Today is All Hallow’s Eve, of course better known as Halloween, a night filled with children trick or treating and witches, ghosts, pumpkins, and other scary things are often seen. Black cats are also associated with Halloween but these kittens might be the ones getting scared if they should read what is painted on the door they are hanging around.
Kittens on Dog’s Porch
Most counties in Wisconsin are now listed as past color peak and only a hand full of counties are at peak color so you have to enjoy the color when you can as it disappears quick.
Splash of Color
Congress appropriated funds for a lighthouse on Long Island in the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior near Bayfield, Wisconsin but when workmen arrived to build it in 1853, a local representative of the Lighthouse Board, directed them to Michigan Island.
The light on Michigan Island entered service in the spring of 1857, but was closed after only one year of operation. Evidence suggests that higher authorities in the Lighthouse Service repudiated the rash decision of their field representative, and ordered the hapless contractors to go back and erect a new lighthouse at the planned Long Island location.
In 1869, however, authorities decided that a lighthouse on Michigan Island might actually be useful, so was $6000 requested to renovate and relight the abandoned station on Michigan Island.
Fifty years later, an effort began to place the Michigan Island light in a higher tower. When the Lighthouse Service discontinued operation of the Schooner’s Ledge light on Pennsylvania’s Delaware River near Philadelphia, the cylindrical steel tower was disassembled and brought to Wisconsin. Originally built in 1880, the tower was transported to Michigan Island in 1919, where it sat on the beach, awaiting assembly, for another ten years.
On October 29, 1929, the Fresnel lens was transferred from the old lighthouse to the new tower. “Started up new tower at sunset,” wrote Keeper Lane. “Everything in good shape but station looked odd, the old tower being dark for the first time in navigation in 72 years. NEW TOWER IN COMMISSION TONIGHT.”
The old Michigan Island Lighthouse is currently under repairs and Michigan Island is unique in that the old lighthouse was supposed to be built somewhere else and the newer lighthouse was originally built elsewhere.
Wandering Lighthouses
When the leaves on the ground start to outnumber the leaves remaining on the trees, you know winter is around the corner, especially when forecasting a snowy morning commute.
Fallen Fall
Apparently one of the sea gulls heard about the snow that is coming and is as disgusted as I am. The older two are probably like the people who can’t wait to get their snowmobiles out on trails. I prefer some more fall days first.
Disgusted Sea Gull
Like people, trees are different and even the same variety of tree will display a range of color development and timing and multiple those factors with different varieties of trees and it paints a rainbow hillside.
Rainbow Hillside
The full harbor a month ago is emptying out fast with the approaching winter as it is a little difficult to sail a boat on the ice unless they put ice skates on the boat.
Full Harbor
I don’t think this birch tree has displayed any autumn colors this year or last year either. (And looks like how I feel some days!)
No Autumn Display
These Herefords are wondering what happened to the 70s and sunny October weather as they don’t like the low 30s, grey and snowflakes anymore than I do.
Herefords Looking for Warm Autumn
Colored leaves and red apples on the trees announce that fall is here, but as soon as it gets here, it seems to slip away too quickly as more leaves are on the ground than on the tree, the days get cloudy and cold, and the apples are harvested before they freeze. And hopefully these apples were picked since the temperature was 23ºF last night, otherwise the birds will have a supply of apples to pick at.
Signs of Autumn
