Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Oak Leaf Trail construction

So, the convenient bridge over Capitol Drive that turns the Oak Leaf Trail into a magical Bicycle Superhighway is under construction (heavy sigh with exhalation of ozone action alert air).

Yes, I can manage the detour through the Baker's Square parking lot. Yes, I still get to avoid getting run over by people racing to get Egg McMuffins at the drive-thru. But, man.

City streets are much more interesting than a bunch of trees anyway, right?

Here is the mockup of the new bridge. It looks pretty. It is supposed to be done by November. Besides, all the clear-cutting required by the project reveals this long-hidden masterpiece, below.


Construction details and updates are available here and here.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Woodland flowers

Brain and I found ourselves in South Milwaukee the other day on a sunny late afternoon. There's a historic mansion on the golf course that needed some exploring, then we headed out to the Seven Bridges Trail.

How can it be a violet if it's yellow? Maybe it's a viola.



Apparently, the Seven Bridges Trail that we followed is known for paranormal activity. We noted none.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (above) must have kept that away while we were there.

Trillium-above- is my very favorite. It's a woodland sprite, elusive, delicate, threatened by invasive weeds.