America's Dairyland

Most of my dairy consumption is in the form of low-fat yogurt or string cheese, but sometimes in America's Dairyland, you succumb to temptation and end up eating a lot more dairy than you'd planned on. Welcome to August in Wisconsin.

It started innocently enough. In my part-time summer gig, a preview of State Fair was delivered to my desk: one cream puff. I hadn't had a chance to eat dinner, so what's the harm. (Surprisingly I managed to stop eating halfway through to capture this image.)

It's a nice treat, in recognition of the last full month of my favorite season, before the downward spiral to snow and cold begins. I didn't even get any powdered sugar on my clipboard or walkie-talkie!

Then, due to circumstances beyond my control, I had two Gilles sundaes this weekend. (I mean, really, how often does your brother-in-law, a visiting New Yorker in every sense of the word, announce that we're all going to Gilles, NOW, just two days after you've made your annual pilgrimage to the frozen custard stand you frequented as a child?) It was a big hit with the New Yorker, by the way. He even bought two shirts as souvenirs.

On Monday, I promise to return to my regularly scheduled, all-natural granola, yogurt, and blueberry lunch.

For the record (and self-justification), I did walk six miles on Saturday and hiked a state park on Sunday. State park beach photos to come in another post. I couldn't let you leave without a beach reference.