WI-IL-IN-OH-PA #CollegeRoadtrip

Hello and welcome to the first Saturday of June AND the FIRST day of June here at the Wannaskan Almanac. We are on the road.

Memorial Day kicked off the big #CollegeRoadtrip or, as the Oldest calls it over on Instagram, #eastcoastbound. First stop: my mom's cabin. The view: gray skies, gray water and a Cobber flag. Definitely a sign of more to come.

Good morning, #CollegeRoadtrip!

The drive east through Wisconsin can be summed up as follows: rain, wind, low visibility, stiff deer and curled up raccoons. Apparently Wisconsin DOT-Highway Department doesn't have a budget for animal clean-up along the freeway as we saw more deer and raccoon carcasses along I-94 than we see during deer season in Wannaska Country. And since we've now traveled across 6 states, I'm sure this is just a Wisconsin thing.

We spent time in Madison and Milwaukee and enjoyed our favorite Wisconsin delicacies: Cheese curds, brats, and kringle. (Try the walnut!) I even found a grocery story that sold Czech houskové knedlíky (bread dumplings.) Both cities had gray skies and gray waters, but we were in good spirits.

We found these cool Fibonacci Chimes in Madison.

The best part of going to southern Wisconsin is visiting friends.

Madison

Milwaukee (A smidge of blue sky!)

I have to admit, I was already a fan of Milwaukee. It is a city that knows its identity well and is celebrated at the Grohmann Museum, or as they say on their website, "Home to the world’s most comprehensive art collection dedicated to the evolution of human work."

Gorgeous floor mosaic - Man at Work

My friend is in 4 book clubs so I asked her for a book recommendation. Here it is.

Wisconsin approved!

She's a UW-Madison alumna. "Go, Badgers!"

A stop in Chicago with blue skies and blue water cheered us up! It was a quick in-and-out trip with lots of purple, tour guides walking backwards the entire tour, Lake Michigan and cheers of, "Go, Cats!"

Chicago

Cool Incubator/Co-working Space - "The Garage"

The Oldest and I are proving to be good travel companions. I drive while she navigates. She's decisive and selects the way, so I don't have to, and we made it safely all the way around, and through, Chicago, including a shortcut that took 7 minutes off our time!

The Oldest also manages our money as she has the gift of frugality passed down to her by dear old dad.

Today is Alanis Morissette's birthday. I explained to the daughter that she was my generation's Avril Lavigne. Then, wouldn't you know it? We got to hear "Ironic" on the radio as we drove into Pittsburgh. She tolerated it while I sang (almost) all the words. In return, I've listened to "Me" by Taylor Swift multiple times on this trip with lots of good cheer.

Thursday was spent in South Bend, Indiana. We hadn't planned to stop, but then thought, eh, why not? Boy, was it worth it! The Gold Dome, Touchdown Jesus and a basilica right on campus with vast, expansive lawns, tons of shady trees and plenty of alumni checking in for a weekend of activities planned just for them.

Gold Dome

Pieta by Ivan Meštrović , 1942

A fun fact: the sculpture Pieta was made by Ivan Meštrović who was born in Vrlpolje, Croatia in 1883 and died in Indiana USA in 1962. He was Croatia’s most famous sculptor, painter, architect, and writer.

We made it all the way to Pittsburgh on Friday night. Unfortunately it was dark, so I can't say much yet about the city, except to say it seems to be in a valley. Stay tuned!

Coincidentally, Chairman Joe is sojourning as well and we both found ourselves in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania today - just not in the same spots."He's on the blue highways, which reminds me to remind y'all to read Blue Highways by William Least Heat Moon. I recommend this book at least once a year. It's one of my favorites and from the Eighties, but still a goodie.

Goodbye, Ohio!

Kids' Corner 

WAKWIR and crew made it safely over the pond. We skyped this past week. Unfortunately the Toddler and First Grader busted out into tears when they saw me. The Toddler because he misses mama and the First Grader because she couldn't find her buddy Blue Jay. Fortunately they have good aunts and uncles who treat them with ice cream which is the one of the best cures for tears known to mankind.

On This Day

Historic Highlights (credits)

2009 - Air France flight 447 crashes into the Atlantic
All 228 people on board died in the crash. It took two years to find and recover the wreckage from the ocean floor.

1979 - Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) ends 90 years of white rule
In 1980, the Republic of Zimbabwe achieved sovereignty from the United Kingdom.

1974 - The Heimlich maneuver is published
Henry Heimlich is credited with developing the technique using abdominal thrusts to stop choking.

1945 - The first group of Berlin women start clearing the rubble of World War II
In Germany, the Trümmerfrauen are a well-known symbol for a new beginning after the total desolation in the aftermath of the war, and for the Wirtschaftswunder, the rapid reconstruction of Germany's economy through hard labor.

1831 - The British explorer James Clark Ross discovers the North Magnetic Pole
It is the location where the Earth's magnetic field points directly downwards. It lies in the vicinity of the Geographic North Pole.

Happy Birthday to You!🎶 

1982 - Justine Henin, Belgian tennis player

1974 - Alanis Morissette, Canadian/American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress

1937 - Morgan Freeman, American actor, producer

1926 - Marilyn Monroe, American model, actress, singer

1907 - Frank Whittle, English engineer, inventor, developed the jet engine

Remembering You

2008 - Yves Saint Laurent, French fashion designer

1971 - Reinhold Niebuhr, American theologian

1952 - John Dewey, American philosopher, psychologist

1868 - James Buchanan, American politician, 15th President of the United States

1830 - Swaminarayan. Indian religious leader

Hop in the car for a quick roadtrip this weekend and make it a great Saturday!

Kim

It's a Milwaukee thing.