Grouse Hollow Journal for July 16, 2015 by Greg Koelker

Mid-July is a time of picnics and coolers. We have family picnics, friend picnics, surprise picnics, beach picnics, squirrel picnics, school picnics, Fourth of July picnics, Labor Day picnics, twin picnics, sand bar picnics, fund raiser picnics, etc.

Ice in a box. We carry them everywhere: coolers for cold beverages, hot dishes, pies, cakes, bars, etc. and I bet you can add a bunch more uses. They come in all colors and sizes and prices, coolers I mean (picnics do too I guess.) El and I have several coolers with names. We have the infamous Stolen Cooler, the Baseball Cooler, and the Super Cooler.

The all time favorite picnic in Wisconsin has to be tailgating. The Stolen Cooler got “stolen” and got it's name way back in December of 1998, when then senior Ben and I joined Ron Von Glahn and Curt Christensen for a Packers tailgate at Lambeau Field. We were almost the first ones in the parking lot that morning so we got right up front. It was just cold enough that it snowed lightly all day, perfect for the Frozen Tundra. We grilled and imbibed and took in the word's greatest tailgate party. We roared and cheered for a couple of hours while the Pack defeated the Titans 30-22. The game turned out to be Reggie White and Mike Holmgren's last game at Lambeau. Maybe some of you remember Reggie walking around the field in the snow holding his helmet high over his head. Also, it was long time Packer radio announcers Jim Irwin and Max McGee's last game at Lambeau on the radio. Irwin and Packer hall of famer McGee were honored in a ceremony at half time. The crowd chanted for Coach Holmgren to stay as he headed for the tunnel. Anyway, we stayed after the game until it was dark and the crews were picking up trash with an end loader. I spied the little red and white Igloo cooler in a row of garbage and scavenged it. It turned out to be full of cheese, sausage, crackers and beer! (Not exactly what we needed more of at the time.) The Stolen Cooler has been back to Lambeau Field once since then for my sister-in-law Lori Fure's 50^th birthday celebration. We use the Stolen Cooler for lots of small jobs but especially for keeping bait fresh and drinks cold when we go fishing. It has been known to actually hold a few panfish on ice on rare occasions.

We have had the Little League cooler since the mid 80's. We used it on the bench for team water for hundreds of baseball and soccer games while following Ben and Mark. We still use it to haul “home water” to Canada, Jag Lake and other trips where the drinking water may not meet our high standards. This last week, I have been have using it to haul water to an apple tree I sort of helped Ellen plant in a meadow that is too far from the hydrant for a hose.

The Super Cooler is, well super. It can hold up to a half barrel of beverage and keep it cold for nearly a week even in July. We have filled it for graduation and birthday parties over the years. I used it most recently to pick up and keep 50 pounds of dry ice for a fund raiser. We have a couple of unnamed Coleman chest coolers and smaller canvas tote coolers too. They all get used for trips, deer hunting, picnics, and parties here at home. What would life be without them?

This past weekend we took the Stolen Cooler and a chest cooler to Burton Lake for a surprise birthday party picnic. Our niece Katie Leibfried started the ball rolling on the surprise planning in January. The hard work culminated Saturday night as happy revelers shouted, “Surprise!” as each of the victims - uh, birthday kids, showed up. In the lodge at the lake, one sign read, “180 years of Awesome!” Okay, it was for our niece Ashley's 30^th birthday, niece Shelby's 40^th birthday, sister Barb's 60^th birthday, and Brother Bill's 50^th. Best part? None of their birthdays happen until at least August and three are in December, so SURPRISE! Burton Lake is the farm pond behind brother Bill's farm buildings. He and others have made a dream come true for the next generation; the pond is perfect for little swimmers complete with a beach and swimming raft, paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, and such. For us old people, there is an open air lodge with nice furniture and a fire pit outside. (I also remember some hard core ice hockey games on that pond back in the day.) We had salads, brats, chips, cake, cookies, bars, a barrel of beer, some “apple pie” liquor, and other adult beverages, S'mores, lots of pictures, babes in bikinis - really, babes like 4 years old, and lots of laughter and fun. Anyway, what a night. I gave my Go Pro camera to nephew Gavin who had a blast recording lots of conversations and reactions for posterity and black mail. I haven't seen the video yet, but the 6^th grader assures me it will, “Blow your mind!” We stayed at Mom's and had breakfast there followed by brunch at sister Kathy's place followed by the Mink/Elskamp/Potter family picnic at Lancaster Park.

Next up, the Uppena family picnic and then Jag Lake. All I do is eat and drink, or as I like to call it, livin' the dream.

Ellen's garden is looking beautiful. She has beets, sweet corn, green beans, radishes, spinach, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, squash, pumpkins, asparagus, zucchini, raspberries, garlic, onions, and flowers. All it takes to keep it nearly weed free is hours of weeding, and she spends a lot of time at it. She is also waging a withering war on Japanese beetles, catching and smashing them one at a time.

The kitchen smells to-die-for what with the surprise birthday party and family picnic this weekend. Ellen has been baking and fixing for two days. She baked an award winning peach pie completely from scratch the other day with a golden crust and sweet syrup just bubbling over the side - oh, I was the contest judge. She took pity on me when I begged for my favorite sour cream raisin bars too; they are incredible but not necessarily fat free. She also cut up lots of fruit and salad fixings. She makes her own dressing for a cashew/craisin salad that is always gone early at get togethers.

Until next time, get out - I have jury duty this month. I have three trials that I am scheduled to appear for. It is inconvenient I guess, but I would be okay with being on a jury again; I have been on two before. The trials can be fascinating, but it is really enlightening when the jury goes to deliberate. There are 12 different people who don't usually know each other, expressing their feelings and opinions and that can get to be a dicey slice of human drama. Anyway, I wasn't picked last week, but I have two more dates to appear for in July. Enjoy.