Several people have suggested I post this Decorah, Iowa, Eagle Cam. Chicks have just hatched. Very up close and personal!
Bald Eagle Nest web cam
Wonderful Bald Eagle Web Cam
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Category Archives: Uncategorized
A Mid-March “Super Storm” for the Upper Midwest?
OK, I love spring because one day (like today) there is a great sense of expectancy… the sun throws long morning shadows, a new bird arrives with every glance out the window (just saw my first starling), they sing in the morning with greater stridency, and the weather is just plain unpredictable.
Well, according to Paul Douglas’s weather blog in Minneapolis, another 12″ snowstorm is predicted for the Tri-State area late next week. Here’s the graphic. Paul’s interpretation follows.
Paul Douglas writes: “Unlike Anything I’ve Ever Seen. This printout is a prediction for total accumulated snowfall between now and midnight, March 19, 2011. Two separate (major) storms: next Wednesday, another very significant snowstorm possible around March 18-19. The GFS prints out a 53″ bullseye over southwestern Minnesota (Windom area), with nearly 30″ for the Twin Cities between these two storms. Good grief. I pray the models are wrong – but I suspect they’re on the right track. I don’t have to tell you what this would mean for our flood potential come April.”
Paul continues, “The models have been surprisingly consistent in printing out over 1″ of liquid precipitation the middle of next week. If the storm tracks across southern Iowa into northern Illinois or southern Wisconsin heavy snow bands may set up directly over southern and central Minnesota and much of northern/western Wisconsin. There is a potential for a foot of heavy, wet snow from this storm. Nothing is guaranteed (except sunrise/sunset), so enjoy the relative peace and tranquility. We’ll probably make up for it next week.”
Orma Remembers Armistice Day Storm, 1940
I remember the Armistice Day Storm, November 11, 1940. We lost several duck hunters that day. I was driving to Iron Creek, where I taught school. I always stopped on the way to pick up some of my schoolchildren.
They were so excited about the search parties going out into the bottoms looking for duck hunters.
The day started out warm and beautiful. Duck hunters and fishermen had gone out only with light jackets or wool shirts. The wind picked up as the barometer dropped. Temperatures fell below zero. The wind-whipped waves capsized many of the boats. Many hunters made it to islands, but could not be rescued until morning. Many died of exposure. No One was dressed for the subzero conditions.
~ Orma grew up in Nelson, Wisconsin
Passionate Ireland
Rich and I have an eye for PASSION. Perhaps the French proprietor who is passionate about country meats and cheeses. Perhaps our Guide who is passionate about sharing his paths in the foothills of the Pyrenees with the traveler. Or the plumber who is passionate about bathtubs and faucets!!! All of these make great stories for travelers and we are grateful for every individual we meet who rises to this passion threshhold.
July found us exploring IRELAND. You are invited to share in our discoveries at http://greatriver.com/waterwaycruises/SHANNON/princess.htm We will share our itinerary and the stories of those passionate people we met along the way, including:
Pat and Ann Halpin are hoteliers. The Aberdeen Lodge provided us a “soft landing”, a “home away from home” in Dublin. Among the cliffs of Kilkee, the Halpin Townhouse Hotel provided the familiar hospitality of complimentary coffee and cookies, PLUS we clearly heard the ocean through the open window of our oceanview room at Kilkee. Here we overlooked the Atlantic just above the mouth of the Shannon River. Pat Halpin works hard to provide notably attentive and hospitable staff, and exceptional amenities for the traveler.
Ruairi Gibbons was a passionate sailor long before he became became Captain of the Shannon Princess. “Offering a hotel cruise on the Shannon River seemed to be my best bet for spending the rest of my life on water!”
Beautiful art prints of Historic Travel Maps, Hand Painted by Map Artist, Lisa Middleton can be viewed in detail by clicking on the map image!
Ruairi has now owned and operated Ireland’s premier overnight hotel barge for some 17 years. Seven years ago, he completely redesigned and appointed a two hundred passenger barge into the 10 passenger hotel barge which today is the only one operating on Ireland’s longest river.
Ruairi’s wife, Olivia Power, joined the team eleven years ago when Rauri advertised for a trained Chef to serve on the Shannon Princess. Olivia was the only applicant. Now nationally recognized, she turned out to be his greatest asset, and yes, his greatest passion!
A fun side-note is that Olivia’s first assignment was in a lodge in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin! She prepared a lot of Walleye, she recalls, and to this day she orders a supply of wild rice from Wisconsin every year! We’ve just posted our experience of cruising with Ruairi and Olivia on the SHANNON RIVER.
Enjoy!
Finally there is Tom Crean, an “unsung Irish hero” from the days of Scott, Amundsen, and Shackleton. We found his story at the South Pole Inn, in Anascaul, on the Dingle Penninsula.
You will find each of their stories this October in our WATERWAY CRUISE REPORTS and you will find them all in IRELAND.
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We also invite you to enjoy our photos of Ireland and ALL our travels at our Great River photo site.
Imperial Moth in Vernon County, Wisconsin
IMPERIAL MOTH SIGHTING
A first sighting of an Imperial Moth has been recorded in Vernon County, Wisconsin, along the Mississippi River. According to our source, the moths appear to be making a slow progression northward up the river. It had previously been found in southern Crawford County, the county below Vernon.
Have you found a moth or butterfly you’d like to report to someone? The USGS has a link where you can do just that… Please see http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/faq/report for reporting instructions.
USGS National Biological Information Infrastructure
Big Sky Institute, Montana State University
Big Sky Institute, Montana State University
Spring, Spring Spring!!
We’re close to hitting 50 degrees in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Sandhill cranes, Canada Geese, starlings have all returned. The Mourning Dove is cooing again and the morning is beginning to be vibrant with bird chatter. We’ve heard from the St. Louis area that pelicans are back on their way north. I don’t know that ANYONE appreciates spring like someone who lives up here!
Tundra Swans Returning to Pool 8
Tundra Swans are beginning to trickle into POOL 8
Tundra Swans are moving back into Pool 8… not enough to be really obvious from the Great River Road, but keep an eye out between Goose Island and Stoddard, Wis., and the vicinity of Brownsville, Minn. Within weeks we will have more than 10,000 swans resting in the pool. The swans will have left by the last week in November. (Photo courtesy of Rich Middleton.)
Do a SEARCH for Tundra Swans on www.greatriver.com for many more stories on the fall swan migration.
Signs of the Season!
What a difference a week makes! Just returned from a week near Holcomb, Wisconsin, where all the maples are in full red bloom. When I left La Crosse, it was mid-summer… 80 degrees, bluffs were green and the corn was high.
Upon arriving in Holcomb, just south of Ladysmith, I had the curious experience of viewing fall color, but being taken aback. It took a moment as I absorbed the colorful reflection in the still Chippewa Flowage… “Ah yes! Fall color!”
Upon return to La Crosse, I see the corn leaves have yellowed and there is just a hint of color. Go to our home page, www.greatriver.com to access our FALL COLOR HOTLINE.
Fishing at the Genoa (WI) Barge
Mark Clements just sent us a fishing report from the barge near the Genoa Lock & Dam. For Pix, www.greatriver.com/fishing/fishreport.htm
Fishing has been pretty good the last few days, especially in the morning hours. Afternoons have been slow, but in the morning we are catching walleye, sauger and catfish. A few bluegills but not too many right now. Up on the wall getting some whitebass on jigs or spinners. The walleye and sauger have been small, but several people have been able to get some eaters to take home. Mainly on minnows, or jigs tipped with minnows. Live bait has been the best bet though. Catfish have come in on worms, catfish bait or some live bait for mudcat.
Visitor BOOK Suggestions
We’ve had suggestions for TWO reminiscent books this week that we thought would interest our readers.
OL’ MAN RIVER by Capt. William D. Bowell, founder of Padleford Packet Boat Company, in MPLS/St. PAUL covers much of an adventurous and accomplished life. Capt. Bowell is the founder of the Passenger Vessel Association, and the winner of the National Rivers Hall of Fame Achievement Award. His Captain William Bowell River Library opened in 2004 at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa.
My husband has enjoyed reading about the Captain’s early days when he parachuted into Normandy on D-Day and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. “This man is a genuine hero,” he told me. OL’ MAN RIVER is available from Afton Press website at www.aftonpress.com.
The other is “SWEET STEW: an Alaskan Tale” by Kay M. Rutherford and available soon in our online Giftshop at www.greatriverarts.com/shopping.
Kay and her husband raised two babies in remote Alaskan bush locations… first on the Aleutian Islands and then in an Eskimo village on Barter Island. The book is filled with stories and pictures of family life in one of the most remote places in the world.