Wisconsin Expeditions

We've been having fun exploring Madison.  First up, the State Capital building.  It had been renovated recently from 1990-2001.  It was gorgeous inside and the view from the balcony was cool because you see exactly how close the 2 lakes are to each other.  The city is nestled in the middle.



I love how the locals eat lunch on the Capital lawn.  They just sprawl out the blankets and enjoy.



This is Lake Mendota to the north of the city.



This is Lake Manona to the south of the city.

After the tour of the Capital, we bought some lunch for a picnic and ventured over to Picnic Point, a nature preserve area to the north behind the University of Wisconsin.  Being not familiar with the area, and not having info or a map, it was definitely an adventure.



When we got to the area we'd thought there'd be picnic tables. Instead we were met by Mama Duck and her ducklings.  They instantly popped out of the water in hopes of a meal.  Valerie didn't let them down. She started feeding them bread from her sandwich.  Chloe was the only one who had a seat... her stroller.  I sat on a log, and Michael and Valerie stood to eat.



We decided to head down the trail further up the point to see what might be there.  There were benches and fire pit areas, but no tables.  When we got back to the car, we realized each fire ring was marked.  We didn't go all the way to the end of the point because that would have been an additional mile to walk.  Who knows, maybe the tables were another 1/2 mile down the trail!



The Capital building can be viewed from just about anywhere in the town, including the nature preserve!

 

Later that evening, I watched Chloe while Michael and Valerie went out to dinner.  Chloe decided she'd chum around with the watering can.

 

I finally figured out how to do the upload!

 

We went to the zoo this morning.  It is a very popular area.  It too is free like the botanical gardens we went to on Wednesday.  Parking is limited so you are left to fend for a space on the neighborhood streets.  I told Michael I wouldn't want to live in that neighborhood despite the pretty houses because of the numerous cars parked down both sides of the roadway.  There were 2 city parks surrounding the zoo.  It would have been a delightful place to have a picnic lunch if we were thinking ahead!

 

 

They had standard animals at the zoo, but they also had animals I hadn't seen before.  This was a double humped camel.

 

 

This is a Capybara.  The world's biggest rodent.  It is 4 1/2 feet long.

 

 

I tried to get Michael to get Chloe to poke her head through one of the holes.  She wouldn't have it.

 

 

She'd rather run around instead.  She didn't want to have anything to do with posing for pictures.

 

 

She did enjoy Grandma playing peek-a-boo with her sunglasses though. :)

We have been having fun with our adventures.  When we got home, I watched her so Michael and Valerie could do a landscaping project.  They are clearing out old shrubs along their fence line in hopes of putting in a vegetable garden next spring.  One thing I definitely noticed in this community is every house has a garden, even if it has to be planted in the front yard!