Chris Loehmer Kincaid's Blog, page 44

A visit to the State Capital, Wisconsin Dells, Post #1

   Last week, I finally finished blogging about the two-day vacation I took with my friend to Door County in October. The very next week, I headed to a condo in Wisconsin Dells for seven days and seven nights. Can you just imagine how long it’s going to take me to blog about all of that!

Hubby and I drove down Friday afternoon, in separate vehicles. He had to leave Sunday morning as he had to work that week. I took a full two weeks off from work, because I could and I think I deserved it.

There is always much to do in the Dells area. Unfortunately, it is so touristy. In the warmer months, the place is swamped with families, spoiled kids dragging their parents everywhere, and just – I hate it. Once fall sets in, though, many places close down for the winter. But the weather was beautiful most of the week and I rather be outside anyway.

Saturday morning, Hubby and I jumped in my car and drove the fifty-nine miles to Madison for the farmer’s market. We go to it at least once every other year or so and really enjoy it. And I can never get enough pictures of our state’s capital.

We got back to the condo just before noon. It was sunny and 56 degrees, warm for October. After a quick lunch, we were off for our afternoon adventure. You’ll have to come back on Friday for that. 

First Sunday in Lent, 2022

 We have arrived at the first Sunday in Lent, and once again, over the next six weeks, I wanted to share some meaningful words about this important season for the Christian believer. As I was pondering some different ideas and hitting a bit of a wall, God took the reins. As He so often does, He placed it on my heart to let Him do the work. Or at least that I share the work He has already done.

You know these words – Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount – but they will never stop being beautiful.

Matthew 5, verses 1 through 12, New King James Version

The Beatitudes

 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 Blessed are those who mourn,

For they shall be comforted.

 Blessed are the meek,

For they shall inherit the earth.

 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they shall be filled.

 Blessed are the merciful,

For they shall obtain mercy.

 Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they shall see God.

 Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.

 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Good Bye For Now, Door County, Post #9

Here in the North, we are getting anxious for Spring. Pretty much how we start every conversation. “Spring is coming. Yup, we’ll get one more big snow this month, but Spring is coming.”

I love Spring as much as the next guy, and Summer too. But you really can’t beat Autumn for outdoor decorating.

That last evening my friend and I spent in Door County last October, we took a walking tour of the village of Ephraim. Click on the links beneath the pictures to read about each location. 

The Village Hall and Library 
Ephraim Fire Museum 

After wandering around the small, old firehouse, we look out on the street to this guy driving by. 

Ephraim Moravian Church

Opened in 1859, it was Door County's first church. 

Bethany Lutheran Church 
Built in 1882 and just as beautiful as the neighboring church. 

Pioneer Schoolhouse
The Goodletson Cabin
 The Svalhus Research Library 
Yup, can't bet Fall for outdoor decorating.  Where do you suppose my next adventure will take me? 

Reflections and the Rest of Washington Island, Door County, Post #8

      Sorry that I didn’t blog on Sunday like I usually do. I was out of town at a friend’s and didn’t have internet or the time. Today I thought I should blog about current events – the war Russia is waging against Ukraine seems to have taken over the headlines. “Will hear of wars and rumors of war.” Along with all the other things going on. “But see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” (from Matthew 24:6)

Today is also the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, and how many people even remember what that signifies.

But maybe we all need to just get away, like I did this past weekend. And like I plan on doing a lot in the coming months. And like I did those few days back in October in Door County.

Here’s a hodge-podge of the afternoon we spent on Washington Island. 

Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm and Shop. 

Lavender was all done for the season, but the shop was open, so I bought a little jar of Lavender face cream which I still use every night. 
Mountain Park Lookout Tower. There was a sign saying it was closed due to structural issues, but it was tough not to still climb up. 
Looking across the bay to Rock Island. The last boats were coming back for the season. Will have to try to make it over there next summer. 
Jackson Harbor Soup. Also closed for the season. 
At least going that time of year meant we didn't have to fight any crowds. 
Percy Johnson County Park. 
I bet this park is crowded all summer. 
Hog Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is probably never crowded, except for the nesting birds it supports. 
Sand Dunes Beach Park. Yup, another busy place on a warm, sunny day, I'm sure. 
Then back to the ferry to return us to the mainland. 

Church of Staves, Door County, Post #7

Though it was only completed in 1995, the Stavkirke or Church of Staves on Washington Island looks like it has been here for centuries.  

According to Wikipeida, “A stave church is a medieval wooden Christian church building once common in north-western Europe. The name derives from the building's structure of post and lintel construction, a type of timber framing where the load-bearing ore-pine posts are called stafr in Old Norse (stav in modern Norwegian).”

There is a strong Viking influence in many of the architectural features.

The church is beautiful and spiritual in its own way, but the prayer path leading to it was delightfully inspirational.  

Believe it or not, I missed a few of the plaques, so I had to borrow this last one from my friend’s collection. That’s kind of how I’ll feel in just another three months.  For more information, click on these links:

https://washingtonisland.com/stavkirke/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/washington-island-stave-church

https://www.doorcounty.com/business-directory/stavkirke/

Too Many Pictures? Or not nearly enough? Door County, Post #6

     I can’t put my head around the idea of sharing any of my trips in a single blog post, with a handful of pictures and stories. Am I an oddball for finding wonder in each stop on a new road, for wanting to capture the simplest thing – a church, a rock or a broken branch? Or, for some crazy reason, am I just full of child-like fascination? I apologize if I bore you. But if you aren’t able to go on adventures or if you are wondering where you can find a new adventure – well, that’s what I’m here for.

Anyway, on my post last Friday, I told you about our ferry ride to Washington Island. I wish I could tell you how many blog posts it’s going to take me to show you everything I want to. I mean, I took nearly 800 pictures during that two-day vacation in early October. Half of them must have been on Washington Island.

Ok, but this is clearly not getting them posted.

First stop, was the Art and Nature Museum, which was closed for the season. But the great thing is that there is always art in nature.

Next was Jacobsen Museum, which was also closed, except that half the exhibits were outdoors, so readily viewed.

 

Here’s one of the reasons I get along so well with my friend who joined me on this trip.

Note the sawhorse in front of the door of this little cabin on the Jacobsen Museum grounds.

My friend was like, “no, that has to go.” So we set the sawhorse aside just long enough to get a more genuine picture of the cabin, and then, yes, put it right back.

Unto Boyer’s Bluff.

Oh, what a view if it hadn’t been so cloudy.

Schoolhouse Beach.

I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t a schoolhouse, but this was the location of the first log school house on the Island in 1850.

And it was only 11:00 in the morning. So much more to see that day.  

For more information: 

Art and Nature Center - https://wianc.org/our-history

Jacobsen Museum - https://washingtonisland.com/the-jacobsen-museum-full-of-surprises/

Schoolhouse Beach - https://washingtonisland.com/school-house-beach/

More on the Beach - https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/wisconsin/beach-unlike-any-other-wi/

Worry, Worry, Worry

      

      Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34, New International Version)

I’ve been writing about faith all year, and even though that word is not in today’s Bible verses, it’s still all about faith.

I’ve had a lot on my plate the last few months. My retirement is on my calendar, and I worry that this is not the best time for that.

Food prices have been going up, and they are forecasting that gas will hit five dollars a gallon this summer. The stock market has been unstable. I’ll be living on my investments; what if I lose too much money to be able to pay the bills?

What is going on overseas? Is Russia going to invade Ukraine? And will that give China the inspiration to invade Taiwan? And how much will it take for North Korea to bomb whoever they feel like? We like to believe that we are insulated over here in the US and that no one will invade our borders. Weren’t we all thinking that in December of 1941?

Of course, with the internet and all our new technology, there are other ways to bring down a country besides using guns and bombs.

Don’t even get me started on global warming. How much longer can Mother Earth survive the many onslaughts that our modern life has burdened her with?

And is COVID-19 ever going to go away? Are our hospitals ever going to return to workable patient loads? Are enough people going to go into the medical field to make up for all those who have aged out or burned out? Which is me, and then how do I deal with the guilt of stranding my coworkers?

The only way I can get any sleep at night and get out of bed each morning is my faith that God is bigger than all of this and more.

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matthew 6:25-27, New International Version)

Ferry Ride, Door County, Post #5

Tuesday of our short trip to Door County, my friend and I were up early and heading to the Washington Island Ferry. On the way, we had to stop for pictures of one of the most photographed roads in the state, perhaps the nation.

Which may have been part of why we missed the 8 am ferry, arriving just in time to watch it sail away. No worry, we were first in line for the 9 am.

The temperature was 63 degrees when we left the mainland, but with thick cloud cover and a stiff breeze on Lake Michigan, it felt much colder. But not so cold that I didn’t ride on the upper deck the whole way to the island.

So I could take way too many pictures.

After five hours of exploring Washington Island, we caught the 3:00 ferry back to the mainland. We didn’t want to chance missing the last ferry at 4.

It wasn’t quite as dreary on the return trip. I had to force myself to not take pictures of the same sites I had captured on the way over. 

Next time, you get to see all the places we visited on that short day on the island. 

Take the ferry yourself - https://wisferry.com/
Or just drive the curvy road - https://www.doorcounty.com/newsletter/october-2017/why-door-countys-curvy-road-curves/ 

Walking Where Eagles Fly, Door County, Post #4

Sounds like a rather dramatic title for today’s post, don’t ya think?

The first day that my friend and I spent exploring Door County back in October, the weather was cloudy and damp. It didn’t stop us from climbing Eagle Tower and Canopy Walk in Peninsula State Park.

The original tower was built on this site in 1914. It was taken down and rebuilt in 1932. That tower was closed in May 2015 due to structural issues and removed in September 2016.

The current tower just opened in May of last year. It offers full accessibility to the observation deck via the 850-foot ramp.

When we first visited the tower Monday mid-afternoon, we climbed the 95 stairs to the top and took the ramp back down.

When Wednesday, our last day in Door County, dawned with the sun finally breaking through the clouds, we naturally had to go back and climb to the top again


Didn’t see any eagles soaring either time, but that’s okay. 

All you get is me doing my best to fly with my feet firmly planted. 

  For more information, click on any of these links: 
Eagle Tower is finally back - https://doorcountypulse.com/finally-eagle-tower-is-back/
The Tower and the Friends of Peninsula Park - https://peninsulafriends.org/eagle-tower/
Tower History - https://peninsulafriends.org/eagle-tower-history/

Faith, again, as well as hope and love

         I may have the gift of prophecy. I may understand all the secret things of God and have all knowledge, and I may have faith so great I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2, New Century Version)

I know. Last Sunday I said that I was sharing my last post on my word of the year – faith. Yet here I am with more final thoughts.  

I imagine that Psalm 23 is the most famous chapter in the Bible. Come on, you know it. “The Lord is my Shepard I shall not want.”

And I bet that 1 Corinthian 13 – the Love Chapter – is the second most famous. And seeing as tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, I felt I should mention it.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13, New International Version)

It looks like faith and love, as well as hope, are all pretty important. The stuff that makes it worthwhile to get up every morning, to hug your loved ones and allow yourself to be separated from them for the day – or week or month. To believe that things are going to be all right. Those three words are what make us laugh and make us cry. They make life worth living.

And when the chips are down and nothing seems to make sense (and I start writing things that sound like a country-western song), then we have hope in a better tomorrow, faith that God has gotten it covered. And lastly, that love blankets us all.