Door County, the calm before the storm...

About 2 weeks ago, I went to the "thumb" of the Wisconsin mitten with Erica and her family. It's a picturesque rolling farmland peninsula surrounded by Lake Michigan - like a blend of New England and the Midwest.

The first night, we went to a fish boil. Apparently, this is a local tradition where buckets of white fish, potatoes and a coffee can full of salt are boiled over a campfire with occasional kerosene-induced flares. The restaurant was pretentious but the food was simple and tasty. (Door county is also known for cherries and they make excellent pies!)

Afterward, we had our first run in with the bat-sized mosquitoes. If I don't have West Nile it'll be a miracle. Fortunately, the coast-like sunset made my subsequent hydrocortisone lather worth while.

The peninsula is also famous for it's many lighthouses. The first one was at Cana Island and the second at Washington Island. The area has very shallow bays and frequent storms. The local maps are dotted with shipwreck sites - it would be a great place to dive.

But we rented kayaks instead. This was probably the highlight of the trip. We rented 2-person boats, had a great guide and even saw the wreckage of a pair of ships. (The bay was probably a mile square and no more than 15 feet deep.)

The last day we went to Washington Island and rented bikes. There we found Schoolhouse beach, a crystal clear bay with snow-white stones under perfect weather. It was surreal, like being in a postcard photo.

But the serenity could not last. We had to leave Thursday, so Erica could start residency orientation the next day. I, fortunately, had a couple more days to prepare, but I'm barely treading water now. BTW, check back soon and I'll tell you about my first day when I delivered a baby in the hospital parking lot...