Cave of the Mounds

Cave of the Mounds, a natural limestone cave located near Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, United States, is named for two nearby hills called the Blue Mounds. It is located in the southern slope of the east hill. The cave's beauty comes from its many varieties of mineral formations called speleothems. The Chicago Academy of Sciences considers the Cave of the Mounds to be "the significant cave of the upper Midwest" because of its beauty, and it is promoted as the "jewel box" of major American caves. In 1987, the United States Department of the Interior and the National Park Service designated the cave as a National Natural Landmark.

#speleothems #caveofthemounds #cave #limestonecave #jewelbox #nationalnaturallandmark #usdepartmentoftheinterior #nationalparkservice #nps #usdi #nnl #galenadolomite #usinterior #findyourpark #NationalPark #wisconsin #wisconsinlife #midwest #travelwi #travelwisconsin #discoverwisconsin #conquer_wi #midwestisbest

Anunnaki

'Anunnaki' by local artist John Pahlas that I took the other day. Today we met, scouted out locations and talked about projects, being an artist, and parenthood. It was truly a tonic for my soul.

#midwestisbest #midwestliving #discoverwisconsin #wisconsin #wisco #madisonwi #madisonwisconsin #travelwisconsin #driftlessarea #centergroundstudios​ #wisconsinar​​t​ #wisconsinlife #fineart #sculpture​ ​#finaeartphotography ​#art #featuredpalette #artlovers #artlover #steel #steelsculpture #mounthoreb #Anunaki #Anunna #Anunnaku #Ananaki #Anunnaki #ancient #Mesopotamian#midwestisbest #midwestliving #discoverwisconsin #wisconsin #wisco #madisonwi #madisonwisconsin #travelwisconsin #driftlessarea #centergroundstudios​ #wisconsinar​​t​ #wisconsinlife #fineart #sculpture​ ​#finaeartphotography ​#art #featuredpalette #artlovers #artlover #steel #steelsculpture #mounthoreb #Anunaki #Anunna #Anunnaku #Ananaki #Anunnaki #ancient #Mesopotamian

Tyrol Basin

After a quick dinner we drove all of 10 minutes to the nearby Tyrol Basin ski resort. We'd not been as I'm not much of a skier and Teri is more into cross country. Freja has done that with her mother for a few years but now she's interested in snowboarding. So we looked around and she's now signed up for lessons starting next week. I have this feeling that living so close to this place is going to be very interesting for her. Especially once she's old enough to ditch her parents and come with friends.

#midwest #madison #ski #skiing #snowboarding #snowboard #tyrolbasin #wisconsin #wisconsinlife #midwest #travelwi #travelwisconsin #midwestliving #midwestmoment #themidwestival #discoverwisconsin #conquer_wi #mounthoreb #madisonwi #midwestisbest #danecounty #goplayoutside #driftlessarea #winterfun #playinthesnow

Art by John Pahlas

"I like stainless razor
Sharpen appetite
I can swallow laser
If I'm eating light"
~ #petetownshend

I had a bit of time today to run over to Center Ground Studios to take a shot of one piece. We talked and made plans for a few projects as we readied ourselves for a hike out into the snow. I seem to recall talk of going all the way to the park about a mile away. As we set off down the street both of us noticed the transformer station literally right next door to the studio! It was fun and I am looking forward to our continuing to set up photo shoots of his art.

#hogarth #ieatheavymetal #theirongiant #ironman #theironman #midwestisbest #midwestliving #wi #travelwi #discoverwisconsin #wisconsin #wisco #madisonwi #madisonwisconsin #travelwisconsin #driftlessarea #johnleehooker #centergroundstudios​ #wisconsinar​​t​ #wisconsinlife #fineart #sculpture​ ​#finaeartphotography ​#art #featuredpalette #artlovers #artlover #steel #steelsculpture #mounthoreb

HOME

Grumpy Troll Brew Pub

Ah, the good old Grumpy Troll. I've grown fond of his wooden mug of a face. I must have passed by him at least 4 times today. It's been a very, very active day for me. As I write this my pedometer is showing I've taken 17, 166 steps so far, almost 9 miles! Lots of chores, restocked on fireplace wood. We've now two months worth in the garage sitting in my Jeep trailer. The new gym routine I kicked off yesterday is really giving it to me but good. I've also really bashed up my right elbow through a combination of activities... It's SO tempting to just head over to the Troll and order an amazing beer. But I won't...

#troll #mounthoreb #wisconsin #travelwisconsin #discoverwisconsin #driftlessarea #madisonwi #hilltroll #towntroll #dovregubben #grumpytroll #grumpy #beer #lager #ale #brewery #brewpub #tavern #craftbrew #craftbeer #wibrewing #wicraftbeer #beerporn #beerstagram #beergram #instabeer #craftbeerporn #craftbeergeek

Jormungand

They've sailed their Dragonships here to the upper-midwest and have settled. Occasionally as I travel the back roads that twist along ridges like the long back of a great serpent and suddenly I'll stumble upon a symbol of the ancient past.

"His dragon with her sails of blue,
All bright and brilliant to the view,
High hoisted on the yard arms wide,
Carries great Canute o’er the tide.
Brave is the royal progress — fast
The proud ship’s keel obeys the mast,
Dashes through foam, and gains the land,
Raising a surge on Limfjord’s strand."
(The Song of Canute, Saga of St. Olaf)

#wisconsin #wisconsinlife #midwest #travelwi #travelwisconsin #midwestliving #midwestmoment #themidwestival #discoverwisconsin #conquer_wi #mounthoreb #madisonwi #midwestisbest #danecounty #onwisconsin #norse #norwegian #nordic #viking #vikings #north #northmen #draken #dragon #dragons #Jörmungandr #Jormungand #MidgardSerpent #Miðgarðsormr #worldserpent