On the White Line

A little video about our visit to the State Cow Chip Throw. Quite an experience.

It was the cow chip throw that did it to us.

Last weekend… after all these years… Liam and I didn’t do a show together.

Instead he was at an art fair in Nekoosa, WI, and I was at the Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw in Prairie du Sac (cow chip throwing is serious business in these parts).

Pre-show, we thought my show might actually be the more successful one. Afterall, it was a very busy event. In the end, Liam’s art fair won out. However, there was more rain in Prairie du Sac, and we were given a lousy spot — next year could be a completely different story if we decide to do them again.

I’m laying belly-down on the floor of the RV in the dark. My laptop is in front of me, and I can feel bits of sand jabbing into my elbows. This is RV living.

You see, I’m in a resort parking lot tapping in to their free wi-fi. While the guests in the hotel are enjoying their turn down service, I’m making my RV look unoccupied. That’s why I’m on the floor… so they can’t see my face by the light of the computer.

Now, the worst they could do is ask me to move along, but I’ve got work that needs to be done, and my mobile internet isn’t quite able to get the job done.

I gotta say, reliable highspeed internet is one of the things I miss most while I travel… and when I find a source I’m willing to go through a lot to make the most of it.

This sign gets my attention every time I drive along Highway 41 in Oshkosh, WI. This time, I stopped to get a closer look.

The sign is fantastic… the campground it advertises… well… it’s a (more…)

It feels great to be back with Baby Ita. It would be nice to have Liam here, but I think I can make the most of it.

Liam’s been in Ireland for over a month now, I’ve been busy teaching in Milwaukee, and today Liam threw back my first raw oyster.

Must confess, this is one activity I’m quite happy not to partake in. I’m just not a seafood eater… it’s just not my thing.

Yes, there are many times I feel like I’m missing out, but all it takes is one nibble for my gag reflex to kick in and remind me, “no fish for you!”

Found this fold-your-own flip flop just a few blocks from my house one day.

There it was… a block from my house… an iPhone face down on the sidewalk.

My breath was cut short, and my life switched to slow motion. Miscellaneous items could be found on my street every day… random flip flops, broken CDs, bent belt buckles, discarded restaurant menus and “Be Saved” brochures. But this item was personal — I too owned a smart phone, and I knew that losing it not only disrupts a life, but also leaves one feeling vulnerable in the same way as losing a wallet filled with credit cards, personal photos, and vital scraps of paper.

My mind snapped mental pictures of everything around me, as if what I saw would be entered into evidence after the imaginary crime tape and chalk outline were removed… man carrying blue laundry basket, broken twig, woman taking a drag on cigarette on her balcony, empty (more…)

Must confess… at first I thought this was a pretty bad sign in a vendor booth at this weekend’s art show. I mean, why use your first impression to tell people what you are NOT?

But I kept looking and wondering… why say that? what are you then? The sign worked. It got my attention and led me to start a conversation with the craftsperson.

By the way, they made lotion bars that looked a lot like soap.

We’ve been hiding out in Ajo, AZ, for the last few days. It’s been quite and experience that can be summed up with Santa Cruz Red Chili Paste, chollas and javelinas.

The chili paste represents one of the many ingredients that make up our friend Mary Ann’s home cooking. Thanks to her, our bellies have been about to burst.

I also learned why people say the cholla cactus “jumps.” One of those little buggers attacked my finger, and let me tell you, once one of those little barbs gets under your skin, it is really tough to get out.

But the highlight has had to be the havelinas. These animals are kind of like a hairy wild pig with no tail. They seem to be all over Ajo, but only come out at night. Last night we saw a huuuuuuuge one at the front gate. This evening we spotted six more plus one little baby one in the back yard. For someone who hasn’t seen them before (and who doesn’t have any crops for them to destroy) they were absolutely fascinating.

We also made a trip to Organ Pipe National Monument… stunning!

Here are some pics from this week:

Blizzard in Arizona

At this time of year, I would have thought Arizona would be about as different from my Michigan/Wisconsin home as any place in the US could be, but this week has had it’s share of surprises.

First off, it felt a lot like home when temperatures dipped to about 21 degrees Fahrenheit while we were camping at Picacho Peak between Tucson and Phoenix. Icy Marquette, Michigan, had nearly the same temperature that day! Our furnace does an excellent job of keeping the RV warm, but with holding tanks filled with water and… um… other liquids, a serious freeze could be quite a (more…)