Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to my readers! I wish each and every one of you a great day surrounded by family and friends filled with love and happiness. Plus I cannot forget complete with delicious food.

My Thanksgiving festivities began Tuesday night with my Red Stag volleyball team. Winning two out of three games and enjoying a dinner filled with laughs was a fantastic start. Then on Wednesday, I made the drive down to Franklin by Dad and Chris. First on the list of things to do was to go grocery shopping, which was a zoo. Second on the list was to begin cooking some of the menu items so Thursday is less hectic. I started by making the traditional turkey dressing, which is a generational recipe passed down from my great-great grandmother, Alma Heilemann (Judy Selin Klein, Jean Heilemann Selin, Ruth Dunn Heilemann, Alma Erich Heilemann). Peeling and chopping apples, chopping celery, adding raisins, crushing crackers, and cooking on the stove top is all that is needed in making this special recipe. While the dressing is cooking down, I peeled potatoes and made Dad’s favorite pumpkin pie (one of Mom’s special recipes). During all of this slicing, dicing, peeling and chopping, I was waiting for Mom to walk down the hallway and tell me how great everything. However, I do know she was looking down on me and guiding me through the cooking process.

Once these menu items were complete, I had enough time to quick clean up and get myself ready to join some special friends for dinner and a little fun out at the bars. Melissa, Anne, Greg, Kelly, Mike, Vanessa, and I celebrated Thanksgiving Eve by listening to a band at Bulwinkles and dancing at the Ale House. Always fun at our ‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving party!

Now to the big day! Dad and I are tag teaming the Thanksgiving dinner and celebrating another Packer victory. Bring on yummy turkey, turkey dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and relish, peas and carrots, and rolls. Dad, Chris, Cassie and I will be indulging in this tasty dinner around 5 – 6 p.m. and then letting the turkey coma set in for the evening.

Tomorrow will be a day of recovery, maybe some shopping if I am brave enough, and then a fun Black Friday party with friends.

Saturday is a day of more food and family! The Klein family will descend upon the Kreys’ house in Valders for the annual Klein Thanksgiving. We will all be ready to feast on a big Italian dinner and most likely achieving the goal of being uncomfortably full. In between all of the food eating, we will find time to plan the menu for our Moroccan Christmas dinner.

Come Sunday, I will be back in Appleton recovering from five straight days of partying with family and friends and watching football.

So after all of this, what am I most thankful for? I am most thankful for my Dad and brother; for Mom teaching me how to cook for my family so we can keep our family traditions alive; for the Klein family and all of the memories we create when we are together; for my very special friends - Melissa, Anne, Greg, Kelly, Mike, Vanessa, and Cassie; for all other great people in my life. So very blessed with the circle of family and friends I have in my life.

Cheers to family, friends and traditions! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving day (or 5 day affair like mine) and until next time, take care and talk to you soon!

Lighthouse Hop #3: Sturgeon Bay

Continuing my travels towards Door County, I finally reached the threshold – Sturgeon Bay! My exploration of Sturgeon Bay was focused on two structures: the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Lighthouse and the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead Light. (Since I had already visited the Sherwood Point Lighthouse, the third lighthouse in Sturgeon Bay, I only visited these two in order to quicken my trip.) Next time I go back to Sturgeon Bay, I definitely want to do more sightseeing and shopping as well as visit the Door County Maritime Museum.

Interesting notes about these two lights are that they are a stone’s throw from each other and are both operated by the Coast Guard, which is very apparent when you arrive. In fact there is a specific sidewalk for visitors with a painted yellow stripe down the middle, stating “Public” on one side and “Private” on the other. If you cross the line onto the private side, you are trespassing.

Once you overcome the fear of walking on the wrong side of the yellow line, viewing the lighthouses is enjoyable and slightly adventurous. The first one you notice will be the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Lighthouse, a white steel tower standing a proud 98 feet. Outside of the white tower is steel lattice braces to support the tower. Inside the tower is a winding staircase complete with 115 interior steps. At the top sits a cast iron lantern room with a watchroom underneath it that has four porthole-style windows to pier out. The light inside the lantern room flashes white and red lights alternately, which is now automated. This lighthouse was built in 1898-1899, with a steel support structure added in 1903.

After viewing the Ship Canal Lighthouse, I took the walk down the Public/Private sidewalk and spied the red Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead Light with its forever-long black steel catwalk. Feeling adventurous yet hesitant, I walked out on the concrete breakwater under the catwalk towards the red 2.5 story lighthouse to get a better view. Before one walks out onto the breakwater, you feel that there is enough room for you to walk and not fall off or get wet. Then you start the walk, people are passing on the other side and suddenly the 20 feet wide breakwater feels like a tightrope and you are getting splashed. Recognizing that time was not on my side, I made it three-fourths of the way down the breakwater, snapped some pictures, and high-tailed it out of there!

This big red lighthouse was built in 1903, replacing one previously built in 1882. It stands strongly on a concrete island with the catwalk extending over to it. Facing out to the lake is a tower with an octagonal lantern that houses a sixth-order Fresnel light that displays a fixed red light. Surprisingly enough, at one time in its early history, the lighthouse was white instead of red. Personally I like the red structure, and it harmonizes nicely with the Ship Canal Lighthouse up on the hill.

Before I sign off on my trip about the Sturgeon Bay Lighthouses, here is a little history about the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal. This canal connects Sturgeon Bay with Lake Michigan and was constructed in 1872 to support maritime traffic. Finally completed in 1881-1882, the 11-mile long passage cost approximately $300,000. The canal cut about 70 miles of travel off mariners’ trips to Milwaukee or Chicago, and allowed them to avoid Porte des Morts (Death’s Door or Door of Death) at the north point of Door County, in between Plum Island and the Peninsula.

Knocking off two lighthouses with one stop, I climbed back in the truck, made a pit stop, and followed Highway 57 to Bailey’s Harbor for more lighthouse viewing. So until next time, take care and talk to you soon!

Lighthouse Hop #2: Kewaunee and Algoma

Pulling myself away from the Rawley Point Lighthouse and Point Beach State Park was hard to do, but it had to be done so I could make it to Fish Creek in time for sunset. Since I cannot stop the sun’s descent, it was a race against time. So I jumped back in the truck and continued north to Kewaunee and Algoma. These stops were quick since accessing both lighthouses are easy to spot from Highway 42 and have convenient parking.

The Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse can be found standing about 43 feet high at the end of a concrete pier just off of Ellis St. This lighthouse, constructed in 1931, replaced range lights that were built in 1891 and was built on top of the fog signal building that was previously there. It is equipped with an octagonal lantern and fifth-order Fresnel lens that glows bright white. Today the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse is still active, operated by the Coast Guard and is electrified.

Following some quick snapshots of the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse and a brief debate of whether or not to stop at a local sports bar and grill for a quick cold one (I decided not to stop…time was moving too fast), I was bound for Algoma!

As I drove the 12 miles north to Algoma, I got to roll through Alaska…Wisconsin that is! Granted it is a short cruise through Alaska, but one does get to say they are in Alaska (fun way to surprise your friends like I did with a text to Melissa). Once in Algoma, you will see a red tower in the distance marking the mouth of the Ahnapee River, this is the Algoma North Pierhead Light. The first lighthouse that was built in Algoma was called the Ahnapee Light Station (1893). In 1932, the red tower took over as the symbol of Algoma, standing a proud 42 feet high. There are two observation levels, one midway up and one surrounding the lantern room.  A long catwalk runs from the lighthouse to the shore so lighthouse keepers could safely access the tower, especially during the winter. The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead Light (coming to a blog near you in the coming week) is the only other lighthouse in Wisconsin to have a long catwalk.

One other fun photo opportunity before you walk out to the Algoma North Pierhead Light is Christmas Tree Ship Point. There is a sign that stands next to a Christmas tree stating, “52 Schooners transporting Christmas trees to Milwaukee and Chicago passed this point in the 1800s. Captain Herman Schuenemann of the Christmas Tree Ship, Rouse Simmons,” was born in Algoma. One of those 52 Schooners, Lady Ellen, is located upriver between the two bridges in its final resting place.” I quickly searched Christmas Tree Ship Point on Google and apparently there are many detailed stories about the schooners and Herman (so not spelling that last name again). Maybe I’ll save that reading for a rainy day. But definitely go and check out Christmas Tree Ship Point!

Following my photo opps in Algoma, I was back on the road towards Sturgeon Bay and three more lighthouses! Until next time when I share my journey in Sturgeon Bay, take care and talk to you soon!