It feels like a snowy winter...time for some springtime

The snow is piling up, day after day, week after week.  I think we are breaking all records.

On Saturday I was at Walmart and saw a display of Just Add Ice Orchids.

I already have 2, but they are not blooming now, so I decided to add one that was.

Oddly pretty.

Today I pushed the snow off the driveway twice, about 3 inches of new snow each time.

It's nice to have a little springtime in the house.

A Fish Story

This weekend I was in Luck to watch more basketball...photos later.  During that visit, my great nephew, Jack, showed me this picture of him with a Northern Pike he caught ice fishing on New Year's Day.  It was 27 inches long and he caught it on Big Butternut Lake, in Luck, WI.

This is a fish!

Published with Jack's permission.
(His brother took the photo using Jack's iTouch Gen 4.)

Nice catch Jack!
~~
Go Packers!

Tree Sparrow & Tufted Titmouse

I was very excited to see the Tufted Titmouse back at the feeder for the past few days, but he has not posed for a photograph.  This Tree Sparrow sat still for quite awhile and let me take his portrait.

More Cardinal Basketball

The Luck Cardinals played the Turtle Lake Lakers Tuesday tonight in a non conference game.  It was an easy win for the Cards.  Looked like a physical game to me, but very few fouls were called.

It was a small crowd of fans.

Here are some shots of the boys.

I seem to be building a business case (that Coors lingo dies hard) to upgrade to the right camera and lens to take better sports photos.  For now, these will do.

Connery Johnson

AJ Walsh-Bernizer

Alec Mortel, Evan Armour

Alec Mortel on the tipoff

Alec to the hoop

Alec Mortel

Brady Klatt and Logan Hacker with the steal

Brady on the steal

Brodie Kunze

Cole Mortel

Evan Armour

John Denny

Shot by Evan

~~
Go Packers!

5th Grade Basketball

On Saturday, Lois and I went to New Richmond to watch Jack & Gage play in a basketball tournament.  

The boys won all 3 of their games.

My nephew Kyle is the coach and 2 of my great nephews play on the team.

Coach Kyle

Gage at the Free Throw line

Shooting the free throw

Gage and Jack on the court

Jack with the ball

The gym at New Richmond was very impressive.  3 full courts side by side.

What you see on the far wall are the bleachers, when they are down, they cover one whole court.

It also had a jumbotron TV on the wall.

New Richmond built this new school last year, it is a beauty.
~~
Go Packers!

Some things still surprise me

This is my 3rd winter in Wisconsin and I am still surprised when I see a group of snowmobiles gassing up at the station.  I guess it's just something you would never imagine living in Denver.  Up North it's just a normal sight, but it still makes me smile for some reason.

Frederic, WI

This is my 3rd Packer season living in Wisconsin and it looks like it will be the best!  I remember how nervous we were as Bronco fans when we would get into the playoffs during the John Elway years.  Now I am that same nervous for the Aaron Rodgers years.  It surprised me that I was on pins and needles yesterday.

It's gonna be exciting, but I will be nervous.

Web Image

It's snowing again today.  

Yeah, I know this should not be surprising living in Wisconsin, but I don't think there have been very many days in January that we did not get snow.  But what continues to surprise & delight  me is when a friendly neighbor swings in with his plow and clears off my driveway.

Life is Good.

Go Packers!

That's it.......

Go Packers!

Beat The Bears!

Basketball Wins

The 5th grade Cardinal team won 3 games in a tournament in New Richmond today.  They are coming together as a team and (most importantly to me) having lots of fun.  I am getting bleacher butt.

How cold is it?

Are you ready for Packer Sunday?

It's going to be cold, so I am planning to make a big pot of Jean Miller's green chile that morning, it will go good with a cold Coors Light during the game.

It's going to be a big day for Packer fans, I'm all set.  

Go Pack Go.

The camera did something odd when I snapped this picture of a finch friend, made it look even colder.

Finch friend

This finch friend was real puffed up, nice butt dude.

My 'forest'  that I planted in the spring of 2009 is mostly snuggled under the snow.

At least there was just enough sun to throw a shadow on the snow.

~~

I asked Dad what was the coldest temperature he ever remembered, 

he said "In Iowa we had 35 below with 50 mi hour wind. Wind chill 83 below. 

Dats kole!"

~~

It was -24 degrees this morning (Friday) but the sun is out, so it's a warm -24 degrees, or is it?

Three Years and Counting

January 18, 2008 was my last day of work at the Coors Brewing Company.

I started there May 11, 1977.

In the beginning, I was scared to death.

Over a span of 31 years, I saw many changes.

I learned to be a leader and a team player.

I grew up.

I made many friends (and probably a few enemies).

I worked hard.

I had fun.

I learned how to make beer.

I loved it.

On my worst day at Coors, I knew that working there was the best thing that would ever happen to me.

I was wrong.

Retirement is the best thing that will ever happen to me.

I am grateful.

Every day is a gift.

Three years and counting.

Life is Good!

Have a beer......I'm going to.

Wanda & Peter Coors 2008

Hoops and more Hoops

Friday night the Luck Cardinals played the conference leaders, the Webster Tigers.  The game was in Webster and it was a snowy night.  I was happy that I had driven to Luck in the afternoon so I could be a backseat rider to the game as Kyle drove.  (I know if I had been in my car alone, I would have wimped out a stayed home.)

There was some history of not winning in the Webster gym, but that all turned around Friday night.

Alec Mortel, Coach Giller and Brady Klatt

Brady on defense

Brady Klatt on D

Cole at the line

Cole Mortel

Cole

Cole

Logan Hacker at the hoop

Coach Giller

The Luck Cardinals won 52 - 40 in an exciting game.

Next game vs. Grantsburg @ GB

Little Ones

It was another basketball weekend and I'll post some action shots later, but I also took a few of the 'greats' while we were hanging around the gym and later at home.

Emily at the game, so grown up

Owen, he's such a character

Ruby at the game

Gage surfing the web checking out pictures of owls

Ruby, Jack and Stella.  Big brother showing his sisters how to play a game on his iTouch.

Jack and his little sisters Ruby & Stella

Ruby, after her bath

Sisters making silly faces for the camers, Ruby & Stella

Ruby got to call Santa today (getting an early start on next year)

Ruby with the iTouch

Stella after her bath

Stella with Aunt Wanda's (clown shoe) crocs

Life is Good.