Island 2016 - Second Trip Day 3: More Putt Putt

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Alyn, Ellis, and Dale squeezed in one more game of putt putt golf before departing. Look closely and you can see them in the background of this photo. Alyn got a hole in one at the last hole. The attendant gave her a free game because of this. She gave the coupon to Dale to use later as they had to catch the ferry. 

Island 2016 - Second Trip Day 2: Photos with the Lighthouse

Saturday, July 9, 2016

After our beach trek we headed back to the lighthouse. We arrived with a little bit of time left before our boat was to leave for the return trip to the mainland. We took some pictures of ourselves with the lighthouse.

Island 2016 - Second Trip Day 2: The Beach on Raspberry Island

Saturday, July 9, 2016

After the tour of the lighthouse the three of us took off on a .75 mile trail that lead to a beautiful beach on the east side of the island. You can see in the above picture how close Oak Island is. Below, Ellis and Alyn walk the beach. Ellis and I had quite a wonderful time skipping stones. I'm not quite as good as I was as a kid but it all started coming back to me after a little practice. Ellis did pretty well also.

Island 2016 - Second Trip Day 1: Putt Putt

Friday, July 8, 2016

Dale, Alyn, and Ellis played putt putt golf while I walked Athena.

Island 2016 - Second Trip Day 1: Arrival

Friday, July 8, 2016

Dale's been back home for the last week but we departed for MI with Athena today. What a good traveler she is. 

We met Alyn and Elis, who had made it up just before us, at the apartment.

I've been wanting for a few years to make a day trip to Raspberry Island to see the lighthouse. So when they told me they had been thinking of doing just that I was overjoyed. Score! Sadly, Dale told us he couldn't accompany us due to work. Next time we'll make sure he is able to make it by scheduling in advance.

Island 2014: Second Trip - Art Guild and Gallery

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Dale had to work today. Alyn, Ellis, and I went to The Beach Club for lunch. I had a chili dog. After lunch we went to the La Pointe Center Art Guild and Gallery. Alyn bough a painting while Ellis and I looked at some interesting stuff.

Island 2014: Second Trip - Fireworks

Friday, July 4, 2014

The fireworks tonight were fantastic. We left the apartment moments after they started to set them off from the breakwater. Ellis was a little frightened by the noise so he and Alyn stayed and watched from the driveway. Dale and I walked down to the ferry landing and watched from there. I took an actual photo of one of the fireworks and treated it with some different filters online and those are the images you see above. Overall I have to say that this is one of the best 4th of Julys I've had since I was a kid.

Island 2014: Second Trip - Dinner at The Pub

Friday, July 4, 2014

Dinner at The Pub. Again. After dinner Ellis found a feather near the beach. He and Dale threw it around like a dart for a while. Ellis squealed with delight. 

Island 2014: Second Trip - Mini-Golf

Friday, July 4, 2014

I've been coming up to the Island over the past 13 summers and have never played mini-golf here. This year my number came up. Dale, Ellis, Alyn, and I all played and had a blast for only four bucks a round. Dale did the best of all of us so, from now on,  when it comes to mini-golf we'll just refer to him as Mr. Precision. Ellis, not so much. For him it was about getting the ball in the hole at all and not so much about getting it in in with the fewest number of strokes.  Regardless, I will say it was delightful watching his glee as he played the game. What a bunch of kitschy fun.

Island 2014: Second Trip - Parade

Friday, July 4, 2014

Alyn, Ellis, Dale, and I headed down to Main Street to watch the parade around 10:30 a.m. La Pointe is the only place I've ever experienced a small-town-down-home-main-street-4th-of-July parade and they do a fantastic job. It's nothing extra ordinary and it doesn't need to be because that's what's part of what makes it so fantastic. 

Island 2014: Second Trip - Ellis

Ellis on the dock outside The Pub after dinner.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Dale and Ellis.

Island 2014: Second Trip - Alyn and Ellis

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Alyn and Ellis arrived around 4 p.m.  We all went to The Pub for dinner and then to Grandpa Tony's for ice cream.

First Visit 2012 - Day 3 Part 2

Not too much going on today before we left. Said goodbye to Dale and then Alyn, Chris, Ellis, and I stopped at Maggie's in Bayfield for lunch before the long journey home.

First Visit 2012 - Day 2 Part 5: Winding Down

After dinner at the Beach Club, Dale and Chris took Ellis home while Alyn and I went to look at wood carvings. When we got back to the apartment the grown-ups had gin and tonics while Ellis played with his toy train. Sadly, Dale had to go to a work event tonight and could not join us.

First Visit 2012 - Day 2 Part 3: Glass Bottom Boat

Chris and Alyn obtained tickets for a lake tour in what was billed as a glass bottomed boat. They, Ellis, and I (Dale had to work) boarded the boat in Bayfield around 2 p.m. We left shortly thereafter and quickly headed past the islands of Basswood and Hermit. Our destination was Stockton Island where we saw remains of a boat that sank back in 1895. Although the entire bottom of the boat was not glass there were a couple of glass bottomed sections near the front that offered views of what was underneath.

2012 First Visit - Day 2 Part 2: Art of Ellis

Ellis drew this picture of me using crayon and colored pencil. 

2012 First Visit - Day 1 Part 4: The Pub

Dale, Alyn, Chris, Ellis, and I had dinner tonight at The Pub. I started out with a Tanquerey martini and then had the maple glazed trout with shrimp. We had a little discussion about the pronunciation of Wisconsin. Alyn, a native, said that non-natives pretty much say it like it's spelled while natives tend to go with "W'scansin" leaning toward a short a.

2012 First Visit - Day 1 Part 2: Ferry Ride

Stopped for groceries in Washburn, Wisconsin which is about 12 miles outside of Bayfield. As we drove to Bayfield we told Ellis that we'd have to have to take a ferry to get over to Madeline Island. He asked how we would do that. We told him we'd just drive the car onto the ferry. He responded with "Do we drive the car on her head?". We then had a little talk about the difference between ferry and fairy. Despite this conversation Ellis still asked the gal selling tickets if she was the fairy.

2012 First Visit - Day 1 Part 1: Norske Nook

Began our drive up this morning with our friends Chris and Alyn and their son Ellis. Stopped in Hayward, Wisconsin for lunch at the Norske Nook. Yummy food. (I had the hot turkey sandwich and the blue ribbon winning peach pie.)