Ellen took these shots while helping clean up her dad's old shop on the family farm. I played with them a bit on Photoshop. Enjoy.

This is a drawing made by Ellen's dad, Walt, on one one of the kid's rabbit box traps.

We're pretty sure these initials were burned here by Ellen's Uncle Peck, a.k.a. Jerome Hauk.

Note the ice shack under the sleds - already to head out to ice fish.

An old boat motor.

Grouse Hollow Journal for August 15, 2013

Grouse Hollow Journal for August 15, 2013 by Greg Koelker

When Ellen and I motored into Cleveland last month we didn't know what we were getting into – our knowledge of the city was pretty much based on recent news stories, and the news was not good. Remember the kidnapper of the three women for ten years? There was an apparent mass murderer running around at the time too, and like cities all over, things were in pretty bad shape – according to the local news at least. What we found downtown was a nice, no, beautiful area with two stadiums, skyscrapers, and clean, tree lined streets, near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at least, overlooking a gorgeous cool and breezy blue green Lake Erie. Thanks to Jolene, our waitress at the Denny's that morning and to a retired Cleveland police officer, we were able to drive straight in to downtown, no tolls, and no trouble. When we turned off Highway 2 into Cleveland, we came around to 9^th Street facing the First Energy stadium, home of the NFL Browns. To our right was the Rock Hall, and there was a $10 all-day parking lot right there, a block away. We were maybe the tenth vehicle in the lot that morning.

The air was cool and we both wore fleece jackets. I believe it was really hot back here at the time. (Like the NFL Hall the day before, it was cool in the Rock Hall.) We walked right in, talked to young ladies who guided us to the downstairs where we would check in our internet ticket receipt ($22 each) for wristbands and begin our tour. Just inside there were huge murals with faces on them like John Lennon, Bob Dylan, and more old time rock and rollers. The first thing you do is sit in on a 12-minute video about the roots of rock and roll entitled “Mystery Train” a fast-paced look at some long ago imagery of where the rock and roll sound came from in hill billy and blues and jazz and such. Then we exited out to begin our tour of the galleries and kiosks dedicated to the likes of Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, Louie Armstrong, AC/DC, ABBA, Chet Atkins, Woody Guthrie, Les Paul, Devo, and more. There are outfits, posters, tickets, and best of all many, many famous guitars, like Jerry Garcia's “Rosebud” and Bruce Springstein's Fender Esquire. I particularly liked the story of John Lennon's 1963 Gretsch 6120. He never played it on stage, but he did play it in the studio including the distinctive lead in to “Paperback Writer.” He gave it away to a friend who wanted to learn to play. My friend Cliff Kramer, played one of these for over 30 years in the GMC and Just Friends bands. When I texted a picture to my guitarist son, Ben, that I was standing in front of three of Jimi Hendrix's guitars, he wrote back, “. . . please steal them for me!” One was a 1967 Gibson Flying V that was originally cherry red, but Hendrix hand-painted it and named it Love Drops. He played the guitar onstage during 1967 and 1968. Hendrix gave it away and the new owner sanded it and repainted it and sold it. The story goes that the next owner had Hendrix’s psychedelic paint-job meticulously recreated. Hendrix’s guitar of choice was the Fender Stratocaster, which were all right-handed guitars that he turned upside down and re-strung to accommodate his left-handed playing. During his brief life, Hendrix also used Fender Jazzmasters, Telecasters, Jaguars, Duosonics, Gibson Les Pauls, SGs and other Gibson Flying Vs. George Harrison's black Rickenbacker 325 was purchased at Red Fenton's Music Store in Mount Vernon, Illinois where Harrison's sister lived. It originally had a red sunburst finish, but Harrison had the store owner refinish it black. After he returned to England from the 1963 trip, Harrison told the band members, “America has everything, why should they want us?” I guess they did. One of John Lennon's pianos is on display. Who knows what all he wrote using that. The Beatles are in the Rock Hall as a band, but while John, Paul, and George are all in as individual performers, Ringo is not.

On one floor, there is a replica of Alan “Moondog” Freed's radio studio. Freed coined the term Rock and Roll Music back in the 50's in Cleveland and Cleveland became a city where new rockers' careers were made or broken. He died in disgrace at age 43 after a payola scandal ruined his radio career. There are other contributors to Rock and Roll who weren't musicians like Quincy Jones and Lou Adler. Jones was a perfomer, but he was inducted as a writer/arranger/producer while Adler was a record executive promoter. There is also a theater with a video featuring “American's Oldest Teenager,” Dick Clark. It highlights his history and all the years he hosted American Bandstand. Did you know he was a former news anchorman? I used to love that show. I also would rush home after school to watch the mid 60's rock show hosted by Mark Lindsay and Paul Revere called “Where the Action Is.” “Hullabaloo” and “Shindig” were also favorites.

As you walk through the huge variety of kiosks and displays (6 floors!), you hear clips of music in an almost cacophony of sound. Ellen said her mind was spinning with remembering who did what song. I felt the same way, except for me it was a rush of memories of where I was or what I was doing when I heard this song or that. At the ZZ Top exhibit, the music was growling out “Legs” and I was reminded of the time I took Ben and Mark to see ZZ Top at the La Crosse Center. They, and I, loved it. The Beatles tunes all are a hit with me. They are my favorite band of all time followed closely by the Rolling Stones and Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young, Chuck Berry, Billy Joel, Simon and Garfunkle, Bruce Springstein, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Neil Diamond, Johnny Rivers, The Eagles, Jackson Browne, Van Morrison, okay, okay; I can't stop here but I guess I have to. The featured band this year is The Rolling Stones. They have their own floor in the Rock Hall to celebrate 50 years of making music.

Of course there is a nice store with shirts and other Rock Hall paraphernalia and a restaurant that has a deck overlooking a marina and the lake. In the end, what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is promoting is memories and we loved it. If you like rock and roll and history and trivia and lots of displays set in an ultra modern glass building, you'll love it. You can check it out online at rockhall.com.

Until next time, get out – this last week Ellen and I were fishing south of Genoa. It proved to be a beautiful morning on the river. The site seeing and the fishing were great but the catching was not. When it came time to move, the engine on the Mississippi Queen started and then coughed and quit – for good. Fortunately good samaritans, Joe and Bob Lambert of Viroqua came by on their way back to the landing and offered a tow back up river. When I offered to buy them breakfast, Joe said, “No. We got to pay it forward when we can.” Thanks guys. Traastad's yellow truck is back, so summer is officially on the wane. We had some of the sweet corn last week, and as usual it was excellent. Ellen has a few tomatoes turning red and lots of green beans, slicer cukes, peppers, and zucchinis ripening in her garden. Saturday morning the weather had the feel of a good morning to go squirrel hunting, but the cover is too thick. Soon though. There were 70 plus canada geese and half a dozen sandhill cranes having a raucous debate about me and Scout I think as we walked by our neighbor's driveway on Sunday morning. I had to watch where I stepped as Proksch Coulee Road had plenty of greasy “sign.” Enjoy.

Grouse Hollow Journal for August 8, 2013

Grouse Hollow Journal for August 8, 2013 by Greg Koelker

I planned on telling you about our trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland this week, but a lot has happened since my last journal. Two of my best friends passed away and I helped chaperone 13 teenagers on a four-day trip to Jag Lake this last week and went to a family reunion. So to begin, Kathy (Bartels) “Bart” Diederich and Greg Lenz died last week. I knew them both since I was a little kid.

I first met “Bart” at the Bartel's Tavern near Burton south of Cassville. When my dad was working for Tri-State Breeders, I got to ride along a lot. He and I would stop in for lunch and something cold and to chat once in awhile. In high school, they had moved to town, so I used to pick Bart up in the morning to give her and Laura Bossert a ride to school. During the summers between college, I worked with Bart's dad at Cassville High School when Walt – and his brother Paul – headed the maintenance department. I pretty much lost track of Bart since a long, almost forgotten class reunion back in the 90's. She had recently retired from a career in banking. From what I could see in the pictures at the funeral, she and her husband Bob had a beautiful lakeside home and loved to entertain. She was definitely a people person with a fantastic smile and sense of fun. Bart passed after a brief illness.

Greg Lenz and I were sidekicks from the time we were 5. We did our best to outdo each other in the next 20 years with bikes, cars, boats, motorcycles, and partying. After seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in February of 1964, I convinced Greg, Don Schnering, and Roy Mosely that we had to get guitars and drums and start a band. We did after hours of practicing until our fingers bled. We played our first gig knowing only three songs. We named the band, after seeing the ending credits of the movie “Rock Around the Clock.” Instead of “The End”, it read the “hip” phrase: The Livin End. Greg and I lived together while going to school in Madison in 1970-71. That year we formed The Mississippi Mud Band, by adding brass and more singers. We were on top of the music world, at least along the river in those days, playing to huge crowds and parties. He and I drifted apart over the years, but we played together in the 90's in Shake, Rattle, and Roll. He was fond of saying it was my fault that he loved music so much. I accept the blame for something that gave so many so much pleasure and fun over the years. Since then, we talked often and he would sometimes stop here – he worked for Dairyland Power and would come to La Crosse for meetings - with a bottle of Captain Morgan and some Coke and he and I would play guitars and talk over the old days until the wee hours. He and I had so much in common. We both found and kept the loves of our lives, raised two great kids, loved all kinds of music, the river, hunting, fishing, old cars, and more. He was a man of many talents including carpentry and woodworking and fundraising. He and Barb and his family raised over half a million dollars for Multiple Sclerosis research over the years. There is so much more I could say. After a two-year fight, Greg succumbed to pancreatic cancer. I will miss him and Kathy very much.

Until next time, get out - On Sunday we drove to Burton to the annual Uppena Family reunion. The food was amazing as usual, casseroles, fried chicken, lasagna, topped off by Chuck's fresh sweetcorn, and finished with fruit and desserts of all kinds. I particularly liked the sticky brownies with whipped cream. Another highlight was catching up with some of the relatives and their kids, but most of all, I always enjoy visiting with and swapping jokes with Ellen's Uncle Gene Uppena. Gene is 89 and lives between Black Earth Minnesota and his daughter Mary Ann in Texas. He is a retired county extension agent, but this day he shared with me a story of when he was in college at UW Platteville. It was 1942; the war was on, and labor in short supply. They got news that a dairy farmer over by Hurricane (a cheese factory/crossroads between Lancaster and Beetown in Grant County probably 20 miles from Platteville) had been seriously injured in an accident and the family needed someone to help with their dairy herd. When they came to the college looking for help, Gene, who had grown up on a dairy farm, took on the job. He said it sounded easy enough, but he was just a kid who like most kids didn't know anywhere as much as a dairy farmer needs to know. The farmer's wife helped him pick out the dry cows and the cows that needed breeding and milking and special treatment. Eventually he was farming this Guernsey herd. He said he had to fill silo in the fall too, and still try to go to school. The farmer recovered and remained a lifelong friend. Gene's joke for today was about when Ole and Lena bought a farm on the Iowa/Minnesota border. They had been there a few years when an assessor dropped by and said he was confused about their address. He sent a state surveyor to check out the property. A few days later he dropped by with bad news. He said, “Ole, I have to tell you that your place is in Iowa, not Minnesota.” Ole and Lena looked at each other and began cheering and hugging. When they settled down, the assessor asked why, and Ole replied, “We're just so happy. We are sick of these Minnesota winters.” Next time I will write about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Jag Lake. Enjoy.

Grouse Hollow Journal for August 1, 2013 by Greg Koelker

Last week Ellen and I took our rented VW Jetta south to Chicago down I90 to 294 to I80 East skirting the loop, but not the tolls. Man, they're greedy. From the Illinois border to Amherst, Ohio, it cost $29.50 in tolls! We stayed in Amherst all three nights. That drive was almost 10 hours. (Our rented car cost $221 for the week but with its 33 MPG average, I figure we saved $127 in fuel compared to either one of our 4X4's in the same distance, and if it had broken down, Hertz would provide another car in an hour or two so we wouldn't be cooling our heels for maybe days while Honest Lloyd's Repair shop in Podunk Ohio got one of our old vehicles back on the road. The most inexpensive gasoline was in Canton at $3.39.) Why Ohio? Well, Cleveland is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Canton is home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, two destinations that have been on on my bucket list for a long time.

The first night, on a tip from the Days Inn night clerk, we drove down along Lake Erie to search for a sports bar with a good burger. We cruised through a park and into downtown Lorain. We finally settled on Jackalope's at the Lorain marina. (Interesting name for Ohio; jackalopes are mythical western plains creatures that are basically jack rabbits with antelope horns.) We were able to get a table out on their deck right away. The people were super and the prices not bad. When she found out where we were headed, our waitress who is a huge Cleveland fan told us about some of the cool things to visit in Cleveland including the Great Lakes Science museum and new aquarium, and then she introduced us to music writer and photographer Kurt Hernon. He was kind enough to talk about the hall of fame and some things not to miss. He has a pretty cool website at: kurthernon.com. He also told us how to avoid the toll roads to get to Cleveland and Canton. Speaking of photography, when we got there to the restaurant, it had been raining and had just quit. Ellen was able to take some shots of a huge and dramatic double rainbow that went from the lake over the city of Lorain. While we ate, from the deck at Jackalope's we looked out over the tall masts of sail boats as a red sun sank steadily into the lake. The pier was decorated with sculptured lawns, shrubs, trees, and many flowers. We even saw a deer. (Unlike Wisconsin roads, we saw very few road killed deer or other critters for some reason.) Also we could see a coast guard facility with a long pier that lead out to a huge lighthouse. Anyway, the people and place were special and very cool.

Back when I called about tickets, a kind lady at the Pro-Football Hall of Fame told me that there were busloads of cub scouts coming on Wednesday of that week, so we opted to go to Canton on Tuesday. The signage isn't real great, but we found the turn off. The Hall is right off of I77, so we drove right to it. We had to park at a nearby high school because of all the preparations underway for this weekend's Induction of new hall of fame members: Warren Sapp, Bill Parcels, Larry Allen, Cris Carter, Jonathon Ogden, Curley Culp, and the most important of all – for us anyway – Dave Robinson of the Green Bay Packers' glory years teams. We rode a shuttle to the hall. An older gentleman who said he was a retired creamery worker and now a Hall of Fame docent, talked to us about the preparations – over a week in advance – for the big event coming up. Each inductee gets a huge tent on the grounds (already being erected on July 23!) and there is a parade and the Hall of Fame Game played in the Stadium on site, Fawcett Field. This year Dallas and Miami will begin their preseason on August 4. He said he had heard we have a pretty nice hall of fame museum in Green Bay and he hoped to see it sometime. (Ellen and I compared notes later and agreed that the Packer Hall of Fame is maybe better, but then we are sort of partial to the Pack.)

Inside there is a self guided tour of the halls and galleries and theaters. There is plenty of Packer history and paraphernalia and newsreels and highlights, including one of the team benches used for Green Bay during the Ice Bowl, uniforms and equipment from the early years, videos of famous plays and players, and of course the busts of all the Packer inductees including Curley Lambeau, Don Hutson, John McNauley, Clark Hinkle, Bart Starr, Vince Lombardi, Ray Nitschke, Reggie White, Cal Hubbard, Mike Michalske, Arnie Herber, Walt Kiesling, Emlen Tunnel, Tony Canadeo, Len Ford, Jim Taylor, Forrest Gregg, Herb Adderly, Willie Davis, Jim Ringo, Paul Hornung, Ted Hendricks, Willie Wood, Jan Stenrud, James Lofton, Henry Jordan, and after this week, Dave Robinson. Current Packers are represented too. There was an Aaron Rodgers MVP display and some award winning photography in a gallery that included shots of Favre, Rodgers, and a grinning Donald Driver doing a Lambeau Leap. At the risk of ire raising, I have to mention my three favorite Bears too. Walter Payton because he deserves the title sweetness for all he did for kids, not to mention his fabulous career in football; Jim McMahon for his antics at UW Platteville and with the 1986 Superbowl Bears, and for being a member of the Packers Superbowl 31 team, and finally, William the Refrigerator Perry. He was just plain fun; Perry's Superbowl ring is on display. It is a size 23 and maybe the largest ring of its kind; I think you might be able to put a half dollar through it.

We were about to view the Road To The Superbowl film when we were ushered to the lower floors because the tornado sirens were going in Canton. Fortunately, it was a false alarm. We visited with Jake, from Massillon, Ohio and an Ohio University sports management major who was working as a docent for the summer. He said he loved football but played lacrosse in high school. He was pumped because he might be able to be a driver for one of the inductees or NFL types who come for the induction ceremony. He told us that one gets into the hall of fame by being nominated by anyone, and then voted on by a group of sportswriters from each team city. Nice kid. Jake took our picture by the Lombardi Trophy that Elen and I predict will be given to the Packers this February after they win the next Super Bowl. We had lunch in the hall's sandwich shop and spent about 6 hours there. Tickets were $22, and we both enjoyed the experience.  If you're a football fan and of a certain age, you will really enjoy this venue; however, most of the high school and younger kids I saw were pretty bored and I predict that many of those cub scouts will be too.

Next week, I'll rock on about our visit to Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Until next time, get out – it finally rained; we had nearly 2 inches last week, enough so that our driveway is rutted. Ellen found some hail damage in the garden too. Our new hummingbird feeder with the ant moat on top and six flower feeding stations is the hottest meal in town, at least for the hummers. We watched all six holes busy while other birds buzzed around impatiently wanting a turn. They are using up nearly 4 cups of nectar a day! Also, in the last journal, I wrote that Ellen talked to master gardener Roger Plesha – Roger Plesha is a master photographer; our master gardener is Roger Popelka (that's what happens when Ellen doesn't proofread my column before I send it.) Finally, doesn't it make you just sick to see how low Ryan Braun has sunk? I am just disgusted by the whole story. On a better note, baseball playoffs, football, and Hunting season are just around the corner! Enjoy.