Wisconsin!

We enjoyed studying about Wisconsin. It is one of our "next door neighbors" so all of us have been there. It is a neat state and is called America's Dairyland. More dairy cows are raised there then any other state. Wisconsin leads the country in Butter and cheese making. Wisconsin is also called the Badger State, a name that refers to lead miners who lived like burrowing animals in caves during the 1820's.

Here is some other interesting information about Wisconsin:

• It became a state on May, 29, 1848 (the 30th state).
• The capital is Madison.
• The state bird is the Robin.
• The state flower is the Wood Violet.
• Green Bay is known as the Toilet Paper Capital of the World because it has many paper mills that make bathroom tissue.
• Wisconsin is from the French spelling of an Ojibwa word that might mean "Our homeland" or "Gathering of the Waters".
• The state tree is the Sugar Maple.

For foods from Wisconsin we had Steak Wisconsin style and also corn, wild rice, milk and butter which are foods that Wisconsin is also known for.

I also made grilled cheese sandwiches to using cheese (of course) that quite likely came from Wisconsin.

If you ever go to Wisconsin a neat place to go is the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior (Northern Wisconsin). For one of our Anniversaries Ken took me there as a surprise. We rode on a ferry boat out to Madeline Island and we stayed out there. There is a small town there which uses a ferry boat to get from the Island to the mainland except when the lake freezes in that area and then they have a "road" across the ice. When the ice is in the freezing process (which was almost happening when we were there) they have to use a plane or helicopter to get back and forth, mostly in that time I think they just stay on the Island.

Another place that seems to be very popular and enjoyed (but I have never been there, except passing by) is the Wisconsin Dells. My sister Anna and her family have enjoyed going there. There are many huge water parks.

What do you think is special about Wisconsin?