Get Away

Georgie and I haven't had a real vacation in some years...its my fault, I know...what can I say - I do like taking some time off though, really!

A good friend of ours, Julie, took us away last weekend from this terrible gorgeous place to another in NW Wisconsin, at her brother's place on County Line Lake near Birchwood. This lake is a pleasant small private lake in a heavily glacially potted area, with lakes virtually over each rise. The nicest thing about this lake is the "no motors" stipulation...makes for a "very" pleasant place for everyone around this little piece of paradise.

The biggest boon to me was brought about by the "no motor reg" - we were given the use of a small boat and electric trolling motor. The lake has an Osprey nest on the extreme end and a nearby bay has an active Loon nest. The Loon nest is off limits (good plan) so no one disturbs it. Georgie and I just poked around exploring the shoreline, trying to photograph lily pads from the boat, and eventually photographing one of the resident Loons, one of the Ospreys, and a Coyote running through the shoreline timber.


I would never recommend shooting anything from a small boat...I'm a serious tripod person. Getting a sharp image is important; it also gives the photographer pause for reflection and time to explore options. A boat is more of a "quick shoot!" experience - which was certainly true of the Coyote images I got. But I found the Osprey and Loon were very use to quiet small craft and didn't seem to mind us being near for several minutes at a time.



Our short vacation was full of walks along the road and through woodland trails, doing some bird watching and looking along the forest floor at many old familiar plants.


Georgie and I are familiar with the north country, we had our own small getaway in NE Minnesota, on the north shore of Lake Superior for 18 years, and we'd honeymooned and stayed many times at her folk's place in NW Ontario. But we hadn't been away from the acreage and prairie for some years...it was very nice.

Thank you Julie!