Wisconsin’s State Capitol – Way Cool!

We’re rapidly approaching August and the warmest days of the summer. Looking for a way to cool off without splashing in the lakes or going shoulder to shoulder with mall-shoppers? Why not visit the State Capitol Building in downtown Madison? With it’s thick stone walls – there are 43 varieties of stone from all around the world – the interior is pretty darn cool. Pretty, too.

The Capitol Building, located on Madison’s isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, was built between the years 1906 and 1917. It’s price tag was just over $7 million dollars. Standing more than 200 feet high, it is topped with “Wisconsin,” a bronze statue created by Daniel Chester French. Inside, the rotunda’s ceiling features a mural called “Resources of Wisconsin” painted by Edwin Blashfield. The capitol’s interior reflects art, architectural features and furnishings that reflect a diversity of heritages. Thirty foot skylights allow natural light to reflect and play off the many niches and crannies, highlighting beauty at every turn.

I highly recommend a tour of the Capitol for nearly all ages. The building is open daily except for a few major holidays. Hours are 8 am to 6 pm on weekdays and 8 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. During the summer months, the sixth floor museum and the observation deck are open. The deck is perfect for a view of downtown Madison and, if you are lucky, maybe even a cool breeze off the nearby lakes. Guided tours, which are free, are offered frequently throughout the day. You do not need reservations unless you are in a group of 10 or more people.

Some parking is available on the streets and also at nearby city parking garages, an easy walk to one of the Capitol’s many entrances.

— Bo Mackison is a writer and photographer from the Madison area. She has sought shelter from the heat in summer (and the cold in winter, too) inside the Capitol Building and always stays for hours captivated by all the visual treats. See her photo galleries at Seeded Earth Photography . Photo “Capitol Arches” © 2008. All right reserved.

Taliesin Gardens and Asian Sculptures

Asian Sculpture in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Garden

Wright’s Crane Sculpture from Japan in Taliesin’s Garden

Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio in Spring Green, Wiscosnin, has several gardens also designed by Wright. (If you know much about FLW, perhaps you know that Wright designed everything connected with his homes. He was not only the architect, he also designed the furniture, rugs, and everyday house implements from dishes to lamps. And some of his clients even allowed him to design their clothing, including magnificent dresses, so that they would FIT into his vision of his perfect environment. (Susan Dana from Springfield IL was his favorite client because she agreed to any of his ideas AND funded them promptly!) Hmm. Maybe Frank was a bit of a control freak in addition to all his creativity and genius.

Anyway, Wright brought thousands of art objects and artifacts from Asia to the US, most notably from Japan, and used them throughout many of his homes, in his designs and in his gardens. These two cranes are in the garden near his bedroom in Taliesin. He could open his bedroom door which was set into a wall of framed windows, take a dip in his 8 foot deep plunge pool, and then wander a bit through his flowers and sculptures.

It really would have been an insomniac’s solution – a dip in a cool pool and then a midnight stroll in the gardens. I’d much prefer that option to the one I take nearly every night when I find myself awake, lying awake and watching the ceiling.

Do you think FLW would mind a new occupant?

Sailing Green Bay at Sunset

Door County, with its 250 miles of Green Bay and Lake Michigan shoreline, is a water-lover’s paradise. Some of the highlights of your trip to Wisconsin’s peninsula can be shared while boating the County’s shores and waterways. I’ve ferried across Death’s Door on my way to a day stay on Washington Island, kayaked the Mink River near Rowley’s Bay and taken a half day fishing charter into Lake Michigan in quest of salmon. (And dined on salmon grilled over a campfire that same evening.)

I’ve enjoyed all my boating experiences and I’m ready to explore the Door County waterways again. I even have the trip already planned – a Sail Door County sunset sail in Green Bay cruising from the Sister Bay Marina.

Sail Door County is a small sailing company owned by Peder Nelson who captains his own two sloops, a Cal 40 christened the Passage North, and Time Passages, a C&C 38. You can bring your own food and beverages on board, and by all means, don’t forget your camera. (If you’re looking for the spot, the Boat Rides sign is on Highway 42 across from the Inn of Kristopher’s Restaurant in Sister Bay.)

The cruises run four times every day – an early bird cruise at 9:30 AM, the early afternoon cruise at 12:30 PM, a late afternoon trip at 3:30 PM, and my pick, the sunset cruise from 6:30 PM – Sunset. The cruises each last about 2 1/2 hours. Cruise fares are $45 per person, $40 for children under 12 and seniors over 65. If you have any questions or wish to make reservations, call 920-495-SAIL.

— Bo Mackison photographed this unknown sailboat off the shores of Sister Bay in late June of this year. The photo inspired her to check out sunset sailing cruises for her next journey to the Door in August. To see Bo’s photo gallery, including other Door County photographs, visit Seeded Earth Photography.

Lights, Action, Camera at the Fair

I’ve never photographed a fair before, especially one at night, so I was especially happy to find out the Madison Flickr Photo Group was having a photo walk at the Dane County Fair. I tagged along with a great group of local photographers and got some instant instruction and fun shots of the carnival rides and the night time fair atmosphere.

This tilting, spinning ride was too whirly for me to ride, but I was happy to take its photo.

Flickr is a photo sharing site on the internet and has an active group of Madison area photographers who meet every month at locations around Dane County and spend a few hours talking photography while practicing their art. If there are any Madison area camera-toters out there who are interested, drop me an e-mail and I’ll point you in the direction of the next meet.

Have camera, have fun!

Mallards at the Duck Pond

Warner Park

We went to a Mallards game on Friday and watched the “Ducks” post a 6-3 win over their rival, the Battle Creek (Michigan) Bombers. Over six thousand friendly fans crowded the ballpark on a hot, muggy evening, and everyone enjoyed the game as they cheered lots of hot hitting and decent pitching.

The Madison Mallards play Northwoods League baseball at Warner Park on the northeast side of Madison. They’ve been playing great ball lately, on a four game winning streak, and the games make for a great summer outing. The Mallards will be playing out of town this week, but return to the “Duck Pond’ on Saturday, July 26th, to play against the Waterloo Bucks. It will be William Hung American Idol Karaoke Night and after the ballgame there will be a fireworks display.

And if you are a collector of bobbleheads, check out the ball game on Tuesday, July 29. Maynard G. Mallard Bobbleheads will be presented to the first 1000 fans. More information about Mallard Baseball, including ticket orders, can be found at the Mallards’ website.

Other Wisconsin teams in the league include the Eau Claire Express, Green Bay Bullfrogs, LaCrosse Loggers and Wisconsin Woodchucks from Wausau.

Kitty, Kitty

Jazz has a new home.

After being a homeless kitty during at least part of last winter’s cold, and then a shelter kitty, Jazz has a new home. Jazz is a black lady cat, age unknown, who was found in rural Dane County this spring and brought to the Dane County Humane Society. She had been on her own for quite awhile, but came through the experience with only a frostbitten ear from last winter’s exposure. Pretty amazing for a cat who has been de-clawed – pretty lucky, too.

Though she’s a beautiful, sleek cat, she’s a bit shy yet, and not quite ready to have her puss in a photo; I’ll give her time to adjust before I start in on the photo sittings. So this fun clay kitty from a local garden center is posing in her place.

The Humane Society has lots of kittens and adult cats up for adoption. We brought Jazz home from the satellite unit in Mounds Pet Food Warehouse on University Avenue in Middleton. She was in the company of 9 other cats, all who are looking for a good home and a special person to love. If you are 18 or older and have a home or apartment that allows pets, maybe you are one of those special people. The cost of adopting a cat is now $40.00 (or a kitten is $125.00) and you have 30 days to “bond” with your new pet. If it doesn’t work out, you can get a full credit to use for the adoption of another animal within the next year.

For further information, check out the Dane County Humane Society. They’d love to hear from you.

–Bo Mackison is a Madison writer and photographer who believes in responsible pet ownership, and asks that all pet owners consider spaying/neutering their animals to prevent pet overpopulation.

Taliesin – Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio

Mr. Wright's View from his Bedroom

Frank Lloyd Wright grew up in these hills near Spring Green, Wisconsin, located about 30 minutes west of Madison. He worked on several of his uncles’ farms in the Spring Green area during his youth, and as he didn’t particularly enjoy farm chores, he often wandered up on this hill to enjoy the view. As an adult, he designed Taliesin, his famous home and studio, and nestled it into the same hillside.

Taliesin, where FLW lived and worked for nearly 50 years, has only recently been opened to the public. Seen only by guided tour, you are offered intimate glimpses of Wright’s home, studio and gardens, all designed by the architect who was one of the leaders of the Prairie School Architectural movement. The living spaces are decorated with furnishings of his design and Asian art which he collected and used as an integral part of his living environment.

Tours leave from the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitors’ Center, another nearby FLW building, and are available from May through October. Call 588-7900, area code 877, or visit Taliesin for more information.

— Bo Mackison is a Wisconsin photographer who totes her camera throughout the State. She loves Frank Lloyd Wright and his many architectural wonders and highly recommends the tour. To see other photos by Bo, visit her gallery at Seeded Earth Photography.

Monona Terrace’s Roof Garden

summer spectacle of flowers

Nearly everyone in Madison can identify the Monona Terrace Convention Center, a beauty of a building designed by notable architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and located downtown on the shore of Lake Monona. But not everyone knows there is a remarkable garden with citizen access on its roof.

The William T. Evjue Rooftop Garden is currently ablaze with prairie-style flowers in the planters and plenty of space to enjoy the panoramic views. To the south is Lake Monona with the city of Monona peeking from the far shoreline. To the north are awesome views of the State Capitol Building, many downtown buildings including the Madison Club and the Hilton pictured here. The near east and near west sides of Madison are also visible.

If you have a camera, be sure to come visit just after sunset. You can take a photograph of the Capitol “springing” from the roof’s fountain. See the photo Capitol as Night Falls for an idea of what you might shoot.

The rooftop gardens are open Sunday through Thursday from 8 am to 10 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 8 am to midnight. For further information, call (608) 261-4000.

— Bo Mackison is a Madison writer and photographer who loves finding fun places to enjoy nature and take photographs. See her photo gallery at Seeded Earth Photography.