Dog Days in the Dead of Winter???

Hi! It's me, Mister Poochie!

Mom took this picture, she did, as my little kitty brother Toby and I were taking our nappy naps. Remember how tiny he was? Well, he's sure not that small any more, no, he's not! At 10 months, he is way bigger than our almost 17 year old kitty sister Rocky!

Mom and Alpha often have to rescue Rocky kitty kitty, they do, when he tries to "suma wrestle" with her. She just does not like that, she doesn't. Mom likens it to a toddler attacking a frail elderly lady!

Anyway, Mom says we're laying low, today. Something to do with a snow storm coming through. But when I saw a flash of lighting and heard Mom squealing with delight, I was confused. This time of year? Mom said "yes"--she knew what I was thinking, she did!

Mom just loves thunderstorms, and danced around the kitchen while I scurried out of her way. She calls it her happy dance, she does, and said the thunder and lightning makes her think of summer, her favorite season. So while we got about six inches of the white fluffy fun stuff, Mom's anticipating the sunny season!

I just want to go play and roll around in that white fluffy fun stuff, I do, but Mom says it's a white out, she did. Maybe later... . --Mister Poochie

Ignoring Travel Warnings...

Yup, we were one of those that ignored the travel warnings as we ventured out into the snow storm, early Sunday morning. We had planned to go to church, but realized this trip was going to take longer than the normal three hours to get there.


Knowing the Lord understood, we took an earlier exit, heading up to Minocqua, instead. The way things were going, we knew Christmas with family wouldn't happen for us if we didn't head east--and north to the land of snow--without stopping.


This is typical of life up in the north. Memories of traveling around through Maine in the dead of winter came to mind as we drove.


The way the snow was flying--and blowing--on the roads, many times we couldn't even see the highway! Still, I felt strangely peaceful--puzzling since white-knuckling is how I usually travel, and what my normally calm hubby was experiencing!


The snow was dry along 29, the first part of this trip. I'm posting a lot of pictures to show how the snow and the roads changed as we traveled.


It wasn't until we passed Wausau and were north of Merrill that I started getting anxious. This is where 51 suddenly has head-on traffic. Slippery wet slushy snow now replaced the dry stuff we had left behind. This heavier snow weighed boughs of green down onto already tall white banks. It was picturesque!


Shooting shots through foggy car windows doesn't do any of these scenes justice. But, I never gave serious thought to rolling down windows to get clearer shots. Nor was I ever tempted to traipse around in the cold, wet snow (like I had planned--what was I thinking?!?), even when we reached our destination! But I wanted to share them with you all, just the same.


It took us all but five hours to reach Minocqua from Eau Claire. The time with family, and the beautiful, striking displays from my favorite Artist were well worth it! --LKR










It's kind of ironic to me, but in Eau Claire, we have giant statues of Paul Bunyon and Babe in Carson Park. Maybe this pair is just more common up north. Anyone know???