Bob has offered his photography workshops at several different locations in Wisconsin over the past four years. Several of the workshop attendees regularly come back for more learning experience at subsequent workshops. His workshops are noted for the teaching of manual control of SLR digital cameras, artistic photo composition, and the production of quality prints.

To sign up for the course, contact Bob at www.bobdennyphoto.com. Space is still available. The Inn at Lonesome Hollow is offering special lodging pricing for this workshop – save $50 on a two night reservation. Lodging availability is shown at www.lonesomehollow.com, or call Pete and Nora at 608-624-3429.

Our favorite set of orchards, four in all, lie on Wisconsin Hwy 171 between the village of Gays Mills on the west and US Hwy 61 on the east. Sunrise, Kickapoo, Fleming and Hillcrest orchards have all been in business for many years. Some of these orchards have their own bakeries, and there is a separate bakery – Apple-icious Pie Depot. Apple pies, apple pizzas, apple donuts and way more are produced in their ovens daily.

Sept 26 and 27 are the dates of the annual Gays Mills Apple Fest. Festivities will include a flea market, arts and crafts show, live music, parade, and great food. Beyond apple fest weekend some of the orchards will stay open into December, making them a prefect spot to continue making apple and specialty gift purchases. The Inn at Lonesome Hollow - www.lonesomehollow.com – is located only a few miles from the orchards. Stay for a night or two, visit the orchards, and take in the spectacular fall colors while in the area.

Maple Tree on Lonesome Hollow Trail

The Inn at Lonesome Hollow  has 160acres of  ridge and valley land, with almost 100 acres being wooded. There are about four miles of private hiking trails that skirt the forest edges or penetrate deep into the forest. Nearby is the Kickapoo River and a sparsely populated valley that extends north from the Wisconsin River for about 70 miles. Wisconsin Highway 131 follows the Kickapoo River all the way from its origin, near Wilton, to Wauzeka, where it meets the Wisconsin River. This 70 mile drive is very rural for its entire length, with no town on Hwy 131 having more than 750 residents.

Fall Colors Surround the Inn at Lonesome Hollow

The rugged Driftless Area terrain, the quaint antique shops, the Amish settlement near Cashton, great apple orchards, and a few wonderful wineries all combine to make this a great choice for fall leaf watching. You can even take in the fall colors while canoeing on the Kickapoo or Wisconsin river.

If your batteries need recharging, head to the hills of Southwest Wisconsin for a beautiful fall adventure.

Nora and Pete, Inn at Lonesome Hollow

Art From Digital Photography

This workshop is titled, “Digital Photography Into Art”, and focuses on the creation of artistic images beginning with digital photographs. The workshop will incorporate both indoor and outdoor photo shooting techniques as well as Photoshop manipulation of the images. Outdoor shooting will take place near the Inn at Lonesome Hollow, located in the heart of the Kickapoo River Valley and the famed Driftless Area of the upper midwest. The landscape in this area is one of constant valleys and ridges interspersed with small farms. Dozens of trout streams, and the Kickapoo, Wisconsin, and Mississippi rivers all flow nearby. Tobacco barns, vineyards, Amish homesteads, and eclectic small villages add to the photo opportunities.

For more information on the workshop, contact Bob Denny at www.bobdennyphoto.com/WisOct09.html. All workshop attendees must stay at the Inn at Lonesome Hollow during the workshop. Lodging options can be found at www.lonesomehollow.com.

Amish gentleman hid from camera

The Cashton settlement also offer many skilled craftsmen and craftswomen producing very high quality furniture, baskets, quilts, candy and much more. There are a couple of non-Amish opoerated consignments shops in or near Cashton that offer the products of many of the local Amish. You can also pick up a map of the settlement and make direct visits to the workshops of the individual Amish families.

Amish Goods

The Inn at Lonesome Hollow  is a nearby Bed and Breakfast that can provide area visitors with information about the Amish. Most of the bedrooms furniture at the Inn at Lonesome Hollow was made by Amish furniture makers in Cashton. Amish quilts are on many of the beds.

Room at Inn at Lonesome Hollow

Especially interesting is the Cashton settlement live Amish auction which takes place each Labor Day. Furniture, quilts, hand-made toys, and Amish produce are all auctioned in a 4-6 hr long event that will give a visitor the feel of having Amish neighbors and friends. We hope that many who read this will be intrigued and will tour the beautiful Amish area around Cashton and attend this great Amish auction.

Nora and Pete

Colleen Baldrica

About the Retreat Directors:   Colleen Baldrica (Moran) began her spiritual journey as a child.  Inspired by the teachings of her Native American grandmother, she carried that wisdom forth into her career as an adult.  With a Masters degree in Counseling  and a PhD in the Philosophy of Education, she worked in public education for 28 years. As the author of “Tree Spirited Woman” (Beaver’s Pond Press 2006) she has begun a new quest – to share with others what experience has taught her about those simple truths she learned as a child.  Colleen continues to enjoy the path she has discovered by taking long walks in the woods, sharing meaningful conversations with friends and family, and taking time to curl up with a good book. Colleen lives in Stillwater, Minnestoa.  Her website: www.colleenbaldrica.com.

Jeanne Penton

Jeanne Penton, B.S., ACSM has 15 years of experience in the health and wellness industry.  She is nationally certified through the Amerian College of Sports Medicine, and is a yoga instructor and public speaker.  She has worked with many populations including children, seniors, physically disabled, post-cardiac, diabetics, pre-post natal, cancer survivors, athletes, and general population fitness enthusiasts.   Jeanne has shared her knowledge and passion for wellness with many groups, having worked with corporations, schools, churches, fire departments, and served on faculty for the Department of Health and Human Performance at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, IL.  Self-acceptance, mind/body awareness, and stress management serve as the foundations of her teachings.  Jeanne lives in Sycamore, IL.

Vernon Vineyard

The winery, the first ever in Vernon County, now offers nine different table wines and two dessert wines. These wines are a delight to drink, and are so consistently tasty that Vernon Vineyard wine is now exclusively offered to guests staying at the Inn at Lonesome Hollow (www.lonesomehollow.com), a  beautiful, rural Bed and Breakfast near Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin. Pete and Nora, owners at Lonesome Hollow regularly offer Vernon Vineyards Ridge Red and La Crosse White wines. They consider it a very special treat for visiting guests to relax over a glass of locally produced wine.

Tasting Room at Vernon Vineyards

If you are a wine lover, visit southwest Wisconsin to taste the product of other local wineries as well: Wegge Winery in Richland Center, Wisconsin; Spurgeon Valley Winery in Highland, Wisconsin; and Eagles Landing Winery in Marquette, Iowa. The Inn at Lonesome Hollow is centrally located to all four of these wineries, and the beautiful Driftless Area landscapes will provide rustic, scenic drives as you travel to any or all of these wineries.

macro photo taken by workshop participant

The Inn at Lonesome Hollow in Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin is again partnering with Bob Denny to offer a Digital Photography Workshop. The workshop dates are June 5-7, 2009. Workshop attendees must stay in a B&B room, cabin, or suite at Inn at Lonesome Hollow for both Friday and Saturday nights, June 5 and 6. Course content can be obtained from Bob Denny’s website at www.bobdennyphoto.com. This will be the third digital photography workshop offered by Bob at Lonesome Hollow.

The Inn at Lonesome Hollow is situated in the beautiful Kickapoo Valley of Southwest Wisconsin. The Inn offers 160 acres of wooded hills, private gardens, a large pond, four miles of private hiking trails, and superb accomodations. Check out www.lonesomehollow.com to view pictures of the rooms and the grounds.

To confirm your workshop attendance, please contact Bob directly. He is accepting a limited number of

Photo taken during workshop

attendees. Then contact Pete or Nora at Lonesome Hollow to make your room reservation.

We look forward to hosting you and seeing the great photos that result.

Pete and Nora Knapik

On the weekend of January 17th and 18th fourteen people attended a fantastic cheesemaking workshop at the Inn at Lonesome Hollow conducted by The Cheesemaker, Steve Shapson, from Cedarburg, Wisconsin.  The weekend started with a visit to Mount Sterling Co-op Creamery to see the cutting, milling, and pressing of the cheese made in the early hours.

Making Cheese

After a hearty brunch, The Cheesemaker, Steve, began the intensive workshop, where the participants learned the craft of cheesemaking.  They learned to make Camembert/Brie, Chevre and Feta cheeses, which they each took home to finish aging and to enjoy at home.

Steve and MJ Shapson

After the workshop, a wine and cheese social was held sampling various local, homemade, and imported gourmet hard, soft and rind ripened cheeses on French baquettes, served with other hors d’oervres.

Because this workshop was very successful and fun, the Inn at Lonesome Hollow is hosting a Spring Cheesemaking Workshop.  Sign up now, as space is already limited.

Inn at Lonesome Hollow Cheesemakers