Parting Thoughts: Jan/Feb 2014

by erik@localeben.com
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By: Jim Dittmann

Well here we are:  – Volume 3 Issue 1

Wie geht es dir?

Remember me saying that I felt myself getting a bit more sentimental these days – does it happen due to age or through the ages – Is that a silly question?  My head fills with images: snow stuck to wool coats – wet mittens – playing “king on the hill” in the school yard – a grade school crush…  Then growing up and getting a Sentinel route – up in the mornin’ at 4 a.m. – deliver those papers – some days it was so damn cold – my bike tires would be flat.  I rigged special chains for that JC Higgins for when it got real slippery – but chains don’t matter if – “the tires is flat.”  Next came a Journal route – some Sundays when the papers were extra big – my dad would take me in his 65 Bel Air.  All 75 of those 480-page “Latest Editions” would fit in the back seat.  He wouldn’t admit it but I think he liked doing the route – sometimes he would deliver the riverside of Labaree Street while I’d take the hill – it was warm.  My dad’s birthday is on Christmas Eve – he would’ve been 85 this year – I miss him.

While working on the Fox Lake Fisheree story, I took the opportunity to call an old friend – Bob Fisher.  He and his wife Ellen have lived on Chief Kuno Trail for quite some time.  I was looking for old photos of the hundreds of ice shanties that would have populated the lake “back in the day.”  Bob laughed when we spoke saying – “yeah; grumpy old men!”   I met the Fisher’s in 79 when I first moved to Beaver Dam – their kids were little – we would go fishin’ on Fox Lake – back of Bob’s house and always did well.  Bob was the fisherman – but oh; Ellen could clean ‘em quicker than they could be caught!

Ann Buchda let me photograph a tip-up that her grandfather Ed Kleindl engineered and built – it’s quite the machine – I may have even figured out how to operate it.  There’s a nice image of it on www.localeben.com – take a close look, it’s pretty sweet.  Ann also shared some “home movies” of the old Fisherees – and yes that’s her in the cute little pink snowsuit – thanks for sharing 🙂

I recall Paulsen’s resort with that big Round Oak wood stove.  A burger – bowl of chili – throw in a beer or two – that’s ice fishin’…

Be sure and spend some time with the ViewFinder section in this issue.  We are very grateful to Mark & John for allowing us to share their magnificent images of “up north” and the Apostle Islands lighthouses.  You might ask how is this local – well – It’s our backyard – we’re just one of billions of “local” specs inside the Milky Way.  Enjoy… 

Special thanks to Terrill Knaack for making available White on White – Snowy Owl for our Anniversary cover!

Cheers!

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