Stomping Grounds

Junior High.

High School.

First boyfriend.

Learning to drive (in the SNOW I might add)

For me, all these things happened in Wisconsin Rapids - - -


A pretty little city located on the banks of the Wisconsin River.

Please excuse me while I get all nostalgic and sappy. I am sitting in a hotel right in my beloved Rapids so I have every reason.

Truth be told, we went out to capture these photos yesterday afternoon and I was MUCH sappier then.


When, once upon a time, I LIVED here, this riverside park was a row of storefront buildings. This time they did the "take a paradise and put up a parking lot" thing in reverse. Isn't it lovely?


Lovely and a memorial to our Veterans.


Thank you all who have paid for MY freedom. I DO realize it is not free.


Funny how time changes things.


I remembered this part of town as being much bigger and much busier. Isn't it peaceful?


I'm sure the REAL name of this building is NOT "The White Flat Iron Building," but that is all I know to call it. Isn't it the coolest?

Later addendum: It's the Ahdawagam Building and I SHOULDN'T be surprised, that was also the name of our HS Yearbook!


Love the details on this doorway.


Here's where I start to get REALLY sappy. My High School - - - Lincoln High. I was only a little insignificant speck of a student among 2400 others - - - but I managed to carve out some fabulous memories.

Two musicals.

A supporting role in "Up the Down Staircase" and the lead in "His Wife the Midnight Trumpet Player."

Choir and Swing Choir. (We had the BEST EVER music department at good ole Lincoln and I kid you not one bit! I mean, we even sang Schubert's Mass in "G" for pity sake - - -IN LATIN no less) Thank you Coach Cleworth!

Campus Life

Ball Games

And oh so much more!!


Today Lincoln is a Junior High. More the pity - - - the new high school can't hold a candle to this one. Can't, I say, CAN'T.


Doesn't it just make you want to break right out in the "Pledge of Allegiance"????


Oh - - - and here I get the most teary-eyed of all. This WAS our home football field. I NEVER missed a home game - - - - except one. Only it wasn't just ANY old football game, it was the game with our ARCH RIVALS, Stevens Point. That battle was for the "Old River Jug" and THAT is BIG STUFF my friends.

But one year I had to miss it because I got grounded by my mom for leaving hair in my hairbrush that morning. Yes, you heard me right - - - hair in my hairbrush.


So while my sister got to see the WHOLE game live and in person, all I got to see was this score board through the fence for the last few minutes of the game while we waited in the car for the game to end so we could pick up sister Pam.

No - - - I'm not in the least bit bitter. Not in the least.



And this is a tree resting it's weary trunk on the surface of Lake Wazeecha, which leads me right into my next post - - - -