Fletch's Blog: Summer Is Here?
Summer is here?
Summer is here!
You can easily say it both ways, since it is Summer, but who knows exactly what kind of Summer it will be. Proof of that is this week's first Concerts On The Square? That's with a question mark, because, though it is a concert, it's at the Duck Pond (Warner Park), in the form of a movie drive-in.
If you didn't make it to this one, hear how Maestro Andrew Sewell of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra tells you about future Concerts On The Square? events.
Enjoy?
Enjoy!
Hear Fletcher Keyes on the Magic Morning Show with Lanette Hansen! Read more of his blogs here.
Fletch's Blog: Limericks Are Different, Now More Than Ever
Happy National Limerick Day! Here's a new limerick that probably wouldn't have been possible without all of the Public Service Announcement cliches, thanks to the dang virus...
In these most uncertain times
Our cliché use, everyday, climbs
Now more than ever
We’re in this together
Even though we’re apart, makin’ rhymes
Hear Fletcher Keyes on the Magic Morning Show with Lanette Hansen! Read more of his blogs here.
Fletch's Blog: May Soliloquy 2.0
What a difference a year can make! A year ago, the beginning of May, it was cold and wet and all around blech-y. And it upset me. So I chastised May, I excoriated May, because it had been bad! I gave it a good talkin’-to. Here’s what I said a year ago on May 1
“Oh May, what have you become? For all my life, my favorite month, let me count the ways.
The weather, like a soft kiss.
The beginning of fishing season, many family birthdays.
Flowers and trees and little baby birds, bursting out everywhere.
But, May, with your new style of cold and rain, you have left me wanting! So wanting!
For years now, May, you have laid down, abandoning your role as a glorious ramp
from April to June, giving up your duties as the most beautiful month of the year.
So let-down I am, by you, my lovely month of May, that I wonder… if you shouldn’t be re-named… as May Not?”
Seeing the glorious weather we’re supposed to have for this first weekend in May, I have to believe that talkin’-to stuck!
Hear Fletcher Keyes on the Magic Morning Show with Lanette Hansen! Read more of his blogs here.
Fletch’s Blog: Interview With A Bear
With the early onset of winter, I wondered if hibernating might be an option. So I went straight to the source of hibernation information…
Fletch’s Blog: Snow Spectrum
Where do you fall on the “Snow Spectrum?” Most likely, you’re either an A) a B), or a C). That assessment is based on our totally random assessment of anybody listening! I’m definitely a B), sometimes I find it pretty, most times I’d rather not have it, but I realize it comes with the territory living in Madison. Check out how our Facebook poll went today, and thanks if you participated. If you haven’t, go ahead and tells us whether you’re an A), a B), or a gloriously happy C)!
Hear Fletcher Keyes on the Magic Morning Show with Lanette Hansen! Read more of his blogs here.
Fletch’s Blog: Livin’ the Yurt Life
We like to travel, my partner, Kim, and I. We like to try new destinations, new experiences. This weekend we had a new experience, staying in a Mongolian yurt (imported from Mongolia!) on the Rock River in Jefferson County. Our goal was to disconnect, which we achieved! There was no wi-fi and no cell service… just a lot of peace and quiet. As you can see a bit from the photo, a yurt is a cylindrical-shaped tent with a cone-shaped roof, built on a platform. Definitely well suited for “glamping.” Our yurt did have electricity and a few small comforts like a propane heater, electric lamps for reading, and a microwave for tea or instant coffee. What more would you need? Facilities were as you might expect when camping, with an organic toilet/well water sink combo outside. The evenings were quiet and wonderful, with natural noises like wind and rain, though we were snug and dry inside. Early morning sounds included duck hunters with shotguns downriver (it took us a minute to figure that out!). If a great night’s sleep is what you’re looking for (we had a wonderful Queen sized bed), this is about the best way we can think of to get crisp, camping sleep without the back ache from sleeping on the ground!
Fletch’s Blog: Snake Soup
The Wisconsin State Fair opens this week and one of the new foods we can try, if we dare, is “Snake Soup.” Wondering what ingredients it might have, other than snake, we asked State Fair food aficionado Kristi about it (listen below)…
Fletch’s Blog: There’s an App for That
Do you know your way to Festy-land?
I live downtown, about seven blocks east of the Capitol with my partner, Kim, and our two dogs Augie and Pip.
One of our favorite things about living where we do is enjoying all of the neighborhood festivals that run almost constantly during the “outdoors months.” There are so many of them that the Williamson-Marquette neighborhood has a nickname: Festyland. From June through September, there’s almost always a local festival going on or coming up soon, with lots of good food and live music, in the parks and on the streets around the neighborhood. This past week and weekend it was Fete de Marquette. In June it was the Waterfront Festival. Still to come, Atwood Fest, the Orton Park Festival, and the Willy Street Fair. There’s even an app for that! Check it out here for Android and here for Apple.
Adding to the festive nature of Festyland are the McPike Park Sessions (several nights of free music at McPike Park in June and August), and King Street Live, filling King Street with free live music over several Friday nights throughout the Summer.
The photo is with friends at Waterfront Festival last month.
Where do you love to be outdoors in Summer?
Hear Fletcher Keyes on the Magic Morning Show with Lanette Hansen! Read more of his blogs here.
Fletch’s Blog: Seven Days, Re-named
If you’re having a “Tuesday,” I might know why. A friend mentioned today (it’s a Tuesday as I’m writing this) that “it still feels like a Monday today. Maybe Tuesday should just be re-named as ‘Monday, Part 2.'” My thought was “well, yeah, why not re-name Tuesday” since it doesn’t really have any distinguishing characteristics and often does feel like a never-ending Monday anyway. As I thought a little more about that, re-naming a day so the name more accurately reflects the true identity of the day, I went ahead and considered what every other day of the week could possibly be re-named to achieve the same purpose.
So, here you go… seven days, re-named.
Monday: re-named as… “Monday.” Because, like it or not, Monday will always be Monday.
Tuesday: re-named as… “Monday, Part 2”
Wednesday: re-named as… “The Middle Child,” for obvious reasons.
Thursday: re-named as… “Pre-Friday”
Friday: re-named as… “Business in the front, party in the backDay”
Saturday: re-named as… “Git ‘er DoneDay”
Sunday: re-named as… “Football (or, outside of football season, NapDay, or Mount LaundryDay)”
Fletch’s Blog: May Needs A Good Talkin’ To
The month of May seems to have lost its way, and I believe that what it needs most is a good talkin’ to…
Oh May, what have you become? For all my life, my favorite month, let me count the ways
The weather, like a soft kiss
The beginning of fishing season, many family birthdays
Flowers and trees and little baby birds, bursting out everywhere
But, May, with your new style of cold and rain, you have left me wanting! So wanting!
For years now, May, you have laid down, abandoning your role as a glorious ramp from April to June, giving up your duties as the most beautiful month of the year.
So let-down I am, by you, my lovely month of May, that I wonder… if you shouldn’t be re-named… as May Not?
Hear Fletcher Keyes on the Magic Morning Show with Lanette Hansen! Read more of his blogs here.