Random July photos of varying interest

Dwight Peck's personal website

Summer 2024

A photographic record of whatever leapt out at us

You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.

Random July photos of varying interest

(with no central theme, or even a leitmotiv)

Like this

And this

And this, too

Of course, 'cats' are a sort of theme: here are two cats, sometimes foes, sometimes more or less friends . . .

. . . Choupette and 'Pinkie' (aka Sweetheart and/or The White Cat), perched together on a slow afternoon

Feline burglars spied in the act

A security guard is observed by the nearby garage

And now the photographer!
(who won't turn them in)

-- We'll have another go at it when he's gone.

The Main Street at Mussent Point

The little kids get to see their first rainbow.

A fairly good rainbow at that

-- One doesn't like to be disturbed at one's midmorning nap. Do you mind?!

Melvin scored the special bed-thing for his midafternoon nap, discovering which, Choupette pretends to be extra-friendly.

Melvin's been through this routine so many times that, after a few minutes of patient indulgence . . .

. . . he gives up yet again.

Choupette takes another success as her due.

Here are two other cats, Pugsley and Wednesday, Choupette's half-siblings, as a matter of fact, staying with us for the time being. They sometimes get along with Choupette and Melvin, sometimes not.

A regular excursion 3km south to the highway bridge into the South Bay (map below).

We're looking for basking turtles-- fewer and fewer every year, it seems. But . . .

. . . this time, not one, but two. (We're standing 20 meters off, but they seem to have noticed us anyway. Sorry, guys.)

After a casual pedal round the far reach of South Bay, we're proceeding back out, and, unfortunately, they've splooshed. (They'll come back out once we're gone.)

Back across South Bay, and . . .

. . . under the bridge, turning left at Chase Island.

Back in the northwest cove of North Bay, there's been an extremely splashy commotion coming out along the shore . . .

. . . which turns out to be a family of young mergansers practicing diving (or learning to take off).

Either way, they've got a ways to go before they're ready to set off on their own.

Mom's noticed us and called the team to order. Meanwhile, directly behind us . . .

. . . there's a different family keeping its distance.

A Grumman Fun Ship coming in for a landing

Kristin's been driving that thing for much of her life, so . . .

. . . nestling it into its moorings comes easily.

Little George is probably trying to identify the photographer.

The view from the study window, 10 July 2024 (an accompanied ride for the baby).

In the northwest cove near Mussent Point, that's a 'fish crib' created by a previous generation . . .

. . . intended to provide a cosy but commodious habitat for the local fish, so there'll be more of them and more easily caught.

In the North Bay's northeast cove, ringed by some much more impressive 'cottages' than elsewhere round the lake, there are some ominous signals for the future.

To wit, uncontrolled underwater vegetation

If those things tangle up your propeller, you'll sit out here in the middle trying to dial up somebody for assistance, however long it takes.

We've got into the cove; now we need to sneak half-pedaling back out again.

This, alas, seems to be an harbinger of the future, here and at some other places round the lake.

No one seems to know what the recommended solution might be.

That's a horrible great tree limb that tumbled down off a nearby tree a few years ago. The easier bits have been whacked off and piled up back along the shore, but this is unmovable.

Except that two years ago, hidden in much murkier waters, we tried to lift it and drag it away, and spent at least a week virtually disabled.

That's the godforsaken tree from which the devil branch leapt down to perform its maleficent task.

All within god's plan for us, of course.

Still another stormy day for the cats to spend indoors, with . . .

. . . uncomprehending but still accusatory looks.

Shore Patrol

The main dock of the Mussent Point enclave

-- So . . . what did you do today?
-- Oh, mostly just the usual. Chased a few chipmunks around, that sort of thing. How about you?

Choupette standing guard against attacks from the north

We've just been told that there's a 'family' of ducks relaxing on the new floating pad, but . . .

. . . we haven't got the hang of this infernal iPhone camera yet, and this is what we're left with.

(An extremely small family for this early in the season.)

That is one of the two new Hydro-Bikes that the Mussent Point community has bought to replace our disabled old soldier now drydocked at the boathouse harbor.

Dock

A well-deserved sleep-in

But sometimes, sleep just catches up with us wherever.

It's the traditional 'Friday Night Fish Fry', but this time, rather than wait in the queues at more well known establishments up in the resort area, we'll stop in at Whitman's, a kind of biker & local favorites' hangout along the nearby highway.

The usual crowd in a cozy atmosphere

And our crowd, amongst walls covered with gambling games (Win Big!)

-- Gentlepeople, start your engines!

The Lake in the Wisconsin Northwoods

Mussent Point is at no. 12.

Next up: A look at some of the lake's natural wonders