Celebrating a sunless solstice morning

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I’ve had June 21—today—on my calendar for over a month, looking forward to the solstice, longest day of the year. I arose early to see the solstice sunrise from 3 Bridges Park in the Menomonee Valley. If you were out this morning you already know what I saw: fog.

Here is the view from the park in the direction of sunrise. I was out for a couple hours but there was no hint of sunshine. The gods must be displeased with something. I didn’t take it personally and did use the opportunity to take a quiet walk in the park. I wasn’t alone, either. Every few minutes I’d see a cyclist or someone walking along the Hank Aaron Trail.

More often than not they’d reply to my “Good morning” with “Buenos Días.” Despite the fog, it was a very good morning. Here are a few things that I saw.

I caught a few shots from other parts of the Valley as well. Fog inspires introspection. I've been thinking about the Viaducts and how they serve simultaneously to make a connection across the Valley and a barrier to access the Valley itself.

 

This post is one in a series that relates to my Menomonee Valley Artist in Residency. For more information about the residency and links to previous posts and photographs, go to MV AiR.

Menomonee River concrete channel removal underway: a photo essay

Work began in September to remove 1,100 feet of concrete channel in the Menomonee River near Miller Brewing and the Wisconsin Avenue viaduct. The purpose is to return the river to a somewhat more natural state and enable fish to more easily migrate upriver. A final section of concrete channel south of the viaduct is slated for removal later in 2014. That will complete the channel removal that began upstream at 45th Street when a small dam was removed approximately 15 years ago. Those who are familiar with my book, Urban Wilderness: Exploring a Metropolitan Watershed (published in 2008) may remember that I wrote about the promise of channel restoration at that time. Thankfully, that promise finally is being fulfilled. Here is a photo essay of the current conditions. (For a more detailed account of the project go to jsonline.)

Water intake pipes

View towards Wis. Ave. viaduct

Graffiti on railroad bridge

View from viaduct with Miller lot in background

View downwards from viaduct

View from Bluemound Rd. bridge upstream

Outflow pipes

A section of the restored channel

Menomonee Valley in fog

The fog and the unseasonably balmy temps drew me outside this morning. I've always treasured days like today, surprise days, like unexpected gifts. Of course, "unseasonably warm" has taken on newly ominous significance in our post-Katrina and now post-Superstorm Sandy circumstances. Not to mention our own record-breaking drought.

Still, I enjoyed being out. I went to one of my usual haunts, the Menomonee Valley, to check on the progress of the Airline Yards Park. (To read about the groundbreaking of Milwaukee's newest park, check out my earlier post.)

Luck was with me. A crew was out spraying what I assume to be fertilizer, or perhaps a seed/fertilizer mix, on the new contoured slopes of the park.

The Menomonee River was lower than I can remember seeing it, except during the height of the drought this past summer! Much is revealed in the shallows of an undernourished urban river.

These last two shots are from the Hank Aaron State Trail, which runs through the Stormwater Park below the 35th Street Viaduct.

I've always loved how fog brings out the colors in the landscape - even the relatively monochromatic one we have in late autumn - or snowless winter.

Although I enjoyed my excursion, I do hope the springlike weather passes and we get some snow.