“I think we are right here”, I said to Maggie as I pointed at the map in the Gazetteer. Earlier in the week, I had been looking at the WDNR’s pubic access map for local trout streams, and found one near our house. I suggested a detour to check out the stream on the way back from the Local Food Feast at Viroqua Food Co+op. The road was muddy and still held patches of snow from an April snowstorm. We slowly worked our way up a hill that made us wonder how cars and Amish buggies navigated it in winter.
We were taking a short break from our home refurbishing projects. The carpeting was out. Premier Cooperative had disconnected the propane from the old stove and dryer, allowing us to haul those out to the barn. We spent the rest of the morning deciding on what electrical upgrades were needed. I had removed an outdoor light earlier to install a replacement, to find that there was no junction box – just wires extending from the interior and the old fixture screwed to the siding.
I noted the Local Food Feast on my Facebook feed a few weeks ago, and suggested a visit after we stopped at the hardware store to buy some electrical boxes. It was our first trip to the Viroqua Food Co+op, and we were impressed. It had been a while since we purchased Wisco Pop, and were happy to try samples at their table and pick up some Grapefruit soda to enjoy at home. We had to work hard to not embarrass ourselves at the VFC bakery sample table. Sadly, we were too early for Driftess Brewing Company’s afternoon tasting.
Fortunately, their tap room is set to open this year, which will provide an excuse for another escape from sawdust and wreaking bars. Part of the fun of being in the Driftless Area is visiting and supporting the local businesses that being created by people looking for a new path.
Provided we can find them, I thought to myself as we looked at our map. On the way to the trout stream, Maggie said if it was close enough, I could walk from the house to fish. It was not close enough, based on both distance and elevation. We eventually found the stream. A single truck was in view, probably a lone angler squeezing in one last outing for the early catch-and-release season. The detour reminded me of past spring fishing trips to Richland County, passing hilltop apple orchards in bloom while looking for an unpaved road that would lead to a small stream full of Brook Trout. May and the inland season was fast approaching. April, and its lingering snowstorms would soon be behind us, allowing green to slowly creep back into the landscape.
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