Now that the homes damaged in the 2008 floods have been cleared away along River St./Hwy 136 in the village of Rock Springs just west of Baraboo, things are looking a bit well.., vacant.

A bit of time has passed since Pafrey’s Glen State Natural Area was closed again due to recent flood damage.  I checked on the status of the glen yesterday with Devil’s Lake State Park superintendent Steve Schmelzer.  It’s important to note that the small bridges put in place after the 2008 flood (And washed out again couple weeks ago), were meant to be temporary fixes until a more permanent trail could be devised. At this point it seems the DNR is now going to wait to take any more action until they have finalized the design & financing arrangements began after the devastating 2008 flood. The eye is on creating a more permanent solution. (Good luck with that!) How long will that take?  Hard to tell.  There is some hope something could be done by fall, but personally I don’t hold out much hope that anything can be in place before the snow flies.  We’ll see.

We have two disarmingly charming ladies for your viewing pleasure today.  The first is the stout and sturdy lass, Angel,  a spayed female Bulldog-cross.   Young in years and loads of fun -she may not be a beauty queen, but she gets our vote for Ms. Congeniality.  There is not an animal or person that Angel does not love and she is  very playful and affectionate,  knows how to sit, come, lie down,  and does walk on a leash.

Shhh….please be quiet so we don’t wake up our  little sleeping beauty, Maggie.  Maggie is a calico female about three months of age.  She is very tame and likes to play and cuddle.  She is still a baby, and requires a good “cat nap” to keep up with her active lifestyle and growing body.  Both of these ladies come with our stamp of approval and will make fantastic companion pets for some fortunate adopters.

To adopt one of these guys or for more information contact the Sauk County Humane Society @ (608) 356-2520 or visit their website at www.saukhumane.org

Have you ever been to the Sauk County Humane Society?  We are located right behind the Walgreens store on highway 136.  Come on in and see what we are all about.  Visitors are always welcome M,W, F 12:00-5pm, T. Th. 12:00-7pm and Sat. 11-4pm.

So what do I do when not sitting around the computer writing about nature and outdoor recreation in our area?  Well, over the last couple months I’ve been putting a pair of Sabino Trail Mid GTX trail running shoes by Montrail to the test out on the trails of Devil’s Lake State Park.  Click here to find out how they did!

Another traditional summer event is in the books!  For the most part the weather played nice for Downtown Baraboo’s Old Fashioned Day event. We hope you had a good time if you were able to attend. We’ve posted a photo gallery over on Flickr for those of you who didn’t get a chance to attend. – Click Here.

A Flash Flood Watch continues in Sauk County through this afternoon into tomorrow morning. Thunderstorms will again roll across the area through tonight bringing an additional 1-3 inches of rain.  Currently the Baraboo river while still higher than normal, is staying below flood stage at both the Rock Springs & West Baraboo gauges. The river is above flood stage and continues to rise near the County Hwy X gauge a few miles east of town.  Standing water can be seen in some low-lying areas along the river in that area and along both sides of Co. Rd. W a few miles east of Baraboo. Clark creek (see above picture) on Hwy 113 was still within it’s banks last evening but fast and turbulent.  Skillet Creek is flooding on the south-west corner of town including near the corner of Hwy 12 and Hwy 159. The creek is flooding into nearby fields but not impeading traffic.  Read the rest of this entry »

Opinion – Now let me see if we have this straight.  The Sauk County Homeless Haven is closed to remove asbestos, there is no on-site manager, and they have fired Betty Kruger who has been the major force behind providing shelter for the homeless in our area since practically the dawn of time, simply to “bring in new blood?”  Is that it?  Interestingly, yesterday while at the post office on personal business we came across two formal “residents” who cannot seem to get their mail because it’s going to the haven and they can’t get a hold of anyone to do anything about it. Read the rest of this entry »

Updated 7/22 – Flash Flood Watch again as inches of rain are predicted to fall in the Baraboo area while the river is already just below alert stage.  Outside this morning the rain has already began to fall.

A flood warning continues overnight for sections of the Baraboo river in Sauk County including the river at Rock Springs and near Baraboo.  At 3pm today the Baraboo river was over 19 feet at Rock Springs. Flood Stage is 18.5 feet. While minor flooding is expected overnight into morning, the river is should fall below flood level by tomorrow evening barring any unforeseen heavy rains. Rain and thunderstorms are predicted to continue most of this week so there is good reason to remain cautious. Read the rest of this entry »

Despite the occasional evening rain shower the 2010 Sauk County Fair went off without a hitch.  We’ve put a little slide show together offering the sights of the midway from the quiet moments right after the gates open until the nights really get rockin’ under the colorful lights of the rides and attractions.  Um, did you see that monkey?

• Click here to open the slideshow

Artist Rachel Rosenblum is a resident of Baraboo, Wisconsin. Rachel is a graduate of  Montgomery College in Maryland and the University of Wisconsin, Madison; She has been studying art and metals for more than a decade.  At her studio here in Baraboo, Rachel finds creative inspiration surrounded by nature and furry friends whose paws touch her heart. Here work is inspired by the love and devotion of her beloved Mommy Cat, Rachel’s first piece memorializes their affection as a beautiful bracelet, keychain or pendant.

Under the name “Senti-metal”, Rachel creates a blend of sentimental pawprint jewelry and art metal as a tribute to the love we share with out pets. She invites you to gift your own heart with a precious, custom made piece to honor or memorialize your own beloved pets.  To learn more or inquire about her work please visit or  the Cornerstone Gallery in Downtown Baraboo, located at 101 4th Street or call: 608.356.7805 or Toll Free 866.356.7805