A View from the Vestibule

I’m not one for spending a lot of time attending church services, but I do appreciate a quiet space where I can take some time out of my day and sit in quiet.

Often that quiet space, at least for me, is out in the middle of a hardwood forest propped against a tree, or sitting on the giant boulders lining the lakes, concentrating on the waves that never stop washing over the rocky shore.

But sometimes I find myself in the city, and I find myself in need of a quiet place. Occasionally I walk inside one of the many churches that line the downtown streets, and I find a space to sit and spend a few minutes in silence.

I was quite taken by the old world beauty of this church in downtown Milwaukee, and wanted to capture the feeling in a photograph. The half open door provided just enough framing for a part of the interior of the church. I liked the warm colors and the simplicity.

It was another one of those good spaces.

Self Portrait?

Another self portrait in metaphor.

Not quite in balance.

Need a bit of freshening, but an hour’s work would take care of those smudges, straighten the tangled cords of the window blind.

And a bit of sanding and a fresh coat of paint would hide those worn areas.

Like I mentioned before–metaphor.

Very!

So fast, only her stripes are left!

5 months old and full of energy

Day 3 of the Best of ’09 Challenge. Today’s challenge is to write about the best article I read in 2009. I read a lot. Hard to pick one article, but I did enjoy an article on the Laughing Yoga.

And today I found myself laughing at the antics of a pair of tiger cubs. Yes, laughing is great medicine for whatever ails you.

Now about those tiger cubs. This is one of two females born on July 8, 2009. The cubs, recently named Tula and Nuri, were born at the Milwaukee County Zoo in Wisconsin. They are now old enough to be making regular appearances in their indoor exhibit every day.

The name Tula is from the South African language, isiZulu, and means “quiet.”  Nuri means “my flame” and is Hebrew.

After watching the two cubs play and interact for nearly an hour this morning, I am guessing that the cub in the photograph is Nuri – if she is living up to the meaning of her name. She spent most of the time chasing her sister, and when the other cub finally dropped in her tracks to take a nap, Nuri took a few pounces on her sleeping sister. Tula turned her back on the more rambunctious cub, and Nuri posed – briefly – before taking another pounce towards her watchful mother.

Y is for Yellow, as Bright as the Sun

Z is for ZZZs, My Work Here is Done

It’s a Wrap on the Alphabet, the End of the Year.
Here’s to a Holiday Season, Filled with Good Cheer.

To You and Yours, the Very Best

Bo

Q's for Queen Anne's Lace, White Flowers She Wears

R is for Rivalry, the Packers and Bears

S is for Sailing, Sunset is Nigh

T is for Trees, and a Train Rushing By

Continue with A Wisconsin Alphabet – U through X or start at the beginning with A Wisconsin Alphabet – A through D.

E is for Elephant, at Milwaukee's Zoo

F is for Freezing, and Ice Fishing, Too

G is for Goats; the Roof is Their Dinner

H is for Harley, our Blue Ribbon Winner

Continue with Wisconsin Alphabet I through L or you can start at the beginning with Wisconsin Alphabet – A through D.

Detail of Chihuly Art Glass Sculpture

I needed something to post. This great glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly could easily have merited the entire post, but then Amuirin – that girl is always full of ideas – posted this crazy meme. It is supposed to be a one word answer meme, though I’m terrible at following rules, so I’ll give it a go, but no one-word promises.

Well, I was looking for a likely spot of procrastination. Almost anything would have qualified. My new washing machine to replace that blankity-blank one hasn’t even made its warehouse appearance yet and I’ve been without a washer for over a week and it was Thanksgiving and I had a houseful of overnight company  and there are “linens and things” to launder and I simply don’t wanna go to the laundromat.

Ah, pay attention.  Procrastination is a fine art.

Join the fun if you wish. Use these questions or make up your own like Amuirin and I did.  I am non-celebrating the first day of December in Wisconsin with snow, dark clouds, more snow, slippery streets, gray, gray, gray. So I say – who needs to drive to the laundromat in search of clean underwear?  Not me!

Here’s my lackadaisical attempts, clean and brief…

1. Where is your cell phone? — upstairs
2. Where is your significant other? —  an epic tale
3. Who is your favorite blogger? — blogger with comment
4. Your favorite beverage?— sipping tequila ($$$$$)
5. Your hair color? — fine, and you?
6. What is your favorite thing? —  camera
7. Your dream last night? — people sleep long enough to dream?
8. Your dream/goal? — serenity
9. The room you’re in? — studio
10. Your hobby? — setting goals I never reach
11. Your fear? — caving snowbanks
12. What do you want to be in 6 years? — sane
13. Where were you last night? — driving in Iowa in blizzard.
14. What are you not into? — organized groups
15. One of your wish-list items? — the perfect photo printer
16. Where did you grow up? — overlooking the Mighty Mississippi
17. Last thing you fantasized about? — sunshine
18. What are you wearing? — wool
19. What you are not wearing? — bikini
20. Your TV? — what TV?
21. Your pet? — Jazz, the Velcro cat
22. Your dinner? — pizza, delivered, hurry!
23. Your mood? — tolerable
24. Missing someone? — always
25. Your car? — in the shop, again
26. Favorite store? — Apple (computers, not fruit)
27. Favorite Breakfast? — chocolate ($$$)
28. Love someone? — usually
29. Last time you laughed? — a half-hour ago
30. Last time you cried? —  morning, much better now

Larry's Mug on the Tank ©2008 all rights reserved

The City of Milwaukee has a heritage of brewing great beers.  While many of the old names have faded, the Lakefront Brewery has grown and is adding to Milwaukee’s proud tradition. And to add a little extra color to their beer, Lakefront Brewery is a participating business in the Travel Green Wisconsin program, a state program which identifies Wisconsin tourism businesses who practice “green.”

Ah, definitely a greener kind of beer.

Sherpa and I have stopped at many a brewery tour, but this brewery tour has got to be the funniest around, and well worth the trip. Even if you don’t like beer, you’ll still enjoy the show. (I was told the beer is great by the Sherpa sampler guy, but I drank their root beer which I happily gave a five star rating.)  Our tour guide was a mild mannered middle school health teacher by day, and a comedic, brash cheerleader and part time Laverne & Shirley imitator on the weekends. Her performance alone was nearly worth the trip.

You find out all the basic things about beer on this tour, including definitions of words like wort and fermentation.  However, the high tech graphics (laminated hand made signs), fermentation tanks painted with images of The Three Stooges, the tour guide’s rendition of Laverne & Shirley choreography, and evidently the refillable beer cup, make this tour “The Tour.“  You see the real brewing operation in all its gory – or glory – and it’s one grand adventure.

Go ahead. You’ve always wanted to visit Milwaukee. Mark this brewery tour on your map for when you plan your visit.

View of Milwaukee Art Museum from Harbor 550

This lovely brick patio is right on the edge of Lake Michigan. We visited the Harbor 550 on an early morning, but I want to return for an evening visit so I can sit around the brick fireplaces, which are strategically placed along the shoreline, and look out over Lake Michigan and Milwaukee’s lakefront.

Delicious!