OUR HOUSE: Trees on 05/04/2005

Here are some snapshots I took with my Sony DCS-T1 camera infront of our house. In the middle of our street are 'islands' of trees. For about 2 weeks during spring (2nd half of May usually) the trees bloom. It never lasts as long was we would like it to, so the rest of the year, we just have photos. Click on the pics below to enlarge.

TRIP: SW Wisconsin 9/3/2005 - 9/4/2005

This labor day weekend, Michele and I went on a quick trip to southwestern Wisconsin. We had hoped instead to go to the Black Hills of South Dakota, but we faced time constraints. So at the last minute we were able to find a Bed and Breakfast (B&B) in Westby, Wisconsin called "Westby House."

It was a really nice B&B run by a husband and wife team. The wife runs the "inside" while the husband runs the kitchen and maintains the property. We spent just one night in the "Garden Room" and slept well. We drove around the town and saw the Amish folk baling their hay. Unfortunately, Paul didn't get any photos of that. But on before we left, we took some photos of the B&B and the towns we drove through.

The B&B owners suggested DiSciascio's Restaurant in Coon Valley, Wisconsin for dining. Since there isn't alot of choice, we decided to drive over Saturday night and give it a try. We've been living in the midwest for about 10 years, having been transplants from the east coast. This was the first time in all those years that we have found an Italian restaurant which has food like we could eat back home. As it turned out, the owner grew up in Ocean City, NJ and married a woman who graduated at the top of her class at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America)...which is impressive (the world's premier culinary college). His wife is originally from Zumbrota, MN so somehow they ended up opening a restaurant here. We now have a reason to come back here again!

After Michele finished her 'antiquing' at the local Westby stores, we drove around the countryside. Between Ontario and La Farge is a "Rustic Road" which is definitely worth taking. It is off of Route 131 just south of Ontario and it drops you back on Route 131 closer to La Farge.

We ate lunch at a diner called "Kelly's Cafe" in Viroqua, Wisconsin. The owner's husband seemd to take quite an interest in us and our little car. He spent about fifteen minutes talking to us and never gave us the menu. His wife came by to take our order and seemed a little upset (not alot though) that he was talking to us and not getting us to take our order. He seemed like a nice guy, and told us that east of that city there was an awful lot of maple trees and the colors will be great in about three weeks. We'll have to go back some year during autumn!!

We came back and swung by Winona, Minnesota to take a view from the looking point Garvin Heights...a big "mountain" (does Minnesota have any?) that you can look down on the island city of Winona. For a trip of lasting a little over 24 hours, we had a great time.

(click on the photos to see an enlargened version)

View of Westby Bed & Breakfast

And an small office building in Westby that Paul liked the proportions of....


A big brick building in Westby...

And our NBC (New Beetle Convertible) parked in Westby
as Michele shops for 'antiques'...

We drove through Cashton...it had a nice brick building...


And literally in the middle of nowhere, there was this big church called Saint Mary's...


Michele admiring the view on the Rustic Road, just south of Ontario, Wi...


A view from the Rustic Road between Ontario and La Farge, Wi. ...


A view of Winona and Michele from Garvin Heights overlook...

And to finish up, a bit of history (click on image to read)...