Chris Loehmer Kincaid's Blog, page 93
October 26, 2018
Butternut - Small Town Charm
On Wednesday’s blog, I shared some of the places we discovered on a ride up north the first part of September. Today, I’m going to introduce you to an entire town we visited that day.
We had driven all the way through Butternut, when we passed this dreary house. I went, “Hubby! How can you not want to slam on the brakes when you see a building like that?” Like many men, he is oblivious to most of what he drives past.
After I took a few pictures and had to talk myself out of getting very close, I crawled back in our vehicle and asked the hubby if he wouldn’t just drive around this little town for a bit.
I found the murals fascinating.
According to the Butternut website, back in 2011, to raise money for the historical museum, residents could, for $225, sponsor an area citizen who has made an impact in the community at any time during its history.
You can read more about the project by clicking here.
Veterans always need to be recognized. I don’t care where you live.
The store fronts on Main Street are reminiscent of a time gone by.
Steve’s Corner Bar. What a fun looking building, huh? Too bad it was closed the day we drove by.
The Fanatical Fish Gallery was open. Nice art work, jewelry and other fun stuff for sale.
Too bad I didn’t have any money on me.
I have to take pictures of historic old churches whenever I see them.
I didn’t find out much about Butternut Area Park or Mertig Field.
But they apparently play horseshoes here more than they play…
…football.
Next time you are out for a drive, spend time exploring a random village or town. There’s always something to see.
We had driven all the way through Butternut, when we passed this dreary house. I went, “Hubby! How can you not want to slam on the brakes when you see a building like that?” Like many men, he is oblivious to most of what he drives past.
After I took a few pictures and had to talk myself out of getting very close, I crawled back in our vehicle and asked the hubby if he wouldn’t just drive around this little town for a bit.
I found the murals fascinating.
According to the Butternut website, back in 2011, to raise money for the historical museum, residents could, for $225, sponsor an area citizen who has made an impact in the community at any time during its history.
You can read more about the project by clicking here.
Veterans always need to be recognized. I don’t care where you live.
The store fronts on Main Street are reminiscent of a time gone by.
Steve’s Corner Bar. What a fun looking building, huh? Too bad it was closed the day we drove by.
The Fanatical Fish Gallery was open. Nice art work, jewelry and other fun stuff for sale.
Too bad I didn’t have any money on me.
I have to take pictures of historic old churches whenever I see them.
I didn’t find out much about Butternut Area Park or Mertig Field.
But they apparently play horseshoes here more than they play…
…football.
Next time you are out for a drive, spend time exploring a random village or town. There’s always something to see.
October 24, 2018
A Random Ride Up North
I’ve been sharing a lot of my adventures from this last summer and am finally up to the first week of September. I’d taken a few days off from the day job to help Hubby paint the living room, but that long story is going to have to wait. With Autumn quickly waning, I wanted to replay one of the last nice days we had to take a drive.
September 3, we took off for a ride up north. One of our first stops was this building with its very sad history.
The Lac du Flambeau Boarding School opened in 1895, with a capacity of 200 students. Here the Whites who had moved into the area sought to eradicate the Native American culture from the original residents. The school was originally built by the Bureau of Indian Affairs with the intention of trying to strip the local Ojibwe children of their culture. Children ages five to fifteen were taken from their homes, made to live in dormitories and forced to abandon all Native American traditions.
There were originally 18 buildings in the complex, but this is the only one still in use. It is being preserved to be developed into an interpretive center, an archival storage facility and center for learning traditional skills. It is also a reminder of a dark time in American history.
Strawberry Island, in the middle of Flambeau Lake, is considered sacred and called the place of the spirits according to tribal tradition. They consider it the heart of their reservation. In 1745, the island was site of the last battle between these Ojibwe and the Lakota Sioux.
The Vista Flowage and the Powell Marsh State Wildlife Area.
No wildlife, just wild flowers.
Lake of the Falls County Park in Mercer.
I’ve been here a few times. The first time it was camping with my two sisters. Another time it was in the dead of winter.
I’m sure there’s a name for this part of a dam,
but darned if I know what it is.
Lots of memories from this place though.
Sandhill cranes on our way home.
September 3, we took off for a ride up north. One of our first stops was this building with its very sad history.
The Lac du Flambeau Boarding School opened in 1895, with a capacity of 200 students. Here the Whites who had moved into the area sought to eradicate the Native American culture from the original residents. The school was originally built by the Bureau of Indian Affairs with the intention of trying to strip the local Ojibwe children of their culture. Children ages five to fifteen were taken from their homes, made to live in dormitories and forced to abandon all Native American traditions.
There were originally 18 buildings in the complex, but this is the only one still in use. It is being preserved to be developed into an interpretive center, an archival storage facility and center for learning traditional skills. It is also a reminder of a dark time in American history.
Strawberry Island, in the middle of Flambeau Lake, is considered sacred and called the place of the spirits according to tribal tradition. They consider it the heart of their reservation. In 1745, the island was site of the last battle between these Ojibwe and the Lakota Sioux.
The Vista Flowage and the Powell Marsh State Wildlife Area.
No wildlife, just wild flowers.
Lake of the Falls County Park in Mercer.
I’ve been here a few times. The first time it was camping with my two sisters. Another time it was in the dead of winter.
I’m sure there’s a name for this part of a dam, 
but darned if I know what it is.
Lots of memories from this place though. 
Sandhill cranes on our way home. 
October 19, 2018
Putting on the Brakes
October 2
October 6
October 14 in the morning 
October 14 in the afternoon Looking at my backyard over the past two weeks, it’s hard to remember how warm it had been shortly before that. September was unseasonably warm around here as well as overly wet. The temperatures dropped from the 90s to freezing as though a drag-racer had hit the city limits.
This time of year, after we’ve had a killing frost and then the days become reminiscent of July again, is often called Indian Summer. The first written reference to “Indian summer” is recorded in “Letters From an American Farmer” in 1778 J. H. St. John de Crèvecoeur and reads:
“Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares it to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon to follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of smoke and mildness, called the Indian Summer."
Though this refers to this particular time of year in mostly northern North American, many northern European countries had a name for it as well. In countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lithuania, Hungary, Estonia, and Finland, they call this warm period of Autumn “old woman’s summer”. In Bulgaria, it is known as "gypsy summer" or "poor man's summer".
Even in the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are flipped, they refer to the warm days just before the cooler weather begins as “little summer”.
Whatever you call it where ever you live, I have decided we went straight from Indian Summer to Indian Winter. And I’m afraid we are stuck with cool days and cold nights for at least six months.
October 17, 2018
Yes, I would do it all over again.
We have three weddings to attend this month, which reminds me of a wedding from earlier this year. You may recall that August 4, my husband and I hosted his brother's wedding at our house. I've already posted on Facebook the pictures from the ceremony, so hopefully you have seen them already. I'm not sharing them again here, instead, you get to hear and see the rest of the story.
The two months prior, Hubby and I put a lot of hours into getting our house and yard ready, but somethings waited until the last minute, coz that's how we roll.
We'd been trying to get the driveway graveled and graded for two years. Two days before the wedding, I come home to this. Nice to get it done, but, Hubby, did you have to cut it that close?
I started hemming the bride's dress, I think, a full two weeks before.
I even put together the flowers for the tables one week before.
I really don't want to talk about this one. Two weeks before the wedding, I thought I would wash the kitchen curtains to freshen them up. Well, they've been hanging in my kitchen since shortly after I moved here, 28 years ago. Yes, they've been washed a few times already. Apparently, many times, as one of the seams ripped apart in the wash this time. No problem, coz, of course, I have time to do extra sewing!
So appreciative that my cats even made their contribution a few days before.
The night before, the two brothers of the groom shaped the hamburgers to be grilled in the morning.
A couple hours before the wedding and these two seem to think all the work is done.
Is my dining room really that big? Or am I just that small?
Ah, look at the yard. All thanks to my hubby's care of it all spring and summer.
Our Friar Tuck bear was a big hit.
Even the groom thought so.
The pastor maybe not so much. He didn't want to be upstaged by a bear, I guess.
The bride and groom loading up their plates after the service.
And someone was very relieved when it was all done.
But, of course, I would do it all over again.
The two months prior, Hubby and I put a lot of hours into getting our house and yard ready, but somethings waited until the last minute, coz that's how we roll.
We'd been trying to get the driveway graveled and graded for two years. Two days before the wedding, I come home to this. Nice to get it done, but, Hubby, did you have to cut it that close?
I started hemming the bride's dress, I think, a full two weeks before.
I even put together the flowers for the tables one week before.
I really don't want to talk about this one. Two weeks before the wedding, I thought I would wash the kitchen curtains to freshen them up. Well, they've been hanging in my kitchen since shortly after I moved here, 28 years ago. Yes, they've been washed a few times already. Apparently, many times, as one of the seams ripped apart in the wash this time. No problem, coz, of course, I have time to do extra sewing!
So appreciative that my cats even made their contribution a few days before.
The night before, the two brothers of the groom shaped the hamburgers to be grilled in the morning.
A couple hours before the wedding and these two seem to think all the work is done.
Is my dining room really that big? Or am I just that small?
Ah, look at the yard. All thanks to my hubby's care of it all spring and summer.
Our Friar Tuck bear was a big hit.
Even the groom thought so.
The pastor maybe not so much. He didn't want to be upstaged by a bear, I guess.
The bride and groom loading up their plates after the service.
And someone was very relieved when it was all done.
But, of course, I would do it all over again.October 14, 2018
Trust in Him for Protection
Psalm 3734 Wait for the Lord’s help and follow him.He will honor you and give you the land. And you will see the wicked people sent away.
35 I saw a wicked and cruel man. He looked strong like a healthy tree in good soil.36 But he died and was gone. I looked for him, but he couldn’t be found.
37 Think of the innocent person. Watch the honest one.The man who has peace will have children to live after him.38 But sinners will be destroyed. In the end the wicked will die.
He is their strong city in times of trouble.40 The Lord helps them and saves them. He saves them from the wicked because they trust in him for protection.(International Children's Bible version)
Today I wanted to write about the horrible weather we have all been experiencing. Not only the weeks of rain we have had here in Wisconsin, but also about the latest hurricane to batter our east coast. On top of that, there are tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes wreaking havoc all over the world.
I tried looking for an appropriate Bible verse, one which would sum up all of this. I couldn’t find just the right one, so I gave up. I thought I would resort to my list of Bible verses that I already have in this file and just pick whichever one inspired me today. Earlier this summer I had been posting the rest of the verses from Psalm 37, planning to finish it out sometime.
I read these lines and went “ah-ha.”
I picture the wicked man in verse 35 as being the hurricane – all strong and mighty, fearless and instilling fear in others, plotting a course of destruction. But this wicked man cannot last for long. God will destroy him and save those who cry out to Him.
Reread the lines above. Do you see the correlation too?
Lord, Father God, be with all those who have suffered from the recent calamities our weather has brought on them. Help them to see Your perfect Will in all things. Amen.
October 11, 2018
Another Random Stop, of sorts
I have written about this place many times over the past eight years. I’m not sure why the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, Wisconsin has such a hold on me. Sure, there are the memories from my childhood, driving through the beautiful grounds, all the more fascinating because my mom’s cousin kept whispering, “It’s run by the Baptists, so we can’t stop because we are Lutherans.” Because, you know, us Lutherans are such rebels. Then there were those Green Lake Christian Writers Conferences that I attended for several years in a row. When I was “legal” and was welcomed to wander the grounds and buildings.
Or maybe it is the sense of peace from nature, trees, the flowers. The man-made structures that seem to blend in seamlessly. God whispering in the breezes off the lake.
This past June, on our way to our son’s house for the night, I talked Hubby into detouring, so I could take a quick wander through the grounds.
I had already been planning on writing this blog post, when I got a letter in the mail yesterday from two writer-friends from those Writers Conferences, asking if I would be interested in a reunion of sorts next August at Green Lake. God smiling down on me. Again, no coincidences. 
October 10, 2018
A Random Stop Along the Road
I feel like I was all over the map this past summer, but probably not physically as much as mentally. Here we are, over a week into October, and I am still trying to chronicle the past four months. I finally finished writing about my camping trip in July, and was ready to move into August, when I realized there was more left of June. Maybe it’s a good thing that summer isn’t longer for me. I would never get caught up.
The end of June, Hubby and I drove down to our son’s for an overnighter. Quite a while back I blogged some about the day we spent with Nick, but nothing about the ride down there. Any trip should be about the journey and not just the destination.
Nine miles east of Redgranite and seven miles north of Berlin, is a blip in the road called Auroraville. I had to have driven through here before, because many years ago, I photographed this near Poy Sippi, just up the road.
Auroraville, in Waushara County just south and east of the center of the state, has a negligible population. The only businesses we saw are Mimi’s on Route 49 restaurant and Olsen’s Feed Mill. (Neither of which warranted a picture, by the way.)
But I did find something of interest.
“The Auroraville Fountain has been providing water to this community since just after the Civil War. The land surrounding Auroraville is abundant in natural springs called artesian wells. In 1867, John Keneister of Auroraville bored this natural spring well in the center of town. Heading north or south, many travelers and their teams of horses refreshed themselves at this location in the 19th century. Originally, the fountain was built as a wooden trough, but by 1927, it had deteriorated and was replaced with a copper vat from a local burned-out cheese factory. In 1936, the Works Project Administration (WPA) built the ornate stone enclosure around the copper tank. The Auroraville Fountain, now part of the Waushara County Parks System, remains as it looked in the 1930s, and still stand as a unique stopping place at the center of town.” (taken from Wisconsin Historical Markers on Waymarking.com)
And, yes, I did try the water. It was cold and clear and excellent.
The end of June, Hubby and I drove down to our son’s for an overnighter. Quite a while back I blogged some about the day we spent with Nick, but nothing about the ride down there. Any trip should be about the journey and not just the destination.
Nine miles east of Redgranite and seven miles north of Berlin, is a blip in the road called Auroraville. I had to have driven through here before, because many years ago, I photographed this near Poy Sippi, just up the road.
Auroraville, in Waushara County just south and east of the center of the state, has a negligible population. The only businesses we saw are Mimi’s on Route 49 restaurant and Olsen’s Feed Mill. (Neither of which warranted a picture, by the way.)
But I did find something of interest.
“The Auroraville Fountain has been providing water to this community since just after the Civil War. The land surrounding Auroraville is abundant in natural springs called artesian wells. In 1867, John Keneister of Auroraville bored this natural spring well in the center of town. Heading north or south, many travelers and their teams of horses refreshed themselves at this location in the 19th century. Originally, the fountain was built as a wooden trough, but by 1927, it had deteriorated and was replaced with a copper vat from a local burned-out cheese factory. In 1936, the Works Project Administration (WPA) built the ornate stone enclosure around the copper tank. The Auroraville Fountain, now part of the Waushara County Parks System, remains as it looked in the 1930s, and still stand as a unique stopping place at the center of town.” (taken from Wisconsin Historical Markers on Waymarking.com)
And, yes, I did try the water. It was cold and clear and excellent. 
October 7, 2018
Another non-coincidence
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28 New Living Translation)My husband and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary this past Thursday. The same as with our birthdays, we view it as just another day. We treat each other with the same love and respect no matter what the date is on the calendar. Isn’t that how it should be?
On Friday, I cleaned out one of my file cabinet drawers. It has been a very long time since I went through it. Probably, eighteen years, actually.
Not quite a month ago, I wrote a post about not believing in coincidences. And I still don’t. Somewhere in the back of that file drawer, when I pulled out the “Happy 3rdAnniversary” banner which my kids made that long ago, I didn’t think it was by chance that it was the day after our anniversary.
Maybe God wants me to celebrate the special days, whether the anniversary of marrying the man He chose for me or a random date when I get to spend the day with that man.
Thank You God for each new day. Whether special or not, each day is a gift.
(And thank you, Himey, for putting up with my many quirks.)
We still take the worst selfies October 4, 2018
At It Again
Six months ago, I met with these women and promised them that I would help them. One of the things they asked for was that they and their children would no longer go to bed hungry. How many of you reading this have asked for that?These women realize they need to become more self-sufficient, but struggle with how to make that happen. They make amazing jewelry and intricate beaded crafts and know that if they had a better way to sell it, they could make more money.
Right now, they mostly sell these items by harassing tourists in safari vans as they are entering the game park. The safari camp we have been staying at also offers tourists a tour of their village so that they can experience what it is like to live like the Maasai. After the tour, the women offer their crafts for sale, but it is again under sub-optimal conditions and some what daunting when encountered for the first time. The organization we work with in Kenya, Marafiki Community, proposes creating a Community Center for these Maasai, where they can not only sell their crafts, but also run a café for tourists heading out to safari. There would also be an area for vocational training for the women.
I know I have posted about this before. And you may be sick of hearing it. I hope to make this my last plea, definitely my most blatant plea for money.
I implore you to do two things for this village:
1) Share this with as many people as you can. Either share it on your Facebook page or share it on several other people’s. Post it on your other social media. Email it to your family and friends. Print it out and hand it to people you know. If each person reading this contacts five other people, the number of people reached would grow exponentially.
2) Make a donation to Tumaini Volunteers. You can mail your check to Tumaini Volunteers, Inc., PO Box 537, Wausau, WI 54402 or directly to me, if you rather, to Chris Kincaid, W5343 Koth Road, Tomahawk, WI 54487. You can also click on this link to send your donation electronically and securely. If everyone reading this sends just $10, we would be able to make a difference in the lives of these Maasai.
Thank you to everyone who has already supported us in this project. I really appreciate every donation we have received. Also thank you to everyone who has bought the Kenyan merchandise we have had for sale. And finally thank you to anyone who has purchased from our Schwan’s Care campaigns. A new one just started this week, so you’ll want to check it out here. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I look forward to seeing this message spread like wildfire. Or at least grow larger than our bonfire at the safari camp last spring.
October 3, 2018
Getting to be about that time
I haven’t slept well the last couple of nights. I realize it is a cyclic thing – can’t figure out the cycle, but I’ll sleep well for a few nights and then lay awake the next three or four. Anyway, so I was pretty foggy-headed all day yesterday, and as I started writing this last night, I just wanted to go to bed. Then I realized, I might not sleep again, so why waste my time.
So that’s what I was thinking about on my way home from work and also that I needed to write something to post to my blog. Or not. Maybe I should stop wasting my time and watch TV at night like so many other people. Shoot, it’s a new season, isn’t it? There should be something on TV worth watching.
The whole “I’m going to stop writing thing” is cyclic too. Someday I will figure myself out.
As tired as I was when I got home last night, and as chilly and dreary as it was outside, I still took Dino for a walk down the trails in the woods around our house. Then, when I realized how blessed I am to have this little patch of woods, I grabbed my camera and walked my trails again.
I said to myself, “if any of these pictures turn out in this dim light, then that’s what I’ll put on my blog for Wednesday.” Then I added, “and I won’t quit writing.”
The pictures are okay. Then I had to play with the editing features.
But I don’t know. It’s not about writing or taking pictures or getting enough sleep, maybe not even about taking a walk in search of peace. Maybe it’s just about being. Just being.
Which reminds me of a quote from my sister Pat. “There’s something I want, but I don’t know what it is yet. I just feel restless. I’m not unhappy, it’s just getting to be about that time.”
So that’s what I was thinking about on my way home from work and also that I needed to write something to post to my blog. Or not. Maybe I should stop wasting my time and watch TV at night like so many other people. Shoot, it’s a new season, isn’t it? There should be something on TV worth watching.
The whole “I’m going to stop writing thing” is cyclic too. Someday I will figure myself out.
As tired as I was when I got home last night, and as chilly and dreary as it was outside, I still took Dino for a walk down the trails in the woods around our house. Then, when I realized how blessed I am to have this little patch of woods, I grabbed my camera and walked my trails again.
I said to myself, “if any of these pictures turn out in this dim light, then that’s what I’ll put on my blog for Wednesday.” Then I added, “and I won’t quit writing.”
The pictures are okay. Then I had to play with the editing features.
But I don’t know. It’s not about writing or taking pictures or getting enough sleep, maybe not even about taking a walk in search of peace. Maybe it’s just about being. Just being.Which reminds me of a quote from my sister Pat. “There’s something I want, but I don’t know what it is yet. I just feel restless. I’m not unhappy, it’s just getting to be about that time.”
