"It's Gotta Be In Ya To Do It."

Three hours of research, two courthouses, a WEIRD lunch in Ladysmith, and over 4 hours of driving along USH 8 across northern Wisconsin. Where am I now? Oh yeah, Tomahawk. It's pissing rain. Because of that, along with the humidity and those bastard aggressive mosquitoes, my trek up the rickety fire tower at Wisconsin's Highest Peak, Timm's Hill, didn't happen. Next time, northern Wisco, it's not like I won't be back!

Perhaps even better than Timm's Hill was a visit to the Wisconsin Concrete Park. If you've read Weird Wisconsin, you know what I'm talking about -- absolutely FANTASTIC folk art, off Hwy 13 in Phillips. It rivals the Prairie Moon Sculpture Garden by Herman Rusch in Cochrane, WI. Both are from the same era, were created by a single individual during his retirement, and were restored by the Kohler Foundation. I was able to visit Prairie Moon last field season, and loved the variety of creatures in the garden. Fred Smith's creation in Phillips featured mostly people - miners, cowboys, soldiers, Native Americans, as well as deer (with real antlers!) and horses. Much of the glass in the concrete was from beer bottles from the neighboring tavern that Fred Smith ran in his retirement. Old beer bottles are soooo cool. The gift shop in Fred Smith's former home was also open. It contained a lot of handmade item like knitwear, braided rugs, quilts, antique silverware wind chimes, and jewelry. They also had a small selection of antiques that were SO under priced! Man, if only I had ROOM, I would've walked away with a turn of the century wood and leather trunk for $40. As a concession, I got a pretty sweet amber glass barrel beer mug that advertised Wisconsin with a big burly lumberjack. That is something to smile about.

Fred Smith lived by his motto, "It's gotta be in ya to do it." I can't help but wonder if, because he tended bar in northern Wisconsin, men sipping their Schlitz elbow-up at the bar thought, "That's what she said!"