Just a couple recent and interesting pictures I happened upon. First, the little ceramic gnome we've had for years holds a little ceramic mushroom in his right arm. Here he is surrounded by a few other forms of fungus among potted plants showing signs of late summer on the large, rotting tree stump.
Also, when I went out to the garage the other day I almost ran into a rather impressive spiderweb, going from the garage to the ground and all the way to the house and/or porch. I tried to get several pictures, but it's hard to get a spider web without a dark background. I held my arms up high to get this one.
Last weekend was Atwoodfest, the largest of Madison's near east side festivals. My wife and I spent about 4 hours wandering the streets, watching bands, eating foods and perusing the merchant's wares (and I got my 2019 Atwoodfest shirt!). We got there relatively early in the afternoon, about 2 pm, and watched as the place soon became more crowded. The weather forecast during the week called for Saturday to be in the mid-90's with scattered thunderstorms, thankfully that had changed by Saturday to partly cloudy and mid 80's. Still plenty warm but not as hot as past years, though a cooling shower would have been welcomed a few times.
Believe it or not, I didn't take a whole ton of pictures like last year when I took way too many. But I did get many interesting sights at the festival and along the way. The bike path was repaved earlier this year, Goodman Community Center's newly refurbished Brassworks building is completed, Goodman's cow (by the Ironworks building - both locally historic) has been re-painted with an interesting design (my wife laughed at where the raccoons are), there were beautiful wildflowers and community gardens along the path, and that bike display that was new last year in someones front yard was still there, now with a basket of flowers and night lights.
Follow along with the pictures after the break as we walk to the festival and back. It happens on the last weekend in July every year - make your travel plans now!
Earlier tonight I had a fire for the first time in a month, since June 29. It was around 80ºF, which was the lowest temperature and/or driest opportunity on a weekend night since then. We've been mostly very warm and humid this month, but for the last several days which we enjoyed open windows again. And the next couple days will be very warm and humid with scattered storms again. I won't complain, I hear the UK just had record-setting temps around 100ºF yesterday. Anyway, though I was tired I built a fire and sat by it watching the Brewers game on my phone for a couple hours tonight. Always enjoyable, but I did have to shower off the lovely combination of sweat, bug spray and smoke when I came in for the night.
While I was out there the opportunity arose for a short video featuring a plane and train, and the automobiles are in the background din even if you can't tell with the other two - circling back to a prior post. There's also a fourth noise here as the cicadas have been out in force lately. The train tracks are a few blocks south and east. We don't seem to get lots of trains, but I may just be used to them now. And freight, not passenger, usually with lumber or coal or box cars with who knows what else. Short video below.
An then there's the back fence. Tell me, does it look terrible?
I've been trying to get some estimates lately on replacing it. I researched online and found 4 places I wanted to get an estimate from. I have two similar estimates in hand, one supposed to be emailed soon, and one place that I left a message and they never called back. So far the two estimates are very similar at over $2000 to replace what we have with the same but new. It's only 40 feet of fence, that's over 50 bucks a foot, is it worth it to replace it yet? Affording it isn't the issue, I just thought that seemed a lot for only 40 feet, even for cedar. Yes, right now the tops are dry rotting and it being a squirrel highway erodes them more and more every year now, but can we get a couple more years out of it or does it look that bad now? Replacement would have to be in early spring or late fall as to not destroy the hostas, so I guess it comes down to how long do we want to wait to replace it.
A few more after the break. And this weekend is Atwoodfest!
It's hard to say why I've not seen Alice Cooper live before now. He does tour a lot, so perhaps I always thought there would be a next time. In fact, there almost wasn't a this time. Alice Cooper played Wednesday night at The Sylvee here in Madison, but I had tickets for a show I especially wanted to see on Friday, two days later. That show was cancelled a few weeks ago so I decided this was the time to see Alice Cooper. After all, he is 71 years old now, how many more tours can there be?
Not wanting to stand and jockey for a good view I bought one of the seats that surrounds the balcony, giving me an unhindered view of the night's show. More expensive, but at my age I can afford these comforts when available. I wound up on stage right, front row, second from the end farthest from the stage. I still had a bit of taller rail in front of me since I was by the end and the stairs, but the rail that separates the seats from a forty foot fall seemed so low, and there is nothing but a short cable tray that runs below it to stop anyone from falling. Me, being tall and clumsy, definitely made a note of that for future.
There was no opening band and the show started a little after 8, so I knew it wasn't going to be a terribly late night but I still took off the next day from work. The stage was impressive with a castle-like structure that was used to its utmost. The songs were mostly all classics with 14 of the 20 songs being from the 1970's, many of the hits. The band, featuring three guitarists including the acclaimed Nita Strauss, was tight and entertaining. And the special effects were limited to lights and fog, but there were several fun props used during the show including a giant Frankenstein, a giant baby and, of course, the guillotine. He does a dramatic show with these little playlets that make things lighthearted and fun to go with the music, as you will see in the video below.
I'm disappointed that my original plans this week were cancelled, but I am very glad I went to see Alice Cooper. Now to see what's next!
I'm nearing 60, married and child-free. My wife and I have a home not far from downtown Madison, Wisconsin, since 2009. I like music, taking pictures and good humor - plus writing about it all here. I am still not on farcebook or other social media, only Blogger and YouTube. Email me at scoakatsblog@gmail.com. I check it every so often.
Just a couple recent and interesting pictures I happened upon. First, the little ceramic gnome we've had for years holds a little ceramic mushroom in his right arm. Here he is surrounded by a few other forms of fungus among potted plants showing signs of late summer on the large, rotting tree stump.
