ONOTWoods Feb-Mar 2016 web

FREEACTION ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

Starring the unique people businesses and entertainment in the Lakes Area and beyond

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2016Volume 5 Number 2

Did You Know Jack C King

Ellison Pg4

Tribute toMike KellyPg 3

Aim high learn to fly Pg 5

Celebrity Interview withMike Magid Pg 6

BreakingMustangs Pg 9

Warming upwith Gritsand bacon Pg 11

The last log drive Pg 12

PAGE 2 OUR NECK OF THE WOODS FEBRUARY - MARCH 2016

PUBLISHERDoug Taylor

EDITORKate Perkins

SALES REPRESENTATIVESDeb Gunderson

Doug Taylor

DESIGNLAYOUTDeb Gunderson

GUEST WRITERSWilliam Weinrich

Jerry MevissenJohn Wetrosky

BrowserJudd Brink

Halle StrausserAmber Hunt

Kat Beireis Jen Salvevold

PHOTOGRAPHERSKate Perkins

Deb GundersonJen SalvevoldMark Harlow

Judd Brink

DISTRIBUTIONDoug Taylor

Deb Gunderson

ANIMAL WRANGLERSSophie Williams

Bruce Pangerl

FOR STORY IDEAS OR COMMENTS CALL

218-839-2514OR EMAIL

ONWmagazinegmailcom

FOR ADVERTISING QUESTIONS EMAIL US AT

ONOTWadsgmailcom

Check Us Out Online atOurNeckofthe WoodsEmagcom

Our Neck of the Woods

CAST amp CREW

Mexican Dining in the North WoodsHola mi amigos I know

that one does not typically associate authentic Mexi-can dining with raccoons or the north woods for obvious reasons but Irsquom about to change all that I recently experienced a little place in Brainerd called El Tequila Reasonable pricing great food vibrant decor and willing to seat a live rac-coon at a table inside their restaurant

Watch out though por-tion sizes only come in grande so bring a big ap-petite a few friends to share with and leave some extra room for to go boxes in the car because you are going to need room for des-ert I didnrsquot know this the

first time I went there and nearly killed myself trying to squeeze down half of an order of the most amazing fried ice cream into my al-ready crowded gut and that was after downing almost all of a chicken burrito the size of a cat My heart and taste buds felt absolute joy while my stomach screamed no more So in conclusion folks set aside fast food like Taco Johnrsquos when you are craving some Mexican fare in the north because to get anything more delicious and authentic than the menu at El Tequila you will have to get on a planeor take an obscenely long car ride Chow for now

FERAL RESTAURANT REVIEWS FROMMONSEIGNEUR MAYHEM RACCOON

Working For You Not The IRS

Tim Roggenkamp CPA PO Box 461 Pequot Lakes MN 56472

218-568-5559 wwwTimRoggenkampCPAcom

Dr Michael S MarvinDr David B PelowskiDr Daniel B Clayton

Optometrists

Baxter14453 Edgewood Dr

Baxter MN56425

218-829-1789888-420-2015

Nisswa5457 City Hall St

PO Box 349Nisswa MN 56468218-963-2020877-963-2010

Pine River424 Barclay Ave

PO Box 457Pine River MN

56474218-587-2020888-970-3937

Present this COUPON amp receive$5 OFF

OIL CHANGEComplete Inspection Of All Fluid Levels

218-587-3166Hwy 371 Pine River

OPENMon - Sat 9 am - 10 pm

QUALITY SERVICE CONSISTENT COMPETITIVE PRICINGFEATURING A COMPLETE SELECTION OF

diams Remarkable Winesdiams Beerdiams Spirits

WITH THIS COUPON RECEIVE

10 OFFWine

Purchases

$100 OFF6 pk amp 12 pk

Bottles(Excludes Sale amp ELDF Items)Sale Ends January 31 2016

Greetings on this 27th day of January 2016 What a winter Last month we broke all records when the weather in December cooperated much better than last year It is at this time our contracts kick in and the cowboys and horses go to work in the cold weather

We have no idea what the heck cabin fever is and we lack not the lyrical sound of Christmas carols in our heads After almost a hundred hours in the public with horses hitched throughout the holidays we still hear the caroling ringing through our headsceaselesslyeven in our sleep My fur hat has become my most treasured asset as it works some what like earmuffs blocking out the 500th round of ldquoDash-ing through the Snowrdquo We canrsquot go as far as to understand Scrooge though for under a frosty beard not unlike Santa Claus we sport a smile and must admit we pretty much love every minute

So here we are gearing up for several theatrical produc-tions and getting organized at our new locations in Jenkins

and Pine River We have hired a new talent and one of the most creative wise characters we have ever presented will be coming to life at the red carpet premiere of the future Cozy Theater in Pine River If you are wondering when that date is keep on wondering because so are we This spring our calendars have opened up but we may be working on yet another motion picture As always we are looking for talent for the shows and videos we produce and as always we welcome most everyone

Thank you for reading Our Neck of the Woods When you read and share this paper and attend our shows you support a company that against all odds has thrived by bringing fun and many forms of professional theater to the Lakes Area Yes professional and as far as we know we stand alone

Yours trulyDoug TaylorPublisher

Publisherrsquos Note

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2016 OUR NECK OF THE WOODS PAGE 3

$500 OFFWHEN YOU BUY ONE 16rdquo SPECIALTY PIZZA

Limit one coupon per group No Cash ValueEXPIRES 33116

BUY ONE 16rdquo SPECIALTY PIZZA AND

GET ONE 16rdquo 1 TOPPING PIZZA FREE

Valentinersquos Day Special

By Kate PerkinsEditorOn Nov 28 2015 Pine River and the

Lakes Area lost a member of its community to a terrible car accident Mike Kelly was known for his helpful nature and his love for the outdoors

ldquoHe helped out so many people and made friends so easilyrdquo said Tom Unger who was friends with Mike from when they were just 12 or 13 years old ldquo(He was) just one of those amazing friends everyone hopes to haverdquo

Mike managed Pine River Iron and Metal and owned a towing company called Kellyrsquos Towing But even before he had a towing company Katie Kelly Mikersquos daughter re-members how her dad would take her and family members driving after a snowstorm solely to help people who were stuck in the ditch

ldquoHe just loved doing that and helping people outrdquo Katie said She recalls that her dad was never asking for any payment he just knew how helpful it would be to those in need ldquoIt showed us kids too that helping out is very rewardingrdquo

Mike later owned Kellyrsquos Towing and Katie said that with the help of family and friends she and her three brothers are now running the company She wants the com-munity to know theyrsquore still in business

The times when Mike helped people are

many Katie remembers a time when her family took a fishing trip to Red Lake

ldquoThere was a huge snowstorm up there

The weather was just awful and people were stuck out in the middle of the lakerdquo Katie said Some of them had been stuck in

their ice houses for days Mike borrowed a plow truck from the access owner and head-ed out on the lake ldquoDad helped plow out to the people to get them outhellip no questions askedrdquo

ldquoHis thinking was that if he was in that situation hersquod want someone to help him outrdquo Unger said adding that Mike truly lived the ldquodo unto others as you would have them do unto yourdquo philosophy

Mike had a great love for hunting fish-ing and fourwheeling He often took Katie and her three brothers out into the woods to hunt fish fourwheel or camp

Unger remembers Mike for his fierce friendship

ldquoYou couldnrsquot ask for a better friend Hersquod do anything for yourdquo Unger said

He said that often the ways that Mike helped others were small and simple Hersquod remember what people needed when they mentioned it at Pine River Iron and Metal and then call them when he found it ldquoIt was just so many little things throughout the day that hersquod dordquo Unger said

His helping nature went along with his love for people

ldquoPeople are what kept him goingrdquo Katie said Many people have told her how they miss Mike for his contagious laugh and his helping hand Hersquoll undoubtedly be remem-bered for both

Our friend Mike Kelly

ldquoYou couldnrsquot ask for a better friendHersquod do anything for youIt was just so many little things throughout the day that hersquod dordquo

Did you know Jack C King Ellison Ellison a talented and artistic carver was a Pine River resident who though he died in 1960 continues to have a following But who was he

Doug Zaske of Pine River has taken an interest in Ellison and has a collection of Ellisonrsquos carvings Zaske and fellow collectors have become enamoured with the distinct style and quality of Ellisonrsquos artwork Ellison who lived in Pine river from 1942 until his passing in 1960 created a range of artwork that included standing figures silhouette wall hang-ings carvings over paintings and more

Ellisonrsquos artwork has become a collectorrsquos item Free stand-ing decoys like Ellisonrsquos can go for very high prices and while Zaske feels Ellisonrsquos work is on par with some of the best collectibles on the market Ellison is not nearly so well known-- in fact very little seems to be known about him

To Zaske Ellison is a mystery Hersquos a man who spent 28 years in Pine River at the end of his life and then left be-hind a display of talented craftsmanship carvings that blend accuracy with style and character But how did he learn to carve and what brought him to develop such a distinct style Zaske has found almost solely carvings of game birds- did Ellison also carve fish or mammals Aside from Zaskersquos own desire to see and perhaps collect more of Ellisonrsquos work he and other collectors would simply like to know more about the artist

Zaske has gathered that Ellison had a store near Zaskersquos own real estate office on Front Street in Pine River On the bottom of Ellisonrsquos carvings is a rectangular gold sticker that reads ldquoJackrsquos Hobby Shoprdquo Ellison must have sold the carv-ings to tourists from his store- but they are no doubt fetching higher prices today

Ellisonrsquos work echoes that of A Elmer Crowell perhaps the most famous collectible wood carver of all Both share a distinct folk style and carved around the same time Ellison lived from 1881 to 1960 Crowell from 1862 to 1952 Crow-ell though lived in Massachusetts Because of the era and the fact that the two men were more than 1000 miles away Zaske doesnrsquot believe they could have even been aware of each other And while Crowell has gained far greater fame than Ellison beauty remains in the eye of the beholder

ldquoCrowell is the king but even though hersquos (comparative-ly) unknown I think Jack King Ellisonrsquos even more distinctrdquo Zaske said

Zaske first learned about Ellison when he purchased a plaque of Ellisonrsquos making from a home on Island Lake around the year 2000 The previous owner had kept it on the wall in her home since 1948 As time has gone on Zaske has been able to slowly discover more of Ellisonrsquos art-- but not much more about the man himself Zaske once traveled to the Duluth area to meet with a pastor who had lived in Pine River and owned some of Ellisonrsquos artworkThe pastor had bought several carvings from Ellison to show his support for the carver and held onto them ever since Zaske purchased some of Ellisonrsquos work and also learned that it was this pas-tor who drove Ellison to the hospital for the last time

Ellisonrsquos obituary which was printed in the Feb 5 1960 is-sue of the Pine River Journal says that Ellison was known to just about everyone as ldquoUncrdquo but how he got the nickname is not explained in the short obituary

Ellisonrsquos obituary also says that he was born in Chester England though it does not say when Ellison moved to the United States only that he ldquosettled in Detroit Lakesrdquo It goes

on to say that Ellison and his brothers later were ranchers on the Roosevelt Elkhorn Ranch in Medora North Dakota and also worked in an unnamed position at the Northern States

Power Company in St Paul Ellison retired in 1942 and together with his brother built

Pine Crest Resort in Pine River It was only at the end of his life it seems that Ellison ldquobecame known for his hobby in wood carving of game birdsrdquo according to the obituary

It seems clear that Ellison lived a diverse life spanning two countries and several careers aside from the career hersquos now known for Aside from Ellisonrsquos brothers though the obituary lists no family

Finally Ellisonrsquos obituary states ldquoJack was well known and respected for his fine character and honesty His ever helpful hand will be missed by manyrdquo

If anyone has any information on Ellison or knows of any living relatives of the artist Zaske and Our Neck of the Woods are both hoping to learn more about him Anyone with information is asked to contact Zaske at dzhearland-realestatetdsnet or contact Our Neck of the Woods at ONWmagazinegmailcom or on the Action Entertain-ment Facebook page Watch future issues of Our Neck of the Woods for updates on information about the mysterious carver

2185872564 bull wwwBitesGrillcomThe Gathering Place

Choose from 12 Dinner SpecialsCheck Our Facebook Page

for Menu Specials ampNecklace Information

Drawing For

A Diamond

Necklace

RESERVATIONS REQUESTED

1 mile S of Pine River next to the Paul Bunyan Trail and Hwy 371

Serving eggs benedict fresh fruit mashed potatoes vegetables

salad bar leg of lamb baked hamhomemade desserts

and more

SUNDAY MARCH 2710 AM - 2 PM

Who Was Jack c king EllisonThe talented man is a mystery

Ellison is a mystery Hersquos a man who spent 28 years in Pine River at the end of

his life and then left behind a display of talented craftsmanship

carvings that blend accuracy with style and character

Above Jack King Ellison as far as collectors know made several of these wall hanging pheasants Ellison has continued to earn a following today for his folk art carvings like the pictured free standing ruffed grouse

Cover photo Jack King Ellisonrsquos wall hanging featuring ducks landing on a lake has a background thatrsquos painted on simple cardboard

Above Jack King Ellison created this wall hanging of a carved fish over a painted background Ellisonrsquos work has become a collectorrsquos item



LIVE BAITCAR WASH

COFFEEESPRESSO

FISHING amp HUNTING LICENSES

BAIT KEROSENE DELI

ON-OFF ROAD DIESEL

By Amber Hunt ldquoGaia SophiardquoToday is Monday Jan 11 2016 I am awake early I am

incredibly excited and eager to attend the first of a three day American Tribal Style (ATS) belly dance training at what we call ldquoThe Mothershiprdquo the FatChanceBellyDance (FCB) studio located in the Mission District of San Fran-cisco This is my first time attending classes at the studio a dream come true My roommates and I walk over to the studio and are joined by four other women also on their way to the studio We instant-ly start connecting like old friends Together we arrive at ldquoThe Mothershiprdquo and joyfully head upstairs into the studio

Walking up the stairs my eyes delight in the exotic tribal jewelry and ethnic textiles decorating the walls and adorning the dancers My ears tune in to the joyful chatter of women as they share their excitement and in the distance I make out the faint melody of a guitar and drum rhythm calling us to dance My heart beats fast as I put away my gear and prepare for the upcoming five hour training At the stroke of 10 am Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman the creator and master teacher

of ATS joins us She opens the class with a meet and greet and I am thrilled to discover I am in the company of women from as far away as Chile England and Japan as well as many from the United States Carolena then leads us in the gratitude meditation which we use to open and close every dance class

As the day unfolds the information Carolena gives us is filled with depth and richness like icing to a really elaborate cake in the shape of a dancer We connect through move-ment music laughter and a shared dedication to the beau-

ty and joy of ATS I take a moment at the end of the dayrsquos work and my heart overflows for the wonder-ful women who shared the experience with me and the masterful wisdom and sup-port from Carolena to con-tinue doing what I love to

do (TEACH and DANCE) As I gather my gear I make a promise to myself to bring this happiness back to the little town of Pine River to create and connect with local women through this dance that celebrates femininity and communi-ty For more information about ATS classes in Pine River visit wwwearthyjujucom Come join us and discover the fun of belly dance in the north woods

A Day in the Life of a North Woods Belly DancerA trip to The Mothership is a dream come true

My ears tune in to the joyful chatter of women as they

share their excitement and in the distance I make

out the faint melody of a guitar and drum rhythm

calling us to dance

Amber Hunt right stands outside ldquoThe Mothershiprdquo FatChanceBellyDance studio in San Francisco

Photo submitted

Greetings friends and neighbors

It is the beginning of a new year and for our enter-tainment we have chills and thrills We of course are provided with chills thanks to the weather The thrills come with two wonderful programs at our Pine River Public Library my home

The first of these thrills visits us on Friday March 18th at 530 pm It comes in the form of Chad Lew-is Mr Lewis writes on more than one topic and at this writing we are not sure which he will address Both are equally thrilling The first is ldquoMinnesotarsquos Gangster Past ndash The Land of 10000 Crimesrdquo The sec-ond is ldquoThe Most Gruesome Hauntings of the Midwest ndash Not For the Faint of Heartrdquo Irsquom faint of heart just con-sidering these Donrsquot miss

this occasionLater we will welcome

Brian Freeman internation-al bestselling author of psy-chological suspense novels This presentation is not for the faint of heart either Mr Freeman will be with us April 29th another Fri-day at 4 pm We are priv-ileged to have him with us His seventh novel ldquoSpilled Bloodrdquo won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the annual Thriller Awards presented by the Interna-tional Thriller Writers or-ganization Quite the honor His books have appeared as main selections in the Lit-erary Guild and the Book of the Month Club Hersquos a big deal folks I am in awe just learning of his credits Please attend this event and let him know that Pine Riv-er appreciates a really good book Look for me at this event I donrsquot want to miss it For more information you can reserve some comput-er time and have a look at wwwbfreemanbookscom

What a way to begin what promises to be an eventful year

I remainBrowser the library cat

Have you ever wanted to fly an airplane Maybe yoursquove dreamt of becoming a pilot Perhaps yoursquove thought of flying your family to their vacation destinations or maybe you want to travel the country with a view from the top

Getting your private pilotrsquos license is easier than most people think and the first step to obtaining that license is now being offered at the Backus Municipal Airport Craig Taylor and Damien Johnson will be teaching ground school on Tuesday nights beginning at the end of February

There are two pieces to obtaining a private pilotrsquos license Johnson said the written test and the practical test The ground school being offered at Backus Airport will allow students to successfully pass their written test and be on their way to becoming a

safe confident pilot If enough interest is shown flight lessons may also be taught at the airport

Ground School at the Backus Airport will cost just $349 and include materials Johnson said that price is a fraction of the cost he paid for the same lessons Often ground school can cost twice that amount but in the interest of sharing their love of flight and encouraging others to learn to fly theyrsquoll offer the school at a lower price

ldquoWersquore trying to keep prices as low as possible Theyrsquore almost at cost because we want to promote general aviation to the publicrdquo Johnson said

Johnson said that currently the aviation industry has a great need for pilots Many current pilots are beginning to retire and there arenrsquot

enough young pilots to replace them For those who wish the private pilotrsquos license is a stepping stone to becom-ing a commercial pilot Flying itself is becoming less and less expensive Johnson said as gas prices drop

Taylor said the Backus Airport is an excellent place to learn to fly and a gem in the community Therersquos little traffic and itrsquos a low-key airport The runway is wide and is turf which is good training for pilots A turf landing simulates emergency landings in a safe environment

Ground school at the Backus Air-port will be Tuesday evenings Feb 23 to April 26 from 6-930 pm Instruc-tion is provided by Bemidji Aviation Services Inc and costs $349 For more information contact Johnson at 218-851-4660 or 218-751-1880

Aim high learnto fly

auto bull home bull business bull health bull lifeLITTLE FALLS

320-632-6592BRAINERD

218-829-3251PINE RIVER

218-587-2722

w w whannekeninsurancecom


CELEBRITY INTERVIEWwith Comedian Mike Magid

Our Neck of the Woods Howrsquod you get into stand-up comedy Do you still perform in that realm

Mike Magid Honestly I used to do an impression of my cat when I was younger and my sister Laura thought it was hilarious Then when I went to boarding school in Utah my classmates always seemed to be laughing at my antics so I thought that I was clearly gifted I learned very quickly that making a South Korean exchange student laugh at your mediocre basketball skills is not the same as being a professional stand up

I do still perform as often as I can I produce a stand up comedy series twice a week and close out the show with anywhere from 15-45 minutes which forces me to keep writing

Our Neck of the Woods What do you enjoy about per-forming stand-up Anything you hated

Mike Magid What I enjoy is being the center of atten-tion (just kidding sorta) I love getting to tell stories and open up about myself to people and entertain them Itrsquos almost like being the host at a party I donrsquot know what it is- off stage Irsquom kinda shy in big groups but on stage I feel so much more comfortable saying anything and going anywhere It took years of terrifying failure to get to this point though

What I hate is when people seem disinterested in what Irsquom saying I can handle silence better than people not pay-ing attention I think thatrsquos the case with most comedians I also am not a huge fan of people having conversations while Irsquom on stage A lot of times people think wersquore like the TV or a background musician but despite limited interaction without the crowd the showrsquos not the same

Our Neck of the Woods It seems that most or all of your work involves comedy- is that true Why

Mike Magid I would say that currently that is the case and I would like to expand in the future however there is only so much time I guess the reason is because thatrsquos a niche I fell into through stand-up and then I developed con-nections in that genre I did however write a dramatic one act a few years back that got great response and love doing drama whenever given the opportunity

Our Neck of the Woods Where do you get inspiration for the content of your comedy

Mike Magid Life Therersquos really nowhere else to pull from for me Truth is funnier than fiction and everything

I write is based on an experience Irsquove had or a cultural ob-servation My biggest advice to aspiring comedy writers is to not hole yourself up in your room or just hang out at comedy shows Go out and do things meet people and have experiences Without those you have nothing to pull from

Our Neck of the Woods Whatrsquos your latest project Mike Magid Depends on what you mean by latest haha

Currently Irsquom all over the place I writeproduce for foot-ballcom and co-host a podcast called Youth Spotlight My sketch comedy group Recycled Babies is in pre-production for our 5th season (2 seasons a year) of new media content and Irsquom developing a TV series based on my Hostel Show (Comedy in English) with a couple established comedy producers I also just went to Trader Joersquos and bought new pineapple spears for my fridge Thatrsquos what Irsquom really most proud of

Our Neck of the Woods Whatrsquos the most funinteresting project yoursquove been a part of so far

Mike Magid Oh my gosh itrsquos so tough to choose be-cause there are so many great projects Irsquove had the privi-lege of being involved with I would say Recycled Babies Sketch Comedy Theyrsquove literally become like a family to me and couldnrsquot imagine not working with those people in some capacity They are such gifted individuals and Irsquom so proud of the content wersquove churned out

Our Neck of the Woods I noticed you also played soc-cer at the collegiate level and have a goalkeeping academy What do you enjoy about the sport and teaching it to others

Mike Magid Haha you found my other life I do run a goalkeeping academy called the Los Angeles Goalkeeping Academy Itrsquos a lot of work but very rewarding when you see young athletes develop and better themselves as players and people You learn so many life skills from athletics and I canrsquot imagine not being involved in teaching in some ca-pacity throughout my life

Our Neck of the Woods Which would you prefer writ-ing comedy performing stand-up comedy or acting in a comedy

Mike Magid Once again thatrsquos such a tough question and probably changes depending on what day it is I en-joy writing comedy but Irsquom definitely a performer first and foremost and kind of a stage hog I would say acting in comedy is my favorite because of the human interaction I

love working with others and off others Probably one of the reasons that I like to see the crowd when I do stand up is so I feel like Irsquom in a scene with them rather than just talking at them

Our Neck of the Woods Where should people look to see your work

Mike Magid Check out Recycled Babies at wwwrecy-cledbabiescom and subscribe to us on YouTube My per-sonal website michaelmagidcomedycom has a lot of con-tent or listen to my podcast co-hosted with Dinah Leffert on wwwfootballcom (subscribe on iTunes) You can also see my work at my momrsquos house as she has no issues showcas-ing anything Irsquove ever done to random visitors

If you happen to be in the LA area you can come to Com-edy In English every Tuesday and Saturday at 830pm and to various local clubs and alt comedy venues For those not in LA you can see me (or request me please) at various comedy festivals and comedy clubs when I come to town

This issue Our Neck of the Woods connected with Mike Magid an LA-based comedian actor and performer Magidrsquos career has included not just stand-up comedy but also work as a writer director and producer for sketch comedy shows TV shows movies and shorts

By Jerry MevissenReprinted Mevissenrsquos book Nimrod

ChroniclesWe get your cards and letters where

you boast of 70-degree temperatures lush lawns and shirtsleeve sunshiny mornings For a moment or two we envy your after-noons beside the pool your outdoor flea markets your bike rides around the town square We have second thoughts about staying in Minnesota when you describe hamburgers sizzling on the grill the kiss of a nine-iron on a golf ball the dazzling panorama of a desert sunset

But donrsquot feel sorry for us This is life in the slow lane The only

traffic jams we experience are uptown at coffee time or at the birdfeeder when chickadees are everywhere and a flock of finches fly in The occasional traffic noise we hear is a pair of snowmobiles high-tail-

ing it down the river to Wahoo Valley Itrsquos 43 degrees today Melting snow

drips lazily off the porch roof The yard is patchy brown and white Girl squirrels chase boy squirrels up and down the stark white oaks

Cattle lie in loose hay beside bale feed-ers Chickens wander to the house and work the ground beneath the birdfeeders Horses doze in full sun Their coats shine and feel warm against my cheek

Crows squabble in the pasture over im-portant matters A lone crow circles the barn in an easy glide and returns to the foray A pileated woodpecker beats out a staccato rhythm and squawks something about territorial rights

The afternoon sun highlights the edg-es of white birch Stubborn rusty leaves of red oaks cling to pencil-thin branches Tall jackpines sway to an easy northwest

wind The snow in the yard is the stuff of snowmen

The light blanket of snow muffles far-away noise A truck hauling pulpwood heads west on the gravel and downshifts at the Nimrod tar The sounds are so clear it seems to be passing through the yard

Kelly (the collie) and I walk to the mail-box She sniffs a deer trail and follows it down a fence line Snow has melted on protected patches of driveway and the gravel is wet and muddy Jackpine nee-dles litter the snowy areas and look like footprints of dancing crows I crush some Norway pine needles in my fingers and smell the North Country

The sky is cloudless- a pale pastel blue A contrail high above bisects the sky and points to Park Rapids

The afternoon sun glistens across a field of cut cornstalks transforming it to a tex-

tured carpet of snow white and gold In the background silver popple pose in stark contrast against a woods of dark pines

But though of this It must be time for your afternoon happy hour at the pool-side bar of Exotic Estates I can see that sunset Wersquore having our own dramatic sunsets this month Last night the sky glowed maroon and red and rose and pink with horizontal stripes of blues The col-ors hung in the sky for what seemed like hours then darkened to auburn faded and disappeared

And while yoursquore sitting there idly comparing tans and discussing flea market finds I have a few tasks to finish Haul in a wheelbarrow of firewood for the night Fill the birdfeeders Take the sheets and pillowcases off the clothesline and bring the smells of this beautiful Minnesota winter to bed

bull Open Letter to the Snowbirds bull


Story and photos by Jen SalvevoldPhotoJENic PhotographyWith Valentinersquos Day on its way what better topic to bring

up than love As a photographer I capture scads of it I ad-mire the strength behind it those moments that are real and make the shot genuine Photoshop can do a lot of things but it cannot place love into a photo I can adjust my camera settings many ways but when it comes to expressing the feeling of love the people need to have that affection My job is to appreciate and record it

I have a love for photography Part of that is because im-ages visually capture our feelings and emotions therefore becoming a reflective source of times we will forever feel The excitement of the capture and the creation of a memo-rable moment in time is a thrill and a blessing that photogra-phy brings I seek people places and things that tell a story

grasping onto the good of the worldI see it when a mother and her newborn come into my

photo studio That gentleness softness and the sweet whis-pers of a mother You see the concern with every cry joy in every coo and nurturing in every moment

I feel it when I shoot weddings From the bride and groom of course but also times that the parents are still together and reminiscing or the grandparent that talks about their better half that now resides in heaven and how they wished they were here to share this experience with them Itrsquos a deep true hearted love a joining of hearts that shine on their faces and is seen with each touch

Itrsquos there in maternity photo session and the selflessness for the child soon to be born The three generation photo session shows it in the voices of laughter filling the room An engagement photo session of the couple that kisses with-

out request Love a strong affection for another arising out of kinship

Lovehellipfondness enthusiasm a warm attachment In a senior photo session you will see love to material things like a photo taken with their hockey jersey or taken with their car At a 1-year smash cake photo session you will see the babyrsquos love to their favorite teddy bear or that first taste of cake

Love comes in all shapes and sizes Physically emotion-ally and materialistically Itrsquos psychologically important in our lives Love may be understood as a function to keep human beings together against the wrongs of the world and I think thatrsquos a good thing An emotional shield to keep the dark parts of life at bay

Irsquoll sign off with one of my favorite quoteshellipldquoPhotogra-phy is a LOVE affair with liferdquo

Love


CHOOSING COUNTRYWIDE TAX AS YOUR ACCOUNTING EXPERTS QUALIFIES YOU TO WIN BIG DISCOUNTS

Stop by and pick a discount ticket from theMONEY JAR and receive $5-$100 OFF

Your Tax PreperationYou Will Automatically Be Entered Into ACASH DRAWING April 18 2016

1st Prize - $200 bull 2nd Prize $100

By Kat Beireis Maybe it was the mystery Maybe it was

the architecture Maybe it was the tall at-tic windows with the torn shades and the sagging front porch and the way the weeds clung to the foundation

I was just fascinated with that houseEver since I was a little girl I had dreams

about it I was afraid to go inside because I thought the floors would turn to mush and I would fall into the basement below where unknown creatures lurked behind corners and cobwebs waited to catch me in their nets

It was the Old Sunberg Place a once giant and majestic three-story farm house hidden behind stands of dead trees and tall grass It was just down the road from my own farm house and I could see the jagged top of the rotting roof from my front step Its founda-tion was old grey stone and the wooden sid-ing was worn away to chips of white paint and rusty nails The railings of the front porch were broken and rotting away The yard was full of old car parts and had once been a pasture Rusty fence posts jutted out every once in awhile hidden in the weeds

The first time I went in that house I was about 11 years old I had gotten over my fear of mushy floorboards and decided to go ex-ploring

I swished through the tall weeds and followed a hidden sidewalk cracked and buried under the grass The back door was unlocked and it swung open easily making way to the entry Broken plaster and an old mattress were all that remained of the room Everything smelled musty and mysterious I walked into the old fashioned kitchen where

cupboard doors hung by their hinges and the faucet was merely an old well pump In a little closet behind a wall was a hidden stair-case that led to the second floor It must have been used by servants at one point in time

With fascination and curiosity I wan-dered into the next room Old beautiful oriental rugs still lay on the floor worn and faded A chandelier hung above my head woven with spider webs and sprinkled with dust It must have been the parlor and din-ing room At the end of the two rooms was a giant oak staircase that went all the way upstairs Slowly I made my way up as the floorboards creaked under my weight

The five huge bedrooms upstairs were adorned with various wallpapers now torn

and falling off Walk in closets were home to birdsrsquo nests and other animals Broken windows brought in a cool afternoon breeze through the stained curtains Plaster lay in piles all over the floors and old dressers lay broken on their sides I found the second staircase that led up to the attic and I ea-gerly made my way to the third floor Most of the attic was open except for a single bedroom built in the corner with a doorway and blue walls Looking out the window I remember feeling so high up in the air The windows were broken here too and pigeons flew in and out flapping their wings

It was not the last time I went in that house I brought my curious friends one hazy sum-mer afternoon With our bikes parked out-

side in the grass we all excitedly planned to ldquofix it uprdquo with our brooms and windex We wondered who had lived in this house what they had been like and if they had been rich and famous It was such a huge house we were mesmerised by its essence

However we were caught red handed by an angry neighbor who told us to stay out because of wild animals and private prop-erty rights

Yeah I will never forget that moment all these preteen girls giggling and talking about how we were going to lsquoclean it uprsquo if we could bring brooms next time to sweep the rooms and suddenly this lady walks in saying ldquoWhat are you guys doing in here Whatrsquos your namesrdquo She knew me but not the others Then she says ldquoI saw you guys drive your bikes by and I just had this feel-ing yoursquod be coming over hererdquo She wasnrsquot super mad but she was saying ldquoUm letrsquos just stay away from the falling down house full of mouse poop and wild animalsrdquo

And that was the last time I went in that house Just a few summers ago it was torn down I felt a twinge of sadness watching them demolish the most beautiful strange and fascinating house that had stood for over 100 years

I still have dreams about that house and I dream I am just a little girl walking through the rooms once again They are still worn down and decaying but the excitement and mystery of exploring the Old Sunberg Place is still in my heart

I guess thatrsquos why Irsquom fascinated with abandoned houses Itrsquos the mystery of what the past holds within the walls and just wondering who really did live there

Northern Post 3839VFWJenkins

2185688664

OPEN AT NOON7 DAYS A WEEK

Kitchen OpenTuesday - Sunday

5 pm - 8 pm

BEST MEATRAFFLE IN

MINNESOTAFriday from 5-8 pm

Saturday amp Sunday at 4-8 pmPULL TABS AVAILABLE

Lic 02259-00

TUESDAY

THURSDAY FRIDAY Sat amp Sun

Famous Wing Night amp $200

Windsor

Burger Night$250 Domestic

Beer

Fish amp Shrimp

Specials

ChefrsquosChoice

MONDAYTap Beer 2 1FO

R

4 pm to close

WEDNESDAYHomestyle

Menu5 -7 pm

Happy Hour Mon-Thurs 3 - 6 pm bull Sat Noon - 4 pm bull Sun Noon- 4 pmFREE HALL RENTAL ~ Up to 250 Guests

Shuttle Service Available Everyday bull 2 - 10 pm bull FREE SUNDAY - THURSDAY

ENTERTAINMENTbull SIDEWAYS

ENTERTAINMENT bullMarch 11 March 26

bull NIGHT MOVES bullMarch 18 March 25

3RD ANNUALCHILI COOK-OFF

February 6th

Valentinersquos Day CELEBRATION

February 13thSt Patrickrsquos Day

CelebrationMarch 17

a

My love for old houses


PINE RIVER AMERICAN LEGION

Post 613

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

HOME COOKED DINNER SPECIALS

400 - 800 pm

MEAT RAFFLE 530 pmFISH FRY STEAK SHRIMP SALMON

Kitchen Open at Noon

MEAT RAFFLE 600 pmBAR BINGO 700 pmKitchen Open at 400

FREE TRIVIA NIGHTChance to Win $$$$

700 pm

ORIENTAL NIGHT

400 - 800 pm

BAR BINGO 600 pm TACOS

1200 - 800 pm

FREE HALL RENTAL TO NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION

400 Front Street Pine River bull 218-587-9151 bull ST PATRICKrsquoS DAY DRINK

SPECIALSValentine

DINNER SPECIALSaturday February 13 bull 5-8 pm

CLOSEDEASTER SUNDAY

bull THURDSAY NIGHT TRIVIA bullBring your friends or come alone ITrsquoS FREE ITrsquoS FUN

Winner receives a $20 gift certificate Players receive one ticket which is drawn at the end of the game and the winning ticket holder has a chance to win a maximum prize of $600 $10 is added to the prize pot per week

By William S WeinrichMy sons and I used to get

mustangs from the Bureau of Land Management and break them to work They were long yearlings The first two we got were two young mares a bay and a sorrel We kept them in the barn all winter and man were they spooky So I put a radio in the barn and hoped it would settle them down And it did I chewed tobacco in them days and tobacco was cheap so I would offer the young mare a small chaw of tobacco If they would try to bite me they didnrsquot get any tobac-co They remembered and the next day when I offered them a chew they wouldnrsquot bite We kept them in the barn all winter and by spring they were nice and gentle

One morning we decided to see if they would lead We had the young mares in a box stall and they had good

stout halters and a lead rope on the halter and they drug the lead rope all winter long We got in the box stall and picked up the lead ropes and called the mares up to us

The mares came up to us and they started smelling around and one of the mares started to paw the ground One of my boys asked me what was wrong with the bay mare I said they are wantinrsquo their chew

We did have a bit of trou-ble breakinrsquo them to work We should have bred these mares but at that point and time the killer horse craze was on and if you could find a stud to breed it was $200 and I didnrsquot have that kind of money

The mares were green broke to work and we hauled manure with them I got sick

and ended up in the hospi-tal A fellow stopped and asked my boys if we would sell him a load of firewood We had never drug logs with these mares The boys came to the hospital and asked me what I thought about drag-ging wood with them I told the boys there shouldnrsquot be much difference in haulinrsquo manure or dragginrsquo wood So the boys went back home and commenced to to drag wood in to cut up for firewood People saw the boys draggin in wood and asked if the boys would sell them firewood The boys sold over a thousand dollars worth of firewood before I got out of the hospital

We kept these mares for years and the sorel died at 26 and the bay died at 27

Nowadays the last I heard

they auction off the mus-tangs I know they used to because we bought two young fillies and they were so small and we tried our best to keep them sound They lived about a year They were stunted to beat the band We havenrsquot tried to get any more

The rules were that you had to have a pen a certain length and width and you had to keep them a year About a year ago a bunch got sent to the penitentia-ry for sending mustangs to Mexico for slaughter

William S Weinrich is a native and resident of Pike-ton Ohio He sends hand-written true stories from his life and experiences specif-ically for Our Neck of the Woods

Breaking MustangsAdvice from an astute cattle dogDear Tinker My name is Frankie the cat and I have a problem Irsquom the

only young tom in a house with two dogs and two elder-ly lady cats It all started a few days ago when my humans brought home a new cat Shersquos beautiful a gray tabby and just a bit older than me I was in love at first sight Her name is Clara Shersquos settling in to the house great too She worked things out with the two old lady cats Smokey and Emmie Lou within the first few hours Heck she even gets along great with the dogs Fenris and Ruby She came from a horse barn and seems really happy to be a house cat now The problem She only dislikes one thing about her new home me All I want is to have another young cat to play with and be my friend but she doesnrsquot seem to have the time of day for me I have tried everything to get her attention I have jumped on her hissed and arched my back so I seem even bigger and more handsome than I already am and I even fol-low her everywhere even the litter box Tinker please help

PS My humans keep saying Irsquom obnoxious and now that Irsquom old enough they are going to take me to the vet to be neutered What does that mean

Dear FrankiePersistence is key You just keep on harassing that new cat

until she loves you back As for the neuteringyoursquoll figure it out

Dear TinkerMy name is Clara Irsquom a new cat in a household that al-

ready has other pets For the most part things have been go-ing smoothly with one annoying orange exception His name is Frankie and he is obsessed with me I have tried hissing at him yowling and ignoring him Nothing is working and he will not stop following me What do I do

Dear ClaraIf it were me I would bite him in the face

Che

ck U

s O

ut

At

OurNe

ckofth

eWood

seMag

com MICHAEL S CLAYTON Offering Full Income Tax and Accounting Services For

Personal Business FarmRanchCorporations Partnerships and Trusts

We can prepare your tax return and MUCH MUCH more

Also offering Financial Services IRAs 401K Rolloversand Retirement Planning

Registered Representative of and securities offered throughHD Vest Investment Services (SM) Member SIPC 6333 North State Highway 161

Fourth Floor Irving Texas 75038 972-870-6000

Please call for an appointment(218) 587-2616 msccpahotmailcom

205 2nd St S Pine River MN 56474


WINTER Birding Fun

By Judd Brink Birdminnesotacom Winter birding in Minnesota can be one

of the best times of year Despite the snow ice and below zero temperatures there are several birds that most people need for their life list Some of the most wanted birds for photographers and birders like myself include the great-gray owl snowy owl northern hawk owl and boreal chick-adee They can all be found fairly consis-tently during the winter months Here are some winter birding opportunities that you can enjoy from the backyard to birding fes-tivals Enjoy

Two birding festivals that take place this winter focus on owls The International Festival of Owls (IFO) and the Sax-Zim Bog Winter Bird Festival take place in Feb-ruary and March The IFO started in 1997 as a result of a Great-horned Owl that fell out of its nest in March The festival takes place in Houston MN from Friday March 4 through Sunday March 6 This festival is family oriented with programs and activ-ities for kids Families attending can build a nest box for owls or kids can join in the owl hooting contest Only one scheduled field trip is part of this festival and is on Sunday For more festival information visit httpwwwfestivalofowlscom

The Sax-Zim Winter Bird Festival at-tracts birders and wildlife photographers from around the world The Sax-Zim Bog area is an established Important Bird Area designated by Audubon and one of the premier hot spots for winter birding in the United States The New York Times did a full feature on the festival several years back and now with a new welcome center on Owl Avenue the area has attracted even more people The welcome center has sev-eral bird feeding stations designed by MN Backyard Birds that attract many winter finches and other neat birds It might be the only festival where one could see great-gray owl northern hawk owl and snowy owl on the same field trip as well as many other sought-after boreal species The 9th annual festival takes place in Mead-owlands MN on Friday Feb 12 through Sunday Feb 14 Meadowlands is a small town with very little services such as gas hotel and grocery because itrsquos located in a bog This festival features plenty of opportunities to explore the famous Sax-Zim Bog and other good birding locations with multiple field trips each day At the time of this articlersquos publication space may be very limited but itrsquos definitely a festival to add to your birding bucket list MN Backyard Birds (thatrsquos me) will

be there guiding for the field trips again this year For more information about the Sax-Zim Winter Bird festival please visit httpwwwsaxzimbirdingfestivalcom

For the past 115 years people have counted birds during the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) Though this winterrsquos count is complete this bird survey is one of the largest citizen science projects in the world organized by Audubon Right here in central Minnesota there are several CBCs that take place in-cluding the Uppgaard WMA count that just had its fifth year If you would like to participate in one of these counts next year contact me or visit Audubonorg to learn more

Results from the 5th annual Uppgaard CBC held on Jan 2 include adding four new species to the count (red cross-

bill European starling hooded merganser and American robin) for a total of 34 bird species for the day Over 1000 birds were tallied from people watching their bird feeders and teams driving along the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway looking for birds

Project FeederWatch is another citizen science venture with The Cornell Lab of Ornithology This requires participants to watch their backyard bird feeders for two consecutive days recording the number of species and more importantly the highest number of each species The data collect-ed from across the United States for the past 30 years has helped with making land use decisions at the county and city level Weather info is also recorded and some species are starting to see a shift northward with the milder winters The last day to count is April 8 2016 so there is still time for you to join and report the birds that you are already watching in your backyard To learn more about Project Feeder Watch and other related projects from the Cornell Lab visit httpfeederwatchorg

One more way you can be a part of cit-izen science from across the country is to count birds during the Great Backyard Bird Count This year the GBBC is Friday Feb 12 to Monday Feb 15 This mini survey is very similar to the Project FeederWatch project above just on a smaller scale However the data collected is just as im-portant During last yearrsquos four day count in 2015 over 147000 checklists were sub-mitted online with over 5000 species found totaling an impressive 18 million individu-als Count from your backyard or birding hotspot for one day or all 4 days spending a minimum of 15 minutes for each daylo-cation Both counts can be a fun way to get kids interested in the outdoors and learn whatrsquos in our backyard For more info about the Great Backyard Bird Count visit

httpgbbcbirdcountorg Happy Birding Judd Brink is the owner of MN Backyard Birds in the

Brainerd Lakes area MN Backyard Birds provides birdscap-ing for homeowners and businesses to attract and enjoy more colorful songbirds The business was recently featured on Kare 11 news with Belinda Jensen and MN Bound with Ron Schara Bird guiding tours to Sax-Zim Bog and Aitkin Coun-ty as well as the Brainerd Lakes area are also available For more information visit our new website birdminnesotacom or email us at jbmnbackyardbirdscom

American Crow 127American Goldfinch 2 American Robin 1Bald Eagle 12Barred Owl 1Black-capped Chickadee 425 Blue Jay 93Bohemian Waxwing 54Canada Goose 6 Cedar Waxwing 2Common Goldeneye 1 Common Raven20

Common Redpoll 25Dark-eyed Junco 6 Downy Woodpecker 17 European Starling 5 Hairy Woodpecker 12 House Finch 3 House Sparrow 21Hooded Merganser 1 Mallard 43Northern Cardinal 3Pileated Woodpecker 14Pine Siskin 5

Red-bellied Woodpecker 13 Red-breasted Nuthatch 18 Ruffed Grouse 1Trumpeter Swan 25White-breasted Nuthatch 60 Wild Turkey 11 Red Crossbill 3Red-headed Woodpecker 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Rock Pigeon 3

Birds tallied at the 5th annual Uppgaard WMA Christmas Bird Count

Every year volunteers count birds for fun and science Below are this yearrsquos results


Story by John WetroskyHe pulled his sad bones out of bed at

3 am stumbled over to the barrel stove where the remains of his last nightrsquos coffee simmered thick and black The cold north wind was pounding on the front door of his backwoods cabin and he could feel a cold draft sifting under the door on his bare feet as he stood there tin coffee cup in his big hands staring out into the blackness through a cracked window

He had seen too many of these midwinter days Even though the calendar from the auto parts company said that spring was coming with the next turn of the page he had a hard time believing it His arthritis seemed to be getting worse and his fingers were starting to bend at odd angles at the joints He had trouble holding on to his cof-fee cup

But this was another day and after pull-ing on his faded jeans and buttoning his plaid flannel shirt he laced up his insulated boots and headed out the door to his car which now was covered with a foot of new fallen snow It was a five mile drive into the small town through the now drifted gravel road The street lights of the town shone dimly through the falling snow

He turned the key to the small cafe and entered through the back door into the dark-ness of the kitchen The room smelled of fried food with the hint of spice He had be-come accustomed to the aroma that greeted him every morning for the past 30 years He wondered to himself how he had stayed in this place for so long But he didnrsquot dwell on the thought he had pies to bake and grills to heat up He was all by himself and he kind of liked that feeling

At four orsquoclock a knock came from the front door ldquoGrits You open yetrdquo came the voice from outside the cafe door

ldquoYep Irsquom cominrsquordquo he replied as he un-locked the door His first customer of the day It was a local lumberjack who seemed to have trouble sleeping It was this cus-tomerrsquos habit to show up before the sun rose every day Grits knew this and found some comfort in the thought that this guy needed him

ldquoIrsquoll have coffee black and toss me on a couple of eggs hard over a bunch of hash-browns and two orders of baconrdquo

Grits didnrsquot have to be told of this lumber-jackrsquos order He had ordered the same thing

for more than 20 years No changes It was the first order of the day and Grits worked his magic at the grill and produced the meal within minutes Men working in the woods appreciated that They didnrsquot have time to sit around and wait for an order

ldquoYou hear of Dwight passing away yes-terdayrdquo the lumberjack called out to Grits in the kitchen ldquoHe had heart trouble and it must have finally gotten to himrdquo the brawny plaid clothed man continued

ldquoNo I hadnrsquot heardrdquo Grits replied through the kitchenrsquos order window This was getting the news before it hit the paper Grits kind of liked that

The door of the cafe burst open again and in came three young men who also worked in the woods for the guy already sitting at the table ldquoYou buyinrsquordquo they asked the lumber boss

ldquoIrsquom paying you guys enough alreadyrdquo came the reply ldquoYoursquore on your ownrdquo All three spread out around the table and ordered up big breakfasts ldquoWant to shake for breakfastrdquo they asked their boss with a grin in their voice ldquoNoperdquo he replied End of conversation

By now Grits had removed ten pies from the oven and he was in full swing At 6 am his first waitress showed up She looked tired

ldquoHave a long nightrdquo Grits asked ldquoTwo of the kids are sick and I was up all

nightrdquo she repliedldquoMaybe I should call someone else inrdquo

Grits replied ldquoNo donrsquot bother I need the moneyrdquo

she responded Grits knew she did need the money so he didnrsquot say anything more as the waitress filled the coffee cups of the lumbermen

Soon the cafe started to fill with regulars These were not the types that came to the cafe in the middle of the summer These were winter people People who lived in the area all year long and didnrsquot complain about it They too had endured the winter so far and looked to their morning at the cafe to get them out of the house and into some communal conversation Some considered this the high point of their day

The state snowplow crew was the next to stomp the snow from their boots and enter the cafe ldquoItrsquos getting bad out thererdquo was the crew chiefrsquos first words in the direction of Grits

ldquoYa but you know I love itrdquo Grits re-plied ldquoMaybe I can close early todayrdquo That would have been about the only vaca-tion Grits got this time of year As far as he was concerned the snow couldnrsquot get deep enough

All through the day customers came and went at Gritsrsquo cafe He knew almost to the minute when they would show up He had memorized most of the usual conversation that took place Good natured ribbing and occasional political arguments were nor-mal Those who were new to the cafersquos protocol might have taken some of the con-versation to have been a bit crude and abra-sive but they listened with attentive ears to the local jargon and some of it brought a smile to their faces This was the real north country not some contrived TV situation

Grits lumbered his way back home through the now raging blizzard He had locked the cafe up early because of the storm He felt somehow happy to have plowed his way back to his cabin in the snow covered woods He told himself that someday he was going to sell that cafe and head south for the winter Down where the snowbirds went to walk on the beach and write back home how nice it was That nev-er happened

The north country had invaded his soul and although Grits did venture south on occasion in his later years that small town cafe was in his blood and the town was bet-ter for Grits being there

Thatrsquos how it was and thatrsquos how it is in a wintertime cafe in the North Itrsquos still a long way to spring

Warming up with Grits and bacon

Call 218-839-2514 for workshop scheduleWorkshops will be held at our Jenkins location next to Treasures-N-Tiques while the Cozy Theater in Pine River is under constructionProductions are coming Be ready We will train you All ages needed everyone welcome

ACTION ENTERTAINMENT ACTORrsquoS WORKSHOP

ACTORrsquoS WORKSHOP IS NOW OPEN IN OUR JENKINS LOCATION


By Bill BurnsonReprinted from A Taste of HistoryMy father-in-law the lake William L

(Bill) King was the fines raconteur in my memory a man whose beguiling stories of pioneer days charmed away countless hours and evenings for family and friends His stories were actually historical accounts because they came from his own experienc-es in early Pine River times when he as a rugged but skilled all-around young crafts-man worked the gamut of timber endeav-ors which ranged from common logger to Whitefish Lake steamboat and Cross Lake Railroad engineer What follows now is the story Bill KIng often told us about the last log drive down to the Pine River

River Pigs was what they called us log-gers in those years when we ram-roffed the logs down the streams and rivers in the ear-ly days It was a good name because what with the muck and mud and loose bark on the logs from being snaked to the lake and river landings plus the rolling and splashing of logs on the drive we looked and felt like cold and wet greased pigs

Even so we were a big cut above the common lumberjack We were better paid too although what we made in a month wasnrsquot much more than a carpenter or plumber would make in a day now

It was dangerous work riding those pitch-ing logs down the rivers during spring high water That water was ice-cold We had no hand-holds and we worked with pike poles to keep those logs from tangling and dry winging on the sharp bends Sometimes we missed our step and went under water with logs grinding above us It was not rare for a river pig to plain turn up missing Some-times they were never found and those who were found werenrsquot in good shape for burying Some of them became just a blank spot on the company books men who didnrsquot make it to collect their winter pay

I was young and sure-footed and Irsquod worked with logs and imitated river pigs since my boyhood days at Howard Lake and Fort Ripley

The biggest operation north of Brainerd was at Cross Lake The Cross Lake Railroad hauled logs from as far away as Longville on the Old Grade and the tar road you now drive by Manhattan Beach and Moonlite Bay is part of that grade

Millions and millions of feet of logs went across Whitefish Lake to the hot pond and mill on Moonlite Bay where Frasers have their lumber yard today (the current Simonson Lumber) near the same old site These logs came down Norway Brook and

other branches of the Pine River headwa-ters They were corralled into booms at Whitefish Lake and towed sorted by stamp mark and sawed

This last river drive started seven miles north up around Lake Hattie where Norway Brook flows out on its way to Norway Lake and Pine River Pine Riverrsquos Dam wasnrsquot in yet and on this drive we needed a real head of water because we had over four million feet of logs chinked up and ready to go from down hill skids on the Lake Hattie and Nor-way Brook landings

To get our head of water we put our first dam on a shallow riffle about four miles north of town We dammed like the beavers do mixing mud and rocks and branches We

had some advantages over the beaver We carried in poles and pine and slip-scrapers and even Fresnos to layer the mud and brush and branches until we had our dam We put another smaller dam a mile downstream Then we were ready

When our first dam built up a full head we pried the back landings loose with poles and peaveys Some we had to dynamite and I can still remember those headaches from the dynamite Then we dynamited the north dam and the logs by the thousands took off down Norway Brook

Now it was the big time for us Riv-er Pigs If we could keep those thousands of logs straight in the main channel wersquod make or money easy But no river is straight

Logs pile up in the bends in what they call ldquodry wingsrdquo and if you donrsquot shake them loose your head of water goes on by and your logs dam up high in a big dry wing winterrsquos work can be lost

Thatrsquos where the top River Pigs came in and I was one of them I had a big white pine log that I called my ldquohomesteadrdquo It had a belly-down kink and a flat safe topside I could pole it most any place and break loose those key blocking logs before they started a new dry wing in the crashing bouncing jams on the sharp Norway Brook curves My homestead log even helped me save George Bakerrsquos life

Just a ways before the lower dam George was fighting a jam up on a mean bend with

me right behind him His footing log was getting too round and slippery from all the friction to hold his calks Suddenly he yelled and slipped headfirst under fifty churning logs Somehow he got his head up between the logs I pried them apart with my pike pole and I got him up on my homestead

George always made me out a hero for that and hersquod buy me a drink whenever he saw me Then wersquod have a drink for that kinky bottom flat-topped white pine home-stead log that saved his life and probably mine a couple of times too

The rush of that big head of water smashed us right on through the home-made dam above Norway Lake and for a time we were home free What most people donrsquot

know is that the Norway Brook current drifts through Norway Lake just as pretty as you please and takes off again a half mile north of Pine River Village Now we just took boats into the main stream and gently pried drifters back center

The brook was wider now as it got ready to join the Pine River proper on its way to Whitefish Lake I was just a couple of days away from going back to counting small logs and a bull-headed drive foreman ended my log driving career It happened this way

A bunch of logs tangled up into a sort of twisting fake dry wing right near town They were mostly small They kicked up like busted matches and they were mean and dangerous and we River Pigs wanted no part of this jam Let me tell you that our logs were mostly average size then just like they are now and the small ones were trick-ier and more treacherous than the big ones

That bull foreman yelled at us to break up the jam I couldnrsquot get through to the cross logs on my homestead I sure wasnrsquot going to walk those little logs with dynamite in my hands right into big trouble So I guess you know what I told the foreman ldquoGet on shore and draw your payrdquo he bellowed and I was never so happy in all my life

Well that isnrsquot the end of the story Maude and I homesteaded six miles east of Pine River in Ideal Township Years lat-er our home burned early one bitter winter morning driving our family out in the snow with no more than the clothes on our backs For a few years we lived in the log house that had been the garage

Yet I was often thinking of those log drives down the Pine River and remem-bering how the sinkers and deadheads that eddied into the bends and backwashes and somehow never made it to Whitefish and the band saw mills at Cross Lake One year when my sons were big enough we started grappling and winching out those deadheads that rested under water in the Pine River Some of those sinkers from the first drives were past 50 years old They were sure wa-ter-logged and heavy but they were sound We had lumber and to spare to build the new house big and strong Itrsquos been a wonderful place to raise a the family

Editorrsquos Note This story is reprinted from A Taste of History an historical book compiled by the Crosslake Historical Soci-ety Itrsquos available for purchase year-round at Judyrsquos House of Gifts in Crosslake and sea-sonally at Lakes Area Gallery and Frame and the Historic Log Village both also in Crosslake

The Last Log Drive

This view of logs boomed in Cross Lake looks west from Moonlite Bay Photo courtesy of A Taste of History

Logs are piled high in Moonlite Bay on Cross Lake Millions upon millions of feet of timber passed through the Whitefish Chain in logging days

Photo courtesy of A Taste of History


PUBLISHERDoug Taylor

EDITORKate Perkins

SALES REPRESENTATIVESDeb Gunderson

Doug Taylor

DESIGNLAYOUTDeb Gunderson

GUEST WRITERSWilliam Weinrich

Jerry MevissenJohn Wetrosky

BrowserJudd Brink

Halle StrausserAmber Hunt

Kat Beireis Jen Salvevold

PHOTOGRAPHERSKate Perkins

Deb GundersonJen SalvevoldMark Harlow

Judd Brink

DISTRIBUTIONDoug Taylor

Deb Gunderson

ANIMAL WRANGLERSSophie Williams

Bruce Pangerl

FOR STORY IDEAS OR COMMENTS CALL

218-839-2514OR EMAIL

ONWmagazinegmailcom

FOR ADVERTISING QUESTIONS EMAIL US AT

ONOTWadsgmailcom

Check Us Out Online atOurNeckofthe WoodsEmagcom

Our Neck of the Woods

CAST amp CREW

Mexican Dining in the North WoodsHola mi amigos I know

that one does not typically associate authentic Mexi-can dining with raccoons or the north woods for obvious reasons but Irsquom about to change all that I recently experienced a little place in Brainerd called El Tequila Reasonable pricing great food vibrant decor and willing to seat a live rac-coon at a table inside their restaurant

Watch out though por-tion sizes only come in grande so bring a big ap-petite a few friends to share with and leave some extra room for to go boxes in the car because you are going to need room for des-ert I didnrsquot know this the

first time I went there and nearly killed myself trying to squeeze down half of an order of the most amazing fried ice cream into my al-ready crowded gut and that was after downing almost all of a chicken burrito the size of a cat My heart and taste buds felt absolute joy while my stomach screamed no more So in conclusion folks set aside fast food like Taco Johnrsquos when you are craving some Mexican fare in the north because to get anything more delicious and authentic than the menu at El Tequila you will have to get on a planeor take an obscenely long car ride Chow for now

FERAL RESTAURANT REVIEWS FROMMONSEIGNEUR MAYHEM RACCOON

Working For You Not The IRS

Tim Roggenkamp CPA PO Box 461 Pequot Lakes MN 56472

218-568-5559 wwwTimRoggenkampCPAcom

Dr Michael S MarvinDr David B PelowskiDr Daniel B Clayton

Optometrists

Baxter14453 Edgewood Dr

Baxter MN56425

218-829-1789888-420-2015

Nisswa5457 City Hall St

PO Box 349Nisswa MN 56468218-963-2020877-963-2010

Pine River424 Barclay Ave

PO Box 457Pine River MN

56474218-587-2020888-970-3937

Present this COUPON amp receive$5 OFF

OIL CHANGEComplete Inspection Of All Fluid Levels

218-587-3166Hwy 371 Pine River

OPENMon - Sat 9 am - 10 pm

QUALITY SERVICE CONSISTENT COMPETITIVE PRICINGFEATURING A COMPLETE SELECTION OF

diams Remarkable Winesdiams Beerdiams Spirits

WITH THIS COUPON RECEIVE

10 OFFWine

Purchases

$100 OFF6 pk amp 12 pk

Bottles(Excludes Sale amp ELDF Items)Sale Ends January 31 2016

Greetings on this 27th day of January 2016 What a winter Last month we broke all records when the weather in December cooperated much better than last year It is at this time our contracts kick in and the cowboys and horses go to work in the cold weather

We have no idea what the heck cabin fever is and we lack not the lyrical sound of Christmas carols in our heads After almost a hundred hours in the public with horses hitched throughout the holidays we still hear the caroling ringing through our headsceaselesslyeven in our sleep My fur hat has become my most treasured asset as it works some what like earmuffs blocking out the 500th round of ldquoDash-ing through the Snowrdquo We canrsquot go as far as to understand Scrooge though for under a frosty beard not unlike Santa Claus we sport a smile and must admit we pretty much love every minute

So here we are gearing up for several theatrical produc-tions and getting organized at our new locations in Jenkins

and Pine River We have hired a new talent and one of the most creative wise characters we have ever presented will be coming to life at the red carpet premiere of the future Cozy Theater in Pine River If you are wondering when that date is keep on wondering because so are we This spring our calendars have opened up but we may be working on yet another motion picture As always we are looking for talent for the shows and videos we produce and as always we welcome most everyone

Thank you for reading Our Neck of the Woods When you read and share this paper and attend our shows you support a company that against all odds has thrived by bringing fun and many forms of professional theater to the Lakes Area Yes professional and as far as we know we stand alone

Yours trulyDoug TaylorPublisher

Publisherrsquos Note














































Drawing For

A Diamond

Necklace





and more











LIVE BAITCAR WASH

COFFEEESPRESSO


BAIT KEROSENE DELI

ON-OFF ROAD DIESEL












calling us to dance


Photo submitted






















218-587-2722



























































Love

























2185688664



5 pm - 8 pm

BEST MEATRAFFLE IN



Lic 02259-00

TUESDAY



Windsor


Beer

Fish amp Shrimp

Specials

ChefrsquosChoice


R

4 pm to close

WEDNESDAYHomestyle

Menu5 -7 pm







February 6th



CelebrationMarch 17

a




Post 613




400 - 800 pm





700 pm

ORIENTAL NIGHT

400 - 800 pm


1200 - 800 pm



SPECIALSValentine


CLOSEDEASTER SUNDAY
























Che

ck U

s O

ut

At

OurNe

ckofth

eWood

seMag










WINTER Birding Fun













































































The Last Log Drive

















































Drawing For

A Diamond

Necklace





and more











LIVE BAITCAR WASH

COFFEEESPRESSO


BAIT KEROSENE DELI

ON-OFF ROAD DIESEL












calling us to dance


Photo submitted






















218-587-2722



























































Love

























2185688664



5 pm - 8 pm

BEST MEATRAFFLE IN



Lic 02259-00

TUESDAY



Windsor


Beer

Fish amp Shrimp

Specials

ChefrsquosChoice


R

4 pm to close

WEDNESDAYHomestyle

Menu5 -7 pm







February 6th



CelebrationMarch 17

a




Post 613




400 - 800 pm





700 pm

ORIENTAL NIGHT

400 - 800 pm


1200 - 800 pm



SPECIALSValentine


CLOSEDEASTER SUNDAY
























Che

ck U

s O

ut

At

OurNe

ckofth

eWood

seMag










WINTER Birding Fun













































































The Last Log Drive























Drawing For

A Diamond

Necklace





and more











LIVE BAITCAR WASH

COFFEEESPRESSO


BAIT KEROSENE DELI

ON-OFF ROAD DIESEL












calling us to dance


Photo submitted






















218-587-2722



























































Love

























2185688664



5 pm - 8 pm

BEST MEATRAFFLE IN



Lic 02259-00

TUESDAY



Windsor


Beer

Fish amp Shrimp

Specials

ChefrsquosChoice


R

4 pm to close

WEDNESDAYHomestyle

Menu5 -7 pm







February 6th



CelebrationMarch 17

a




Post 613




400 - 800 pm





700 pm

ORIENTAL NIGHT

400 - 800 pm


1200 - 800 pm



SPECIALSValentine


CLOSEDEASTER SUNDAY
























Che

ck U

s O

ut

At

OurNe

ckofth

eWood

seMag










WINTER Birding Fun













































































The Last Log Drive





LIVE BAITCAR WASH

COFFEEESPRESSO


BAIT KEROSENE DELI

ON-OFF ROAD DIESEL












calling us to dance


Photo submitted






















218-587-2722



























































Love

























2185688664



5 pm - 8 pm

BEST MEATRAFFLE IN



Lic 02259-00

TUESDAY



Windsor


Beer

Fish amp Shrimp

Specials

ChefrsquosChoice


R

4 pm to close

WEDNESDAYHomestyle

Menu5 -7 pm







February 6th



CelebrationMarch 17

a




Post 613




400 - 800 pm





700 pm

ORIENTAL NIGHT

400 - 800 pm


1200 - 800 pm



SPECIALSValentine


CLOSEDEASTER SUNDAY
























Che

ck U

s O

ut

At

OurNe

ckofth

eWood

seMag










WINTER Birding Fun













































































The Last Log Drive





























































Love

























2185688664



5 pm - 8 pm

BEST MEATRAFFLE IN



Lic 02259-00

TUESDAY



Windsor


Beer

Fish amp Shrimp

Specials

ChefrsquosChoice


R

4 pm to close

WEDNESDAYHomestyle

Menu5 -7 pm







February 6th



CelebrationMarch 17

a




Post 613




400 - 800 pm





700 pm

ORIENTAL NIGHT

400 - 800 pm


1200 - 800 pm



SPECIALSValentine


CLOSEDEASTER SUNDAY
























Che

ck U

s O

ut

At

OurNe

ckofth

eWood

seMag










WINTER Birding Fun













































































The Last Log Drive
















Love

























2185688664



5 pm - 8 pm

BEST MEATRAFFLE IN



Lic 02259-00

TUESDAY



Windsor


Beer

Fish amp Shrimp

Specials

ChefrsquosChoice


R

4 pm to close

WEDNESDAYHomestyle

Menu5 -7 pm







February 6th



CelebrationMarch 17

a




Post 613




400 - 800 pm





700 pm

ORIENTAL NIGHT

400 - 800 pm


1200 - 800 pm



SPECIALSValentine


CLOSEDEASTER SUNDAY
























Che

ck U

s O

ut

At

OurNe

ckofth

eWood

seMag










WINTER Birding Fun













































































The Last Log Drive




























2185688664



5 pm - 8 pm

BEST MEATRAFFLE IN



Lic 02259-00

TUESDAY



Windsor


Beer

Fish amp Shrimp

Specials

ChefrsquosChoice


R

4 pm to close

WEDNESDAYHomestyle

Menu5 -7 pm







February 6th



CelebrationMarch 17

a




Post 613




400 - 800 pm





700 pm

ORIENTAL NIGHT

400 - 800 pm


1200 - 800 pm



SPECIALSValentine


CLOSEDEASTER SUNDAY
























Che

ck U

s O

ut

At

OurNe

ckofth

eWood

seMag










WINTER Birding Fun













































































The Last Log Drive






Post 613




400 - 800 pm





700 pm

ORIENTAL NIGHT

400 - 800 pm


1200 - 800 pm



SPECIALSValentine


CLOSEDEASTER SUNDAY
























Che

ck U

s O

ut

At

OurNe

ckofth

eWood

seMag










WINTER Birding Fun













































































The Last Log Drive





WINTER Birding Fun













































































The Last Log Drive































































The Last Log Drive
































The Last Log Drive




Date post:	19-Feb-2017
Category:	Documents
Upload:	deb-gunderson
View:	107 times
Download:	0 times

ONOTWoods Feb-Mar 2016 web

Documents