The Best Part About Moving to Wisconsin (so far)

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

"That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics. That land yields a cultural harvest is a fact long known, but latterly often forgotten.

"These essays attempt to weld these three concepts.

"Such a view of land and people is, of course, subject to the blurs and distortions of personal experience and personal bias. But wherever the truth may lie, this much is crystal-clear: our bigger-and-better society is now like a hypochondriac, so obsessed with its own economic health as to have lost the capacity to remain healthy. The whole world is so greedy for more bathtubs that it has lost the stability necessary to build them, or even to turn off the tap. Nothing could be more salutary at this stage than a little healthy contempt for a plethora of material blessings.

"Perhaps such a shift of values can be achieved by reappraising things unnatural, tame and confined in terms of things natural, wild, and free" -- Aldo Leopold, "A Sand County Almanac," 1948.

So I moved up here to Wisconsin several weeks ahead of my family -- the kids are still finishing school, softball, band camp, etc. And with this newly-found "me time," I've had the opportunity to reread "A Sand County Almanac." If you're a Wisconsinite and you have never read this treasure of environmental literature (the above is from the Introduction), please go out forthwith and buy a copy, else I shall be forced to think less of you.

Leopold was a naturalist and a professor at UW-Madison, but he had the soul of a poet.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. The better part:

Work to get rid of Sensenbrenner, He's a maniac,

And the cheese. And The Dells. ;-)

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

8. I come from the land of Steve Chabot

Sensenbrenner isn't a move up, but I'm used to having a complete cement-head for a Congressman. And I'm going to work like hell to get rid of him.

[MnFats]

2. Don't forget Dave "Obi-Wan" Obey.

used to be my Congressman. A fine legislator.

also, check the northern lakes. plenty of space and water

[Badger1]

4. How could I foreget Dave

He's the man! Knocked down Delay on the floor of congress one time, literally!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

9. My goal in life...

...is to kayak the Apostle Islands. As soon as I'm able, I'm going to start checking out the rivers of SE Wisconsin.

[Badger1]

3. Two more

There are no corporate farms, not allowed according to state law and leinenkugels! Oh yea , and cheese and lakes with big fish and good schools, blue state ..................................etc etc

[shraby]

5. And Lake Michigan is

sitting right smack dab on the edge of it.

[phaseolus]

6. Sprecher Root Beer on Tap!!!

Root Beer Floats at Kopp's Custard.... mmmMMmmMmmmmMMmm

:toast:

[RetroLounge]

17. MMMmmmmmm

Now you went and made me hungry!

RL

[ClassWarrior]

7. Jumbo burgers and frozen custard.

I heard the Leopold book is good too. Okay, okay, I'll go buy a copy...

NGU.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

10. I've already been to Culvers

Actually, one just opened in the Cincinnati area a few months ago. I had mine in Kenosha, though. The Jumbo burgers were incredible and lived up to their name. It was a 6-8 weeks before I was hungry enough to try the custard. It rocked.

[ewagner]

11. "The Land Remembers"

This book inspired me a lot....I moved into Wisconsin the night The Edmund Fitzgerald went down and I have been here ever since.

The Land Remembers taught me how to truly love this state and it's people..

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1559717181/103-9289902-9754260?v=glance>

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

14. Ordered!

I grew up on a farm in Illinois. This book looks very good.

[joneschick]

12. have you gotten your library card yet?

We're great users and supporters of our wonderful library. Look for Aldo Leopold and the ecological conscience / edited by Richard L. Knight and Suzanne Riedel. 2002

I've said it before and I'll take this opportunity to say it again, our library system is one of the greatest and under-appreciated priveleges of living in the US. Your librarian is your friend.

Oh, and welcome to Milwaukee. Will you be settling urban or suburban?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

13. LIbrary Card is on my to-do list this weekend

Cincinnati had some wonderful libraries, but their budgets are being slashed to the bone by our Governor and State Legislature -- who never put much stock in "book learnin'"

It's likely that I'll be in the Brookfield, Waukesha, New Berlin triangle, but don't know where yet.

[joneschick]

15. oh honey

you're headed out to Red lands. Be careful out there(intoning in best Hill Street Blues voice):hi:

when you get a chance, the downtown library does a tour every Saturday at 1 or 1:30.

and, little known fact--the Episcopal church across the street has a cemetery in their basement! When it came time to add on to the church way back when there was no more land available so they enclosed the cemetery and built up. True fact, I've been there.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

16. I know its heavily Republican out there...

But that just means there's more missionary work to do.

[bugslsu9]

18. Don't forget Leon's

Leon's Frozen Custard is the best in the city! But, you can only have it once in a while, as it is quite addictive.

I work near Brookfield, actually, Elm Grove, which is entirely enclosed by Brookfield, and live right next to New Berlin. Let me know where you end up!

Welcome to Wisconsin :toast:

[Serial Mom]

19. one little correction ...

Elm Grove is bounded on the east by Wauwatosa - grew up and lived in Tosa for almost 37 years - worked in Elm Grove for 11!

There are a few Dems in the triangle ... in fact, one had a great LTTE in the Journal this morning. Here is link and look for one titled "Republicans' system of values a joke" from New Berlin - first one was also good for a kick to the WH from another heavy red area Delafield.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/editorials/may05/328210.asp

Hope your family meets up with you soon and that the summer will provide you with enough time to "explore" the area with day trips.
Great lakefront, good zoo, great musuems (although the Milwaukee Public Museum is in financail trouble now), great restaurants, some great architecture, etc.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

22. I'm already making some plans...

There was an article in the J-S this weekend about the domes and how they've fallen into disrepair. Is that still a good place to go? I think the kids would get a kick out of tropical jungle in the middle of the midwest.

[Serial Mom]

24. Hey der!

Oh yah, (WI / MN talk), the domes can be nice. I've only been twice and once for a holiday display (poinsettias) which was spectacular.

I don't remember what they normally show since it has been years.

Milwaukee County (with a fairly new RW executive) has been slashing budgets all over the place for the arts & parks seems to be letting some of it's attractions deteriorate and I don't like it. Milwaukee area has been going downhill for many years now and headed in wrong direction (IMHO).

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

20. Hey, welcome to WI....

keep this thread bookmarked. Come mid-January, you WILL need to refer back to it.

:hi:

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

21. I grew up in Northern Illinois

I'm used to the cold. My wife, on the other hand...

[rodeodance]

23. fishing on Otter Lake

[linazelle]

25. I'm a transplant from Chicago...been here a year and lovin' it--

'cept for the three bad snows this past winter (but I'm used to snow).

I like the down to earth feel of Milwaukee, the minimal traffic congestion, the summer greenery, and the custard--try Leon's and Kopp's, both beat Culver's IMHO.

I live in southeastern Milwaukee near the Lake and I love the parks.
I walk an hour every day (at least I've done that for about the last 2 1/2 months).

Oh yeah, I've got my library card. :hi:

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

26. I have to wait for mail...

I've got a couple of books ordered that should be arriving soon. When they do, I'll have mail addressed to me that will be proof of residence. I was very impressed with the library branch in Brookfield. Is there a county-wide system in this area, or does each municipality have its own?

[Jimbo S]

28. Milwaukee County is a county-wide system.

Wauwatosa has a very nice library (76th and North).

Waukesha's city library is nice as well, even open some Sndays. I am not sure if Waukesha's is a county wide system. I'll have to go check my library card, it's in the locker as I post this.

[Jimbo S]

27. Welcome to our town.

:hi: