January 2020 - The Jacobs Family Website

January 20, 2020January 20, 2020

Winter Vacation Random Photos

Here it is, the final gallery of photos from our holiday break in Wisconsin. This is a random grab bag of images that didn’t make it into the other galleries. Enjoy!

January 14, 2020January 14, 2020

Shortly before leaving we were fortunate enough to get a last bit of snowfall which meant an evening walking in the woods out to County Road FF. This was early January in Wisconsin so by evening I mean 4pm.

Walking one evening in a snowy wood

A snowy evening walk on South Shore Drive

Crystal and Kai walking in the snow

The old garage across the swamp in lightly falling snow

Nora and Kai walking toward the swamp on South Shore Drive

Kai in the snow

Crystal looking like she hasn't seen snow in 3 years

Crystal in the snow

Nora wants to be enthusiastic about the sledding opportunitites around our house but I think deep down inside she was underwhelmed.

A somewhat maunfactured sledding crash.

Kai in the snow

I like this picture. Despite Crystal's best efforts she remains shorter than Kai

South Shore Drive through the lensball

Crystal and Kai walking toward the swamp with the snow falling harder.

Nora changes tactics with her sledding.

Checking out the creek

I don't think she meant to strike the classic Big Foot pose...

Nora and Kai through falling snow

Nora and Kai pause on the hike to check their phones

Trudging back to the cabin

Nora in the snow. It would have been an even better picture without the neon sled but she was not be be detered.

January 11, 2020January 11, 2020

Teddy’s First Birthday

Fair warning – this post is chock full of super cute pictures of Teddy who celebrated his first full orbit around the sun at the end of December. Celebrations included a traditional Spooner meal of pizza and cheese curds at Tony’s followed by cake and ice cream at the Jebel.

Nora with Teddy

Teddy getting ready for his first birthday party

Let the fun begin!

Teddy having lunch at Tony's for his first birthday

Woo hoo!

Teddy's inquisitive look

Teddy wondering if he will get cheese curds

Teddy shows off his mad clapping skills

Clap, clap, clap!

Teddy enjoying his day

Happy Teddy!

Happy Teddy

Teddy just happy to be there

Kai and Teddy

Nora and Teddy

You can pick you friends...

Teddy's first birthday cake

Getting ready for cake

Lighting the candle

Getting ready to sing Happy Birthday

Oh yeah!

Teddy gets an assist with the candle

Nom, Nom, Nom

Having some birthday cake

Enjoying cake at the Jebel

Teddy after his cake

Me? No, I didn't get a piece yet.

Complemets to the chef

Time for a nap maybe.

Where Teddy's plate ended up.

Julie at the Jebel

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020

Jebel Visit

Here is another gallery ready. This one is of another trip to Grandma and Grandpa Jacobs place – Jacobs’ Jebel. The cousins were still there which meant some sledding and Nora got a sewing lesson.

Nora with Teddy

Kai with his new hat on a Jebel visit

Kai with his new hat

Snowman at the Jebel

Charlotte and Evelyn sledding

Nora joins them

Evelyn sledding

Sledding down the Jebel

yee haw!

Nora takes a run down the hill

Sledding down the Jebel

Jacobs Jebel

The flag at the Jebel

Charlotte at the bottom of the hill

Charlotte pulls a trick move

Everyone at the bottom

Charlotte comming up the hill

Nora getting some sewing tips

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020

Jacobs Jebel in the Snow

Here is a gallery of some pictures I took on a visit to my parents house (Jacobs Jebel). It was just above freezing so icicles were forming but there was still plenty of snow. Kai and I walked down into the valley where there is an old storage shed with weathered boards that I like to photograph – normally I get pictures of in overgrown in the summer but this time around I got to photograph it in the snow. Enjoy!

This old structure down in the valley at Jacobs Jebel is one of my favorite things to photograph in any weather

Old weather worn shack

Old weather worn shack - with Kai having had enough and leaves to get warm inside.

Old weather worn shack

Old structure through a lens ball

Weathered boards

Old structure with snow

Snowy valley

Melting icicles on the jebel

Dripping ice

Icicle close up.

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020

Wisconsin Social

One of the things we love about visiting Wisconsin is the excellent neighbors. Whether gathering at the 10th hole for trivia or having folks over it is always a treat.

Ben at the 10th hole during trivia night.

Nora enjoyed buying her own orange juice but stood a foot back so she could not be accused of being a kid at the bar.

Nora runs the bar for tips at a South Shore drive gathering

Nora researched her drink menu ahead of time and did a great job

She even managed a pina colada which was not on the menu.

Crytal with good friend Pam

Getting ready to host

January 5, 2020January 5, 2020

Woods Walk in the Snow

Still working on a backlog of photos. This one is from December 28 when there was a mix of freezing rain and then heavy snow. Nora and I took a stroll up South Shore Drive for a bit of photography and lack-luster sledding. Still, a few nice pictures….

Snow on South Shore Drive

Nora came along to hold the tripod

Nora in the snow

Another moody shot of South Shore Drive

The outflow from Bass Lake as seen through heavy falling snow

Nora enjoying the snow

This is the creek that flows out of Bass Lake. It is easy to miss it entirely even in the winter with no leaves on the trees. I think it is picturesque in any weather.

Nora looking down the bank of the creek

Another shot of the creek in falling snow

Nora coming back to the road

Nora catching snow

Nora in the snow on South Shore Drive

Winter woods on South Shore Drive

Snowy pond near South Shore Drive

Perspective shot on South Shore Drive

Nora contemplates the snow

Nora by the swamp on South Shore Drive

Nora in the Snow

Country road with snow

Snowy South Shore Drive

Nora took this picture of Ben sheltering his camera inside his coat

Ben collecting snow on South Shore Drive

Nora likes to look for interesting angles

One last shot of the creek in the snow.

January 3, 2020January 3, 2020

Clear night (take 2)

This second round of photos was taken on a much clearer night. I also had my remote for the camera so I could take longer exposures. Focus is still a challenge and there were a lot of shots that needed to be discarded but still some winners for sure. Enjoy!

Night sky over Danbury

Night sky taken from the drivway behind the house. A bit of the milky way is visible

Way over exposed and the stars started to drift. Still, interesting effect so I kept it in the gallery

Milky way over Danbury

Another milky way shot

Stars over South Shore drive houses.

Star filed over the back swamp

Another star field to the south of the house

Star field on the far side of the garage

January 2, 2020January 2, 2020

Around the cabin

Still clearing the backlog on the camera. Here are a few pictures from around the cabin this December.

Winter panorama

Morning light in the bedroom

Kai and Nora after digging out the detached garage.

Nora playing with Remington

Morning sun over the swamp

Nora rolling out her first snow creature

The snow was perfect for rolling

Its a mouse!

Sunrise over the swamp

Nora trying out her snowball maker

She was trying to give herself mouse ears with snowballs

Nora and her snow mouse

Nora in the snow

Eagle point on a cloudy day

Bass Lake through a sphere

January 1, 2020January 1, 2020

Starry Night (sort of)

This winter I was all set to do some great astrophotography. It is a really hard thing to do over in Saudi due to the dust, haze, and light pollution but I remember the clear winter nights here in Wisconsin as being just about perfect. Unfortunately, the cloud cover has been almost complete the whole time we’ve been here. A few days after we arrived, the sky cleared enough to see some stars so I went out and took these pictures even though there were still a few clouds. Enjoy!