Wet weekend and war delayed

About four this morning, a strong thunderstorm rolled through. We sustained no damage, but the winds were high, the thunder was constant and it rained for a while. Then the storms passed on to the east, but the weather people say there will be another band moving through late in the afternoon. Meanwhile it will be hot (high of 91 -- 32.8 C) and humid. Sounds like fun, huh?

One of the historic sites we are visiting this year is Villa Louis, also known as the Dousman Manison, a nineteenth-century estate in Prairie du Chien on the Mississippi River. It happens to be on the site of the only battle of the War of 1812 fought in what is now Wisconsin. The settlement that was there had been established by French traders, but it had become part of the United States. Settlement had not really opened up for Americans from the east, but a fort was built in 1814 to prevent an invasion from the north. Must not have been all that great a fort, because British and Canadian troops captured Fort Shelby in July of that year. They remained in control of the area until the end of the war in 1815, at which time they destroyed the fort before withdrawing. The Americans, fearing another invasion, built Fort Crawford nearby.

This weekend there is a re-enactment/encampment going on there, and we are making our visit to Villa Louis in order to see the restored home and to see a bit of the re-enactment. Fortunately, this goes on all weekend and the weather tomorrow promises to be much cooler and pleasant. So we will drive down there in the morning and see what we shall see. We have driven that way before, and southwestern Wisconsin is lovely terrain. So the trip will be enjoyable, too. 

Today will be mostly a day of rest inside where it is cooler!