Wildcat - 2014
Click Here to Read About This Gallery.
Freja and her two buddies, Sushi & Biscuit, are all ready for our drive to Wildcat Mountain State Park. We're planning on camping for a few days and look forward to exploring a new part of Wisconsin.
We'd arrived in camp shortly before dark. After a quickly setting up camp we all enjoyed a nice fire before turning in early. Aside from a scuffle between a couple of raccoons, and the sounds of other campers, it was a quiet night. The first order of business was to make coffee. We fresh grind our beans, and use the same French press that we use at home. Having the exact same cup of Joe as at home makes us happy. No sooner was the coffee brewed and then the kid woke up. Her priority is to sit first in Mommy's lap, and once I settle down, in mine. I can't say it's a bad way to begin this day. As she snuggled up against me I really noticed how much she's grown.
The kid made a new friend while we were hanging out at the overlook. Another camper had his puppy with him. Naturally Freja couldn't resist petting it for a while. I was grateful it didn't spark the usual, "can we get a dog?" litany. BTW, the answer is still NO!
There are two things I love, breakfast and picnics. Combine them and I am a very happy camper. In this case literally. We had the place pretty much to our selves for most of the morning. It was so relaxing.
I was putting something away in the jeep and saw her bike just sitting there. My knees just barely cleared the handlebars. Teri grabbed my camera and snapped away while Freja howled in joy.
With the temperature climbing we thought it best to make our way down to the river. The Kickapoo is not very wide, fast, or deep. It's smaller than most of the streams back home in Pennsylvania, but it was nice and cool. Naturally the kid really enjoyed swimming, and playing in the mud.
Freja tries her hand at catching crayfish. The river bottom was pretty sandy, with little cover, where we happened to be playing. She didn't catch anything, but seemed to enjoy the hunt.
A quick snack before showers.
2 - 3lbs of chicken thighs, boned & skinned 1/4 cup olive oil 1 lemon - juiced 1 1/2 tspn kosher salt 1/4 tspn fresh ground pepper 1 large clove of garlic - minced 2 tspn dried oregano 1 - 2lbs red potatoes - rough cut 2 cups chicken broth 4 tbls unsalted butter Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. In a mixing bowl whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano. Store in a sealed container, and pack in your cooler. In camp, cut up the potatoes. Tear off a large piece of heavy foil and line the bottom of a cast iron pan, with enough excess foil to either side to make a package when folded. Spread the marinated chicken, with all the marinade, into the bottom of the foil. Layer the potatoes over the chicken, and pour the broth over all. Place the butter on top equidistantly. Fold over the foil, making a tight package. Poke a few small holes in the top to allow steam to escape. Place your pan over hot coals, and rotate every 15 minutes. Cook for 1 hour. Serve. This is a very aromatic meal!
After dinner Freja regales us with a few song/dance numbers for our evening show.
Instead of driving directly to Wildcat State Park we chose to wind through back roads. The Driftless Area in this particular region is really unique. There are many little valleys to drive through, and the terrain really catches your eye. We really enjoyed the scenic drive.
I packed her bike and while there were no trails, the roads weren't busy or too hilly. She spent a lot of time peddling around the circle of the camping section. There were a few steeper descents she seemed to really enjoy flying down, and then would hit her brakes making them squeal.
Liatris aspera
This is the first sign of the leaves changing color that I've seen. It's not even September yet. I'm not sure I'm ready for winter, which seems to come very quickly as I get older. On the plus side, it also means school begins soon!
It was becoming very hot and humid so the kid was allowed to play with our potable water supply when we returned to camp.
Helianthus angustifolius
A muddy embankment seemed to be her favorite place to play. She'd slide down it, and made some "pies."
While I do enjoy "primitive" camping where you take little gear and make your way into the wilds, there's something to be said for drive in camping. That jeep trailer allowed us to bring a lot of gear, and food. It's not a bad way to spend some family time.
Teri and Freja play a game of Uno! while dinner cooks over the fire.
Teri points out features of the landscape at one of the scenic overlooks.
Instead of driving directly to Wildcat State Park we chose to wind through back roads. The Driftless Area in this particular region is really unique. There are many little valleys to drive through, and the terrain really catches your eye. We really enjoyed the scenic drive.
It was a hazy, humid summer morning.
When we discovered a quiet playground we decided to have our breakfast there instead of in camp. While I walked back, packed up a cooler, grabbed some gear, and our books, Teri played with Freja at the playground. I'd left my gear there and Teri snapped this photo of the kid.
I really like shooting with the EF 135mm f/2L lens. It has just such crystal clear focus, and that "bokeh." I think it's one of my best lenses.
We spent a little while not doing anything other than lounging around camp. It was far too humid to go hiking, so we just relaxed. Sometimes it's nice to just do nothing other than read books in the shade.
Wood Duck, female
A canoe makes it way down the Kickapoo River.
I made dinner over hot coals while the girls played games.
Teri and Freja play a game of Uno! while dinner cooks over the fire.
The girls tried their hand at throwing small pebbles off the cliff of an overlook. Neither of them threw very far, so we weren't concerned about actually hitting anything below. That, and the tiny size of the pebbles didn't pose a major safety risk. At the most, they annoyed a few birds.
