Finding awe at the Urban Ecology Center

Milwaukee for the weekend... My niece was graduating from Marquette and already had a job. Let the celebration begin. After an ice cream stop, a bathroom stop, hours of video game chimes & pings and  five or six rounds of the ABC game, the family truckster pulled into White Fish Bay. The graduation party was full of family & friends and great food. We visited with siblings, parents & nieces and talked and talked and talked.  I dropped into bed at 10:30. My introvert self could not go a moment longer.

We woke up and visited more with family and then took off for the lakefront.

My husband's brother lives a few blocks from Big Bay Park. I had serious envy as we lounged on the cute little beach.  I love lakes....love them.  Especially when I'm safely on the beach.  The great lakes are so big and stormy and romantic and fierce and beautiful.

We made our way back and there was lunch and more talking, laughing, sharing. It was getting close to time to leave for home. My brother-in-law suggested a visit to the Urban Ecology Center. If we left for home immediately, there would be just enough time to get groceries and unpack. Urban Ecology Center, you say? We all wanted to go.

I was as tired as I could be but there was just an immediate energy as we walked into the place. Jay was telling us that the guy who started the center is now lecturing all over the place. Other cities want to learn the model of the Urban Ecology Center because it has been so successful. Their mission is to "foster ecological understanding as inspiration for change, neighborhood by neighborhood".

For the Scott kiddos, that meant scaling the rock wall.

There are birdwalks, "eat local" food challenges, young scientist programs, urban adventure trips, "meet your farmer" parties and land stewardship activity.  They are busy.  There was a group of 6-7 year olds running around us, squealing at the fish pond, asking lots of questions.  You can rent bikes and hop onto the bike trail or kayaks and they will drive you to your destination.

So thanks, Jay, for introducing us to this beacon of hope. 

You always seem to know the best joints. 

So we finally ventured on home. We stopped and bought things we probably didn't need at the outlet mall, ate an over-stimulating dinner at Ella's Deli in Madison and delayed our trip home a little more. It was just a big, noisy, exhausting and inspiring weekend. And this introvert spent the rest of the week recovering.