Lisa Schulte

There's ginormous and beautiful concrete staircases that majestically descend into what I assume were formal gardens.

So we used to love to go out there.

Sadie could run around off leash.

We'd walk around through these woods and these pathways and

and we would often end up at the one and only Pauper Cemetery.

And near the cemetery is a pond.

I don't think it's natural because it's perfectly rectangular, but it was a good place for... I don't know, but I grew up in a small town, and we never had square ponds.

But there are always geese and ducks on the pond, and Sadie would like to chase them.

So one winter's day, one February day, but it was one of those February days that...

Give the promise of spring.

You know those days?

It's warm, but you still have to dress for winter, because it is winter, and because this is Wisconsin.

But you knew spring was going to come probably by June 5th or so.

The skies were blue.

The sun was shining.

It was above freezing.

It was nice out.

But we had to dress for winter.

I had the old lady boots on, because I'm an old lady, and the kind with the really icky fake fur around the top.

And I had one of those poofy winter jackets on.