July 9: Ladysmith to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

Hello, dear friends and relatives!  I am sorry I am writing this missive a day late, but circumstances beyond my control (i.e., no WiFi when I needed it) kept me from keeping you abreast of all the happenings in our pursuit of a greater knowledge and appreciation of the Midwest.

Our first order of business was to bid adieu to our Ladysmith friends, Karen and Wayne Tappan.  The first two photos show our gracious hosts, who could not have been more generous and kind.  One of our last acts of homage to Ladysmith was to photograph its last remaining classy hotel, the Flambeau River, and a banner proclaiming the charms of that town.  

On the way to Chippewa Falls, we stopped at a working farm, where we met the matriarch of the farm, Valerie Zunker, who had been a student of Maureen 30 years ago and who, with her husband, is running a farm specializing in cattle and corn.  Maureen and I ordered a quart of the maple syrup which they also produce, and it will be shipped to us soon.  She had several corgis who roamed the premises, and the rows of corn stretched far and wide.  The farm has been wrecked twice by tornados, but keeps its proud self afloat and intact, corn stirring in the breeze and silos stretching towards the sky.

From there we drove to Holcombe  as we made our way south to Chippewa Falls.  We had lunch in a restaurant called the Lake Holcombe Cafe.  We entered and there was a table of regulars there about 10 strong.  The rest of the inn consisted of about 4 more tables as well as a bar with stools at the ready to receive those solitary diners who ate alone.  Maureen and I had hamburgers and fruit salads, and then indulged in sharing a scoop of salted caramel and almond ice cream—so amazing!  I really liked the small-town vibe.  

From there we followed the course of the Chippewa River through a verdant countryside that eventually led us to Chippewa Falls.  That severally locally made beverages have attained critical acclaim is credited to the purity of Chippewa Falls ground water. We stopped at Irvine and went to see the rose and daylily garden there, as well as an enclosure with bison, another with elk (check out the photo of one who came very close to me and lifted his head at just the right moment for his photograph).  

From there we drove further around the park, then finally looked in on a one-room schoolhouse (Maureen and I had fun with that one, sitting on students’ desks and at the teacher’s desk, pretending we had students to enlighten!).  

Our last stop before leaving the park was to examine a Norwegian farm house from the late 19th century.  It was our last stop before driving to Maureen’s friend Karol Hommen’s house, an Arts and Crafts house built around 1921, with beautiful built-in bookcases and exquisite, warm woodwork.  She had just returned from a trip to Boston, and had awakened from a nap when we arrived.  We hauled our things upstairs, as the day had been a warm, humid one.  As heat rises, it took some powerful fans and the late-night air to finally make those upstairs bedrooms tolerable.  We went out to dinner with Karol at a downtown family restaurant, and I had a BLT to their taco salads.  Afterwards, we walked the promenade of the Chippewa River alongside a completely revamped park framed with luscious plantings, benches, a pedestrian bridge, and the new Pablo Theater complex which is being sheathed in copper which absolutely gleams in the late afternoon sun.  A magnificent site!  The new theater very much reminds me of the Guthrie, where we had seen “West Side Story.”  

After our walk, Karol drove us around Chippewa Falls a little longer, and then we returned to her house, enjoyed some ice cream , and then, since there was no WiFi to be had, we went to bed.  Another day tomorrow, and on to Madison, Wisconsin and Frank Lloyd Wright country!  I can’t wait!  SV