks, gardened near the woods, and watched all kinds of critters cross our paths.

My nephew runs through the trees.  There are a lot of older structures here that still remain intact after years of harsh weather.  There are things my Grandfather built 20 years ago that remind me of his presence like the bird house below.  Birds today continue to use these little shelters to protect themselves from the extreme cold.

And when it's time for lunch, they come out in the numbers and feast on the birdseed and berries offered....but always clinging to the branches and brush nearby as they aware of the hawks and other critters nearby.  The shot below was one of the most difficult of this series to get.

The dyke stretches between two properties.  If you are quiet, a deer may pass your way....or a rabbit....or maybe a skunk.  But don't confuse the smells of the wild skunk cabbage that grows nearby the river with that of the real deal:)

The temps on this day were moderate and not freezing so birds were out feeding freely. If it drops below the 20's, the birds will at times disappear....especially if the wind is wicked cold!  Today it was "warmer" with snow flurries.

All you have to do is look closely and you'll see......

....that this walk is full of wonder and history. 

I remember running the fields as a kid, picking the apples and pears off the trees, watching snapping turtles surface up and down the river bank......sometimes coming up on the lawn to lay eggs!!!  Some of these turtles were HUGE!

So while this land is protected and maintained by both my Grandmother and her husband, I wonder who will take over this space when they can't do it anymore.  I worry about its future.  I worry about the Black Walnut Tree that has provided generations of walnuts for many people.  It's old and gnarly.  Will someone cut it down?  My mom's first dog Dixie was buried here.

Look closely at the well again and you'll notice a little visitor.  Three deer currently reside in the marsh near the dyke and call it home.

The river flows along the dyke until it reaches the dam near one of the highways.  This area has become a special place for salmon and crawfish as well as a sanctuary for birds to hang out.

I don't know how long I'll have to appreciate this area, but I visit it every year when I get the chance.  No matter the season, it's always lovely to return and get lost in the memory.  Tomorrow I'll extend this discussion with an addition to this property that will give you a little background on my mom's side of the family.  The dyke was just one of the many special things to inhabit the property.  We'll explore the "Beehouse" that once existed on this land.  Do any of you have a special place from childhood?  A secret garden perhaps?

An old wood burner for brush and garbage.

The old Black Walnut tree

The thicket of woods in the marsh

In the dead winter, skating is possible, but as you can see there are still open pockets of water on the river.

While a breezy green in summer, this patch of woods looks quite lovely this time of year.

Huddle

 Cold.  Frosty.  I'm in Wisconsin visiting family and with it, I come with an agenda.  I have been given the gift of gifts......a zoom lense that puts all zoom lenses to shame.  This is not using my new zoom lense or tripod, but it will be the beginning of several photo shoots, environmental issues, and places to check out around the Lakeshore area for this week.  I have hope of getting a picture on an owl, but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen.  Today's theme is on the frozen waters of Lake Michigan.  There were snow flurries.  The sky was grey.  And it was cold.  So cold, that the waters partially froze in the nearby rivers.  Here we witness several shots of ducks and seagulls huddling close together enduring the freezing temps.

 This shot captures the front views from my parent's house. I always wonder how life can survive during our winter months.  Everytime I come from a visit from Arizona, it gets more difficult to endure these terrible temps.  The wind whipped up a storm here and my ears and hair froze.  Note to self, I will need gloves, scarf, and hat if I am going to survive these photo shoots.   

Seagulls are a common bird in the Great Lakes area.  Things have changed here as some birds don't migrate like they used to in the past.  Because of warmer temps, some birds, which include geese, have been hanging around the lakeshore area all year round.  Two Rivers is a beautiful town and a place I'm proud to call my hometown.

Points of Interest

Pictures taken from stock photos last year in Wisconsin in my Mom and Dad's backyard. 

Globe Thistle

I love the form and color of this plant!

How It Begins....

After a series of posts on plants and some specific gardening techniques, I like to do some free writes on things that relate indirectly to gardening and just being outdoors exploring.  Sometimes I'll share things that I find interesting, work projects, travel information, or just some personal experiences from my past that have lead me to where I am today. So today is one of those days where I break away from my gardening journal and write about something different. 

This pic is an example of how cold the Lakeshore can get in Wisconsin



I grew up in a LARGE Catholic family.  Monty Python had it right when they sang the tune, "Every sperm is sacred".Today my family numbers in the thousands as nephews and nieces are born everyday. Okay I exaggerate on that last part, but our family has doubled in size.....so much for going green and helping out this world:)  Every year I return home to visit, I meet 2 new family members.  And to think that those two above, my parents, began all of it.  Well I'd rather not.....:)

At the cabin in Minnesota

 I was very lucky to be raised in the incredibly beautiful city of Two Rivers that has about 13,000 people living in it. Growing up in our large family on a single parent income wasn't terrible, but it did mean that my parents had to budget their money.  Instead of the trips kids today take to Disneyland or Europe, our family purchased a Starcraft camper and visited the State Parks of Wisconsin.  Exotic places would include a week at a Minnesota cabin near Leech Lake(yes there is a reason why that lake has that name).  The memories we all have from these family experiences are wonderful.  At the time, we all wanted to kill each other, but today there is nothing better or funnier than reminiscing about the past.  For example, there was nothing like the time when we had a random snow storm in October and hid in the forest using snowballs to attack one another. Or afterwards, nearly freezing to death, Mom making a nice bowl of chile and hot cocoa. Or the time Mom was super sick and opened the camper door with a skunk crawling out from underneath her. The faces on everyone around the campfire were priceless.  I could go on and on about the importance of spending time with your kids in a setting like this. Even if you don't have kids, this is still a wonderful time spent with a loved one or by yourself to reflect.  The simple truth is that you don't have to go far to find peace of mind.

Our tradition is going to Point Beach State Park in winter for family pics and having a hot bowl of Mom's awesome chile. If we don't do it in winter, we then plan it when we are all together. This is the nuclear family without all the spouses.  It has more than doubled in size today.

When kids are introduced to the natural elements at an early age, it stays with them for life.  Traditions begin and it's a time to escape with family and friends.  Leave technology behind and just enjoy one another's presence.  Of course you also discover their pet peeves:)

The family today.  A couple members aren't present.  Get togethers become more difficult and quite the production.

I'm not sure what baby my sister is holding....but it's one of the "thousands" born everyday:)

My niece on a nature hike during fall at Point Beach State Park

The brothers

Today my nephews and nieces go hunting, camping, boating, and love to be outdoors. Wisconsin is one of the most beautiful places in the States, and because it's so lovely, Illinois people, mostly from uptight Chicago, flee their own state:) It could also be our cheese:) 

In my earlier days at college, I used to take foreigners on canoe trips or around the state and show them around our awesome state park system.  I remember torturing the Japanese exchange students on a 25 mile bike trail.  They had a great time and couldn't believe how big and spread out everything was!

When sweater vests were in....although I don't think this one ever was:) A packrat later chewed through it. I would still wear it today if I could just so I could hear my students complain.

The simple fact is that things don't have to cost a lot of money to be enjoyed together.  We learned that lesson early on in life and had a blast playing cops and robbers in the woods.  Or watching bears, from a distance, eat out of dumpsters.  Or accidentally walk up on one and freak out! If you haven't done so already in your area,  check out your state or national parks and create some beautiful memories that will last for years to come.

High Cliff State Park

Looking out to Leech Lake, Minnesota

The Failures

How many times will you try a plant before giving up?  Over the course of years, I've experimented with a lot of plants.  These next upcoming posts will be on plants that just don't work for me in the garden.  We are currently suffering a severe frost for the next couple nights and I have to say....IT'S COLD!!!  I don't know what's going to happen after these two days are over, but I might be adding more failures to my plant list.  Part of this blog is to keep track of the failures and learn from them.  As gardeners, we have a pile of these "failed" plants hidden somewhere in our gardens.  Stay tuned for the next series on plants that may cause Tucsonans or the "Zone Niners" issues in their own yards.  I've got a nice list of plants you should definitely not plant and some that just may not work for me......

A Snap Shot from my hometown of Two Rivers

Excited for Fall???

My favorite out of the bunch...some pics just happen...and this one turned out awesome. That's why you should always carry your camera with you wherever you go:)

Okay okay...this may be too soon, but September is just around the corner and I thought I'd jump start the feelings and emotions that happen to me and others when fall comes. I took these pics with 3 different cameras in Wisconsin last year.  My family loves my pictures but doesn't give me enough time to sit and ponder angles etc...nor do the nephews and nieces so I go out on my own. 

While it doesn't get this crazy colorful in Tucson, the plants seem to be happier here with the hot nasty summer gone and begin to flourish and become a healthier color again up until mid-December.  In my humble opinion, speaking of fall, the best places here in the desert to see leaves change would be in the northern part of the state around Flagstaff and Sedona areas, the White Mountains, or here on our very own Mt. Lemmon.

My niece at Point Beach

Ahhh Wisconsin...Mishicot! Nephew and nieces

But I'm sticking to Wisconsin for the moment.....best time to see colors change in my home state are in October....and around mid October.  However, if you are heading north, closer to the upper pennisula and in the Porcupine mountains, you'll want to go earlier as it will get cooler there faster.  Enjoy!!

We have a front today in Arizona and the temps are amazingly cool so I am taking advantage of them to clean up the property after the microburst several days ago.  Happy gardening folks....September is just around the corner:)

Point Beach

Sedum up close

I love how trees in my hometown connect!!

Hostas in their decline before winter