Winter Photo shoot

Last weekend I took a fun mini-vaca with a couple of my friends- the Mad-Science teacher and the Mad-English teacher- to (prepare yourselves, it will be a surprise, I am confident) the north- specifically we stayed in Bayfield (told ya) :P

Abandoned school 

Anyway, I needed to get my mojo back (winter depression?- idk)  and that has to include some photography and that is what I want to feature here!

Lake Superior and not a lot of snow, but lotta ice!

We did a LOT of fun things, some of it food related, most of it activity related.  We did a swing around the Hwy13/Hwy 2 loop of northern WI, including a couple waterfalls, an abandoned school house, replete with an equally abandoned piano (obsession admitted), an extremely cold beach, and awesome diner and 3 tired travelers.  And oh so many many photos- plus there was some dogsled races and a ferry ride with a hike on an island as well.  Add in an amazing apartmenty-sort of sleeping quarters, some Big Water coffee shopping and of course Coco's- and there is some amazing time away from home that was just what we all needed.

It was a perfect day for photography

I have been smitten by the idea of this abandoned school since I heard about it a few months ago.  It is in a state of disrepair and it will indeed decay completely if it is left as is.  There have been a lot of people in there tagging and such, which I suppose is what happens these days.

The piano is amazing- in an old abandoned sort of way.

Only ivory left to tickle

The audience was silent tonight

As is expected in Wisconsin in February, most of the water was frozen- including the waterfalls, but there was certainly enough beauty to record.

Walking on the creek to Twin Falls

Frozen Twin Falls by Port Wing, WI

Pancake ice in the little bit of open water at Amncion Falls.

Mother Nature was kind enough to gift me with this INCREDIBLE sunrise.....  I sure can get dressed in a hurry.  Lol.  Bayfield just never disappoints. Seriously, this is not color enhanced, just cropped.  It was astounding

This still amazes me

We had a cold and fun time both at the Apostle Island Dog Sled Races and also hiking around on a VERY cold Madeline Island.  Going on the ferry cutting through the ice is an experience unlike any other.

They LOVE to run....

and they smile all the way!

It was dreary that day but oh well.

I heart Madeline Island and Big Bay State Park

Found a little blue shelf ice by the Ferry Dock in LaPointe- but no where else

Looking towards Bayfield

Frozen (ice)  hills on Lake Superior- I was standing on the lake there, and I could only take about 2 shots before the cold wind forced my hands back in my gloves.

Will the next performer please take a seat....

If you think sled dogs don't get love- you are all sorts of wrong

I have so so many pictures to edit yet, but I am going to take my time.

It really was a  fantastic weekend for photos and catching up with good friends....  and finding so much joy in totally expected places.  

Road trip north!

What a perfectly lovely, albeit cold, day this was!  If we have to have cold temperatures, the sun makes all the difference in the world.

Lost Creek Falls

The Mad-English teacher and I have decided that we need to get back into hiking and biking shape for the year (damn you elbows) and he discovered a waterfall that needed investigating.  So we decided to head on up to Cornucopia via Washburn and Bayfield (I know, shocking, right?) After our requisite stop for bread at Coco's, and then for a scone and coffee/hot chocolate in Bayfield, we headed up north on Highway 13.  

Bayfield docks

The weather was quite chilly today, but the sun was out and that was all we needed.  It was fun to walk out onto the Bayfield city dock and watch a little boat cut through the ice between Madeline Island and Bayfield.  The ice was crunching and it was just so fun to watch.  There were all sorts of little vessels around that you never see during the summer.  Love seeing the differences in the seasons like that.  We were fortified with an exquisite chocolate chip and lavender scone with crunchy sugar chunks on top, and our preferred hot beverage and off we went to the north.

Lost Creek

After a little driving around, we found the entrance to the path to Lost Creek waterfall- and it isn't much of an entrance.  It is an ATV trail that is marked with a yellow gate across it.  No real indication that it leads anywhere at all.  It was pretty easy walking for the most part.  Rough with stones and later tree roots and the dreaded ice patches, but overall it was not heavy hiking.  We may have gone a little too far **coughahalfmileahem** but I checked the internet when I actually got a bar or two, and we realized the trail that we looked at longingly was indeed the one we were looking for.  So back we went, avoiding holes and slippery pine needles as we journeyed.  Once we got off the ATV trail, the hiking actually began.  It was covered with the afore mentioned pine-needles and got narrow and rocky and rough- but regardless once we discovered that lovely thing, we picked out way down the  ravine.

Lost Creek Falls

That water fall is divine!  And we were there at just the right time- there was running water and ice in different shapes and forms.  It was beautiful!  We did some rock hopping and I managed to get across without falling into the water, so that was good!!

Meyers Beach

Ice Caves in the distance

Next stop in the journey, you know because we were driving right past it, was a stop at Meyers Beach.  We walked down the beach towards where the ice caves are, enjoying the really different look of the Lake in the early spring.  It is still frozen, but there is so much wood and snow and ice piled up.... sandy colored in places, many layers of white and blue and tan.  It was just gorgeous.  It is interesting hiking on the beach in hiking boots- especially when a lot of it is frozen.  

Meyers Beach

By this time, the ME and I are getting a tad tired, but we had planned to stop at Houghton Falls as well.  You know, sometimes you drive by something that seems interesting but you never stop- and that is one of those places. It is just north of Washburn a few miles and we have driven past many times.  Originally we were going to go there only, until we discovered that it isn't a very long walk. Less than a mile one way!  So, we stopped here on the way out.  While the falls aren't all that much to see- at least for us - still frozen, not that great, there is a dells and then the end point is an outlook above Lake Superior and that was worth the walk!  Tired as we were.....  

Beautiful reflections in Lake Superior

Houghton Falls area- Lake Superior

Houghton Falls 

So this all finds us at 2 pm and starving so of COURSE we stopped at Coco's for lunch.  I mean, what else could be done??  After a delicious lunch- I had the dal with pickled cabbage and raita sauce wrapped in flatbread with a wonderful sweet potato and pecan salad, AND we may have had a cookie to go... we then headed down to Ashland to shop a little here and there.  After which we collapsed into the car and drove home.  Whew!

The pictures speak for themselves, it was a great day for hiking and photography!  And finding my joy!