Hunters,Fishermen and all Other Liars Gather Here

The lost pictures

2010-01-10T14:36:00.005-06:00

Hello again;

Today I'm watching football (the playoffs started yesterday) Right now New England is getting beat by Baltimore. I'm waiting for the next game, The Packers and the Cardinals. I hope Green Bay wins. Because I know we can beat them if we meet in the super bowl.

I took Flynn for a walk this morning just up and down the main street. His feet get cold but today it was above zero, warmest day we've had in three weeks. He loved it, going for a walk is His favorite thing. Although He also loves guarding the garage or going for rides in the truck.

I got my camera dusted off and the batteries charged. I took it out and took some action pictures good enough for national geographic magazine. Magnificent stills suitable for postcards.

I headed home guarding my camera from the cold and snow. Hiding it from any jealous artist who would gladly steal it and claim the pictures for their own illgotten gain.

When I got home I hurried into the computer room, I locked the door and put up the do not disturb sign and pulled the shades.

I plugged in the camera to upload the photos , I got them on the screen I clicked on delete all ((NO STOP I DIDN'T MEAN THAT)). I meant copy all. I went back to try to do it all over again, I flipped and clicked every butten on this machine I drug this and pushed that but still they were gone. Gone never to be seen again.

So all you get are these two pictures of my dog. And by the way they are from last winter.
Maybe tomarrow I can do better.

I'm back in 2010

2010-01-09T20:28:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone;
I'm back ,If anybody missed me. I'd like to say I've been so busy I haven't had time to write anything. That wouldn't be true but I'll go with it anyway.
I did work this past summer, part time as a clerk at a convenience store . And I helped Adam with His firewood business. But mostly I didn't do anything too productive.
Now Its winter. I haven't been Ice fishing once, It's been to cold to even take Flynn for a walk. But I'm going to do something. I'm going to start blogging again.
The only reason I put the picture of the rusty roller up is I don't have any new pictures, and it looked so good three years ago before it got so old and rusty.
But tomorrow I'll see if my camera still works and take some pictures and see if I can come up with something interesting to say. But for now I'm just going to be happy if I can get this posted.

wooden farm tractors

2009-01-21T18:04:00.005-06:00

To all the people of the world wide web; The first thing I'd like to tell you is I made a new years resolution, and that was to post an entry on my blog site every day all year, and create world peace. Well the first part hasn't been going so well but I am going to try harder, and the second part isn't going well either, But I think I can pull it off. One thing I am doing is making toys. I just talked to one of my many many readers on the phone and she asked me to put pictures of some of the tractors I make on my blog. So here thy are. I'm assuming she meant farm tractors. I also made a bunch of new semi tractors.

I made one kind so far, modeled after the tractor's of the good old days. I gave them two different paint jobs. The one above is colored to roughly match a farm all, and the one below to look like a John deer. Everyone that's seen them seems to like them. As a matter of fact I just brought them from the shop a few days ago and I only have two left for next Christmas, the rest I gave away already. I'm definitely going to half to make a lot more.

That's all I have to say right now. I have to work a half day tomorrow I haven't done that for a while, I can hardly want.

firewood

2008-12-29T19:40:00.004-06:00

Firewood; For the last two days I've been helping Adam deliver firewood. All the loads we've delivered for two days have been to the Ely area. That's about 45 min. to an hour one way depending what side of town we go to. So there's a lot of rest time between loading and unloading, it's kind of a easy job. But the point to this little story is Adams truck. Adam was so impressed with one of the trucks I made this year that. He had to go out and find one exactly like it, buy it and go into the firewood business. Go figer.

I just hope Scott don't quit his job and become a police man.

Toy Maker

2008-12-27T17:25:00.006-06:00

Here I am again in my own little world. Putzing with little chunks of wood and glue. I've started on my list for next year. I really have a good time in my workshop I'm just sorry they quit playing Christmas music on the radio.
I have been working on coming up with a Volkswagen I've made one Proto type, It's not bad but I can do better. That's for one good little girl on my list, and another good little girl put in her request for a corvet. that might be fun to.

The V.W. Proto type is the one above. The one below is a pickup getting some sanding done.

I like looking at pictures on other blogs so I'm assuming other people might like seeing some pictures on mine. I have a lot of photo ops in my shop. because I do a lot of things out there. I have an easy chair in front of my wood stove and sometimes me and the dog tell each other fish stories till we both fall to sleep , that would be a good picture. I think maybe tomorrow I'll take an alarm clock out there so I can set it, walk up and take a picture then go back to sleep. Anyway (Flynn) likes to stand guard when I'm working I guess to make sure some stray dog does`nt come along and pee on a tire of the rusty roller.

No dog would stand a chance peeing on that truck with Flynn on duty.

gotta go , see you next time.

Toys For My Tots

2008-12-25T18:50:00.009-06:00

To whom it might concern; I know I've been out of touch for some time. Some think longer then I might want to believe. ...............So where have I been this time. Well It's a weak excuse but I worked long hours this fall and I've been busy doing---------*$$#%----- NO that's just B.S. I've just been lazy. I'll try to do better now that winter is here. I have been making Christmas toys in my spare time with my spare wood. So I took some pictures of some of the trucks that I gave to all my good little boys and girls. I had a late start but I got about twenty done, there are S.U.V's like the one above' There are also cars and trucks, style sides and step sides, some carrying fire wood and some empty, I've got police cruisers and semi's

I hope you like the pictures. This is a step side.

This is a style side with a load of firewood.

This semi is pink because it's a girl truck. (Alyssa)

John deer green (Tylens) favorite color. Not to be mistaken for Green bay Packer green.

( Wade) likes shiny black. His grandpa helped me make this and many others.

This a group picture of about half of what I got done this year. My goal for next year is 200 and every one will find a home with a kid. I made these same trucks 30 years ago when my kids were little, now I'm making them for my grandkids and in another 15 years or so I'll be making them for my great then my great great then my-------UPS---- I better say good-night and go to bed I'm dreaming already

COW TIPPING

2008-05-25T15:25:00.005-05:00

Cow Tipping When I was a kid the group of boys I hung around with were basically pretty good kids. Not as perfect as I would like people to believe sometimes. We did make a little mischief now and then, which was hard to do in a small town. Eveyone knew all of our pranks and it was hard to come up with new ones.

We would set a bag of dog poop on fire on somebodies front step then ring the door bell and run. Out of the dozen times we tried that one, not once did anyone come running out of the house screaming and stomping on the bag to put out the fire. They would just kick it off the porch and hollor in the darkness that they were going to tell our parents. But they didn't know exactly who it was.

I guess our favorite mischief was raiding gardens. Just about everyone in town had a garden. We'd sneak around after dark and feast on cucumbers and carrots. Our favorite garden was our postmaster's. He had a higher fence but he grew strawberries and raspberries, that was living. Every now and then someone came out and chase us away. We'd head for the bushes and again they would hollor into the darkness "Get out of here before I send the dog out." Which was a laugh because just like they knew all the rotten kids in town we knew all the rotten dogs. And chances were there dog was already with us along with there kid.

But the one almighty prank of pranks, the one thing that would put us in the book of famous pranksters, would be if we could tip a cow. Let me run through this real quick for those of you who never heard of cow tipping. First off, cows sleep standing up, We did'nt know why they slept standing up, maybe thier legs won't bend that way or maybe it's to keep predators away. If it's the predator thing it didn't work to keep us away.

There was only one person in town that had cows. His first name was Premo, and He had about ten cows in a small pasture. We tried this once before, but too many guys showed up at Premo's pasture. We had a possey of twenty-five teen age boys. Premo came out and shot his shotgun in the air, we took off running in all directions and the cows scattered all over the place, what a mess. But that was the year before and we were ready to try again.

Wally was the first to mention it. He said that me and him could do it and not tell anyone else. We'd go out at midnight and tip us a cow. That sounded well and good but Wally could sneak out of his house at midnight. I couldn't, to many sisters and a brother. Some one would always wake up and set off the alarm then everyone would wake up.

I would have to tell Marty so we could go camping. It would be just the three of us. But Marty's cousin Stan was staying over, could he come along? O.K. but thats all except for Russel who was a slow runner but always wanted to tip a cow. But that was it, just the five of us.

Everything was in place. It was midnight. So the seven of us , Jim and Billy couldn't be left out either. We snuck off down the road to Premo's pasture.

We had a meeting before hand and made a plan. Wear dark cloths, no flashlights, be very quite. Aproach the cows with the wind in our faces so they could'nt smell us. When we found the right cow, Me and Wally would tip it. Every one else would be quiet and watch. If it didn't wake the others, someone else could tip the next cow, and so on. And by all means don't do the bull.

All of a suden here we are. Quitely one by one we went over the fence. We could see all the cows appeared to be sleeping. Premos house was dark, he had no dog. The wind was to our faces. We tip toed, crept and crawled up to a likely cow. We could do this. Me and Wally moved in for the score. We were at its side, the cow was sleeping, we didn't wake it. I slowly put my two hands side by side by it's front shoulder. Wally was possitioned at it's rear flank. Quitely he motioned One- two- three, and together we pushed with all our might. It wabbled, and for a second we thought it wouldn't go down. Then after the wabble it wiggled and shook. It turned fast knocking Wally down on his butt in a big warm cow pie. It took off runing and mooing and bumped into another cow that was sleeping on its feet. That one was mader then the first, it groweled at us. All the cows and the bull woke up. All mooing and running blindly in the small pasture . Seven fourteen and fifteen yeary old boys running to get out of thier way.

The cows tipped over two more boys. Stan and Billy were tipped into cow pies by diferant cows. Luckly no one got stepped on in the stampeed. We all made it over tha fence and out of danger of the mad cows. We were in the trees before Premo came out.

We didn't get a cow tipped, and we never tried again. Those cows probably were`nt even sleeping, just being quite. I think the joke was on us. But the younger boys in town thought we tipped one, so we were heros. We didn't want to dim thier impression of us so we let them think it.

*******************************THE END**************************

I`ve Been Double Tagged!!

2008-05-25T09:36:00.005-05:00

I`ve been tagged by Patty and Jettie,over at http://www.calicocatpress.blogspot.com/ and http://westartandendwithfamily.blogspot.com/ I must be a popular kinda guy.

The rules of the game are as follows:
1. Link back to the person that tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your entry.

Here i go, the unimportant things about me are:

1. I have very bad sleeping habits, snoring, groaning, tossing and turning, talking in my sleep. (which really is`nt unimportant to the Mrs`s)

2. I`ve put on some weight this winter, but i choose to believe my flannel shirts are shrinking in the wash.

3. When i was in Vietnam, for R&R i chose to stay incountry rather than take a free flight to Australia, or anywhere else, because i did`nt want to miss anything that was going on. (smacks myself in the forehead)

4. I have a very sensitive gag reflex, dentist have to give me gas for the littlest things done on my teeth. Even if i close my eyes and imagine something going into my mouth i will gag.

5. I have no dancing rythm, zip, nada. This white guy can`t dance a lick.

6. I don`t normally swear much but i do when i drink, the more i drink the more i swear. Good thing i don`t drink much.

OK, that`s done, as for the tagging, i am not going to tag anyone, all my bloggers have already been tagged for this one. haha

IS THERE LIFE OUT THERE

2008-05-25T06:29:00.003-05:00

I am alive. I haven't been here for awhile and I"m afraid people have stopped coming around to check. I only have a few more days of working these long days. Today we don't start until 8:00 so I have a little time before I go. Nothing new has been happening in my life. I've got a real good farmers tan. I look tanned good and healthy until I take off my shirt then I look two toned.
I think I'm going to retire, again. Since I retired with 33 years from L.T.V. mining I've retired from an over the road trucking co. A propane co. a bait shop and soon to be a dock co.. I've had other offers of employment. The latest that I'm considering is a professional trapper. That sounds like something I might like.
So if there's anyone out there I'd like you to know I'm back and I'll try to be here every day. So don't count me out yet. I have a lot of blogs to read and answer and If I get home tonight with any energy left I'll start on that. And I have tomorrow off so I'm going to see if I can come with a story I know a few of you like them.

HOUSE ON HOLLYHOCK HILL

2008-05-12T17:47:00.002-05:00

House on Hollyhock Hill (part two) So the big night came. I said I was staying at Marty's house, Marty said he was staying at mine. We took our sleeping bags and flashlights. Taking guns or knife would be braking the rules of bravery. When we went out, it was just starting to get dark. There was a dozen or more guys at the fence line to support us. The older ones gloating because they made it. The younger ones shaking in fear knowing that in a year or two they would have to go in to test there manhood and test fate.

Some made it some didn't. We all knew the ones who did. The ones who didn't were all dead or in the mental institute.

So there we were at the door, I turned the handle. the watchers held their breath. We were in. We stood frozen in the door way. We both contemplated turning and running for home. But if we did we wouldn't be able to live in this town anymore.

Timidly we started to explore before it got to dark. Everything was dusty, the white lace curtains hung limp, it was deadly quit. We went from room to room. We looked out the window. There they were, at least twenty guys watching to see if we would run.There were pictures on the wall of a woman, it must be her. The wallpaper was ripped, the floor was dirty. I heard a sound and turned quickly, a mouse. Good, it wasn't a ghost.

It was dark now, we rolled out our sleeping bags in the front room close to the door. We had our flashlight's on when we heard the click at the front door.We went to investigate, thinking someone was fooling with us.We found the door locked, no one was around. Minor panic, how did that happen? We tiptoed around to the side door, it too was locked.

Then we heard a sound from upstairs thump, thump,------thump, thump, Like a ghost walking around. then an eerily quit hung over the whole place . We were'nt really trapped because the doors were locked, half the windows were broken we could have gotten out.

looking out the window into the dark we though we could see reflections of light coming from an upstairs window. the same one we earlier heard the thumping sounds. What time was it we didn't know, we both forgot to bring a watch. It's going to be a long night. Dog's barking sounded different. They say dog's know when a ghost or death was around.

Then out of no ware a cat came flying down the stairway screeching as if it was being chased by the devil or flung by a witch. Then I swear I could here laughter from above. It must be the ghost Hanna. Now we were scared, Marty grabbed the door handle, I was right behind him. It was locked. Good thing we couldn't run, we huddled close together. We heard the side door slam and evil laughter. We froze and stayed that way all night we couldn't move, we couldn't sleep. But after the door, all we heard was small sounds, mice, dog's in the distance, bug's buzzing, wind, our heart beats. We didn't even talk except in whispers.

It was a long night but morning was coming, the sky was getting lighter. We though it was just about over when BANG the said door opened. We jumped, then from the side room came three older boys. One of which was my friend Wally, with him was Bebo and Gordy. We were white, they were laughing.

They told us we made it. Then they told us the rules. Then made us swear a blood oath that we would never tell anyone what happened in the haunted house. It was them upstairs making howling noises, it was them with the cat, and slamming doors and laughing.

We just had to wait one hour and walk out the front door. We couldn't say a word to anyone, just go home. They would be out front with everyone else and would signal us when we could leave. When the signal came, Me and Marty were still white as sheets. We were dead tired so saying nothing was easy. We went home and to bed.

The following years we were allowed to be part of the older guys scaring the younger boys.
That house wasn't haunted after all. Hanna Helstroms haunted house on Hollyhock hill was just a house.

I missed that haunted house. I guess I miss it still.

*************************THE END******************************

HOUSE ON HOLLYHOCK HILL part 1

2008-05-11T18:08:00.006-05:00

House on Hollyhock Hill. (part 1)

I grew up in a small town with a post office, a gas station, a junk yard and a school that went up to the sixth grade. We had no other business's. But we did have a pretty good ice skating rink, and a baseball diamond at the school yard and a population of kids that must have been four kids for every set of parents.

There was always something going on in the summer time. We had a never ending baseball game going on at the school yard. When ever you got there you would go on the team with the least players. The teams were always changing, kids were coming and going.You could always win or lose marble or trade baseball cards all day, all summer in the school yard. There were girls there to, but back then we didn't mix much, on perpose anyway. The girls played hopscotch and jacks. they played with paper dolls and hulla hoops. In general life was good in Parkville in the sixtys.

The one worrisome thing both boy's and girl's had in common was the house at the end of Hollyhock Hill road. It was only two blocks from the school. It was huge, three stories tall with a cellar some people say it had a dungeon. Everyone knew it was haunted.. Everyone.

Us boys would go up to the base of the fence line at the top of the hill. Then one by one we would take turns running up the path and touching the door and run back to show how brave we were. Then just to be safe when we got back with the others we had to spin around in a circles three times spit on the ground and say "Hollyhock Hana from Hollyhock hill ,the devil was watching and he's watching still." We'd say this for protection from the ghost of Hana Helstrom. She was said to have killed three kids in that very house then hung Herself from the rafters. And it was said that she left a note saying She would come back from the dead to get anymore kids She could catch in Her house. needless to say we might have been brave enough to touch the door but we were'nt about to go in.

Not then anyway. But before we hit sixteen ,to show we were a man ,we had to spend the night in Hana Helstroms hunted house. For all the brave talk nobody wanted to spend the night in that house. And nobody wanted to be the one who wouldn't.

Other boys have been spending the night in that house for at least one hundred years or so. But whenever they came out, it was always the same. None of them would ever say What happened in that house.They all looked white and shaken.

At different times we've all seen candle light in the windows. and the white lace curtains blowing without a wind. Sometimes we would see shadows pass in the windows or hear strange sounds.

In the summer of my fifteenth year it was my turn. I was going in with Marty. We would spend the night. My good friend Wally who was one year older then Me and Marty spent the night in there last summer. He has never said a word about what happened in there that night. All we were told by any of the boys that were older was make out a last will and testament. Sometimes boys would die or disappear in there. Sometimes they would go mad and end up in a mental institution. We were worried because if an older guy said something like that you just knew it was true.

(To Be Continued)

I AM RETIRED

2008-05-11T05:18:00.005-05:00

I am retired! I am retired! I am retired!

Well I'm mostly retired. But like an alcoholic I sometimes sled back. I like being on the water, and I like making A few bucks from time to time. Jim the owner has been a friend of mine sense we were teenagers so we have a good time bobbing around out their.

Yesterday out on the lake the boat trifice wasn't as bad as I though it would be. Everybody must have known the lake was mostly froze and went somewhere else. Today won't be bad either.

It snowed here all night. Most of the early evening it was mixed with rain. But we did manage to get about two inches on the ground by morning.

We're starting work a little later this morning, so I'm taking Grandma out to Breakfast. And by the way HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you mothers. That didn't sound right I meant to" all you mother's of children.

FISHING OPENER

2008-05-10T06:13:00.006-05:00

Good Morning;

It's finally Saturday. It's finally the first day of fishing. So what am I doing this morning? I'm working. Opening weekend I usually don't go fishing on Lake Vermilion anyway, It's way to crowded. Now today I'll be out their fighting the crowds with a forty foot barge. Most of the lake is still covered with ice. Out of a lake that's twenty miles long we have only a few miles of open water. With hundreds of boats packed in the narrows. I hope we don't run over anyone. I'm going to take a camera today to get pictures. I will be working tomorrow to But this will only last for about three more weeks.

I've still have a lot to learn about this computer. I found a blog sight that I'd really like to reply to but for some reason I can't send my coment's . I got through once, she takes wonderful pictures of birds http://lisaschaos.blog-city.com/ I'll get it figured out.

And with all this business, I will come up with a story for Monday morning. Grandma reminded me of the hunted house I had in our town when I was a kid. Mabe that will work.

HEAVY LOAD

2008-05-08T06:48:00.006-05:00

I use to go to work feeling like this. I don't anymore but I know a lot of people who do. They think they will get it all done, or they will come out ahead, or they will make a lot of money, or they will keep everyone happy. I guess you have to get older before you realize you're not getting any place that way. You have to lighten you're load sometime to get ware you're going.

DEVIL DOG

2008-05-06T19:37:00.004-05:00

Remember "Devil Dog" He lives in my dog's body. And when you least suspect it, He comes out .
Devil Dog wasn't there when I took Flynn for a ride in the Truck . Flynn was sitting like a gentleman when I went into the store. He rode like an ace when we went driving, He didn't bark when I got out to take pictures of ducks in the park. Then all of a sudden He wouldn't sit still. He was pacing over the seat. I should have seen the signs. Devil Dog was getting stronger, Flynn was losing the inner Battle. He was barking at people on the street. Thank God I had only one more stop before I could head home.

When I came out of the convenient store with my coffee Flynn was gone, Devil Dog had taken full control. And He had violated my hula dancer. He pooped on the floor and ripped up the paper I had on the dash. Now I had to drive home smelling dog poop with my news paper blowing out the window' and my poor hula dancer had her butt sticking out for the whole world to see.
Needless to say I wasn't to pleased. But when we got home He was all sweet again. But was it
Flynn or was it Devil Dog? I chained him up outside just the same. He gave me that look like "What did I do." I don't know what to think. He needs either a psychiatrist or an exorcist.

HEAD SHOT

2008-05-05T19:55:00.006-05:00

HEAD SHOT
This is a sad story of a hair cut that went terribley wrong.

It all started out as a bad hair cut. What's the diferance between a good hair cut and a bad hair cut? About two weeks. No big deal right? Well probably not, But I could fix it right now. So I got out the sheep shear clippers and went at it.

That was my first mistake. But then I figured Grandma could fix My mess. That was my next mistake. So I guess I'd have to fix the mess Grandma made. And on it went tell I got what you see. That was three days ago so it's starting to grow back. In another six months I can go into the barber shop and get a hair cut. And if I leave it alone two weeks after that I'll have a good hair cut.

RAINBOW STEW

2008-05-04T16:05:00.005-05:00

***RAINBOW STEW***

When I was a kid in the early sixties we boys had an old friend who was kind of a hermit that lived on the edge of town. We didn't know his real name. We all just knew him as Texas Bill. He was harmless and everybody knew it. But our parents didn't like us over their a lot. He was kind of wild and ruff around the edges. He told wild stores about his cowboy days. He told us that he actually shot and killed Comanche Indians and other bandit's. Our parents all said it wasn't true He was crazy and making up stuff. We didn't know for sure but we liked the stores.

We did know for sure he was a good trapper. He would snare rabbits and squirrels and other small animals. Or he would shoot them with his .22 rifle and He tough us all to do it to.

Every Saturday Me, Russel, Marty, Wally and a few others would show up. We'd go out in the woods with him to check His traps and see what we were having for lunch. And part of the unwritten rules for our Saturday rainbow stew was we had to steal something to put in the pot. Texas said we was suppose to get it without anybody knowing we were taking it. And by "it" I mean things like potato's or onions or carrots anything eatable that we could sneak away from home. Just something to put in the pot to share with the others.

Well that's all fine and good. I think most of our parents knew about it and chose not to say anything. After all whats a hand full of green beans or a can of corn.

But one of the worst exceptions was Russel's father. He was kind of mean and didn't like anybody. So if Russel got caught swiping anything for the stew He'd get a whipping.

Well on this particular day that's exactly what happened. When Russel's father came home from work He went out to water His garden. He discovered someone had taken three of His biggest tomato's. Then somehow He found out what us boys were up to.

He showed up at Texas Bills shack with the cops. We were in his back yard sitting around the picnic table and on stumps We used for stools. The big black pot was still bubbling over the camp fire. Russel's father came over ranting and raving his face was red, spit was coming out of his mouth.

And as Russel will tell you to this day for a fat man His father can hit pretty hard. And he started hitting Russel then and there on the side of the head knocking Him to the ground. The cop didn't do anything to stop Him. But Texas Bill picked up his rifle which wasn't loaded but it made a good club, even for Texas who was about one hundred years old. He hit Russel's father with the rifle butt right in the face.

Then the cop stepped in and grabbed Russel's father before He killed old Texas. Russel's father had blood on his mouth and a broken tooth. Texas told Him "If you hit that boy again, I will put a bullet in this here gun and shoot you right between the eyes". Everybodys mouth' went wide open. Including Russel's father and the cop's.

Then in a small cowardly voice Russel's father turned to the cop and said. " Did you hear what he said to me". The cop looked at Him then He looked at the old man with the gun, and at us. He turned back to Russel's father and said " I heard Texas say if you hit the kid again He's going to press charges."

Russel's father was real careful about what He said about Texas or our rainbow stew Saturdays. But He was still a mean man and every now and then we seen or heard something. But we were afraid to tell Texas. Because we knew he would kill him and end up in jail. Russel wouldn't tell us anything.

We were around thirteen or fourteen, what could we do? We told our parents. All they said was stay away from Russel's house. We couldn't do that, Russel was our friend. And we quietly wanted to let Russel's father know we were around watching and we were Texas Bills friends.

Well, Russel made it. He grew up and moved in with His brother in His senior year. The rest of us made it to.

***************THE END***************

A PAIR OF GEESE

2008-05-04T05:33:00.005-05:00

I don't know what's more interesting the two geese with no ware to go, or the two feet of ice that won't go. I took this picture yesterday. This time of the year the ice should be gone. All the rivers are flowing over banks into the lake and it's melting around the sides. But other then that 10 to 15 feet of watter you can see their is at least two feet of ice. Fishing season opens in six more days.
My busy time at work is from ice out for three to four weeks. I need to be on the lake lowering docks and putting in boat lifts. It takes a crew of three in one boat about four weeks of long days and weekends just to get all the docks that we have down. And on the bardg the two of us will take about three weeks to place all the boat lifts. If this isn't all ready by opener customers start to complain. We can't do anything about the ice but some of these cabin owners seem to think it's our fault. Is the customer right? I dough it.

p.s day before yesterday I got a bad hair cut I tryed to fix it it got worse. To make a long story short I shaved my head.

GRANDMA

2008-05-03T07:30:00.008-05:00

This is Grandma it's hard to get a picture of her without a grand kid in her lap or cooking me something to eat. Or cleaning up some mess me or the dog made. But we all love her and need her to keep us balanced.

These are some pictures of my beautifully blushing Bride Wanda Mari. It's seems like just yesterday we walked down the isle.

This July it will be 37 years. And she's still pretty but I somehow got old. How did that happen? She doesn't have one gray hair and what hair I have left is mostly gray.

This afternoon we're having My sister and Brother in law over for dinner so I,m going to help clean up the mess the dog made out of the back porch. And I'll try to be helpfull in other ways. But Grandma always tells me I'm more help if I just get out of the way.

MILKING FISH

2008-05-02T13:18:00.011-05:00

O.K; these are some pictures of the hatchery that I took this morning. They are not in the order I planned. But I'll try to explain.

The picture above is a picture of the special river mud that's brought in for this purpose. The reason being that the egg's are slime so they have to be coated in this real fine mud to keep them seperated from each other. This is a picture of a Lake Vermilion walleye. "very tasty" This is a good size female full of eggs. In the fish world females are always bigger then the males.

This is the part every one wanted to see these fish are being milked. You hold the fish by the head and gentle squeeze and rub toward the tail. From a fish this size you will get about a quarter of a cup. OK boys and girls now for the big surprise these fish that are being milked are Male's.

In all fish the female lays the egg's and the male comes later and deposits his milk over the area where the eggs are. And with a little luck the baby fish "which are caller fry" will hatch. In the walleye's case it will take about three weeks. Then if they haven't been eaten by other fish they will grow into whats called a fingerling. A fingerling is about two inches long. At this point they are quit a bit safer from predators so they can be put back into the lake or be transported to other lakes.

The picture above is of a female being striped of it's eggs. The egg's come out the same way the milk does. gently rub from front to back. It's not uncomon for a fish to have egg's that weigh thirty to fifty percent of its body weight.

This is an area where it all takes place. These men and women are on walkways over traps catching fish. Some are getting fish out of traps, some are striping egg's out of the females, some are turning them lose into the river and Yes Tylen some are milking fish

PIKE RIVER HATCHERY

2008-05-01T17:44:00.011-05:00

I just came back from a trip to the Pike River Hatchery. It's about five miles out of town. This time of the year the D&R traps walleye in the river that runs into Lake Vermilion. They started trapping about a week ago and will be trapping for at least two more weeks.

When I got their I run into an old friend of mine. His name is Charlie, He's retired and moved up here from Texas five years ago. He works at the hatchery six weeks a year. He says it's fun but six weeks a year is all He wants.

In every one of these beakers is 110,000 walleye eggs that will turn into 110,000 fish. They will be shipped to just about every lake in Minnesota. Ten percent will be put back into our lake. The D&R says that in the wild due to predators and bad luck only ten percent will make it. In the hatchery almost one hundred percent will live. So I guess that's fair.
Charlie said that if I come back tomorrow I could get some pictures of the adult fish being milked and striped of their eggs. So you know ware I'll be. I wish Tylen was here I'd give his teacher a note and we'd play hooky for half a day. If he's going to be a duck framer he should know how to milk a fish.

RUSTER ROLLER REPAIR

2008-04-30T18:20:00.006-05:00

This is my son Adam our family mechanic. He came over this afternoon after work to help me do a little repair on the roller. But before we got started He had a little work to do on His truck. I think He was looking for the dip stick. Can you find the dipstick under the hood?

Anyway we greased the front end and front week barrings. Nothing under their was bad just preventive maintenance. Then we fixed the windshield washer. Everything went fine. Actually Adam did all of the mechanic work, I just posed for pictures and handed Him parts.

I've got to git this thing running like a top before the big road trip. Because when I roll up to the beach in Malabu I'm going to be cool.

WHATS NEXT

2008-04-29T17:27:00.010-05:00

Everyone seemed to like my story's of a time I know best. Most of my memories of the 50s and 60s were good ones. Just like Ozzy and Harriet, The little rascals and Maybarry . And I mean it, that's the way it was, most of the time. But not all of the time. You all seemed to like the Texas Bill story. I have another memory and story of Him. On a day he met an unsavory man. You'll hate this man we all did. And we all learned something none of us were ready to know .

On a lighter note. The Rusty Roller run like a top and got twenty seven miles per. gal. I'm pleased with that.

Tomorrow I'm going out and getting some pictures. All my good pictures are stuck in our dead computer. and all the good pictures I get in E-Mail are mostly tiny when I put them on my blog. I'm sure it's just something I'm doing wrong.

TEXAS BILL

2008-04-27T19:25:00.006-05:00

We moved to Parkville when I was in the sixth grade, I was eleven in 1959.

The first person I met was Wally, who lived three houses down. We were still unpacking when He knocked on the door and asked my mom "Do you have Any kids here my age." Well my mother though I was the one out of the four of us that was closes to his age. So she brought me out. He then introduced himself and asked if I wanted to go out to play. It was winter so we went sledding and have been friends ever since

It wasn't long after that, that Wally introduced Me to Texas Bill. Texas was an old man that lived on the edge of town. He was skinny and would have been tall if he could stand up straight, but he was all bent over with artheritis. He was very old, when asked , he would say he thought about one hundred, but wasn't sure. He had a twinkle in his eye, and a couple of good yellow teeth, everything he ate had to be soft.

He had a very small house that use to be a one car garage. He had a couch that turned into a bed, a wood burning cook stove that He used to heat with , and a bathroom so small he had to take a bath in the kitchen in a wash tub. He did most of his cooking and cleaning and living outside in his back yard.

Most of the adults in town said us boys should stay away from crazy old Texas Bill. He might be dangerous. And his story's were all lies anyway. They probably were jealous, Because all the boys in town would rather listen to Texas then their teacher , or even their father.

He taught us a number of important things like how to spit and fight. He told us how to sharpen our pocket knifes and play mumble peg, and how to cuss ,and how to be polite to girls and women.

But his stories were the best part of our visit. He said he was a Texas Ranger. He would talk about the bad guy's He tracked down , Like Sam Bass and John Wesley Hardin. He told us of gun fights and ambushes and riding horses across the plains chasing rustlers or murderers. He fought Comanches and chased Mexicans bandit's back across the border.

He told us stories of when he was in the wars WWI and WWII. He was in the Calvary in both . The first with horses and mules, the second was mostly trucks.

We all though he was a man among men. A real live hero. We couldn't understand why the adults couldn't see this.

He told us other Texas stories to. Like of the Alamo, He could make you feel like you we're there, along with Sam Huston, Jim Booey, Danial Boone and the rest of them fighting to the last man to make Texas free.

In our minds their was nothing crazy about Him.

About the time I left home my little brother started hanging around Texas Bill's place. Then I was eighteen and I was sounding like all the other adults. I told my brother He's just a crazy old man in a little shack telling lei's. Nobody could have done all the things he say's He's done.

Two years later I was in the Navy and half a world away when I got a letter from Wally. In it was an obituary for Captain Monroe Fox formally of the Texas Rangers, veteran of world war one and world war two. Born 1865 in Brownsville Texas died 1968 age 103 Known locally as Texas Bill.

I don't know what happens to us but somewhere between childhood and adulthood we lose the ability to see anything special in someone that's plain and unspectacular.

****************************THE END************************

ROAD TRIP TO DANI'S

2008-04-27T13:53:00.004-05:00

Friday morning Grandma, Me and Flynn gassed up the rusty roller and headed to Sulli's house for a surprise birthday party for Danika's sweet 15th. Of coarse Grandma wanted to take the good truck . But wheres the adventure in that. And no that's not a mini camper on the back. Flynn doesn't travel light. I took many pictures of my beautiful grand kids. And this is the best one I got of Olivia with Sulli's chickens. And no Flynn didn't eat even one chicken or one grandchild.

On the way home we stoped in the town of Akely to visit Paul Bunyan. Nice guy bet He don't say much. So we didn't stay long

On the way home we hit and killed four birds before we were half way home. It was weird birds don't just fly in front of you're truck. You usually just drive and the things get out of the way. I don't know if all the snow just made them want to it. Or if their was a Field of marijuana burning somewhere. But after that I was very carefully and slowed down when ever I seen a bird on the road.

HAPPY BIRTHDAT DANI

2008-04-25T06:42:00.004-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANIKA!!!

RUSTY ROOLER

2008-04-23T15:12:00.004-05:00

Rusty Roller update. One more thing off the list before I take off for the coast. The door handle on the diver's side was broke. I got one off a junked 1998 Oldsmobile and made it fit a 1989 Chevy pickup. A little bit of drilling, a little hammering, A little cussing, two bloody knuckles. And three hours latter and it was done.

Me and Flynn went for a ride to see if it run any better. It seemed to run the same. But running the same for my level of mechanical ability is pretty good.

Flynn was happy with the results and sat proudly in the best tuck He has every known.

GRAT GRANDMA

2008-04-23T05:29:00.004-05:00

Hears Grandma, the back ground you see is the alzleimer ward of the nursing home she lives in. She looks happy and on the most part I believe she is. Her memory is getting worse all the time, but when We visit her she can remember Me and Wanda, and every thing that happened fifty years ago. She can't remember what day it is or what she had for lunch or how to read or even turn on the T.V.. When we visit, it's the high point of her day or week. We've more then once just got home from a visit and the phone would be ringing , It's Grandma wondering when were coming for a visit ," I haven't seen you for such a long time" She'll say.
My younger brother Dan came to visit her from Washington last year, She didn't remember Him. One day she wont remember me. One day she wont remember how to eat, then She wont remember how to breath . That's alzleimer's, not a nice thing.

FIRST COOKOUT

2008-04-21T19:39:00.005-05:00

This is Uncle Wayne With his Grandson Wade going up the Mountain.

Yesterday Me and my granddaughter Alissa along with Wain my brother in law and his grandson Wade went for a Four Wheeler ride to the top of Firecracker Mountain

This is me with Alissa riding up the hill through the mud.

Here we are at the top. Me, Alissa and Wade having hot dog's We just cooked over an open camp fire. First open air cookout of the season.

When we reached the summit of Firecracker we all gathered stick,s and firewood and built a fire. We all had a good time eating hot dogs. Then we all learned how to put out a camp fire and pick up all our trash. We Left only our footprints and went home.

STICK HEAD

2008-04-20T16:00:00.007-05:00

*********STICK HEAD*************

I suppose this isn't a peticuler happy story. But it was a happy time

In 1958 I was ten years old in the forth grade. Life was good , we lived in the town of South Grove. and it was the start of spring, the snow was leaving, the days were getting longer and us kids were having a wonderfull time. we were finding ponds full of frogs and pollywog's. That was our thing in the spring of 1958.

That's also when we got a new kid in school. He seemed OK. I can't remember for sure what His real name was, I think maybe Steve. Anyway, He was a little small for his age and he missed school alot because he was sickly. But when He was there we all played together. Even being small he could play all the games we played. Tag, dodgeball, marbles, and generally running around and being ten.

The reason we called him Stick Head was the fact that he didn't have any hair. Non at all. But for some reason we couldn't understand when he came to school, or was in class His mother made Him wear a wig. It was a bad wig but he had to wear it. When we went to His house to get him to come out to play. His mother would make us wait on the porch. And She would take Him into the bedroom and stick his wig on his head. He had some kind of glue stuff He used to stick it on with.

When we ran through the woods He would take it off so he wouldn't wreck it Then before We went home, We had to help Him stick it back on.

My most memorable day I had with Stick Head would have been forgetable with anybody else.

We were playing in the school yard, just boy stuff. But our teacher Mr. Left who was overly protective of him seen me push Him pretty hard from behind. Old Stick Head went flying flat on his face.

Mr. Lefts solutions to boys fighting in the school yard was only one thing. He would take the guilty party's down in the basement of the school. Put us in over size boxing gloves and let us fight. He would be the ref and stand close to the side of us so He could stick out his hand to block any blows that looked like they might be to hard. He though it was punishment. We boys more or less had fun with in. Each combatant got in a couple of blows. Then the fight would end in a draw. Every one was happy.

But this time Mr. Left wouldn't let me get in any blows, And Stick Head got in quite a few. Then again out of character Mr. Left told me, He better not ever catch me playing ruff with Steve (or what ever His name was) again.

We all thought that was weird. But like everything else the teacher told us we forgot it, and went back to being ten.

Well it wasn't long after that we saw Stick Head in the back of His family car leaving town. They had to move. I never seen or heard of Him again.

Fifty years ago is alot of time. If I knew then what I know now. I wouldn't have played ruff with Stick Head or pushed Him from behind.

I'm glad I didn't know then what I know now. Stick Head would have missed out on a little bit of childhood. And so would have I.

**************************THE END********************

FORTUNE BAY

2008-04-20T07:19:00.003-05:00

GOOD MORNING; THIS MORNING INSTEAD OF GOING TO WORK I'M GOING OUT TO BREAKFAST.

I had a chance to work today but I took it off . I plane to rest up for the work to come I'll have very few days off between now and the end of May. Busy time.

so to start my one day vacation Me and Grandma are going out.

De Rainged Mom........Love it.

WORK ON SAT.

2008-04-18T19:56:00.004-05:00

Good morning; for some reason my computer won't let me upload any pictures. But that's OK . I haven't much time. It's Saturday and I'm going to work. I could work Sunday to but I'm going to cry uncle and take a day off.

Well every one have a good weekend. And I'll try to come up a story for my Monday morning story blog.

I got a picture to come up. It's not the one I wanted but it's something.

REFLFCTIONS

2008-04-18T06:49:00.005-05:00

But is their realy a tiger in the tank? In a little while I will be off to work. The work I do is way to physical for me. I'm a wreck ,I'm sore and stiff all over. But I keep doing it because I do enjoy it. Especially when the lake opens and I'm on the boat, witch is also to physical for me . Every year I tell myself this is it. I'm suppose to be retired. Every year the price of gas goes up. And every year I say I can do it one more year.
But one day I'm going to look in the mirror and see what I'm looking at.

DANIKA'S ADVENTURE

2008-04-16T17:06:00.005-05:00

Danika's adventure with Grandpa.

Life is full of adventures. Some are big, some are small. Their are scary adventures, brave adventures, Sad or happy adventures. but the best adventures are the ones you can share.

It's like the question; If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a noise? The answer is; It doesn't matter.

This is an adventure Me and my granddaughter Danika shared in 2003. Danika was ten and I was old enough to drive the four-wheeler.

At the time I had a bait shop and trapped a lot of my own minnows. Dani was visiting me and her grandma for a week.

On that day we got on the four-wheeler and headed to rainbow river, a round trip of about eight miles. Out of tower we went east to the taconite trail for the first leg of our journey After about one mile we got on the rail grad section of the trail. This was smooth running so we were making good time. And me with tunnel vision was watching straight down the road. Dani, riding on the back was an excellent observer. She was seeing everything ,birds, squirrels and rabbits. Her head was swivling left and right up and down. then all of a sudden, little fist were pounding me on the back. Dani was trying to be heard over the sound of the wheeler.

When she finely got my attention I stopped. Dani was out of breath from excitement. But when she told me she seen a moose, I was excited. But a ten year old, come on. she might have said mouse."not moose". Ya but does she know a moose from a deer, Their is a lot of deer around. But we were going to find out.

We drove a little further until we found a place to turn around. We went back, we drove slowly hopeing that what ever it was, it was still there. What's the chance?

But there it was. A moose, a real moose. It was a gigantic female at least fifteen hundred pounds. Bigger then a horse and twice as ugly. We stopped the wheeler and shut it off to listen. It didn't move much at first. Then it started to walk around. Not threatening but I was getting a little nervous. This was spring and she probably had a calf with her.

A moose doesn't have claws or sharp teeth but it does out weigh Me, Dani and the four wheeler. If she was defending her calf I had no doubt that she would try to kill us. But after watching ten to fifteen minutes it wondered out of our sight.

Seeing a moose in the forest is a lucky omen. I'm in the woods all the time. If I see a moose once every ten years I would consider myself lucky.

So we happily continued our journey through the forest to Rainbow River. We collected our minnows out of the traps, and headed back. We tried to find the moose on the way back, no luck. Dani stayed with me at the bait shop and we told everyone we saw that day about our moose encounter. We had a good week.

So not only is Danika pretty, a star athlete in volley ball, a musician in the band and an honer roll student. she is the best wild life observer I've ever been in the forest with .

************not even the end**********
Love Grandpa,

TAX DAY

2008-04-16T06:03:00.004-05:00

This is also a sign or spring. Yesterday was April 15th tax day. And once again on April 15th I find myself at my tax mans office in Ely. Hurrying and scurring to get my taxes done. This is my tax guy's office. I know it's not to impressive looking . Run down and shady but that's the kind of tax man I need. Oh well that's out of the way tell next year.
I'd like to apologize for the length of my blog yesterday I got carried away. I should have extended it by one more day. But their was so much stuff going on that day I guess I just got carried away.

A HIKE AROUND ANGLEWORM LAKE

2008-04-14T17:42:00.008-05:00

*A hike around Angleworm Lake*

(part two)

Angleworm Lake was shaped kind of like an angleworm but more like a hot dog about one hundred's yard's wide and about five miles long. Like a fat river with no current. It had mostly sandy beaches and on one side it had a cliff. The trail went over the top of this twenty foot cliff to give us a view of the whole lake.

In the sandy spots we found a lot of animal tracks. We had a boy scout hand book with us. So we were able to identify all the tracks we didn't know. We found of course deer, moose, rabbit and raccoon. We might have seen wolf tracks , but Banjo was running all over making his one tracks so we couldn't tell for sure.

Banjo would be a big help if a bear showed up. If a bear hears a dog bark he'll take off running. Everyone knows that right? At least we hoped that's what would happen.

We got to the first rest stop on the right side of the lake It was on that cliff half way to our camping spot. So we rested, we looked around for tracks and eatable stuff. The rules about finding eatable stuff in the woods is If the dog won't eat it, you don't eat it. We were pretty safe because Banjo wouldn't eat anything we wouldn't eat.

Banjo was a good dog. He liked to run a lot. He was what you would call a mutt. Back then nobody made excuses like "he's a retriever mix" or " he's a cockaterrier" or some other exotic designer breed. Banjo was a mutt and happy with himself. So what. He was mostly brown and black spots on a white background. He was about as big as a collie but with shorter hair. He didn't know any tricks but everyone liked him just fine.

We continued our hike,we made it in a total of four hours. I know that because I borrowed my dads watch so we would be on time for our ride home.We started our hike at 10:00 AM and got here at 2:00PM. So to meet our ride at 6:00 PM tomorrow we would have to leave at 2:00 PM to get their on time. We're going to be safe so we will leave at noon. We do want to go camping again.

We set up camp on a beautifully sandy beach with a fire pit and bench. We pitched our tent so we could see the fire and the lake. We tried a little fishing no luck. So we made supper. cool aide, beans from a can and hamburgers. we seen some tracks around our camp site mostly deer, no bear, good.

We told stories into the night. Then with stars shining we let the fire go out and we fell to sleep

two tired and wore out adventurers and one brave bear dog was sleeping soundly till morning. Me and Marty got up early about 5:00 AM . Their was a mist on the lake and the sun wasn't quite up. Banjo was in the woods doing what dogs do in the woods.

Then we seen it coming out of the fog. A moose, A gigantic moose horns and all coming right at us. We were in our underwear. Marty called Banjo. I could hit it with a rock, and he was getting closer. We backed into the trees about the time the moose stepped on our pup tent. Then out of nowhere came Banjo, Barking and yelping at that moose at least one hundred times bigger then him. Then he actually bite the thing on the ankle. That just made the moose mad, It started to bat our tent and camping gear all over the place with it's horns. Banjo kept barking and running at him. We were hiding just out of reach in the tree line.

Then he got Banjo. That moose hit him with the side of his horns. the dog let out a yelp and was flung like a rag doll, into the brush. Then Marty and Me started yelling and throwing rocks and chunks of wood at the moose. Marty hit him right on the forehead. It didn't even faze him. Then just like that he just turned and walked away.

We were shaking, all the bravo gone. Our camp gear was a mess and our poor dog Banjo, When we found him he had blood on his side and he couldn't move. What do we do? We were trained boy scouts. What do we do?

It was 5;00 AM we built up the fire, carried Banjo over to it. We boiler water and got out the first aid kit and boy scout hand book. Banjo had a little blood on his side and couldn't move without groaning. nothing in the hand book to cover that. We were on our own. We cleaned him off and fried up all the bacon, and gave it to him.

How are we going to get him back to our pick up spot five miles away. But we had to get out of here with wild moose running all over the place it wasn't safe.

So we collected our camping gear and made a litter to carry banjo. The sun was up the fog was gone. We felt safer. But we had to get moving. carring the dog was going to take us a lot longer then four hours. It was 6:00 that gave us twelve hours we should make it, So we started our hike out with Banjo moaning and groaning.

On the way out it seemed we could go only fifteen minutes before we had to stop and take a break. This was much harder then we though it would be. We never thought once of leaving Banjo behind so we could go for help. Banjo risked his life to save us. so we trudged on trying to make him comfortable. we finely got to the half way point on the top of that cliff.

We had to be extra careful. We had our wonderful comrade to think of. "we'll get him out" we told him , scouts honor. We took a longer rest here and gave Banjo the rest of our food so he could keep up his strength.

It was 11:00 AM it took us five hours we had seven hours left before we missed our ride. We could make it with time to spare if we had no problems. But problems is all we had. Me and Marty were both wearing out. One or the other was always falling to our knees. We started taking breaks every ten minutes.

We were almost their it was 5:00 we were both sweating. Could we make it. We got a little closer and herd a car horn and Norvil calling us. We were covered with sweat and about dead from exhaustion . But when Banjo heard his name he jumped off the litter and took off running for the car and Norvil. Marty and Me looked at the dog then at each other. Then smiled we were happy . We saved his life.

The End

HIKE AROUND ANGLEWORM LAKE

2008-04-13T19:02:00.007-05:00

**HIKE AROUND ANGLEWORM LAKE**

(part one)

Angleworm Lake is north of Ely on the Gunflint trail. Their was a hiking trail all the way around it's eleven miles of shore line. I don't know when the D & R established it as a national park hiking trail and started to maintain it. But in 1961 it was a well marked trail that had three rest stop benches along it's route.

That was when I first hiked that trail. It was with boyscout pack 165. We nine boy scouts and two adult leaders packed for a day hike and got their early. We hiked half way around, cooked hot dogs, and hiked out. A pretty good adventure.

But me and Marty had better plans. We were going to come back with camping gear and the two of us were going to spend the night. We would camp at the half way point at the back side of the lake. A perfect plan. Non of the other guys wanted to go. But that was OK sometimes to many guys take the fun out of it. We were thirteen years old and we've been camping in the woods around around town before with our parents permission. So this wasn't to mush of a leap.

Our parents talked it over with each other and with the scout leader. When they were sure we were trustworthy and wouldn't get lost we had our permission to go.

Marty's brother Norvil and his friend Bebo would drive us to the start of the Angleworm Lake trail.

I could hardly wait. It was going to be next Saturday morning. We got packed early, we had a pup tent big enough for two. Marty's dog Banjo would have to sleep outside. We packed sleeping bags, hunting knife, hatchet, cooking stuff and food. We were going to fish with willow sticks so we brought hooks and line. We had our canteens full of water. But we had strict orders from mom's, no guns. Which was a bummer because we were both pretty good shots with our .22's. No swimsuit's again mom's orders. No swimming, stay safe. We wouldn't have taken swimsuits anyway. Skinny dipping is the way you did in in the woods.

Saturday morning finely came. And Norvil and Bebo shooed up at our house for the ride to Angleworms. Before we could leave Novel got the lecture from my mother about safe driving, No speeding, Make sure the boys get their safe and don't let them forget their camping gear in the car when they get out. I was mortified knowing I would get the raspberries all the way to the lake. After all Norvil and his friend were seventeen and to old to get lectured by anyone.

But anyway after all that we were on our way. And after enduring one hour ride with Marty's brother and bebo, we made it.

We got out with all our gear and Marty, Me and Banjo took off down the trail.

Norvil like all big brothers would probably pull some kind of a trick. So we took off down the trail to the left got out of sight then circled back and hid in the brush. They finished their cigarettes and just took off. Then we back tracked and went down the trail on the other side of the lake. Just in case they came back and tried to follow us they would be on the ring trail.

We thought up that plan before we left. I guess we were a little disappointed that they just got in the car and left.

*********END OF PART ONE**************

RIVER MELT

2008-04-13T11:09:00.005-05:00

I went out looking for sings of spring. not mush around here. The only thing I could find were some of the rivers are starting to open up due to all the snow melt. As you can see from the surrounding area I'd be hard pressed to find any new growth buds coming though.
I did see a bird but I couldn't get a picture he was to high and flying back south as fast as he could go.

The two pictures above are the West two river. And the one below is the East Two river.

NOTHING TO SAY

2008-04-13T07:19:00.006-05:00

Good morning;

I have no good pictures that I haven't showed. I have no good story's I haven't told.
But the weather looks good. so we're going to have a nice day. according to the weatherman we'll have a good week.
I had the breaks fixed on the rusty roller last week but its been parked in the garage throughout this set of snow storm. Today I think I'll dig it out and take it for a spin. Then start work on the muffler.
So nothing to say. Tomorrow being Monday I'll try to come with a story. Everyone seemed to like the last one.
Wall have a good day,

I love Minnisota

2008-04-11T06:45:00.009-05:00

SPRING IS COMING!!!!

In southern Wisconsin It's been in the 60's with the sun shining, the birds are singing, the grass needs mooning. Livvie and her family are out picking flowers and playing in the sunshine.

We on the other hand are again under winter blizzard warnings. Again! Last night we got another foot of snow . It's still snowing and blowing. And it won't stop for two more days at least. The news on T.V. is taking about all the people with out power, all the schools and stores that are closed, all activities are canceled their saying don't leave your house. The mail well not be going through. So much for the rain, snow hail and dark of night thing.

I just lost the T.V. Oh well we have a lot of movies and still have power. And I don't have to go anywhere.

I love this country, I can't imagine why. Maybe it's just because of the unknown or maybe its because I need therapy.

NAPPY THE CAT

2008-04-10T08:37:00.004-05:00

You have meet my dog so let me introduce my cat .
She use to be Allison's lap cat and had a pretty good life. But now she's Flynn chew toy. Sometimes life sucks. But in Flynn's defence you should know that the cat is the instigator most of the time. Flynn could be sleeping and the cat will come out of no ware and slap him on the face and run for the upstair stairway (ware the dog can't go) to get away. In the house the dog can only be in the living room. Cat goes ware ever she wants . So she has that advantage . And the advantage of height. So when she runs up to slap the dog food all over the floor. The dog takes chase, tackles the cat and holds her down with a smile on his dumb face. Nappy will put up with this for a minute then bite him in the belly and take off for a high perch and laugh at him. And this goes on most of the day. But at times I've seen them both lay together and actually lick each other's faces.
Its cute, but ha what do I know. Their probably just tasting.

SNOW AGAIN

2008-04-09T06:48:00.005-05:00

Good morning everyone;

It is mid week Wednesday already. The weatherman just said more snow in the future.

Tomorrow night it's suppose to start. Winter storm warning for this area, 8 to12 in. with high winds. OK I don't mind a little snow this time of year. But enough is enough right. We have no place for it right now. We just got our ally plowed yesterday afternoon. and they only did a narrow path because their is no place to put it. But they say it will get to 45 degrees today that will help. And to think our yard was just about all dried. Oh well I hope you all have a god day.

P.S. Thanks for all the nice comment's on my story yesterday.

Lake Wob'a Chue Part two

2008-04-07T09:57:00.009-05:00

*********Lake Wob'a Chue** A fish story**********
I caught the first fish " hot dog I won a nickel." Then grandpa caught the next two, one right after the other. All little northerns. Unless I could catch up and pass grandpa in the amount of fish I caught he would win the second nickel. That was the rules. First fish,most fish and biggest fish all got a nickel. Some times I would win. But mom would always give me three nickels. Because if grandpa won he would take them. Rules were rules.

Then we had for quite a time nothing. It was still early. I took a little hike along the shore,came back nothing.We had lunch. " Bobber down" I shouted. Grandpa pulled in number three with a big grin. Darn "I'll catch up with him", I thought.

Then for quite a wile we were both skipping rocks. when my bobber went down. Goods deal my turn! I picked up my rod and wanted to set the hook. It went down again . I reeled in a couple turns tell I had tension and BOOM I set the hook. To my surprise my rod bunt and drag was pealing out. Wissssssssssss it stopped, Grandpa was just as surprised. He reeled in line to get out of the way and give me room. Wissssssssssss It went out again the fight was on. I knew I could get it in. Grandpa said I could so I could.

With more advice then I've ever got at one time."keep the rod tip up," "Keep up tension," "Don't let it get in the weeds," "let it run."

He took off his shoes and rolled up his pant legs. We were Both in the water up to our ankles. Wisssssssssssssss. Holly cow, but grandpa said I could get it in. "I can get it in"
But the rod was bent, but I was winning. It was coming in. And then their it was, we could see it about five feet away. It was coming, grandpa went out a little further. We had no net. We didn't think we would need it. It was closer. Grandpa was out to his knees he reached down and grabbed it by the gulls. It was big and it was slippery but he had it and I had tension on the line. Then BANG the line snapped. I fell backward on my but in the water. grandpa fell forward on his knees and the fish slowly swam away..........................Nobody said a word, I though I screwed up I was about to cry. Grandpa started to laugh out loud "did he lose his mind?" "Did he finally go off the deep end?" He was wet from his armpits down. I was wet from my butt both ways. Grandpa was hooting and whooping.

He slapped me on the back and said that was the biggest northern he has ever seen in his life, fifty pounds at least. He told me how good I did. I would have had it but I only had twenty pound line on my rod.

We built up the fire to dry off our cloths. We talked for two hours about that fish. Grandpa let the other fish go, And right their he renamed that lake. On the maps its still called Four mile lake but now it's real name is "Lake Wob'a Chue" which in Indian language means " Lake with one dam big northern."
****THE END** OF THIS STORY****

APRIL SNOWFALL UPDATE

2008-04-07T09:03:00.005-05:00

*****APRIL SNOWFALL UPDATE***** Flynn says "What the f^#@"
He had snow up to his roof this morning. Snow on his nose from trying to get off the path to go we we. He couldn't make it . But later I shoveled him a latrine area. Just in the nick of time. He was relived to be relived.

My poor 4-Wheeler, I parked it last night at 9:00 this morning it's completly covered and stuck. It's just to much snow to push. I'll dig it out later. The truck is also stuck, I'll dig that out after the snowplow comes up the ally. Or------- maybe I'll just walk down to food & fuel and rent a half a dozen moves and buy some popcorn and want tell it melts.

LAKE WOB'A CHUE part one

2008-04-06T15:26:00.009-05:00

*********Lake Wob'a chue** A fish story**********

I remember my first memorable fishing trip. I was six and I went with my grandfather who was to my eyes one hundred. We went to Four mile lake not far from my home in northern Minnesota. Grandpa said it's really name was (Lake Wob'a chue),. He said it was a Indian name that meant " Shitty little lake with small northers."Well that's what he said and grandpa knew a lot of things.

It was 1954 grandpa wasn't 100. He just looked that way to a six year old. He was sixty, about the age I am now.

I was a tough kid. I don't remember being especially smart or good looking, or a good singer, but I was tough, I could run through the woods like the wind. I could clime a tree like a bear, I could get a sliver in my hand and pull it out without even crying. I got that from my grandpa he was tough to. He could lift me over his head like I weighed nothing at all, and that impressed me.

But anyway on this day grandpa came over to get me at six A.M. because that's when those little northern bit the best. Mom packed our lunch, Sandwiches, apples, coffee for grandpa and two bottles of pop for me one grape and one orange crush.

We got in his panel truck and drove to four mile lake witch was four miles from town. "That was strange to." We parked the truck got out our gear Rods' tackle box, can or worms and lunch. We walked down to the lake witch was about a quarter of a mile. It was almost like camping. Truck ride, long hike. Then we set up camp . No tent but we had a spot for a camp fire with logs on both sides to sit on.

But first things first. We put worms on our hooks grandpa casted out first. He got it exactly were he wanted it. Then it was my turn, but before I could cast grandpa had to get behind a tree out of the way. I wasn't really a bad caster. But grandpa said he just wanted to give more room because I was more of a creative caster. After three or four tryes I got it out their to.

Then I cleared the rats nest in my real and we were ready.

Bobbers bobbing grandpa built a fire and we settled in for the first fish.

***************come back tomoro for part two******************

GOT SNOW

2008-04-06T06:45:00.004-05:00

Woke up this morning and what did I see? I seen a snowy world looking back at me. I guess the weather man said something about snow and rain mix,. But of course I couldn't believe it. The weather has been so nice. Just look at my four Wheeler and you can't even tell my truck is blue. We have seven inches right now and it's still snowing.

It's twenty-five degrees right now, and still snowing.

I just went to sulli's blog, she's got snow to. WOW do I love Minnesota. I can hardly want to get out side on my wheeler and play. I suppose the dog won't be able to run with me, His ears will be dragging in the snow. Well maybe we will try.

I was working just yesterday. We set up three decks that I was going to paint Monday. I can't spray paint anything unless it's forty-five degrees and sunny. I guess I'll find something else to do on Monday.
I can enjoy all this snow I don't have to go any ware. Sarah's car is stuck in the road on her way to work, and Adam is on the way to work in Virginia right now. He called me to say the roads are really bad, he said thy were plowed some time during the night but its snowing fast.
Good luck to everybody.

***************Weather update************

This morning when I got up I looked out the window and guessed seven inches of snow. I went out at 11:00 and measured thirteen inches of snow and its still falling. Who said April couldn't be fun.

HAPPY FRIDAY

2008-04-04T07:07:00.004-05:00

HAPPY FRIDAY.. We have a weekend coming up. And a terrific weekend it will be the weather man said it might hit 60 degrees. I love it, as do most of us.
But not only can winter be Served winter can be fun. I don' t mind a little winter especially in August when it's been in the ninety's for a few days. But now is the time to get rid of it. And that's what I'm going to do today. I'm going to get a shovel and spread out the snow pile in my back yard so the sun can get at my grass.
Have a good weekend.

Alyssa is 6 Today!

2008-04-03T10:12:00.003-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALYSSA!

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Lyssa your special,

And we love you.

Love Grandpa and Grandma

FIRST ROBIN

2008-04-02T10:26:00.005-05:00

NEWS FLASH IN THIS PICTURE IS MT FIRST ROBIN OF THE YEAR! YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DOUBLE CLICK TO SEE IT.

BARGE WORK

2008-04-02T06:22:00.004-05:00

This is my summer job. It's for Jim Wright's custom docks. He makes docks' sells docks, and delivers docks. Along with other water recreation things.

What you see in this picture is a boat lift being lifted by Jim and his barge. A boat lift sets in the watter all summer. You drive you're boat in it and lift the boat straight up out of the water when not in use. Before winter the boat lift has to be taken out of the water and put on shore. And in the spring it has to be taken off shore and be put back in the water.
That's whats going here. It takes two people, One to run the Craine, and one to do the hooking and unhooking. We also deliver these boat lifts and other things that will fit on the barge which is twelve feet by forty feet, so its big enough to carry quit a bit.
For the most part it's enjoyable work. Some times its long boat rides on sunny days. But sometimes its Four foot waves breaking on the deck, and freezing rain with a crust of ice on everything. Theirs a lot of hard work in the spring and fall . We will be starting as soon as most of the ice is off the lake. Then we'll be extremely busy for about two weeks, then it will level off for the summer. But in the fall we'll be extremely busy again for about three weeks or until every thing is out of the water for the winter. Then we can take the barge out of the water severs it and park it tell spring, then we'll start all over again.

wheeler to firecracker

2008-03-31T06:48:00.006-05:00

Good morning; Spring is getting closer. Yesterday when Me and Flynn were out on our four Wheeler run. We run into a new problem. All the trails I use in the winter were hard packed and I could drive on top of the snow. Yesterday that snow was soft and I kept sinking in. Witch wasn't to bad in most palaces the snow is about two foot deep. But I did get stuck when I was just about to the top of Firecracker Mountain.

For those of you who don't know were Firecracker Mt. is let me explain. It's right north of town and you immediately start going up hill . On the really steep stretches the Snow is gone and it's all mud with rivulets of snow melt running through it. The mud is fun . I splash though it and right behind me is Flynn splashing through. We both have big smiles on our faces. Then we hit the two feet of snow, we both go belly up in it and slow down but we keep going, both with simile's on our faces. Oh ya' I was giving directions. North of town, up (Alyssa's, wolf howl hill), Take a right at the blue berry patch, follow that trail to the intersection of Diamond willow and Firecracker. Then take a right and one half a mile and your their.

Well we got to that intersection it the trail leveled out and the snow got deep. The start of our problems. We got stuck, I mean I got stuck. I managed to back to a muddy spot for a run. Boom I hit the snow again. I couldn't get through. I put Flynn on my lap I was afraid I'd run him over in all the back and forth ramming. That's when I found out how wet he was. Any way he fell off on the next ram. And we were barred, I had to dig out by hand, No shovel or help from Flynn. But we made it, I managed to get turned around ,and we made it home. A good time was had by all.

P.S. One day I'll have to tell you about Lissas wolf howl hill with a real wolf.

REBUMPBERD

2008-03-29T20:26:00.005-05:00

Rebumpered
This is what my bumper looked like yesterday morning, oh ya their is no back bumper. So I went over to my friends shop and he welded a piece of bumper looking metal on it.

It didn't take to long and walla I've got a new bumper. I am now legal or at least close enough to it that the police won't stop me any more. At least not for that.

It looks pretty good don't it. It might be a little to Wide from side to side but not bad. I like it, and to think I was worried that it would make my truck look tacky. Thank you Jim.

One more thing. I told you I was having break probables. Well on my way home from Jim's I was just starting down main street of Tower and no breaks, none at all. I couldn't slow down I couldn't stop. The good thing was I wasn't going fast. I coasted the whole length of town to Bob's gas station. I was going slow enough to pull in. I pulled up to the pumps. Then I noticed parked their was A Highway patrol car "Oops". I went by the pumps at two miles per hour it wouldn't stop. Did I ever mention that the roller doesn't have an emergency break. So I slowly pulled through. Looking in the window at Bob's I could see Bob, Junior,Mike, and someone I didn't know. "Oh shucks" That's close to what I said, I gave it a little gas and back on the main street of town I was. But me being a lucky guy made it home, run into a snowbank in my back yard to stop myself. That's ware it sits right now wanting tell the parts store opens tomorrow. Today I'll have to walk to Bob's and try to explain why I slowly drove my and waved............He'll understand.

Congradulations Dani

2008-03-29T08:02:00.004-05:00

I want to congratulate my granddaughter Dani on her honer role status. And I'd like to do it on this blog space because my spelling is so much better here. If I could have done as well as her in school I wouldn't have this problem now. Keep up the good work.
What else is new ? In a little wile I'm going to a friend's house and get my bumper fixed then I'll show you all a picture of it. The only problem is yesterday the breaks went out. I ordered the part I need but it won't be here tell Monday afternoon.
I guess that's the price you have to pay if you want to drive something as antique as the rusty roller. But it's so worth it when I get all the looks or admiration and stairs of envy when I drive by. When I see someone point and whisper behind his hand to a friend I just know he's saying " Boy I wish I had one of those".
Went to a boat show yesterday. A pontoon boat like the one I sold now cost $27,000.00 boy am I out of the loop. But it doesn't matter I've got a good boat I got from Sarah. I can hardly Wait to get it in the water.
Got to go I,m rambling.

TOWED ROAD TRIP

2008-03-28T06:31:00.002-05:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well this one is . Becky came up to visit Allison me and grandma and Adam and kids in her new car right after it came out of the shop for some repair or an other, it's been in the shop a time or two in it's young life. The trip up was uneventfully , her time up here it run fine. But on the way home is when it all began. She got five miles on a two hundred and fifty Trip. It died along the highway, we towed her back to tower. We looked for a mechanic that could fix it, but it was a big job and would be expensive and take a long time.
What do we do? Then " just like in the cartoons a light bulb went off over my head." I could tow her home and the dealer she got the car from could fix it. Perfect idea, I just bough that truck in the picture and it's a good truck after all I payed $300.00 for it. We had a plane. So next the morning off we took. We were having a good time B.S.ing and singing songs. Then we hit the fifty mile line we held our breath ---------------------------------Then it was fifty one miles. A sigh of relief and on we went, More B.S. story telling and snaking, then the one hundred mile mark---------------------------whooooo we made it that's when we had to stop to restock on munchies and take this picture. Then it was two hundred we were in the city's I hate driving in the city's. We got lost on the main highway then we got lost on the side streets just to find the highway and get lost all over again. But after about fifty miles of driving in circles through the ghettos of Minneapolis and St. Paul we found the dealer she bough this lemon from.
We happily left them the car, got some directions and headed to Becks house in Wisconsin. No more B.S.ing song singing or story telling. Buck was in a loner car and I was following closely so I wouldn't get lost again, never though that Becky was probably lost.
Anyway we made it. We all had a good time on the road and with Livy and Scott. The next morning Beck and Scott had to go to work and live went to day care. So I headed my wonderfull truck north for a happily uneventfully trip home.
P.S. This truck doesn't have a name it's just known as the blue truck.

My girl Dani

2008-03-27T08:19:00.006-05:00

Look what I found. I pictures of a pretty girl on a sunny day , in a bright green summer scene.

The date on the picture is May , It's almost April We're getting close to real summer....

Thank you for smiling so nicely Dani. See you later....

Love Grandpa

Fat grandpa and fairy prinses

2008-03-26T16:11:00.004-05:00

This is fat grandpa and princes Livvy., Fat grandpa is the one with a hat on. And the fairy princess Livvy is the one sitting like a fairy princess. DA! This is one of the pictures on my camera. I love it I just wish my camera took better pictures .
I just got home from work. So now I'm off tell Saturday. I'm going to help Jim my boss delivering some furniture to his island place on Lake Vermilion in the morning, then in the afternoon we are going to weld some kind of a back bumper on the rusty roller. I hope that it dosen't take away from it's charm. Oh well I've got to get it in shape for my trip this summer.
Well I have nothing else right now and I have to go and fix flynn's Chan he broke it today on a failed attempt at freedom. He's getting bigger. Maybe one day the cat won't even laugh at him anymore.

I'm back

2008-03-25T17:38:00.003-05:00

Hello I'm back , I just took a little vacation. I still don't know what to write about. But I got my camera back. Thanks for sending it Beck. The timing was good our old computer died and I lost all my old pictures so I'm stuck finding new one's This is a picture of my old hoola girl with the short skirt. I know it doesn't come out on the picture but her feet had to be glued together. So I fixed her up. Her name is Cumon Iwana Wana and she rides in the rusty roller. You've seen her sister Meto. You can't see it but this one has my name tattooed on right arm in a hart.

Oh ya Dani was right their was coyotes in town two years ago. A pack of seventeen. They killed six dogs scared a lot of people and had a school bus full of first graders surrounded at the school yard. Our sheriff had to call the police from Virginia and they came out and killed two and the rest run off. their still around. I'll tell you about them some day when I have more time.

And one more though. Its about dog's and language. My dog, dumb as can be, knows sit means sit. think about it I don't understand one thing he says . How can that be. And Irish setters can understand Mexican chihaua and German Shepard understand Scotch terrier. I couldn't understand a finish fisherman or a Iranian taxi driver.Maybe dogs arn't dumb animals.I don't get it.

In A Funk

2008-03-25T08:15:00.001-05:00

I think he needs the * you owe it to your people* lecture. Does`nt he look like he`s in a funk?

A Hunting Story

2008-03-20T23:10:00.007-05:00

I saw him through the glass doors, overlooking the back deck. The four kids were all playing on that deck.

He was walking slowly, shoulders

haunched, never taking his eyes from his prey, he looked like any predator would look. He was stalking my children, and this was not his first time. As i watched him come closer, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

Look at him and tell me he does not look like something the devil himself had sent.

His eyes glowed, his body was muscular , i could see them rippling, and he always put fear in my heart when i saw him through the trees. They called him Wolfgang. Fitting name don`t you think? His home was behind us, a mere 5 acres away. He was allowed to go anywhere he chose.

I quietly called the kids into the house, shut the glass sliding door, even though this did not persuade him to leave, i knew i had something that would.

Skip had recently purchased a 12-gauge shotgun for me, and i had practiced with it a time or two, it was the short period in my life i was going to become a hunter ...........of something. The kick of that old shotgun started me to rethinking my plan of becoming a country girl turned great white hunter. ( now you know where sulli gets her hunting addiction from)

Finally, i knew what i was born hunt. I was going to become a wolfgang terminator. That beast was going down! As god Is my witness! He would not eat my children one by one!

So just like in the movies, i ran and got my big ole shotgun, then i ran and got 3 bullets, incase i missed the first two times. I hushed the kids and told them to stand back. They huddled across the room by the stair railing at the front entry.

This was to be my shining moment, protector of my children, slayer of beasts! A story to tell my grandchildren, tell them what a brave woman their grandma was.

I opened the glass sliding door, and would`nt you know it, that demon dog was still there, waiting for me to let those 4 juicy kids outside. Ha, i was going to show him!

I loaded the gun with a bullet, I aimed the gun, looked the beast in the eye, and whispered, "take a step closer and make my day," Then i think i said, " Kiss your ass good bye wolfgang!" Just then i heard the children gasp, then hold their breath.

That`s when i remembered that kick, my bruised shoulder, that really really scary loud sound. I squinted my eye, and sighted him in, he did`nt even blink, the bastard. I turned my head slightly and saw 4 sets of HUGE eyes staring at me, waiting for the kill.

I looked back at the beast, stomped my foot, and yelled, "Oh No!! He got away!" He looked at me, turned slowly, and started off back home. I swear to God , he had a smile on that arrogant face!

I turned to the kids, and said, " Dang it, he got away! I`ll get him next time."

It was a few months later ole Wolfgang was found shot and killed in the woods. I swear , i did not do it. I wish i had, but damn, that is one mean kick to that gun.

I took the bullets out, much to the kids relief, and put the gun away, never to be used again.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

* This is a true story, but perhaps embellished just a tiny bit. And, Skip said i could write on his blog, and i thought this blog needed a hunting story.

STINK EYE

2008-03-20T06:41:00.005-05:00

Stink eye in the morning.. I know how she feels. Today I have a day off so I was going to sleep in. But at 6:00 this morning my devil dog that I have to weak up every morning at 6:00 and bring in so he wont bark and wake the neighbors. Was out side barking his fool head off. But in all fairness I suppose he though I over slept. So his plan was to wake up the neighborhood and the phone calls from all the angry neighbors would wake me and he would be the hero. Boy I have a good cat.
OK enough stores for a wile. Two in a row was a bit mush. I'm going to considerate on taking good pitchers, like you guys are so good at. Yesterday would have been a good for that with all that sunshine. But I'll try again.
Oh ya I'm sorry my postings are at all weird times. I'd like to do them in the mornings every morning at about the same time. but this work thing kinda screws me up. I think I'll quit.

COREY'S PART TWO

2008-03-19T18:59:00.005-05:00

Sorry I'm late with part two but here it is.

This story has a meaning. I could tell you but then you wouldn't get it. But if you get it I won't have to tell you.

-------------------COREY PART TWO---------------

I came by one evening and he didn't answer my shout. So, I knocked on the door, no answer. I looked through the window to see that his fire in the stove was out. Then I broke in, only to find old John wouldn't be telling stories anymore.

The sceme at the graveyard was like his life, sad and lonely. There was just the three of us, the grave digger, me and the preacher who said, "Don't worry about this man God cares." Then they put the cold earth over him and I thought I was alone.

I got up to leave and discoverd a woman standing beside me. I said, " If you're a relative, I just want to let you to know John was a friend of mine, and he died peacefully in his sleep." She said to me, " My name is Corey, and I'm just a friend." A shiver went down my spine and I remembered John saying "My Corey's coming no more sad story's coming."

Well that's the old man's story. I'm glad you came tonight because this railroad station gets a little lonely for me up here all by myself.

People wonder why a young man would live up here and work a job that pays so little. I confess I miss the old man a bit. But there is one more reason I stay up here at this depot.

Can't you see my Corey's coming, and I won't be telling any more sad stories. She'll be my midnight, moonlight, morning glory, and like he told me, that when she holds me she'll enfold me in her world.

-------------------------------------THE END---------------------------------

Corey (Part 1)

2008-03-18T14:50:00.004-05:00

Old John Joseph was a lonely old man. He lived in a train depot in the rail yard just outside of town and, he lived their many years.

He has been their since the days when they had a lot of trains going thorough town. Now they are down to only one freight train a week. So old John had nothing to worry about but time.

I came by in the evenings to hear his stories, and hear about the places he's been, he'd just say "come in kid, let's see where should I start tonight". He would tell me stories of an existing past of travel and adventures. but he would always end with his story of Corey.

He'd would always say " My Corey's coming , There will be no more sad stories, no more lonely days or nights, and like I said before , when she holds you she will enfold you in her world."

I guess I was surprised by all the places he has been and all the things he has done. So I started asking around town if the stories were true. They told me, old John Joseph was born in this town and lived here all his life. No one could ever remember him being more then twenty five miles from his depot.

I checked around some more and found out he's never had a girlfriend let alone a wife, and no one by the name of Corey ever lived in this town.

END OF PART ONE-------------------------I'm going to try something different. I'm going to tell a story in two parts to keep from having to many words for some of my readers. I think it might be fun. I'll see you tomorrow.

Puff

2008-03-17T19:08:00.004-05:00

Once upon a time their was a dragon.Yes a dragon and this might be a true story. This dragon over the years went by many names because dragons live for ever. His encounter and adventures change along with his name. This particular encounters happened outside of his cave in the land of Honah-Lee. A young boy by the name of Jakie Paper encountered this mighty beast wile walking along the ocean beach out side of town. When Jackie seen the dragon he was more in aw then scared, and the dragon was more like a big mean dog with a puppy. More curios then threaten. They both took a step backwards then slowly came closer to meet one another. Little Jakie Paper and the mighty rascal Puff over time became fast friends. They played hours on end. They flew through the sky and sailed on the sea as Jakie kept lookout on puffs gigantic tail. Noble kings and princes bowed when ever they came upon them. When they sailed over the ocean priate ships would lower their flag in fear when puff roared out and blew fire. Jackie would also bring presents to Puff not silver and gold but things like strings And sealing wax and other fancy stuff. But dragons live for ever but not so little boys. And so one gray day it happened Jakie Paper just quit coming to to see Puff. And puff was so sad he quit flying over the land and stoped his fearless roaring. He just hung his head in sorrow and went into his cave and was never seen again. Jacky paper went to collage and became a investment banker and eventually forgot he ever even knew a dragon. Puff is still wanting for another young imagination to find him.

the end

The story is about lost innocents not drugs

2008-03-17T06:30:00.002-05:00

Good morning Tylan and every one else. Not much time you know I work. But I had to say Happy St. Patricks day. As you see my best grandson is wearing his green wrestling dudes and I'm wearing my green Ireland hat so we'll have a good day.I hope the rest of you will to.

Dog house

2008-03-15T19:07:00.004-05:00

The first pitcher you see is what Flynns old dog house ,and he liked it just fine but it was a little tacky and he is getting better so today I went to Ely and bough him a new house to live in because he dose sleep outside. That,s not Flynn inside the house if you didn't notice that's Alissa pretending to be Flynn ((She's such a good actress)). Anyway I put his blanket in it and some dog food he went in ate the food so I though every thing was OK. Come night time he wouldn't go in and he drug his blanket out and was laying on it outside. So grandma being the softy that she is drug out his old doghouse so he could sleep in that. He's going to learn to sleep in the new house and like it. Them thinks ant cheep. And I though the cat was bad. KIDS!!!

Alyssas fish

2008-03-15T07:50:00.005-05:00

got to love them summer days. First Pitcher is Alyssa was showing me she could out fish me with her eyes closed and with her good luck fishing rod. Next pitcher was her catch of the day. She cough many walleyes last year and she boated three smaller muskies between 2 and 6 lb. and one bigger one that broke her line and got away.We can hardly want for spring and the lake to open. I hope shes ungrounded by then. Another story "A dog poop throwing contest with her friend."

I'm going to Virginia this morning so I'll be trying for a new pitcher and I'll try to have the camera ready at all times so I don't miss anything. If I can get a pic. I'll wright again this evening hopefully with something new to say. HOW CAN I BE SO BORING

Hibbing V.A.

2008-03-13T18:30:00.004-05:00

Hello all , No I didn't fall off the edge of the earth. I've been working I know it's no big deal for you guys to work and still have time for other things but I'm old and out of shape. So I get home from work and lay around on the coutch and try to stay awake until American Idle comes on.

I had to go to the doctor this morning for my monthly blood sucking. I took Adams camera along in case I came across something to take a pitcher of. First thing out of town "car in ditch" perfect car in ditch wrecker and two police cars but I wasn't fast enough. So grandma got the camera ready and here came the "snow plow" grandma got ready camera aimed ready steady here it came CLICK she missed she got a pitcher of the tail light. So we put it away tell we got to Hibbing. In the clinic I asked the nurse if I could take a pitcher of my arm with the needle stuck in it. She told me no. I couldn't belive it, she said it was "V.A. policy''. I don't know what they were thinking that I was with 20 20 or 60 minutes. They would just snuck a camera, or taped a mini cam to a rats forehead. Oh well on the way home Grandma took a pitcher of my hoola dancer Meeto Iwana Wana. So if I can get that pitcher to work we'll just half to look at her.

man at gastation

2008-03-11T19:34:00.003-05:00

I still don't have a camera and I'm running out of pitchers.But I'll look again.

Ha I've got something to tell you. Now I think I'm a purity good person I'm friendly and I'm in tune with other peoples problems But today wile at the gas station I run into a friend well not really a friend I see him in passing a few times a year. I don't even know his name. But it's always "hi how are you" "fine how are you" Or "hi been fishing" "no but the weather is nice". You have that kind of friends to I'm shear, But today I say "HI how she going". And low and behold first sentence out of his mouth is His father just died, his fourteen year old daughter is pregnant and his wife left him. Woow what do you say to that. I was in a hurry I didn't have time for this and I'm ashamed to say I really didn't care. But being the nice guy that I am I say "gee that's to bad" but he keeps going on and on. I finally say "well I got to go". and leave as fast as I can. So the question is this ((( am I wrong for not caring and fleeing ))) or (((was he wrong for dumping his problems on me instead of just saying, "fine nice day isn't it".)))

The Working Man

2008-03-10T19:23:00.006-05:00

I submit this pitcher as prove to the fact that I work sometime. It was going to be one week but today I find out it will be closer to three weeks. That's alright then I will work three weeks, I hope my back will hold out. I'm quite the wreck to.

The dog is getting better he knew he was in hot water so he's been extra good. Ok but I hope it will last although I know it won't. My sisters dog was also a bone head when it was young. It's a very good dog now. She told me the first three years are hard but then he got better. Three years!! I've got my vet Dr. Kevorkian on speed dial.

I'm writing this post this evening because in the morning I'm pretty rushed with drinking coffee and watching the morning news. And I should quit watching the news to. It is always the same anyway, employment is down, gas prices are up, gas production is down, housing forecloses are up, housing starts are down, cost of living is up, wages are down, Oh ya Bret Farv retired. Same old same old.

Have a good day

Baily

2008-03-09T20:01:00.004-05:00

Another of grandpas angels and just like the others she can do no wrong.

Lot to say not much time. I have to work this morning. Yes work I try not to do to much of that but I work part time for Wrights custom docks. This time of the year I make decking for docks. It will probably be only a week or so but that's all I need for now. As soon as the lake opens I will be working on a 40 ft. barg in the lake putting boat lifts in the watter for Jim. I'll explain all that at some latter date. right now I've got to go.

dog do do

2008-03-09T08:00:00.003-05:00

Cute ant they.. Wrong puppy's are evil. Mine is the worst if you don't believe it take him for a day and you'll see.

Yesterday morning Adam came over and we made a couple of dog kennels to put the in overnight We made them in my garage. Flyn was in trouble for something in the house so grandma tied him out. I being a sap felt sorry for him and brought him in the garage with us, I was afraid he would git hurt or eat something that would kill him. SO after five minuets I tied him out again. He pooped on the floor and we didn't know it until I stepped in it and tracked it all over the floor. but ha puppy's will be puppy's. When we were done I borough the kennel and the dog in the house as soon as he got in the house without worning he peed on the floor back out side he went. When he finished peeing and realized we wornt happy with him I brought him back in and put him in his new kennel to see what he though of that. He didn't like it one bit and let us know with an hour of uninterrupted barking then he pooped again and rolled in it. it stunk so bad I almost gaged. Grandma had to through him out and clean up the mess. When he was out he got in trouble at the neibors house,It was only noon and the fight was on and he was wining. That's the way my whole day went. until I went to bed and the puppy was in bed with me, The puppy peed again ON MY BED. If you think cute little puppy's come from heaven, I'm here to tell you one more day like yesterday and I will return this one.

And I picked him first ( the pick of the litter) HA!!! He dose know how to sit. Adams dog (The leftover of the litter) can sit, lay down, stay, fetch, he gets the papper in the morning and his sleppers in the evening, not only can he speek he can speek tn three languages, and when he has to go he askes for permision to be excuse. I know all this to be true becuse Adam told me,.

2008-03-08T07:18:00.000-06:00

i LOST MY POST

2008-03-08T07:07:00.001-06:00

good morning . I JUST LOST MY POST AND I CANT FIND IT

my lost post

2008-03-08T06:32:00.003-06:00

Good morning ; I'm glad to here at least some of you liked my story. My only negative comment was " I didn't read it, to Many words not enough pitchers". I suppose I could do a cartoon that really might be fun. But I think I could come up with a story once a week. Or maby put my twist on an old story like I did with Don Quixota. I could do a lot of the Because I know the real meaning behind most of the stories every told. Alice in wonderland ya that one is easy, Peter Pan, Alladin anything by the Grim brothers has a hidden meaning. NO I'm getting carried away. I really don't have anything to say today so I'm rambling sorry. maybe I'll post latter.

grandma found the lost blog

Don Quixote

2008-03-07T05:45:00.004-06:00

Ok. I woke up this morning thinking about of all things Don Quixota . More then thinking about it I was feeling it. I think after 40 years I get it. So lets pretend you're five years old and I'll tell you a bed time story of Don Quixota.

Once upon a time in days of your when knights were bold and brave. They wore shining armor head to tow and road big war hourese called chargers. They spent their days fighting dragons and monsters. they protected the kingdom and most importing they rescued damsels in distress and damsels were always in desires. They were always locked in towers or being chased by witches or dragons. It was grate times but all to soon it was over. All of a sudan
all the damsels and princess were safe. All the dragons,trowels, and monsters of any kind were either dead or chased off. And all the knights were out of work. The kingdom was good, every one was happy. Meany years latter when the Knights were old and their armor was rusty from lack of use. One of the old knights his name was Don Quixota he had nothing to do but sit around the house all day, life was good but he wanted more. So one day he decided he was going to go on one last quest. He was hopping their was at least one more dragon for him to slay. So he bough an old skinny plow horse and got out his rusty armor and off he took. Everyone though he was just a craze old man who faintly lost it. The first person he met on his quest was a naboure by the name of Sancho. Now Sancho was a friend so he said he would go along and help Don as a squire and keep him out of trouble. So they road through the kingdom and every time they came to a windmill Don Quixota would see in his mind either a dragon or a giant with long arms tying to suat at him. And every time they came to a country inn he though it was a casal . But to make a long story short. This went on for a few years and one day wile battling yet another giant he was knocked off his mighty stead and died. The kingdom missed the caricature.

...................THE END..............

The moral of the story is crazy old Don Quixote died a happy a young hero fighting a giant, instead of an old man dieing of high cholesterol on his easy chair.

P.S. thanks for the header

laugh

2008-03-06T20:40:00.002-06:00

good morning everyone needs a good laugh.

Diamond Willow

2008-03-05T18:02:00.005-06:00

This is one of my hobby's that I've had a lot of fun with for the last few years. I make fishing rod handles out of a wood called diamond willow. Its a mutated form of willow that grows in the swamps around here. It just looks like scrub brush that's dying, not impressive at all, but once its cut, peeled, dried, sanded and varnished it's quite beautifull. I've made fishing rod handles by the hundreds. I've also made walking sticks, canes, lamps, pitchers and mirror frames, fillet knife handles;and numerous other things. I sell them and make enough to re buy my supplies and a little profit. I have fun doing it but I've been slaking lately. But now ice fishing is over so I'm going to have to get at it some more. I have some people wanting some itemss but not much. Just something I do.

road trip

2008-03-05T04:54:00.004-06:00

Good morning. It's another beautifully day in Paradise. 18 degrees above and calm. Defiantly a day to play outside. I can hardly Wait for spring, winter seems to be running a little long this year. I would like to take a road trip this year. I think I'll pack up the rusty roller with sleeping bag and tent and see if it will make it to the coast. I bet it will of make it. Of corse grandma wouldn't want to go ((smart woman)) so I'll either go alone or take the dog. But before I can go I'll have to do something about the back bumper. I got stoped again last week for no back bumper. They are going to get series pretty soon. And oh ya I'll have to replace my leaky radiator . And maby put a muffler on it, I've wanted one of those for a long time. Then I'd be ready to go except for a break job, I've got three purity good breaks but I probably should have four good ones. But fix that and I will be on the road. Oh ya the windshield 0h I ain't going to get that picky I'll just tell the cops it just happened. And they can't see that the seat belt really don't work. Boy I can hardly want. I'll just go to the junkyard and get 2 or 3 spar tires to replace them as they blow out . It will be grate Ma by I could get someone to go along with me to share expenses. Anyone out thier want to go along with me. The winning candidate could bring the gas can and tow rope Oh ya and some tools just in case we might need them. And you would have to be able to sing my radio don't work that good. It'll be fun I can hardly want.

666

2008-03-04T06:45:00.007-06:00

Now this is a face that every one could love. This is Livvy. This is who Bec said yesterday was sadistic..Will I'm here to tell every one she's perfect in every way,and we all love here to pics. But Beck said something about 666 on her head. I don't know what that means but I remember when Bec was a baby about two I noticed a mark on her forehead I looked closer then I looked with a magnifing glass and I seen the 666. I wasn't worried about it but the next doc. appointment I munched it. He said not to worry it was just a birth mark and would,d go away Or at least it was so small you couldn't see it. So that was the end of it. Tell now, that she brought it up, I got out pitchers of Livy and with my magnifing glass I could see it just like her mother, on her forehead their it was I still don't know what it meant so I went to see Becks old doctor. I was told that he died years ago He just started vomiting pea soup and his head spun off. weird! but I wouldn't worry. You could double click on this pitcher and see what I see.

Sorry about being late this morning but the dog was slept in the downstairs bathroom and I slept in.

tagged

2008-03-03T07:07:00.005-06:00

Boy what fun! Did you see yesterdays responces. Ilove this.
O.k. I was tagged so here goes. I think this is right . so here goes.
"Will,the monks didn't pay of course, nor do the priory servants nor the villagers So it's just a traveling knight or a tinker every day or two.Then on holy days,when people come from all over the county to hear the services in the cathedral,we gather farthing galore.'
"It seems to me we might man the bridge on holy days only, and give you a fire out of the proceeds,"said Philip.
The book is (The pillar of earth) by Ken Follett . Set in the twelthe century . A rock cutter/mason just wants to make a cathedral and live his life.
Now that I've been duly tagged lets take to Jettie. Thanks for stopping by and I like your comment about puppy's and kids. Your right puppy's are like kids they pee and poops and gits into every thing and pees some more and wines when they don't get his own way, then they poops. All for 10% of the time when they are cute and cuddly and lovable. Do we do it for that 10%. No I think somehow we're sadistic saddest that are punishing ourselves.

day two

2008-03-02T06:53:00.003-06:00

Good morning all you people of the world wide web. Well I published my first blog yesterday and I'm proud to say I had a good responds. First from my wife with wifely support then from my son who I had to call and shame into making a comment.

Adam brought his new dog over yesterday. Yes I said new dog . He went and got one of my dogs brothers. We might have to heir Suill to shoot us a fue deer for dog food or better yet teach them dogs to hunt deer themselves.

I'm still having trouble gutting a pitcher up. but I here grandma upstairs she'll help me. Still pitchers out of my files. but today I'm going out in the world with Allys camera.

new at this

2008-03-01T15:14:00.000-06:00

This is my very first blog. I'll probably do a lot of things wrong at first, but I'm going to learn . And I'm going to prove to all naysayers that you can teach old dogs new tricks. I don't know what direction I will go in, but like most blogs I read, I will probably just try to brake down my day in a few sentences with some pictures. I know it isn't that easy for you bloggers because already I am finding it hard to come with anything. First I need a good camera. I have a cheap camera and it isn't even here, I forget it at Becks (((BECKY COULD YOU PLEASE SEND MY CAMERA TO ME?))) Next my spelling sometime is a little wack. And I have a stupid spell checker. It can't figure out a lot of my misspelled words. Mabe I'll have to up grade that to. Also I'll have to learn to get pictures out of my files without help from grand ma.

I have some pictures of the rusty roller in my files. It's my pride and joy .You can look at that. Just remember its been antiqued.