Tree Shaped Tombstones - Mondovi Wisconsin

Now how did I miss these?  Mondovi has a cemetery on the edge of town and there were a couple of nice Tree Shaped Tombstones there.  But when I was trying to find Mirror Lake for Day Seven of Strange Fishing I spotted another cemetery.  This seems to be the older one.  As the other was called Sacred Heart and this one is Oak Park, I assume the usual religious divide.

And it has some interesting examples.

A nice one.

I will never stop admiring how this "tombstone moss" interacts with the stone to make things more beautiful.

Some odd symbolism going on here.  These "split trunk" models are always a married couple.  But this variant, where one is reaching out to the other, seems to be trying to say something.  An estrangement that was regretted after death?  

Construction details also interest me.  Here is an original base.  Some kind of rough reddish sandstone.  I suspect the concrete bases that are more commonly seen might also be originals...although some are clearly replacements.  These monuments have a relatively high center of gravity and do seem prone to leaning.

Never seen the like of this one.  There's always something new out there.

Lynn's Custom Meats

I don't usually plug commercial enterprises but today I'll make an exception.  Lynn's Custom Meats  is where we bring our venison to be processed.  And it's just an interesting place to visit.  Of course, it smells heavenly.  And.....30 plus varieties of bratwurst!  It's the kind of place I'd bring my UK friends should they ever venture into these more rustic portions of their former colony.

There's always something interesting visually too.

T-shirt for sale.  I think that's Lynn herself with MEAT GAL on her apron.

Help wanted.  Given the old saw about politics and sausage making I think its appropriate that the information given is minimal.

In the outdoor eating area.  I think this is just coincidence.  Must be, everything I encountered at Lynn's was not only edible but tasty.

A Useful new toy

We are looking ahead to robotics next fall, and in fact to doing another summer program for middle school "prospects" in July.  With the move into the school we have gained much, but also lost a few things.  In particular our access to the metals shop will be limited.  So I've been planning ways to do a significant build with just a few portable tools.

One thing that is crucial is cutting precisely.  Mostly aluminum, with weight limits this is the main building material.  And after some consideration I've decided that a miter saw will suffice.  These are more commonly used for woodworking but with a non ferrous metal cutting blade they are very appropriate for our needs.  I imagine we'll have access to one at the school, but just in case (and to acquire competence myself) I got one for my shop/team use.  And here it is:

Metabo sounds like a generic mutt brand but is actually the new name for Hitachi, a reasonably good manufacturer.  This model can cut miter and bevel, and has decent metal clamping ability.  You do have to mount it securely, here it is bolted down to an old cabinet door and affixed to a portable work bench.

I gear my work to what a total newbie middle/high school student might be able to manage safely.  And the Metabo/Hitachi C10FCH2 satisfied.

It is important to carefully measure and scribe your part before you cut.  At that point you just line it up with this handy laser!

I was able to reliably cut within the degree of precision needed, and will do a bit better still using actual layout paint versus magic marker.  The saw can cut angles from -50 to +50 degrees, although I expect we'll mostly be using 0 and 45.  The laser marker looks a bit off here, but I think it might be refracting off the part a bit.  My measurements of parts cut look true but if we end up using this for the team I'll study up on fine adjustments.

This was an inexpensive buy at Menards.  Easy to set up.  Nice safety features.  It is scary enough that students will treat it with respect; and to be sure, nobody gets to use it without a formal training and check off process.  We'll also have each part inspected both after marking and again after cutting.

Gripes?  Just a few.  The instructions that came with it were lousy, sending me to the internet for a video that answered all.  And my gracious it creates a lot of little aluminum chips.  The catcher bag is useless and it requires diligent sweeping up.  Even with that I'm finding little silver bits tracked around the house.  It is not a tool you can set up just anywhere.

But this, or something similar, should be a workhorse in the robotics season(s) ahead.

An unlikely target of theft.

I have not been in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area since the beginning of the pandemic.  And now that things have improved in that regard I'm in no hurry to go back.  It's not the city I remember.  Rioters burned Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore to the ground.  Axman surplus was looted.  Just a few weeks ago a man was shot to death in his car a hundred yards from my old house on 26th Avenue North.

But I did go to a ball game near downtown St. Paul, an area that has had less trouble.  Still, I'm not sure what to make of this:

I suspect this cement bus bench has been chained up to keep it from being used in barricades the next time things get stupid in the Big City.  Rioters alas seem more ambitious and organized these days.  I imagine they'll remember to bring bolt cutters.

A Playground for the Ages

In a secluded valley that is none too easy to get to even if you have been entrusted with the location, something quite unusual is being built.  It's a playground for grownups.  Some of it is above ground but most of the decade long project has been dedicated to excavating the sandstone cliff face.  A three dimensional maze.  A small tavern.  And assorted work spaces and projects in progress that sometimes just lead you to whimsical niches and shrines.  Its creators say people will be able to come here and enjoy it for a thousand years.   

Welcome to Sandland.

The people behind this project are unapologetic eccentrics.  Many of them come from the world of "urban explorers".  These are adventurous souls who seek out the tunnels, caves, sewers and other hidden places that form an underground network below the feet of oblivious city dwellers.  As this activity is not - to put it mildly - approved of by The Authorities, these people have "explorer names".  At Sandland these are used interchangeably with their (presumed) real names.

Here at Detritus of Empire I occasionally speak of my "underworld contacts".  One of these fellows is involved with Sandland so when I reached out regards a visit I had someone to vouch for me.  It lead a fascinating afternoon.

Here you see upper and lower entrances.  There is a cable car system to bring out excavated sand and dump it in a huge pile.

Into the labyrinth!  My guide gave me no directions in this three dimensional puzzle.  He said that it's the decisions we make are really the important part.  As my sense of spatial geometry is rather good I found a quick way through.  My guide seemed vaguely disappointed.

The maze is a system of low passageways,  you wear knee pads as there will be places where crawling is necessary.  That gets you right up close to the geology.  This is Jordan Sandstone.  Easy to mine and quite solid once it has been exposed to air for a while.  It also has beautiful striations of iron oxide and I think a bit of copper.  I thought it resembled a rich dessert.

In the other working areas of Sandland the tunnels are tall enough to walk in and wide enough for sand carts.  Wiring conduit, air vents and minor jokes are distributed liberally.

Another major feature is the "donut room".  This ring structure has seven passages coming off of it.  Why seven?  Because it is a number that people are not expecting.  Here a convoy of sand carts await their turn to be dumped.

The side passages go to various places, or sometimes go nowhere.  You might find a little shrine with colorful mineral samples.  You might find a remarkably challenging geocache.  Or you might find a Gabe Bar.  By the way, when this phrase is spoken through a respirator mask it sounds like something else.  But no, it was just excavated by a guy named Gabe.  Here I am tending bar, respirator snugly on as sand cutting was going on around the corner.

There is a sort of underground tram way with winch for dragging out the sand.  Far in the distance is the Normal, Outside World.

Well, maybe the Normal World starts a bit farther off.  Above ground Sandland also has a rifle range, a trebuchet, an elaborate tree house and a decommissioned monorail train which contains a shrine to a retired Professional Wrestler.  Because, why not.

 

Will Sandland indeed be entertaining and puzzling people in a thousand years?  I don't see why not.  I've visited places underneath Rome, Orvieto and other towns that are in perfect shape after  longer spans of time.  The geology is stable, the engineering effort considerable, and this remote site seems quite unlikely to be developed any time soon.

A few parting notes.

Sandland is an undertaking that will not make sense to goal oriented people, which includes most of American culture.  They would ask "why?".  That of course is an irrelevant query.  Creative minds have already decided that it will be done.  All that is left to ask is when and how.

With my interest in such matters it has been proposed that batches of home brew beer be parked in Sandland to age.  This of course is an exact, if highly extravagant, analog of how it was done in the 19th century.  There are some logistical challenges but I've already decided that this will be done.  The rest is just figuring out the when and how.

I mentioned that Sandlanders tend to go by their "Underground names".  To get into the spirit of things I did say they could use my alter ego "Badger Trowelsworthy".  Now it is not easy to read expressions in dimly lit caverns where people have half their faces covered by respirators.  But I got the distinct impression that they'd heard that name before.  Curious and a bit disquieting.  If this turns out to be a genuine lead it would be the first hint of the old scoundrel since 2018. 

Perhaps we are not done with him yet. 

.

Extended 4th of July Weekend, 2021

The 4th is on Sunday this year.  That pretty much turns a three day weekend into a four or five day affair.  I'm OK with that, we got short changed last year and b'sides, I'm retired and have lots of time.  So....

July 1st. I went fishing with one of my sons.  Two new additions to the life list!  Channel Catfish and this beauty which is variously called Sheepshead, Freshwater Drum and Croaker.  The latter name is because when you grip them they make an odd noise.  More like guttural purring.  Definite candidate for a Strange Fish Geocach.

July 2nd.  Headed up to lake.  Traffic not too bad, you see such scare stories regards holiday travel.  All ambitions fade up here.  Just sitting around and enjoying.  Dog lacked ambitions to start with.

July 3rd.  I guess this was Free Enterprise Day.  The little town near our cabin is obviously a lot busier in the summer than at other times of year.  On this sunny holiday Saturday there were little sales going on all over.  Bake Sale, Book Sale, two competing Farmer's Markets, Thrift Sales.  Everyone seemed to be in on the act.  I went to the Lutheran Church bake sale.  When I was checking out they asked if I wanted a little flag.  Sure I did.  One stop shopping where you could find God, the Flag and Apple Pie.  Although to be accurate I got a plate of cookies.  Lutherans are good at cookies.

July 4th.  Parades.  One if by Land....

Small town Independence Day celebration.  Warm sun.  A fine turnout.  It began with an invocation by the local VFW Commander who was filling in for the ailing Chaplain.  A prayer for our country and the wish that we all work together in divisive times.  Then the Pledge of Allegiance and a first rate rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.  Sweet, sincere, done by someone who put the idea ahead of any personal affectations.  The VFW color guard led the parade.

I like the flag in the young lady's hair.  You saw many such flourishes.  

In addition to patriotism I saw a bit of American Ingenuity on display.  Here a building supply store has found a more efficient way to dispense sugary treats to the younger set.  Gutter segments that direct it right to the curb!

The message on the truck refers to the fact that they were giving away Double Bubble bubble gum.  Eh, no thanks.

And....two if by sea.

Our little lake has an annual 4th of July boat parade.  We sit on the dock and cheer them on.  It's once or twice around the lake then everyone back to water skiing or barbequing or whatever.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.  Young folk, old folks....

Dogs.

The Leisure Navy sails away.  Fireworks after dark, much to the displeasure of the canines.  

Another warm and lazy day forecast for tomorrow.  Company on the way.

Bare Shelves in Margaritaville - Life in the Late Covid Economy

It's been roughly 16 months since Covid started messing up the economy.  Here in Wisconsin we've mostly done OK.  Various items that people were tussling over in store aisles elsewhere stayed available.  Toilet Paper?  With all our paper mills the Badger State is basically the Saudi Arabia of TP.  Hand Sanitizer?  Our local breweries and distilleries converted over to making it rather quickly.  Ammunition?  I only keep track of what I'll be needing for deer hunting, and in recent weeks the shelves have started to have something other than dust bunnies on them.  

Everywhere there is a relative shortage of lumber and building materials.  Who knew that Americans would turn to home improvement projects?  I guess it makes sense, if you are stuck looking at four walls you naturally start thinking about building additions, adding new windows etc.  One of my kids is operations manager at a place that makes the machines that make the windows.  They are doing land office business.

But recently a few odd, late Covid shortages have come to my attention.  Canning jar lids.  Huh, did not see that coming.  It's probably a combination of things.  Another facet of the "stuck at home" mindset.  And we suspect that some of the cheaper ones come from China.  Getting product across the Pacific has been a challenge of late.

But I have no convincing explanation for another shortage that I've been working on today.  Frozen lime juice.  

This morning my better half asked that I swing by the local grocery store on my morning walk.  'Pick up a couple cans of Limeade.  Not lemonade.'  One can hardly make a decent Margarita with the latter.

Local grocery store: no Limeade.  Walmart: no Limeade.  Hey, what gives?

97% of the limes we consume in the US come from Mexico.  I was unaware of any problems with supply, although a brief Google search did come up with a lime shortage back in 2014.  The usual issues, and a few unusual ones, were mentioned.  Weather and disease.  Drug cartels were said to have gotten into the lime trade.  The first news article that pops up on said search is from the Huffington Post so presumably they blame Republicans for it somehow.

As to what is going on in 2021 it is hard to figure.  There seems to be something going on in Mexico that is impacting lime production but nothing specific turns up outside of paywalls.  

Well, cartels and plagues be damned, wife wants Margarita.

Eventually I was able to come through.  There is a huge mega grocery store in the next town over.  I shop their liquor store as they have a superior beer selection and good prices.  But for foodstuffs I try to support our local merchants.  Still, desperate times call for desperate measures.

I looked around carefully before grabbing four cans out of the freezer case and walking briskly to the checkout.  I did not expect cartel thugs but could quite believe in the possibility of hostile, parched lipped, middle aged hausfraus giving me the stinkeye for grabbing what looked like more than my fair share......

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Addendum.  I'm told that fresh limes are still to be found.  A scarcity of Limeade might reflect changing tastes or perhaps a shortage some time ago that has eased.  This does not help make the 'Margies' of course.