Eyebrows

Due to my feet problems I continue to attend the Fun and Fitness swim class. This three day a week class is mainly comprised of senior aged woman most of whom are older than I, some by over two decades. You can read a post about the class here. Last week Monday, I was at the class, and swam for the first half of the 45 minute session. Then the instructor arrived for the fitness portion of the class. The class occupies two swim lanes each side of the bulk head so four lanes total. It is usually mundane, although the other side of the bulk may be more lively as that is where most gossiping occurs. The instructor never gets in the water, but demonstrates from the bulkhead. I am not sure how the conversation on the other side of the bulk head started, but it was about eyebrows and eyebrow treatment. 

Fun and Fitness
courtesy McFarland Thistle

I am guessing one woman noticed the eyebrows on the instructor. It is not unusual for small talk to begin the class, and the instructor with her varied colored hair, mainly blues and purples, often draws rave reviews from the many popcorn heads in the class. They get into discussions about when, and to what color, she will have for her hair. If a woman did notice the eyebrows on the instructor, I have to give her credit for having good eyes, or perhaps a woman would notice something that I pay little attention. I don't think I would notice such a thing, and if I did it would not register in my mind. Does it really matter? What I found out is that for many women eye lashes matter. The discussion was so in depth and went on so long I wondered if I would get to use the foam dumbbells that I even picked out of the bin. 

McFarland pool

The women got into a discourse on what is called microblading and later powder brushing, both treatments to eyebrows. The instructor apparently had micro blading accomplished on her eyebrows in 2017, and the treatment lasts about 5 or 6 years, so she was over do. A friend of her daughters used her to hone her skill on the technique and it did not turn out well. She went to her normal stylist who said she could not correct the situation with microblading, but would do powder brushing. The discourse between the instructor and the senior pool crowd went on for several minutes over the benefits and disadvantages of each technique. What I found out is that microblading costs $495. A few ladies thought she said $4.95, and they were thinking how that was a good deal until it was restated as--Four hundred ninety-five dollars. Powder brushing is $100 less, but it also lasts about 5 to 6 years.  

The details of each I did not understand. Heck, my 66 year old male mind had trouble comprehending the terminology of microblading and powder brushing for eyebrows. The former sounds like small roller blades, and the latter like a Bob Ross painting technique. I had to repeat the words to myself and even ask Barb, one of the swim ladies (who I think colors her hair a deep red), to make sure I was correct. Near the end of the class I could tell it was something that really did not matter because I had trouble with it registering in my mind. Yet, I knew this would make a great blog post, if I could correctly remember the terminology. 

McFarland pool

When I get home from swim my wife asks, "How was swim?" and my usual response, "Oh, fine.", but I that Monday I had a bit of information I could share with her. "So," I said, "I heard a ten minute discourse on eyebrow techniques." I then mentioned "microscrapping" which was supposed to be microblading; this showed how little the terms stuck in my mind, and I then mentioned powder brushing. I told her one of the ladies suggested that it was too bad my wife was not present, to which I said, she would have dismissed it once she heard the cost. Sure enough, I was correct. 

My wife informed me about different women we both know and the techniques they use on their eyebrows, including a woman who has had her eyebrows tattooed on her head. I think that means she is stuck with her hair color. I am not sure what it is, but men lose the hair on their head and women seem to lose their eyebrow hair. My wife had never heard of microblading, but two neighbors she walks with had heard of it. 

The lifeguard, a male college student at UW, just simply shook his head at the conversation and had a few snickers. This had one of the woman comment how fortunate he is to hear about female eyebrow grooming techniques. I think he would rather have avoided the conversation, but the life guard stand is right there, and with all the females in Fun and Fitness gathered around to hear and discuss, and me floating nearby waiting for the exercise portion to begin, his concentration was mainly on the group. Switch of life guards occurred during the conversation, as he had a class to attend, and the pool manager took his spot. The manger recounted to me how this reminded him of years ago when women would get their hair done and then come to class and cover their hair with the old style plastic shower caps. Leave it to female logic to have your hair done and then go to the pool. I wonder if they were trying to impress the other ladies at the time, without saying, but showing a fancy hairdo. 

McFarland pool

I am not sure if most men are like me, but if so, I wonder why women go to so much trouble if the eyebrows are hardly noticed? I have been told it helps make them feel better about their self. I was recounting the story to a couple last Wednesday, who missed Monday, and the wife said, why should women put on makeup when men don't do it?  Although she later said, there are some men that use makeup. What is it about women and their eyebrows, or lack thereof?  I do know if you lack eyebrows it is probably noticeable, but really is all that fancy work required?  Although, if microblading lasts 6 years, that is less than $83 a year, so not too big an investment.

I never got to use the dumbbells that day. We did, finally, get to the exercises, but the instructor brought Menard "grocery" bags for us to fill up and lift out of the water. I am not sure how many gallons the bags hold, but a gallon weighs 8.34 lb, and when filled it was not easy lifting over the head. So much for picking out a nice set of dumbbells. As for grooming, I don't really care to know about microblading or the powder brushing. If the ladies start to discuss grooming techniques of points south, I think I will swim to the other end of the pool. 

Unless otherwise noted, photos by author, spring 2024

Mother of Boomers

On this date, one hundred and one years ago, October 1, 1923, my mother was born. Born in Chicago, she was proud of her paternal Irish heritage. It was almost like her mother's German heritage did not much matter, and that she was 100% Irish. Mom died on 23 Sep 1980, less than a week shy of her 57th birthday. Even though she struggled with varied health issues for the last years of life, her death was still a shock. She was the mother of ten baby boomers.

Freshman Yearbook College photo, 1942 

I was in graduate school at the UW, and after a slate of classes that Thursday in 1980, I made my way to St Mary's Hospital where mom had been for a couple days. There was the usual hospital smell, and scurrying of nurses, nurses aids and even some doctors. I once saw a doctor show on television, and while some medical professionals had a conversation at the nurse's station, the background had a group of people walking to the right as you viewed the screen. Then, the same group, in reverse order, walked to the left. I guess it was to make the hospital seem busy. A real hospital seems much more chaotic. I went up to floor she was on only to find her room empty. I looked around, and all the nurses were busy, as was the nurses station. I walked around a bit to see if she switched rooms. Not seeing her, and not wanting to impose on the busy staff I called home using a pay phone, remember this is 1980, and my Dad answered the phone. I asked if mom had gone home, and that when he simply said, "She died today." It was a long drive home in rush hour traffic. Something in my mind told me to call home, and  I was glad that I did because it was better hearing the news from dad, even it was over the phone, and not from a nurse or someone at the nurse's station. My subconscious self seemed to know what had occurred before my conscious self did.

1945 College Senior Year photo

Born at Englewood Hospital, her original birth certificate has all boxes filled but the one for her given name. Perhaps her parents were  not expecting a girl and they did not have a girl's name picked out, or could not agree on one. Irish tradition would have had her named after her mother's mother, i.e. grandmother Reiner, which would be Franziska (Frances). Her mom was German and probably could care less about the Irish tradition. Being Catholic, they chose to honor the Virgin Mary. Where her middle name, Jean, came from, I do not know. A supplemental birth certificate was filed a few days later providing the name: "Mary Jean."

Mom's Parents, Leo F Sweeney and 
Amanda (nee Reiner) Sweeney
Parents of both were immigrants to the US

After the birth of seven boys my mom had her first daughter, Mary Bernadette. Not thinking that the man provides the X or Y chromosome, if he even cared, the story is my dad said to my mom, "So, you went and had a girl." A second girl would follow, and then the family was complete with the baby brother, Peter. 

Mom and Dad Wedding photo

Having ten children, including eight boys, the first four were born within four years and ten months of each other, two of my most vivid recollections revolved around her doing laundry and cooking. It seemed that every day, there was laundry, particularly with non-disposable diapers at the time, which was a good amount. I figure well over half of mom's married life involved a child in diapers. Laundry was hung out on the line when weather permitted. Mom used wooden poles in the middle of each line to help hold the line up from the weight of the clothes. The cotton rope always seemed to stretch. There were piles of laundry for each child on the family room table. She was amazingly quick and good at folding clothes, a technique I have never learned well.

Mom and son Steve, c July 1948

Then there was food, which was piled endlessly on the table. The custom made kitchen table was wider than normal to help hold all the food. The milkman would daily bring gallons of milk. My neighbor complains about the amount of food her now sophomore high school son eats, and another only a few years away, but that is little compared to the appetite of the Hovel boys. There are appetites, and then there are Hovel appetites. My mom once told me that the hardest adjustment she had to make as the older boys moved out leaving fewer kids at home, with the rest off to college or grown, was cooking for a smaller number of people. 

As a mom she was always worried about her children. Even when they were adults. One Sunday morning at breakfast my mom was concerned that my brother John had not come home that night. I was out Saturday night with some friends at Lums on Madison's east side, and who walked in but John and a girl, who would later become his wife. Mom was really fretting over little Johnny (John, who was the fourth in line, had a nickname "Runt" given to him by the three older siblings). I did not really want to say anything, so as to get him in any trouble, although he was in graduate school at the time. But, she went on and on. I realized I had to put her mind at east. So, under my breath I said "I saw him last night." I was asked what I had said, so I then said: "I saw him late last night at Lums and he was with a girl." That put an end to the conversation, except for my Mom saying, "Well, then, I guess he is okay." I was looking down to grab part of a pancake so not sure if my dad smiled and my mom frowned. 

My older Hovel siblings
Back (l to R): Mike, Joe, Steve
Front (l to r): Leo, John

With all of the antics completed by my older siblings, mom had pretty much experienced everything.  Luckily, Sun Prairie was still a small town. On the other side there was boring me. My twin brother, Greg, would tell his two children "Uncle Tom" bed time stories. From what I can recall they clamored for the bed time stories about Uncle Tom so they could get fast to sleep. This shows the range of personalities in the family.

Having watched my wife parent our two boys over the years, and yes worry about them, I have come to the conclusion that mothering is more similar than dissimilar, even with generational difference. A mother's worry about her children never ends. 

Mom at Christmas 1949
with sons Joe and Steve

Mom was raised by a first generation German-American mother, I have to think things were pretty strict in the Sweeney household. Yet, I never knew mom to be overly strict. I wonder if by the time the later children came along she was worn out and the young kids, when I was old enough to observe and recollect (although my twin brother Greg remembers pretty much everything from his birth on), got away with more than we middle children did. I do recall I was not allowed to do homework in front of the TV, it was often done in the bedroom, or, less frequently, at one of two built-in desks in the family room (dad designed the house which was occupied in April 1958). My parents had no qualms about our youngest brother doing his homework in front of the TV. He did have good grades which perhaps made them wonder why bother. I am not sure of the cause and effect since he was also the baby of the family. Showing that demoralizing nicknames were not limited to our older brothers, one of us, or in concert with each other (that being me, Greg and Mary B) gave our youngest sibling the nickname of Nene Tarde (late baby). Often shortened to Nene. I have to think that households with a limited number of children miss out on some antics that occurred in families with more children. It was not unusual for a person in our family to have more than one nickname--one provided by the older boys, and another from the younger half of the family. 

My mom's parents (as did my dad's) saw that all their children received a college education. My mom attended high school at St Mary's in Prairie du Chien (where she was valedictorian) and then Mount Mary College in Milwaukee. Both girl only schools. One thing I recall, was how well my mom shot the bow and arrow, a skill from her days at girl schools. It was a golden era of Catholic education, when nuns and priests were abundant which reduced the labor costs for educators. My mom was destined to be a teacher until that day when my dad proposed. She met my dad while visiting a classmate from St Mary's, my dad's sister Anita. She was likely in Sun Prairie to visit her aunt who taught 7th and 8th grade at Sacred Hearts in Sun Prairie, and took the time to visit Anita at the farm just north of town. 

Mom was winner in K of C High School
essay contest. This May 1941 letter is from the dean at
Mount Mary to KC State Deputy thanking for notification
Mom would end up attending Mount Mary, and graduated in 1945

What occurs to me is that this is a quintessential American story. My mom's grandparents immigrated to the US from the 1850's to the 1870's; this made her parents first born Americans. The marriage was between a 100% German woman and a 100% Irish man in Chicago shows the American melting pot. Mom lived and grew up on the southside of Chicago, in an area populated by Al Capone's mother, and made famous by James Farrell's Studs Lonigan trilogy. Her paternal grandfather worked in a packing house (the meat industry which received much disdain), and her dad for his brother, a butcher, which show the nation at the industrial revolution. Her dad would be released from that position during the great depression, and would later help publish the first book on the Rhythm Method of birth control. The American story continues with a former GI, from a farm family, and now in the professional class, in southern Wisconsin marrying a big city girl. They had a large family at a time when large families, while not the norm, were not necessarily uncommon. This mirrors the change from the farm economy to the professional and service economy. The marriage produced ten baby boom era children over almost the full range of baby boom birth years, as the children were born from January 1948 to September 1964. 

Sweeney Family photo, c 1910
Mom's grandpa is man kneeling in black suit, her dad is boy to the right
 Mom's grandmother is sitting with white shirt. 

Of the ten children all but one would grow to adulthood. The remaining nine all married, and all the boys would have children of their own. My brother Leo, who was between John, and me and Greg, died at the age of four when hit by a car along USH 51 in McFarland. My mom may have never really recovered from this tragic event. The loss and anguish was expressed in letters to her youngest brother and to this day evince the depth of her immense heartache. As a mother she experienced the range of emotions from the death of one child, to seeing the marriage of four sons, and the birth of one grandchild. 

Mom grieved and worried, but she always persevered and worked for the betterment of the family. Regardless of the antics of many of my siblings, or perhaps in spite of that, she raised children that would all be good productive members of society. She sacrificed for her children. There may be no greater love than that of a mother for her children. And, in this case, all of her baby boomer children, three of whom are in heaven with her and dad.

Photo credit: Yearbook photos from Mount Mary College Yearbooks. All others from family archives.

Reclamation

It is not unusual to see weeds growing up in cracks of roads and sidewalks. Nature has a way of making itself known, and the weeds that grow in such seemingly inhospitable locations show how resilient nature can be to man's activities. I have seen parking lots over taken by weeds and trees, and trees growing out of former buildings, and in gutters and on roofs. A slight buildup of detritus and it is amazing what seeds can do. Nature has an ability to reclaim land, in many cases with little assistance by humans and perhaps even in spite of humans. 

Marl Lake, August 2024

We ended our 2024 camping season last week at Hartman Creek State Park. We visited nearby Marl Lake on three different days during our trip. It is a 12 or so minute bike ride from the campsite, using a short cut. Marl Lake is a rather unique lake, due to its geology which affects its lake color. It is a small, but deep lake, with clear green-blue colored water. I wrote about the lake last month, which you can find here. This post will discuss how, what is known as the Whispering Pines Park, has been reclaimed by nature. This peninsula (bordered on two sides by lakes, and a third by a creek, survived the last major tree cutting in the state in the 1800's, so its white pines, which give rise to the name, are tall and magnificent. 

Main trees at Whispering Pines

White pines dominate, as a view of the air photo taken in the winter can show. Originally private property, mainly owned by the Hyldegaard family and later sold to the state. When in private ownership by the Hyldegaard family it was open to the public as a park. The property came under state ownership in the mid 1970's. With the private ownership the land contained several buildings, including a museum, souvenir shop, home and its related outbuildings. There was also a former fishing resort, later acquired by the Hyldegaards. Today, the only building on the site is a toilet building, although some old foundations are visible. We noticed old foundations near Pope Lake, which may be related to the old fishing resort on Pope Lake.  

Board discussing Resort at Whispering Pines

The state tore the buildings down at Whispering Pines, and nature has been left to take over. The Friends of Hartman Creek have placed a variety of markers and some benches, and the hope is, on the fairly level ground that makes up much of the top, to place a handicap accessible path. The lake sits well below the top, as fifty-five stone steps take one down to Marl Lake. The historic markers provide an explanation of the geography and the history of the site. On some areas of the flat top of the property, old paver stones remain visible on the path that circles near the top edge. It is more natural than developed as large pines have fallen, and no effort has been made to even chain saw the down trunks covering the paths.

Fishing Resort discussion

As I moseyed on some of the paths, I was struck by how little evidence of the prior development and structures existed, and how so much seems to have been reclaimed by nature, with little help from man, other than removal of the buildings. Yet, the effect of man is prevalent in some of the vegetation. For example, cedar trees were planted along the lake edge by the Hyldgaard family. There are also some non-native flowering catalpa, which may have come from bird dropped seeds from their location in other yards.

Pope Lake

While the white pines dominate, their are other trees: red maple, birch, tamarack, some red pine, and some hemlock on the north face slope of Pope Lake. The tall canopy limits sunlight to the ground and so there is some, but limited ground or understory vegetation in some areas. Reclamation is not limited to land, but also is part of our waterways. Lake Erie was an industrial waste ground for many years, and was able to clean itself after the implementation of the clean water act which reduced pollutant loadings. The Madison lakes benefitted by the installation of sewage treatment which resulted in the Nine Springs Treatment plant which was built and is maintained by the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District. The sewer plant changes to adapt to a changing regulatory environment. 

Marl Lake, view of bottom, Aug 2024

Change in our landscape is all around us. We see decay and we see rebirth. It is part of the pattern of life. Nature is resilient, as is shown by Marl Lake, and those small plants that eek out a living on a roadway. Nature, however, likely has limits, as do all of us, and it would be foolhardy to predict what climate change has in store for coming years. What I do know is that nature in some situation,, left to its own devices, can reclaim itself.

Photos by author, Aug and Sept 2024

Locker Room

I had to descend down a long concrete stairwell, perhaps enough to cover two stories, to a football locker room. The locker room was in the dungeon of the school, and I recall it sitting even below the boiler room. It was here that we received our football equipment for seventh grade, with the coach's office and equipment storage room sharing an adjoining room. Being in the bowels of a school, the rooms lacked any natural light, and were lit with a few florescent shop type lights. The room seemed much older than the school, which was built during the baby boom era. This was the locker room for the Sacred Hearts football team. I don't think the smell of sweat that permeated the equipment from budding hormones of adolescent boys ever left the equipment or the room. The showers were located up the stairs, down a hall, and were across from the cafeteria below the gym, which was much older. The locker room, like the cafeteria had been remodeled which was evident by the green and beige tile. This small locker room served the winter sport basketball team. 

My first locker room is a distinct contrast from the Division1 locker room of the Wisconsin Badgers. A recent article in "On Wisconsin", the UW alumni magazine which my wife Toni receives, had her thick red hair shaking in disbelief. My first locker room, was generally concrete block walls and concrete floors. There may have been a few mats, but I recall the metal tipped cleats clinking on the concrete floor. There was no tap dancing. Wood benches without backs were scattered around the room. Team meetings seldom took place in the locker room, but rather were out on the practice field, which was about a 1/4 mile walk from the locker room. I would have had only about a 300' walk from my house to the practice field, as our yard, bordered most of the south side of the Sacred Hearts athletic field. The boiler, which looked like it could have been the guts of Maryann the steam engine, lumbered and cranked depending upon the days temperature. The color of the room was institutional concrete grey. No paint, no decoration, just a simple space dedicated to kids looking to play a certain sport that allowed them to keep testosterone in check. The Badger locker room is red, which is the main color for the Badgers.

Photo of part of UW Football Locker Room
Source: "On Wisconsin", fall 2024

The UW football team locker room has red appointed stuffed seating that is three feet wide that folds to reveal ventilated storage. The article does not say if they are leather or vinyl covered. Below each seat is a back lighted logo of the motion "W" that is on the helmet. Just another thing to change if they change the logo design. I guess it lets you know what team you play on after too many hits to the head. If they can recognize the logo. Above the personal space is an illuminated display (again back lit) that features the athletes picture and name and some other stuff. Overdoing Badger red, the carpet is red as well as some of the lighting, which the article describes as low-lit, and says" "The low-lit room glows Badger red." Blood red is probably an appropriate color for a football locker room, particularly for a team who has an artificial surface. The red colored rug burns, and blood from cuts, will fit right in. Low light levels may be the only similarity the Sacred Hearts locker space had to the current Badger locker room.

A trophy case is present by the UW locker room, which is placed to add extra incentive, particularly since one trophy currently sits in Iowa. By the trophy case is shared space, which makes you think you are at a spa. there are lounge chairs, televisions, pool table, sleep pods, four foot deep recovery pools, and a saltwater float tank. There is also a nutrition room.  Add the barber and it is no wonder some players spend several hours there after practice. They have their own spa. A four square court is present, but hardly now used since Covid, as the writer said it is hard to compete with a cellphone. It is one big man cave. My wife understood the need for the deep recovery pool, and possibly the saltwater pool, but thought all else was above board. I wonder if the nutrition room serves lotus drinks?  My brother-in-law, Rick, had a couple lotus drinks at the BJ (that is for Boulder Junction) coffee shop when we were with them in Boulder Junction for a week in Sept. When ordering his first lotus drink he told the clerk he was turning in his man-card. Receiving coffee the next day, she told him his coffee had the blood of 2,000 men. She did not say to him, a Norwegian, if it was the blood of 2,000 Viking warriors.

Going out on a limb, I wonder if the UW serves new age (such as lotus) drinks in the nutrition room. Does this account for the lack of productivity on the field. A loss to Alabama was not unexpected, but by 42-10, could I say the team collectively lost its man-card? The Badgers have this week off to tend to their wounds before facing USC, in a revamped Big-Ten. Badger fans are still awaiting the arrival of the promised "Air Raid" offense. What the O-Coordinator and the head coach seem to lack is the understanding that the UW has really been a run oriented team, so to go to the promised "air raid" offense requires a culture change. 

My brother Steve who coached HS football for many years said with the pass four things can happen, and three of which are not good (sack, interception, incompletion). Passing offenses offer big gain, and that is why they are so popular. Rules have been changed to benefit the passing game, so statistics that compare stats from the 1960's or 1970's (and even 1990's and later) to 2020's is playing with numbers. it is like comparing rushing yards of a 16, now 17 game season to when the seasons had 14 or less games. 

Football is big business and D1 programs compete for talent, and each team searches for its edge. Years ago, "60 Minutes" had a segment on then Alabama coach Nick Saban. Not once, not once, was there a mention of academics or academic standards at the University. The edifice complex has spread to fields, as Bama's is Nick Saban field, and Camp Randall's is Barry Alavarez field. What significant figurer in football will get the restrooms named for them? Luke Fickell Restrooms. Chris McIntosh trash enclosure. I still await a name referred to as Tax Payer Field. To me, this all shows how far college football has floated from its academic roots, and even its early roots. 

When my Dad played in the first Cotton Bowl they traveled by train, and no practice facility was provided, but they found a pasture to practice in. I have to think I would be more at home in that basement concrete locker room when I was at Sacred Hearts. I do not need much frills. Football was, and is, a tough game, and the Sacred Hearts locker room reflected the game's grit. The game has changed markedly since 1971, and in more ways than reflected in the Badger locker room. So, Badger players, get yourself a lotus drink, and sit down on your padded seat to enjoy the televisions.

Boulder

We are biking a paved trail surrounded by tall pines and lower level spruce trees. This setting provides a sense and scent of Christmas which is over three months distant, but with the weather late last it could have been less than two months distant. We were on part of the Heart of Vilas County bike trail system. The bike system, which runs from Mercer southeast to just past St Germain, meanders through forest, and wetlands, over rivers and streams and along crisp blue lakes. One would think we are in a horse drawn cart on our way to grandma's house. 

Bike trail in St Germain

We make our base in about the middle, at Boulder Junction, staying at Big Bear Hideaway that was built by my brother Joe and now sold to other operators. Each time I am in the building, I find something new to marvel at, the little noticed detailing help makes the place. What is nice about the Northwoods is the diversity of its forests. We experienced some that were predominantly pine, and another, Forest Lake trail, that was mainly hardwood--with maple as its predominant species.

Fauna along Forest Rd

The Northwoods, as it is known, draws people from much of the upper Midwest. Even people from Illinois make the journey, not to mention some from Minnesota which has its own northwoods. We arrived on the Wednesday after Labor Day, and one can tell the summer season is over, not only by the shorter days, cooler weather, but the lack of activity in the towns, and the closures of some restaurants and shops. In Boulder Junction, the two ice cream shops are closed, the last closed Saturday evening. The second staple of Wisconsin not being available is somewhat disconcerting, but the bars and taverns still seem alive, although certainly less busy. The Boulder Coffee shop seemed to do a consistent business on the morning of 9/11.  

Fallison Lake

One restaurant/bar, a few minute mosey from our lodging, had live music last Saturday evening, and the flowing beer sure made things hop in Boulder Junction. This is quite a statement given that my son and daughter-in-law significantly lowered the average age (perhaps by 15 years) of what one niece refers to as the AARP crowd. I counted about 90 people. It was music that could be well enjoyed by us older folk, John Denver, Harry Chapin, just to name a few artists. I am not a musically inclined or knowledgeable individual, but I did know a few other artists.  

Hopping AARP crowd at Aqualand restaurant

With an ability to offer more than beer, the Wisconsin Northwoods can be a great location to undertake varied outdoor activities. The day Mom Bear and I arrived, last week Wednesday, we could not check in until 3 pm, but we left early, and I got some swimming in (Nichols Lake and Jag Lake) and we did a  twelve mile bike ride on part of the new Lost Creek Loop, from Nichols Lake to the Jag Lake state forest group camp. While others hiked, me and my bad feet moseyed along from varied parking lots to a falls, hiking a total of three miles while visiting water falls along the Black River in the Upper Peninsula, near Bessemer. We had intermittent rain that morning, and we were fortunate to fit the falls in without much affect by the rain. Late that afternoon, we biked the full 14 mile Lost Creek Loop. Showing the unreliability of weather apps, three showed the rain had stopped, but we had half the ride in rain. I suspect the cars that went by wondered what was wrong with us. Heck, on Tuesday the chance of rain was 6% and that chance of course struck us a few times. 

Part of a Black River waterfall

A few days the weather was in the low 70's which allowed both swimming, and biking, and, even for me, some hiking. That is the odd thing about early September. In the north it is a shoulder season in early September. When weather is decent, the lake water still is sufficient in which to swim, and the biking is nice in 60 and the 70 temperatures. Friday the temps were in the low 50's and struggled to the low 60's in the sun on Saturday. There is much to explore, and the paved bike paths provide an opportunity for many. The popularity of E-bikes sure makes it a must do for many seasoned citizens. Biking is just one of many activities one is able to enjoy in Vilas County.

Enjoying the Fallison Lake Trail
(Courtesy of Andrew Hovel)

I do not fish, and many see the north as best for those who like to fish. Vilas County, where we spent most of our time, is said to have the largest concentration of freshwater lakes in the world (although different government units define lake differently). Hence, it is an attraction for those who like to fish. Past trips we have noticed many females, those wayward females, in large groups biking, which makes me wonder if their spouses or partners are off fishing while the ladies get in some cardio. Many fish for Muskies, which I hear takes a great deal of patience. My oldest brother was a Muskie fisherman, and tied and sold lures for that species. He probably had less patience than me, so I often wondered how he was so successful. It must have been the lures.

Me with Marty, Boulder Junction

(photo courtesy of Toni Hovel)

One thing I like about these small towns in the kitsch of a fiberglass figure. One town has a loon, Boulder Junction has Marty the Muskie, and St Germain has some French guy along Hwy 70, slightly east of 155. Each claim a mascot. 

Me and Marty, closeup 

(photo courtesy of Toni Hovel)

While the Wisconsin north woods is known for its lakes, and woods, success breeds problems. I have written about one problem I noticed a few years ago in Vilas County, which you can read about here. I believe vacation rentals are a large part of the cause, as it certainly is not agriculture. With vacation rentals, cottages are used many weeks during the year, rather than perhaps four or five. I think, for the health of the waters, it is time for a sewage treatment plant to be considered for the lakes with many dwellings. Sewage treatments plants have helped clean or keep clean a number of lakes clean . 

The lakes and woods are what draw people to the north woods, and humans have a capacity to destroy that which they value. Hence, some intervention is needed, before the lakes become cesspools not favorable to the recreation purposes so desired.

By Fallison Lake
(Courtesy of Gena or Andrew)

The Northwoods has an ability to strike your senses, from the scent of pine needles, to the sight of a lake within a forest. The sound of water lapping against the shore, or a small brook all delight. IN providing a delight to your senses, it delights your soul, and helps your well being. 

Unless otherwise noted, all photos by author.

Futbol

If I had titled this post as "Football" most, if not all, readers would have linked it to American football. This post is about what the rest of the world know as futbol (with a diacritical accent mark above the u), also known as football, or here in the US as soccer. When my boys were in grade school they played soccer for a few years. I actually coached our younger sons team for a couple years. But, I am not writing about second graders playing soccer, but men in their athletic prime playing the "beautiful game". My wife and I attended our first professional soccer game in St Paul, MN on the evening of August 24. It was a great futbol game. We, and my sister and her husband, were invited up by my son and his wife to see a game. The game did not disappoint.

Outside view of Allianz Field before game

The final score was 3 to 2 in favor of visiting Seattle, as opposed to the Minnesota United Loons. Not to be outdone by the NFL, there professional season, for 2024 started in February and the regular season goes to early October. My first thought was that the February and March games would tend to be played at southern locations. I was wrong. Of the nine games, one in February and eight in March, six were played at the Allianz Field in St Paul. Allianz is an outdoor stadium, but has a translucent canopy that extends over much of the seating area. As would be expected in a northern climate where temperatures in February and March can be well below freezing, the field is heated. Playing in cold weather requires other accommodations, such as heating in restrooms, luxury boxes and the concession booths. When the Vikings played a season at the Univ of Minnesota Stadium while their new structure was being built, they had to make accommodations for playing in cold weather as the stadium was built as a three season venue, which generally sees is last game around Thanksgiving time, meaning it lacked proper heating for the winter. 

Field before game

Allianz stadium, opened in April 2019, it took two years and four months to construct. The game attendance was 19,751 (Loons website), although the stadiums listed capacity is 19,600 (Loons website). I am not sure where all the people were, because although the game was well attended, I did see empty seats. 

The attendees were engaged, and the UW students would be proud, or perhaps perturbed, that they have a play on one of the UW student chants X-rated chants at UW football games. My clean ears and mind took awhile, with a question to my son, to have figured it out.  If I was a regular at a UW football attendee, I may well have figured it our right away. At certain corner kicks, why only corner kicks, I don't know why, the fans stand and wave a scarf. Well most do, a woman in the row in front of us and a bit to the right had a scarf but did not wave it. Her male partner was rather enthusiastic about waving his with his left hand and arm, so perhaps she thought he was doing it for the both of them. On  the other hand if she waves with her right, maybe the arms would have become intertwined. She should have been on his left side as the seat to her left was vacant. 

Scarf waving, but for the woman

What was not vacant was the drum playing. Several people, perhaps 12 or more were gathered on a concourse over looking the field end and played their drums. Not any particular tune of which I was aware, but the sound added to the experience. I have to say, when watching the Vikings play, hearing their skol horn is not a delightful sound. It may be because they scored. Because soccer seldom stops play, the drum sound was almost continuous. 

The most unique aspect of this event was not the game, not the sound, not the stadium, but the fact that I found myself rooting for a team from Minnesota. I attended a Minnesota Twins game several years ago in Minneapolis, but more for the enjoyment than to root for a team. But, here I found myself rooting for the Loons. Was it old age? Have I become less suspicious of Minnesota, the Wisconsin rival to the west? I think it is the fact that Minnesota has the Loons, and Wisconsin lacks professional soccer, although Madison has a semi-pro team in the Flamingos. The neat thing was watching players who likely have played against the best soccer player in the world--the left footed Lionel Messi. Messi now plays for Miami, formally known as "Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami"  I am sure if the Loons were playing Inter Miami CF, the stadium would have been more than sold out, and people would have arrived early to watch the match. I think it is great that Messi, in the twilight of his career (he is 37), plays in the US, and by doing so likely takes the game in this nation to a whole other level. Too bad, the US Men's national team did not do better at the Paris Olympics

Game attendees

Soccer is an international game, and the next world cup, in 2026, will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. Minneapolis, along with Chicago and Vancouver, dropped out of consideration of being a host city due to the international federation (FIFA) not wishing to discuss financials. Hence, the only Midwest location is Kansas City. The international nature of the game, makes for diverse team rosters. 

US football rosters have few international athletes. But, the differences are remarkable for games that share the same name variation. First, in football the clock counts down, in soccer it counts up. In soccer extra time is added for certain stoppages, this does not occur in football. In football there are plays with downtime in between, in soccer there are plays, but the game keeps moving.

Years ago, I was working at a KC bottle toss game at a festival. Working with me were the then head coach of Sun Prairie High School's football team, and another man who I do not recall. I was in my early twenties, and found their conversation of the expected effect on high school football, where the coach was afraid of declining numbers, and a decline in quality. I do not think high school football has been negatively impacted. Boys soccer and football share the same season in Wisconsin interscholastic high school athletics. 

Allianz Field

The point is that football is still king in the United States. In my opinion the NFL and college football are getting too big for their own good. As i write this, the Packers are expected to play The Philadelphia Eagles in Sao Palo, Brazil, the first NFL game in South America. In fact, showing the hubris of the NFL, the color green is banned at the stadium in which they are playing as it is the color of the teams biggest rival. (Do you know why purple is the Viking's color? If you had been choking for 60 years you would be purple too.) The way I look at it, in rooting for the Minnesota United Loons, I was rooting for an underdog. Which they probably were, as in their division they were in 9th position, to Seattle's 7th place. Futbol is a dynamic game to watch, although watching a March game at Allianz Field could be rather cold.

Rubbed Off

If my work as a planner for over 35 years taught me anything, it was that development, more often than not, is controversial. Particularly when near existing development. In most cases, the development would end up occurring anyway. Good plans can help to ameliorate the negative effects of a development. You have to follow your plans and ordinances. Yet, people still have a mantra of being a NIMBY, Not in My Backyard. There are times when NIMBYism can be useful.  A few issues in McFarland have been generating a great deal of controversy. My wife has been active on some of the issues, and one in particular I think my discourses on planning over the years was actually absorbed or rubbed off on her.

I always thought my discourses were, if I was lucky, going in one ear and out the other, or perhaps bouncing off like a pickle ball. To my surprise she paid some attention, which pays dividends in her activity on the McFarland Community Facebook page.  The project she in which she is what the village terms a "commercial development" projected for the east side of the village near Siggelkow Road. In town, much of Siggelkow is primarily a residential street, albeit four lanes for a good section, the section shared with Madison. In part it serves as a dividing line between McFarland and Madison. As a former planner, terminology can be both truly expressive of a use, but also euphemistic. For example, the commercial development they are talking about is not retail or service, but rather a large warehouse. Both fall under "commercial" in the Standard Industrial Classification Code (US Treasury Dept), but that is a wide range. I believe when most people her commercial they think of retail, restaurants and small service sector, like a bike repair or computer repair business. People have been asking for more commercial in McFarland, and this is how the village board responds. I don't think it is the commercial the lay population was looking for. Another example, is how the term business park came into use rather than industrial park; industrial tends to have a negative connotation, business a more favorable connotation. 

When most people think of commercial a 790,000 sq ft warehouse with 79 semi-truck docks would not fit their definition. So it is that the village leaders use the term commercial to describe this use. The better description would be warehouse, but they keep it broad and use a less obnoxious term to make it more palatable. This 18 plus acre building would be located on a 69 acre site, with an additional 167 acres available for industrial and business uses. One person, who has studied this, indicates that the east section of Siggelkow would see 50 to 100 semitruck trips a day. Apparently according to the developer, Interstate Partners, over 500 semi trips are estimated each day. This is based on a similar facility in Sun Prairie. The developer seemed proud of the semi traffic number as if more semis means more revenue for a village.

From TID 7 Project Plan
purple is color used for industrial, 
but the plan calls it business park
In my mind, business park is an entity,
Industrial, commercial, warehouses, etc are uses
This shows the euphemisms at play

One former village board member, which I believe was attempting to justify the decision for such a large use in the village, noted that there is no way to predict how some one will travel. The wife, rightly wrote back that it occurs all the time by traffic studies which estimate not only number of trips but their distribution of direction on to main streets. The study may not say how I, as an individual will travel, but it will say what a subdivision of 20 homes will produce in terms of trips (about 200) and how they will be distributed. The larger and more broad based, the more likely to have better accuracy. She properly noted that the 50 to 100 semi truck trips noted by that one man would have a negative effect on the single family homes adjoining Siggelkow Rd. Now, I do not know where the guy got his numbers, or if the village had a traffic study accomplished, but if not it should have been required, first at the large scale level when planning a business park and second at the micro-level with this one use, and how it integrates into the larger picture. 

The powers that be like to point out the tax base that will be generated and that people in the village say more commercial is needed. The issue is whether the use is the right place. In fact, the village may be better off with a light industrial development than a large warehouse as the warehouse produces more truck traffic. To benefit the development, the village is looking to create a Tax Increment District (TID).

With a TID, one needs to weigh negative impacts against its benefits. Generally, the test is that the development would not otherwise have happened but for the TID. TID's will typically take 12 to the maximum 20 years to pay off. I have long questioned whether a municipality ever earns back its payment as it provides services for the life of the TID which are subsidized by the other taxpayers. In basic, a TID is a defined geographic area (district) and any additional tax revenue (tax increment) from the date of creation goes to that defined geographic area. For example, say a municipality has a 200 acre TID created, and put in streets, sewer, water, storm water, and private utilities to serve that development. Perhaps they also granted a land write-down or other method to entice a specific development. Let us say they issued bonds, for the cost of those improvements in the amount of $20 million, and for twenty years to pay for those expenses. A couple new buildings are built, and in year 3, as an example, the tax base has grown from its base by $20 million. If the mill rate is $20 per $1,000 valuation, the district receives $400,000 to put to its expenses and debt. So it goes, until all costs, including debt, are paid. Sounds good, right? So what is the problem? The problem is that development pays for police, fire, road maintenance (snow plowing) or other municipal services on the base amount (predevelopment amount) for the life of the TID, other than what was the value at creation. And, more often than not such development happens on farmland, which has a low value, as it is based on production of corn not on its relationship to factors such as an urban area. Hence, if it takes twenty years to pay the debt off, that means for twenty years the vast majority of costs are been borne by the other taxpayers. It is a taxpayer subsidy to the TID area. Or, corporate welfare. Further, within that twenty years there are added maintenance costs, street sealing as one example, that costs more than a typical annual of snow plowing and street sweeping. In fact, by the end of twenty years, the roads may already, or be close to, a milling up and repaving the streets. My residential cul-de-sac was repaved after about 30 year, so you can imagine the need for a street that sees a great deal of semi traffic.

Further, there will be added costs outside the TID. Road repair, if not expansion may well be required. Semitruck's do more damage to a roadway than several cars. The Asphalt Institute estimates the damage of one five axle truck is equivalent to 1,750 to 2,950 passenger cars (midpoint is 1350)! Another source has the road stress of a truck to a car being 10,000 to 1. A different source, indicates that eighteen wheelers cause 99% of the damage and pay only about 38% of the cost for repair. 

The decision on whether or not to allow a TID is by the local municipality and the joint review board--comprised of municipal member, school district member, vo-tech member, county member, and an at large person recommended by the municipality and voted on the four members. I served on several joint review boards in my time with Fitchburg. 

It is nice to see my wife so engaged, and that my words of many years did not bounce off like butter in a hot Teflon coated pan. As for me, this was my life for a long time, and at this point, I need not be so engaged. With my words having rubbed off, and her added ideas, she made a formidable argument against the warehouse and the TID.