Wisconsin is “America’s Dairyland,” a pastoral and beautiful bit of real estate.

Side note: You can get vanity license plates in Wisconsin, but they will not give you OFFMYAS. There are many, many other unavailable letter combinations.

Wisconsin has been the home of many of America’s greatest people.

writer Laura Ingalls Wilderpainter Georgia O’Keeffe architect Frank Lloyd Wrightcomedian Jackie Masonchief justice William Rehnquistmusician Les Pauleconomist Thorstein Veblen

The great escape artist Harry Houdini was from Appleton, Wisconsin.

It has been said that Houdini’s greatest escape . . .

was getting out of Wisconsin.

Famous senator Joseph McCarthy . . .

Nothing’s perfect . . . .

Let’s not forget Wisconsin’s great sports franchises.

The Green Bay Packers run a successful team from the smallest city of any major American professional team.

Their loyal fans are affectionately known as Cheeseheads.

The Milwaukee Brewers baseball team entertains its fans with a “sausage race” at each game.

In a 2003 incident, the costumed Italian sausage runner was tripped by a member of the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, Randall Simon.

Simon intended this as a humorous prank, but he was fined a token amount and suspended for three games.

He will be remembered only for this incident. His athletic accomplishments will not be recalled.

The 50 state quarters series allowed each state to select a design that promoted its image.

New York chose the Statue of Liberty.

Some states selected great structures.

Some states selected iconic images.

Some states selected noble animals.

Wisconsin chose . . .

. . . a cow.

But let us be very thankful to Wisconsin for its many wonderful …. beers!

Miller DB Hobbs Milwaukee's Best New Glarus Spotted CowOlde English 800 Point SpecialMickey's Downtown Brown AleIcehouse Pearl Street Red Dog Lucky Logger LagerOld Milwaukee Organic Rolled Oat StoutPabst Blue Ribbon Wild Ride India Pale AleLeinenkugel's Sand Creek English Style Special AleLost Lake Woody's WheatCity Lager Oscar's Chocolate Oatmeal StoutCity Light Badger PorterKÜL Cranberry Special AleLaCrosse Lager Pioneer Black River RedCity Slicker Malt Liquor Groovy BrewLa Crosse NA Pioneer LagerCitySand Creek Imperial Porter

So let’s put in a word of appreciation for Wisconsin!