Friday, August 30, 2019

Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, WI

Last post for our stay in Holman, WI, near the Mississippi River.  The Trempealeau NWR, yet another beautiful area preserved for all to enjoy:






crested flycatcher


 It is very difficult to capture the
millions of tiny but colorful
wildflowers we saw...pinks,
purples, yellow, whites etc,
with the camera unfortunately


wax wing

eyes closed enjoying the sun


Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Effigy Mounds NM, IA and Canoeing on the Mississippi

We did so much during our 2 week stay at Holman, WI, that I still have two more posts before I can move on!

One day there we spent the day traveling along the Mississippi to Effigy Mounds in Iowa.  That day we saw 6 bald eagles in different areas along the river.  The river scenery with the wildflowers is so beautiful! We stopped at another of the 27 or so dams on the river to watch a tug boat pushing 12 barges, some topped with vanes for giant windmills!  A great day!

our new jeep at a viewpoint on the Mississippi River

Add caption

one of 6 eagles we spotted that day


barges with windmill vanes going through a lock 

continuing on their way down the Mississippi

field of sunflowers
 Effigy Mounds National Monument holds 206 known prehistoric mounds, 31 in the form of animal
effigies.  Thought to be religious sites, over 10,000 were originally documented in the 1800s and early 1900s.  Now fewer than 1,000 survive.




it is very difficult to see the mounds unless you are walking along side them

views of the Mississippi from Effigy Mounds



our last eagle sighting of that day
 Canoeing on Lake Onalaska, on the Mississippi River.  What a lovely morning!




We spotted these two
fledgling eagles sitting
just a tree apart while
canoeing




Saturday, August 24, 2019

WI and MN Wineries, Great River State Trail, WI

We spent a day visiting wineries near the Mississippi River in both Wisconsin and Minnesota.  It was a lovely day and we ended up having dinner at  Pettibone Boat Club, WI, right on the river!

We walked a few miles of the Great River State Trail which is 24 miles long.  I'm sure we will walk more before we leave here.  It is easy walking and the area is beautiful.  Lovely wetland areas close to the Mississippi:


Elmaro Winery




from the MN side looking down on the Mississippi heading to the next winery



a pilot boat is pushing a fleet of 15 barges!



Riverview Winery in Minnesota

Pettibone Boat Club


views while we had dinner


The Great River State Trail.  Okay, just a few miles of it:

heading off for a nice walk!




Spam Museum, Austin, Minnesota

We were staying just a few miles away in Blooming Prairie and, of course, were going into Austin to a couple of breweries....how could we no...