"There's nothing half so pleasant as returning home again." (M. E. Sangster) -- except starting out in the first place. In any case, we're back in Portland after our family visit to Wisconsin. It was a nice visit, and was the first time in over twenty years all of dw's immediate family has been together for a holiday. The weather was unusually benevolent: a couple of nights the temperature fell to 5 degrees F, but except for a couple of days in the twenty's, daytime temperatures were usually above freezing and one day saw a record high of 51 degrees. Some fog, two days of light snow (less than an inch) and mostly sunny days were a welcome change from Portland's grey drizzle.
We went to Milwaukee twice, once with John and Jan (dw's bro and his wife) to see the zoo -- It was nice enough -- a good monkey/ape exhibit and an exceptional aviary -- but we didn't have enough time to shiver through dw's bete noire, the snake and reptile house.
The second Milwaukee visit was to MAM -- Milwaukee Art Museum -- which I briefly wrote of on 9/21/2010. This time I have pictures: The pedestrian suspension bridge crosses five lanes of traffic, a fountain area and a wide two lane driveway. Rather than being anchored in the ground, the mast's base is a three foot trunnion, and while it doesn't, it probably could waggle back and forth like a car's windshield wiper.
dw teasing a Chihuly (the Liberace of glass blowers -- in my opinion -- as much showman as substance --) that's near the entrance. 
and dw not taking art too seriously (and isn't the building amazing? -- this hallway is part of what is essentially the entrance to the museum). And the collection itself is well worth a visit. Part of the collection is examples of Outsider Art -- pieces of art done by artists without formal training. Included is a series showing the Garden of Eden, The Temptation, and the fall -- carved by Edgar Tolson. This carving is Aden and Eve getting it on -- aka -- The Fall
(dw denies any responsibility for this picture)
We went to Milwaukee twice, once with John and Jan (dw's bro and his wife) to see the zoo -- It was nice enough -- a good monkey/ape exhibit and an exceptional aviary -- but we didn't have enough time to shiver through dw's bete noire, the snake and reptile house.
The wings or sails open and close in the morning at noon and at night (depending on the weather). After viewing an exhibit of works on paper (by a bunch of artists not commonly associated with drawing -- even the sketches showed the differences between great artists and the rest of us) -- After viewing the exhibit we were wandering around in the atrium when we noticed everyone was staring at the ceiling. -- We were oblivious so we didn't see the sails opening.
dw teasing a Chihuly (the Liberace of glass blowers -- in my opinion -- as much showman as substance --) that's near the entrance. 
and dw not taking art too seriously (and isn't the building amazing? -- this hallway is part of what is essentially the entrance to the museum). And the collection itself is well worth a visit. Part of the collection is examples of Outsider Art -- pieces of art done by artists without formal training. Included is a series showing the Garden of Eden, The Temptation, and the fall -- carved by Edgar Tolson. This carving is Aden and Eve getting it on -- aka -- The Fall
(dw denies any responsibility for this picture)After the museum, we returned to Oconomowoc for one day before going on to Madison for the flight home. At Madison we again stayed at Kay and Steve's (SO and brother) house. Their house is a large normal 1951 ranch with hardwood floors and varnished maple woodwork. The interior is low-key moderne atomic style. It's a quietly beautiful house, with what might be a unique room in the basement:
an honest to god chained and locked dungeon. Steve and Kay haven't told us what they use the dungeon for, but the possibilities are vast and Steve is a retired Postal Worker. He also has read Edgar Allen Poe.
an honest to god chained and locked dungeon. Steve and Kay haven't told us what they use the dungeon for, but the possibilities are vast and Steve is a retired Postal Worker. He also has read Edgar Allen Poe. 
Our last night there, Steve and Kay hosted an evening three mile run for a running group they belong to. dw and I waited at the finish line. We didn't run because we didn't have our running shoes -- or it was too dark -- or it was too cold -- or it was several other good reasons, but we didn't run. While we waited dw decided to sprint across the finish line so I could practice taking pictures, but the sprint ended in a tumble. (I assure everyone, dw was quite sober). Her injuries were minor but a large goose-egg on her knee was painful. But the photo is amusing -- I can use it for many occasions: dw sleeping it off -- dw, street person napping -- dw 0, gravity 1 -- dw, listening for approaching buffalo herds -- dw, listening for an approaching train, but missing the actual track. And so it goes DA
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