The Summer of 2015 - A Bit of History (Part 2)

Now for the rest of the summer story . . .

August: Pig Roast at the Gibbsville Orchard. Our friends, Bill and Anna, joined us as we partied with other friends, Lori and Jeff Dutter at the Orchard. Their son, Dustin, is the proprietor and Mom and Dad help out frequently. Two bands performed. We camped overnight in the orchard.

Cooking the porker. It was delicious!

The MilBillies - one band

This Big Life - the other band

The Apple Lady - one of Lori's creations.

August: Richfield Days. It's the annual firemen's festival where Rick lives. We went to the Friday fish fry, hosted a party on Saturday, and saw the community parade on Sunday.

The Village (formerly Town) of Richfield is showing
 folks how their taxes are spent. Roads are cleared
quickly after snow falls - especially in August.

Richfield Service has fixed most of Rick's
vehicles over the years - and he's probably
contributed plenty of $$ to this truck!

One of several groups of dancers in the parade.

The educational float in the parade.

September: Midwest Vintage Trailer Rally in Montello. This was our fifth year to participate along with 50 or so others. This year Rick brought another new rig - a van camper. Every year we've had a different camper at the rally. Turned out that this one is a bit too small and Rick will probably sell it this summer. Takers anyone?

Nelson & Pade Aquaponics is next door to Buffalo Lake Camping Resort where the rally is held. We toured the place and learned how auquaponics, the raising of fish and vegetables in an integrated soilless system, is an efficient, sustainable, and local means of food production.

Fish are grown in the blue tanks. With a system of filtration, nutrients
are pulled from the water and used to grow the lettuce shown in various
states of maturity. The white styrofoam sheets float on top. 

Fish raised on site are scaled and cleaned by the owner of the facility.

Our rally hostess, Kimberly Steiner, had another contest this year - best decorated flamingo. The rules were that it could only be decorated with material that we had in our trailers.

Our "chicken" flamingo didn't even place but we had a good time fixing her up.

One of the winners.

The rally is always a good time - and a great way to reconnect with friends we've made over the years.

September: Doors Open Milwaukee. Again, another annual tradition. 

Some of the places we toured included Milwaukee Blacksmith (518 E. Erie) where the smithies forge candle holders like this one.

The Basilica of St. Josaphat is magnificent. This beautiful structure was built by Polish immigrants. Even the women helped. They carried away dirt in their aprons that the men shoveled from the site. 

The rotunda.

Exquisite stained glass windows.

Ceiling detail.

The basilica designation came in 1929.

Franciscan monks minister in urban settings
rather than in rural areas. I'm sure this order was
delighted when the current Pope took the name
Francis. 

This was the first year we toured on a Sunday so  must have been a day to check out religious buildings. One more stop of the day was at the School Sisters of St. Francis.

Even though the St. Joseph Chapel looks like a cathedral, it is technically
a chapel because there is no outside entrance to the space.

A mural depicts the history of the Sisters.

If you like to look at great buildings in Milwaukee, be sure to mark your calendar for the 2016 Doors Open Milwaukee - Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

October:  Volo Vintage Camping Trailer Rally

Once again our hostess, BJ Frantz, put on a good party. It was our last rally of the season. And another good time with our vintage friends. (My apologies to all - I don't have any good pictures this time!)

Here's a teaser for my next blog post!

East Meets West - in Milwaukee

On Independence Day, Rick and I attended a Mini Meet-up car show at Mount Mary University in Milwaukee. 

Who knew there would be 18, count 'em, 18 classes of Minis at the car show. I'd seen a few vintage Morris Minis and the current Mini Cooper at the earlier British Car Field Day in Sussex, but didn't realize there were so many other models. The Mini is really a recent car having been manufactured by the British Motor Company from 1959-2000. The Mini was marketed under the Austin and Morris names (like Chevrolet and Buick are brands of General Motors). It was also the first car to be made with front wheel drive. Performance versions of these models used the name Cooper, due to a partnership with racing legend John Cooper. The Mini was even named "European Car of the Century" in 1999 by a panel of 130 international automotive journalists!

Fast forward to 2001 when the Mini was acquired by BMW. The car is now marketed as a "retro" redesign of the original Mini. Cute, but not as cute as the older models in my opinion.

Even though today's Mini is small, yesterday's was even smaller. Not much engine horsepower either. Even less than the VW Cabrio I used to own. Can anyone over four feet tall fit into one of these?

Apparently Rick can sit behind the wheel of a Mini.

All in a row. . .

Who cannot like a Mini?

All kinds, from trucks (even panel trucks) to Jeep-like models called Mooks.

I can't imagine the bed of the truck carrying more than
a large cooler.

The Mook reminded me of a VW "Thing."

Even a few Woodies in the crowd. Put surfboards on the top of these cars and Beach Boys music comes to mind. 

The plain little Minis are just fine.

Well, maybe a little more than plain. The stripes and white top are a nice touch.

Gotta love the sense of humor Mini owners have.

What could be more fun on four wheels? (Unless it's
riding in Rick's Honda del Sol!)

This caption is popular with many Mini owners.

I can't forget the convertibles - always a favorite.

One more . . a bit unusual and the only one exhibited in its class.

When I saw this car, I was reminded of a Saab. But it's a Mini.

Earlier in the day we were at the world's largest Independence Day parade in Knowles, WI. Well, maybe not the largest, but probably the one with the most fire departments and fire queens represented and the least musical units. Ten different fire companies drove their hook & ladder trucks, ambulances, and other vehicles down Main Street. Along with these big rigs, area trucking companies, excavators, and tractor enthusiasts strutted their stuff. Did I mention the candy? Much better than Halloween for all the kids in the crowd.

The one band was from Lomira High School. The music ended just as they marched past our viewing platform, but we did see some fancy marching.

We had been to the parade last year and I wondered what would happen if an actual fire broke out in one of the communities while its fire trucks were in the parade. Wouldn't you know it, this year there must have been a fire in Mayville because two trucks and an ambulance tore down the street with sirens blaring in the midst of the parade. However, the fire must have been a small one because one of the trucks arrived back in Knowles to take its place at the rear of the parade!

Thanks to our friends, Amanda and Troy, for opening their home (and great front porch overlooking Main Street) to us so we could spectate.

Across the street from our friends, someone knows how to transport
lots of cold beverages on a hot summer day.

No fireworks this year - just firecrackers that Rick's neighbors set off well past dark throughout the weekend. 

It's Threshing Time

That's right - time to separate the wheat from the chaff. And that was demonstrated at the Richfield Historical Society's 15th Annual Thresheree on September 21 and 22.

The Thresheree takes place at the beautiful Richfield Historical Park. 

The motto for the Village of Richfield is "Forward. Preserving a Country Way of Life." What could be more "country" than a re-creation of life on the land in the late 1800s?

One feature of the Thresheree that I always enjoy is the Tractor Parade. It's more like a fashion show. Owners drive their tractors around the grounds with an announcer giving the details of the particular piece of farm equipment they are driving.

Mostly red and green tractors in the parade...

with an occasional orange one for variety.

Some of the many tractors on display at the Thresheree.

Even the little garden variety tractors get in on the action.

Gehl Company (now a subsidiary of Manitou Americas) from West Bend usually has an exhibit of equipment at the Thresheree.

This year Gehl brought out the Blazer. It was billed as an all-season
fun-mobile. Two people could ride in it. Wheels for summer...with dune-buggy
applications. Skis for winter. Conversion from one to the other in minutes!

The centerpiece of the Richfield Historical Park is the Messer/Mayer Mill that has been standing on its original location for 140 years. It's only one of a few timber frame grist (grain) mills in the Midwest. The Richfield Historical Society is currently in a campaign to raise funds to restore the foundation so that the building won't collapse. Previously Society volunteers replaced the Mill's roof, siding, and windows and succeeded in placing the Mill on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

Work has begun on the first phase to restore the Mill foundation.
Right now the soil next to this wall has been removed so the contractor
can repair the limestone mortar that is holding the field stones in the
foundation walls together. It's a big project.

I am always in awe of the dedicated, passionate volunteers who are involved in the Richfield Historical Society. The Society was organized a mere 15 years ago and, in that short time, its members have created a living museum of Richfield’s history at the Historical Park. The Park includes a pioneer homestead featuring log buildings that were moved from other locations in the village, the Messer/Mayer Mill, the miller’s home, and supporting buildings. The time period represented begins with the early settlers of Richfield prior to the Civil War, continues with life on the mill homestead, and carries on to the era of cash cropping and dairy farming. 

The Richfield Thresheree is always the third weekend of September. For a glimpse of our state's past when wheat was king, check out the Thresheree in 2014.

Celebrating Independence Day

Independence Day has just been celebrated this week across America. One of the best places to celebrate is in a small town.
   
On the 4th of July we were in Knowles - in Dodge County. Knowles is so small that it's not even an unincorporated "census designated place." 

But the people came from miles around for the Independence Day parade that made its way down the main street (and only one of three streets) of Knowles for 75 minutes. 

People were lined up three and four deep along the parade route. We had
a great view from the front porch of the home of our friends Amanda and Troy.    

The Knowles Fire Department started the parade. This department was joined by all the others in the area with their various tankers and hook and ladder trucks. Good thing the volunteer firefighters weren't needed to put out any fires considering that there are more fires on July 4 than any other day of the year. But then, those fires probably occur in the evening when fireworks are shot off.
   

The Lomira High School band was the only musical unit
in the parade.

These kids deserve a lot of credit for sticking around
for the 4th of July rather than going to the beach.

Veteran parade watchers know that LOTS of candy is thrown out by people riding on the "floats." Kids bring their bags and probably collect more of the sweet stuff in a little over than hour than they do at Halloween. And they don't even have to dress in costumes!

The candy throwers start at a young age.  

A few of the units in the parade moved on their own power. Most were pulled by either a truck or a tractor.

An educational message from a company that cleans up after a fire.

Fire seemed to be the theme of the parade. 

First, the Fire Queen.

Next, the Princess.

Finally, the next generation.

It wouldn't be a small town parade without the tractors. 

One of two Minneapolis Moline tractors in the parade.

Not many red tractors. Most were green John Deeres.

The horses brought up the rear as they do in most parades.

But there were no street sweepers to clean up.

We stopped by the Pike Lake House for a late lunch.

Rick and I both had the Texas Reuben - beef brisket, pepper jack cheese, cole slaw, and barbecue sauce. 

Tasty but very messy!

Rhythm & Booms has been a Madison tradition for 21 years. I've seen the fireworks across Lake Mendota in years past but this was the first year I had an unobstructed view at Warner Park on the north side of the lake. I was a guest of Wegner CPAs. Because of the cloud cover, the smoke from the fireworks didn't dissipate very quickly. By the end of the 30-minute display, the area looked like it was covered in a thick fog.

Ground action.

Some of the "booms" in the foggy finale.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation and freedom in all just pursuits. ~Thomas Jefferson (author of the Declaration of Independence)