Yes, it's red. But...!

Okay.
So on my way home today, I noticed that the flame on the Wisconsin Gas building was red; which I just finished telling you almost never happens. But, in my defense, I still think that there's no rhyme or reason to the 'weather beacon.' Remember the poem?

When it's red, there's warm weather ahead!

Today's weather: Rainy and in the mid-40's
Tomorrow's weather: Rainy and in the mid-40's


Hmmmph.

The Wisconsin Gas Building

When the flame is red, it's warm weather ahead!
When the flame is gold, watch out for cold!
When the flame is blue, there's no change in view!
When there's a flickering flame, expect snow or rain!

On top of the Wisconsin Gas Building, in downtown Milwaukee, is a 21-foot weather beacon, which apparently has been used as a harbor light and navigation aid for mariners on Lake Michigan. It's lit up every night, and is supposed to change colors, based on the little poem above.


Except that most of the time...it's blue. When it's sub-zero (before the wind-chill) in the middle of January...it's blue. When it's a beautiful, 80-degree day in the middle of July...it's blue. I can count the number of times I've seen it red or gold (and I can see it from my house) on both hands. And I have *never* seen it flicker.

Summer in Wisconsin

Winter in Wisconsin can be a bit long, cold, and snowy. But when that long, cold, and snowy (wait, did I say that already?) winter is over - summer is actually beautiful.

And summer officially starts with SummerFest, one of the largest music festivals in the world. Since I live across from the Summerfest grounds, during those 10 days, I can hear a lot of the concerts through my open windows (Mat Kearney and Kenny Chesney: awesome. Kid Rock: not so much). I was lucky enough to attend this one, though!


Summer is also the time when people come to visit. Mom and Dad came over Labor Day weekend and we went to Madison to the Farmers Market at the Capitol and then to Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's Wisconsin home. Mom really, really liked the Kettle Corn from the Farmer's market.
Look at the size of the kohlrabi!


Here we are at Taliesin. Frank Lloyd Wright built it as a summer home for his second wife in 1911; it burned down in 1914 and again in 1925. The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture students live in the house during the summer months, even though it is under repair and parts are falling apart. We did get to see the shell that inspired the design of the Guggenheim Museum.