Finished Pieces

 Zachary and I went back to downtown Monday evening to look at the finished ChalkFest squares. There were a few people milling about 400 Block doing the same thing. The event ended Sunday afternoon, but the art remains the sidewalks. Some were pretty smudged and faded, others still fairly intact. There were well over 300 individual squares around the block.

And now Whitewater

I know, 3 blog posts in a day, about 1 day, a little nuts. Just happen to see a lot of activity in one day without leaving far from home. Now this one was an unplanned event, happening 2 blocks from ChalkFest. So we kinda had to go see it, it was right there.

Turns out Wausau has an internationally known whitewater course right downtown on the Wisconsin River and they were hosting the 2012 International Canoe Federation Junior & U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships. There was over 30 countries competing, and many Olympic hopefuls for 2016 in Rio.

 A few competitors from Japan practicing.

 Canadian competitor's boats.

 The course, with the gates arranged for that day's events.

ChalkFest

 Saturday afternoon we went to downtown Wausau at the 400 Block to take in ChalkFest. Lots of creativity going on, with a wide range of subjects and styles. Participants get to rent a square of sidewalk on the 400 Block and have 2 days to complete their masterpiece. Just watching everyone create made me envious. I can see myself entering an event like this someday. My square would probably be Doctor Who themed. :-)

 The colors...

 The details...

 The Minecraft tributes...

 The classic characters...

The chalk dust...

Early Morning Balloons

 Saturday morning we were up by 5 and drove out to the Wausau Airport to take in the hot air balloons. This weekend was the annual Wausau Balloon Rally and Glow. In the morning and the evening they launch the hot air balloons, when the wind is most cooperative. We decided to try the early Saturday morning event, figured it would be more peaceful with less people around. And it was.

 The weather started off pretty nice but by 7, the winds picked up a little and a patch of rain was heading towards the airport. They ended only getting up 2 1/2 balloons before they put them away for the incoming rain. They would have had more up, but weather was being weather.

 Once inflated, they allowed the spectators get close and ask questions.

I think I would like to go on a hot air balloon ride one day.

Identified

Stump Stabber Ichneumon Wasp Megarhyssa atrata


 
http://www.pwconserve.org/wildlife/insects/ichneumonmegarhyssa.html (photo from there too)

Looks like this is our perp. I think we had a female, since it had a long tail (ovipositor) for laying eggs into grubs underground or trees. Wicked looking creature. Isn't nature fascinating?

Fireworks and more

Saturday night we spent the evening at my parents house, to watch the annual fireworks on the lake. Awesome display again, and lasted way longer than San Diego's this year.

 Oooo

 Aaaahhh

 After the fireworks, we were all in the house and noticed a large wasp like insect in the porch, hanging on the glass. Still trying to figure out what the heck it is. If you include its long whip tail on it's end, it was as long as a hand.

We also introduced our friend Jim to game of Dominion while waiting for the fireworks to begin. Its complicated at first, but addictive once you get the hang of it. Today we figured out how to play Dominion online and was able play with our friends across the big lake, Ben and Amanda (the ones that got us playing first) Very fun.

Disc Golf, the beginning

 Zachary and I tried Disc Golf for the first time on Saturday. Well we tried it once before, 2 weeks previously, but got rained out by the end of the first hole. Soaked more like it.

 There is a 9 hole course a few miles from our house at Yellow Banks Park, along the Eau Claire River. Its a newer course in a woods, not marked very well, but fun nonetheless.

Turns out we like it a lot. One thing I need to work on is keeping track where my driver disc lands, nearly lost it twice by forgetting where it landed when it was my turn again. And the wicked fade my drives have when throwing for distance, likes to hook left at the end. Zachary's throws are more straighter than mine.