Grouse Hollow Journal for July 20, 2017 by Greg Koelker

Grouse Hollow Journal for July 20, 2017 by Greg Koelker

Happy Belated Birthday to Scout this week.  She turned 12 on July 16th.  She still loves playing fetch - a little, and going for a ride.  She loves going on walks, but is usually just trotting alongside by the end instead of following her nose into every thicket and field after rabbits and birds.  Like me, she is slowing down a bit - okay, I was never all that fast to begin with.  The heat is tough on her, so cool mornings almost always bring out her inner pup as she races down the yard to help fetch the paper and do her business.  Like most of us as we become chronologically advantaged and think a little before we do stuff, Scout will sometimes choose a rest in the shade over some strenuous exercise like trying to keep up with Ellen on a walk up the ridge.  Like many of us, she has had some doctor time with recent surgeries to remove large fatty tumors and broken teeth, but she still recovers, raring to go again.  Also like me, her hearing is not so good, or maybe her wise old age has made it selective; my hearing loss is not selective - I swear.  She still loves riding in the truck, but she has a hard time getting in and out.  Several years ago, I built a ramp for her but she doesn’t much care for it.  One thing that still fires her up is seeing someone coming out of the house with a gun.  She goes all birdie and starts her usual hunting routine of ferociously wagging her tail and searching for whatever I might need retrieved - usually, there’s nothing.  She still gets enthusiastic about hunting and digging up moles in the yard.  Her coat is sleek and full, too full for July, and like my moustache and temples, her beautiful chocolate coat is growing gray around the muzzle.  Like most dogs, she doesn’t complain much until we leave for a while and come back up the driveway while she is locked in the kennel.  She very loudly lets us know how she feels and in the morning, if it gets much past 7, she sets off the dog alarm.  Scout joins us on the porch in the evenings when El and I stop to share a cocktail and talk or read.  After a head pet and ear scratch, she will walk in a circle and then lay down, finally flopping her head on the board floor with a thud - Scout I mean.  Anyway, I know Ellen and I both still see the rambunctious puppy she once was, galloping headlong into whatever, when we look at her.  We hope she celebrates another birthday or two in good health.

The other day on Facebook - yes, I look at Facebook, mostly to keep up with Ben and Mark, but also many, many other relatives and friends - I saw that our “fourth son”, Seth Howe posted that his golden retriever, Gunner, has passed at age 12.  I remember when he got Gunner as a puppy when the Howe’s were living across the road from us.  Gunner has been Seth’s constant companion, pheasant hunting, hiking, but mostly they were just pretty tight.  Like Scout, Gunner was the perfect pal, never asking for much and always glad to see you.  We were sorry to hear about Gunner, but I also see that Seth got a new pup.  I guarantee it will be a lucky dog.

Speaking of old dogs, this last weekend we celebrated Ellen’s Uncle Jerome Hauk’s birthday at the Holiday Gardens in Potosi.  Jerome is 100 today (July 20th)!  He lives life like a much younger person; he still drives and goes fishing and only recently gave up golf.  He is a storyteller with a 100 years worth of experience and family stories, WWII stories (he served all four years), fishing stories, and more.  He sets a very high bar for the rest of us.  Happy Birthday Jerome and just kidding with the old dog shot.

Until next time, get out - Vince and I got in some boat time last week, catching a lot of fish, a lot of little sunfish, bluegills, and sheepshead, but enjoying a beautiful morning on the river.  (I did keep one catfish.)  My two best friends also had a beautiful morning on the water last week; Vince guided Ellen down the La Crosse River to the Mississippi past Riverside Park in their kayaks.  I dropped them off near Valley View Mall and picked them up at the 7th Street landing (behind Gundersen) two and a half hours later.  She loved the trip.  Enjoy.