tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68520190991466247252012-02-16T02:05:26.481-06:00where shadow and light struggleG Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.comBlogger1041100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-86256328246537676872009-10-22T01:28:00.003-05:002009-10-22T01:32:38.453-05:00

When Indiana Jones goes DIY I knew it was there.The "secret closet" was hidden behind mouthwash-blue paneling from an era of Mary Tyler Moore, Disco and Ford Mavericks.I'd heard the rumors of the former storage space for years, and a closer look at the room showed there was a mystery wall space not accounted for.My wife grew up in our circa 1917 Danish farmhouse, and remembers the lost cubby was

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-28711424467816493042009-09-29T23:57:00.008-05:002009-09-30T02:12:56.431-05:00

My good friend the Rev. Harvey Stower died today, Sept.29, at the age of 65.I want to tell you why he mattered, and what he meant to many of us.Harvey was a State Legislator for eight years, and ran for Congress in 1994. I had met him two years prior, as a I began working for a local radio station where he lived. Harvey introduced himself to me at a political function, and had the kind of hand

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-82958235640857217502009-09-14T19:37:00.005-05:002009-09-14T20:11:22.574-05:00

I rarely watch MTV, since they don't seem to really have either music or videos. And I've never watched much of the VMA's (Video Music Awards) because of all the screaming and lack of proper attire, but you know what, I'm glad somebody was, and taped this moment.Taylor Swift, who is arguably one of the cutest, most wholesome young talents in all of music, won the Best Female Video Award, and

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-42321760751541452852009-09-12T02:52:00.003-05:002009-09-12T03:02:44.071-05:00

It doesn't matter that he hasn't broke the Top 50 All Time, what matters is that Derek Jeter is the hittingest Yankee Ever. Again, showing how the MARKET is more important than the team, player or event. Nothing against DJ, or certainly the Late Mr. Gehrig, but fellas, there's others - including a certain Mr. Rose - who've kicked this records arse.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-49297847229518741352009-09-12T02:20:00.005-05:002009-09-12T02:39:27.812-05:00

Why State's Righters are missing the pointsI recall a recent local debate over the merits of enforcing tobacco sales to those under 18. The lengthy discussion touched on issues of parental control, responsibility, individual choice and whether we should entrust teenage retail clerks with the job of “gatekeepers” for society’s evil habits. I agree it is a noble cause, keeping kids from “cancer

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-76856353806443345922009-09-12T01:51:00.011-05:002009-09-12T02:15:14.340-05:00

...and other reasons we will be watching the Stillwater Bridge lawsuit results.Yes, it's true. We have a lack of quality jobs in Western Wisconsin. Maybe it's because of our affection for anything "Big Time" - a former local Mayor once declared a city holiday when a McDonalds opened in his river town eight years ago - or maybe it's because the State of Minnesota has decided that the World We Pay

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-57065015407274645402009-08-19T13:44:00.005-05:002009-08-19T13:58:02.693-05:00

"It's a boat, no a plane, no, it's a, a Spartan camper?""Yes. Virginia, the Spartan Manufacturing Company briefly considered using their fancy travel trailers in a different mode altogether in 1954, as a houseboat!If you can find one of these rarities, you've just paid for your kids' college, and maybe a few nights at the Hilton, to boot! The unusual house boat was only in production for about an

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-32532453829156255372009-08-19T13:10:00.007-05:002009-08-19T13:43:43.382-05:00

Where purple to weddings.Dance like no one is watching.Change my phone number to 444-4444.Say, "You know, Favre has a rocket for an arm" and NOT cross my fingers.Go to Green Bay again.Quit waiting for Twitter updates.Put my retirement presents on layaway.Paint my house purple, gold and white (garage doors.)Remove my "Denny Green for President" stickers.Remove my "Denny Green SUCKS!" stickers that

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-89999468733800461202009-08-19T11:18:00.005-05:002009-08-19T12:41:16.972-05:00

It's not the end of the world, just a really bad inningThere was a time in America when our troubles were thin: Wars, lending rates, heating costs, invasive species on a few crops, maybe a bad storm or two.Now, it's seems to be getting to a new level of garbage.Whoever thought we'd have to wear a Swine Flu face mask to a fish fry, or for the college educated to get turned down for a "name tag job

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-69412285407308611542009-04-19T00:55:00.007-05:002009-04-19T01:17:10.681-05:00

Those wacky Brits! First they drive on the wrong side of the road, then they eat "pie" made of meat and without fruit, and drink warm beer with an egg in it, and then they make this crazy camper!Somewhere in between they conjured up James Bond, Robin Hood and Twiggy - which are all cool - and of course the music is among the best in all of humanity.Oh yeah, and I'm totally all over Monty Python

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-67340341060299091202009-04-19T00:30:00.002-05:002009-04-19T00:33:21.594-05:00

(A work in progress - Inspired by a deaf guy who saunters through the local bars near closing time, asking guys to buy his flowers for the women they've met that evening. He sells dozens, and I've always wanted to know more about him. Next time I'll ask.)On weekend nightsthe bars out here are hoppingNightlife, drinks and shots are poppingthe girls all act so smooth and soberwhile the men all try

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-70174622973419768022009-04-19T00:05:00.002-05:002009-04-21T15:10:05.526-05:00

This is my "Andy Rooney Moment," or maybe better titled: If I were Master of Time and Space, these are a few things I would make sure are changed, for the better:1 - Coffee pot drip. Who designed the "carafe?" and why can't you pour anything from them without spilling?2- Voting. The Minnesota Senate recount, as well as the Bush v. Gore case, show that the day of the paper ballot has long since

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-39411822989697094732009-04-18T22:08:00.004-05:002009-04-18T22:13:50.258-05:00

In Latin they are officially referred to as Harmonia axyridis, but locally go by several nicknames: Asian Lady beetles, Halloween beetles, Harlequins, Stainbugs, Ladybirds, Eurasian Beetles, and as one buddy put it: "The lining of my vacuum cleaner." We've all got them. Even the cleanest home or office fights off their territorial invasion. They harbored over-winter in our siding, light fixtures,

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-3877082297502073652009-03-26T22:17:00.008-05:002009-03-26T22:50:29.936-05:00

As we prepare for the release this summer of "Public Enemies" - a Wisconsin/Illinois-based Johnny Depp film that promises to be one of the coolest ever movies about gangsters - I present his Gangster-era camper and tow car set-up.Tell me you can't see ol' John Dillinger behind the wheel of this sweet pre-war V-8 sedan, towing a swank Circa-1936 "Tin Can" dream, hiding out in plain sight!Yes, the

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-39787483040954260932009-03-22T02:34:00.003-05:002009-03-22T02:40:08.987-05:00

Soon to come, a whimsical look at "Yard Art," and it's importance in the Economic Recovery.Yes, it's true, those old pieces of farm machinery, or yard butts or chainsaw sculpture may be your Golden Ticket To A Work-at-home Windfall!How, you ask? Haha, be patient Ladybug. The truth falls at its own pace, while lies can stumble around and break furniture on the way to justification.Or something

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-74609386322187954482009-03-11T13:22:00.005-05:002009-03-11T13:36:00.325-05:00

This is where I post a photo of some scene in my life, and then comment on it, hoping to surmise some sort of deep, philosophical idea from that scene.For instance, this is the skylight over my new step-grandson's hospital room, moments after he was born. Sunny skies, light clouds, and an entrancing color of blue.if I were the mystic type, I would say that bodes well for him.But then, I'm sure

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-26512101552281941282009-03-10T14:06:00.003-05:002009-03-10T14:13:46.898-05:00

"Columbus Day Blue" is a jokey-esque theme tune I wrote a few years back, in response to my good friend J.Skibbe's dedication to education, and his amazing MLKjr themed program for his elementary students.Frankly, mine's a bit too depressing for fourth graders, but it forced me to do a little research on Columbus, and his day in the American sun. I'm sure some will find it "politically correct,"

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-34739835700644133012009-03-03T12:58:00.007-06:002009-03-03T16:13:22.307-06:00

- "Hey, that camper is so shiny I can see through my own clothes!" -Aye, she's a shiny temptress! A veritable "Venus dons chromium." Err, or something in Latin that's very suave and "old worldly."Yes, the Lukas Family has it all: Cool 26-foot, shiny Airstream International camper with two tanks of gas and a five-digit number on front! "Wahoo-who, Gina! Hide the lamp shades! We're not only going

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-11851142314661125252009-03-03T11:43:00.017-06:002009-03-03T17:13:30.995-06:00

One of my lifelong, best friends, JW - who affectionately brags of "having known me since I was a fetus" - recently moved some of his life to the semi-abandoned "ghost town" of Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. Just a few dozen miles from the South Dakota border, the semi-abandoned village may have been one of the possible original choices for the pre-state, territorial Minnesota capitolship, and

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-87421891322762063322009-02-27T00:43:00.008-06:002009-02-27T01:26:30.577-06:00

"Look for my School of Dance closings on all the big networks"We got whupped with a big ol winter storm today, and with it comes the usual "school closings" (brought to you by JC Penney) on TV. Schools, government offices, night school classes, athletic events, maybe even some church functions are all a part of the mix. But I think there are a few sneaky little business owners who capitalize on "

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-57708838786872945172009-02-24T17:07:00.003-06:002009-02-24T17:16:06.028-06:00

Vintage Trailer Showcase #16"That's no ordinary camper, it's a Clipper!"Fresh from the backlots of southern California, where they wee once as common as former Liz Taylor spouses, this vintage 1936 Clipper is undergoing a restoration and complete tear down. Known for their "scary" snouts and windswept style, they were also famous for being the weirdest thing you'll see in your rear view mirror.I

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-39721556652876526212009-02-24T11:14:00.011-06:002009-02-24T12:28:51.389-06:00

It's that time again: Glasses time.I've been be speckled since about the fourth grade, when my squinting and close-to-the-board-sitting didn't cut it."Well, Greg, I believe you have what we Doctors of Optometry - and generally really smart doctory folks - refer to as an 'astigmatism,' which means blah-blah-blah-double-blah. So obviously, son, you're sort of blind!"I didn't ask or argue about the

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-26500561821158533392009-02-24T10:59:00.005-06:002009-02-24T11:04:00.124-06:00

Casserole or hot dish? As long as it tastes good, we judges don't carejudge |jəj|nouna public official appointed to decide cases in a court of law.• a person who decides the results of a competition.• an official at a sports contest who watches for infractions of the rules.• a person able or qualified to give an opinion on something : he was a good judge of tasty recipes, talent and band

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-4143896483764974842009-01-22T02:38:00.007-06:002009-01-22T02:53:10.567-06:00

Hey, what do you mean "No Smoking?" This is my home away from home! You can have my smokes when you pry them from nicotine-stained wrinkly, decomposing fingers.But this vintage shot of an un-named, circa 1938 vintage camper actually shows the "upside" of trailers, camping and apparently, fashion and interior design! Note the way boss flower prints on the sofa and on her sun dress, or the funky

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-89932723275445896732009-01-22T01:47:00.003-06:002009-01-22T02:36:06.825-06:00

It's okay to feel a little odd, un-loved, ripped-off and distanced. These are tough times for Red Staters. Look, it's not that they don't like you, it's just that their not IN LIKE with you, anymore. It's not you, it's us. Wait, it is you, kinda. No, it's okay to feel a little upset, a little angry or mad at Ohio, or Michigan or any of the other several dozen states that voted against you. We've

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-21236524972874726352009-01-22T01:09:00.008-06:002009-01-22T01:47:12.078-06:00

How a 40-year-old, hard-to-start garden tiller predicted the recent Economic CollapseReverse hasn't worked since the Carter Administration, and even my top notch small-motor guy couldn't find an air filter that fits.But man that 5-horse tiller rips up some turf.Rusty, permanently dirty and louder than a fat-chested Harley, I prefer to paint the old Gamble-Skogmo garden tiller as more of a "

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-80899726716729968492009-01-09T15:55:00.000-06:002009-01-09T15:56:05.992-06:00

 The sad life of a fender booger. A small bump is all it takes for a stray, barely hanging on piece of road ice to break free of the host vehicle, and spread like an invasive species across the shoulders of the frozen Midwest. Found on Polk County (Wisconsin) Road G, north of Balsam Lake.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-72353126848201079262009-01-02T23:34:00.003-06:002009-01-03T01:01:58.512-06:00

Not much in the way of details. Just a cool old design, circa 1935. This thing could sell today! You could pull it with the hybrid, and get everyone a talking at the KOA. Their "wavy-stickered" fiberglass rental RVs would look like a turd - albeit a new turd, with a warranty - compared to this sweetheart. (Photo courtesy the RV/MH Museum and the C. Dickerson Collection.)

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-49261944141261832282008-12-25T08:09:00.011-06:002008-12-30T12:59:58.867-06:00

Winter is the picked on step-child of the four seasons. It’s too easy to call the Old Man bad names, like he is some sort of frozen, bomb-laden weather terrorist. Ever the one to side with the underdog, I rather enjoy his testing methods. Winter has plenty to celebrate, and not just the skiing, sliding or snowmobiling. No, there are unique little things of the “final season” that escape most

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-10626138352806553122008-12-22T16:33:00.007-06:002008-12-22T16:50:35.320-06:00

I'm showering in the Forest! Imagine that! That's one slick, sleek piece of modern conveniences, Madge. The new Airstream was more than just a "camper," it was a mobile two-star hotel room. You could be in the jungle, forest, desert or prairie, and the modern world was just behind your bumper. "Oh, pass me the soap, cowboy, I'm felling very dirty after a big day outdoors." Oh-la-la! Or as the ad

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-9811379424836706122008-12-22T11:15:00.004-06:002008-12-22T11:21:23.150-06:00

Don't lick the light fixture, unless you're a Mom.Yes, the Economy had a stroke. Businesses across the planet are trimming employees like they were stray ear hairs. But we still put up with crappy quality. I’m convinced we have become a society of spineless consumers, too often settling for “good enough” if it means we can save a few bucks.I'm afraid it's only going to get worse, because "quality

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-28673040469188329352008-12-21T02:43:00.012-06:002008-12-27T01:18:20.836-06:00

One of these photos is the original. A strange shot I took a recent (rockin' good) outdoor party. Can you tell which one? I'll post the answer in the near future. (Hint: It's the RED ONE!) Thanks to Dave Rosendahl for holding still and feeding the fire all night long.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-12705606715805362502008-12-19T14:31:00.006-06:002008-12-19T14:48:05.904-06:00

All photos were once thought lost on a previous computer, from a now-retired Nikon. The computer - a Dell, I should mention - that had a tendency to swallow programs whole, and not in a good way. The shots are all from downtown Chicago over Thanksgiving 2005, and include several of the really cool people in my life: My wife, daughter, brother and his wife and eventually some others. I highly

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-43727922738032159712008-12-19T14:11:00.003-06:002008-12-19T14:23:55.687-06:00

Even more goodies from my favorite Central American Parliamentary Democracy, Belize.Included here are some of the goodies I recorded in 2005 while touring the region by large ship (ah, it was a cruise.) Enjoy, and look for UFOs!

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-10550730278199411152008-12-16T13:00:00.016-06:002008-12-16T18:29:05.662-06:00

A company called "Fiber Classic" started taking orders for a brand-new, re-created, classic 007 Bond boat, from "Live and Let Die." If they're building James Bond re-makes, why not an even cooler Glastron: The Batboat?!Check out the video for a bit of a background, and weigh-in if you think it may be the best "Bond" song ever, as well. Short of the theme, of course. (Don't want any 007 fans to

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-74251577119857659052008-12-16T02:08:00.005-06:002008-12-16T02:24:56.251-06:00

My one and only trip to Belize - and other Central American stops - included a few fantastic little junkets across the tiny nation with several Mayan ruins, cool coastline and some of the richest history in the world. I shot about 40 photos, maybe ten are worth showing. Here's batch #1. The locations are Belize City, Altun Ha Mayan ruins and a lighthouse/warning structure on the beach near La

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-26646206964784341812008-12-15T09:25:00.004-06:002008-12-15T09:37:37.825-06:00

This is absolutely real. I took it two years ago while on a junket in Seattle. The man was working at the Fish Market downtown on the pier, and talking on a cell phone attached to his head with a RUBBER-BAND! Click on the photo and see. He don't need no stinking ear piece.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-91785471609859775402008-12-15T00:51:00.008-06:002008-12-15T02:46:23.323-06:00

All photos by me, taken a few hours before a winter storm and all within about eight minutes of each other. Took a detour through nearby Milltown, Wisconsin. There's plenty of old wood and iron, much of it strangely historic: The little Polk County village served as an "internment town" during WWII, for German POWs. Many worked at a local Stokely Canning facility, and became an integral part of

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-48648536848819093922008-12-15T00:35:00.009-06:002008-12-15T02:24:10.149-06:00

This is one of the strangest photos I've ever seen. It comes courtesy of Joshua Heineman, and is titled "Camera Death." It is supposedly the last shot ever taken with one of his digital cameras before it died. It's one of my faves. I highly recommend his site, as well, which includes a study on something I am also getting into: Cataloguing of old museum photos and "stereoscopic" images. He's

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-816280415571017222008-12-12T13:14:00.012-06:002008-12-12T14:25:30.744-06:00

Every Spring, thousands of young men and women will get puffed up and don mortar boards, gowns and tans as they graduate from high school.This letter/column was meant to be a realistic addendum to the numerous speeches and many years of public education they have endured. It is also a sample speech I can give for any large event, christening, Grand Opening, shuttle launch, inauguration, execution

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-13015164248006721652008-12-11T23:55:00.004-06:002008-12-12T00:10:23.319-06:00

Oldest friend JW - who routinely introduces me as someone he has known "Since I was a fetus" - passed along one of the rare, but oh-so-cool Fels-Naptha Soap ads and background on the origins of "Tattletale Gray."Thanks, Jay-Dub, for the history, kitsch and Americana! The term “tattle tale” wasn’t exactly a very nice name to associate with people who intentionally got a friend, acquaintance,

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-59980277411896468172008-12-10T23:31:00.012-06:002008-12-11T12:24:10.798-06:00

The following "tips" were sent my way courtesy old co-worker and golfing bud, Kurt Merrick, aka "Yukon Cornelius." I suggest you try some and tell me if they work.Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little 'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it. (Before you know it, you'll be walking erect and upright!) Take your bananas apart when you get home

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-49062136321316728042008-12-09T10:46:00.006-06:002008-12-09T11:11:36.014-06:00

It's one of my favorite off-color jokes. A yarn so simple and silly, even a fourth grader - or a radio host - can understand and revel in it.It's the story of The Minnesota Duck: Two guys - usually of Scandinavian descent - are finishing a day of duck hunting in the woods of North Dakota. Diligent in making sure they didn't exceed the No Dak limits, they are about to head back to the Lodge for a

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-20201780020441183362008-12-09T10:29:00.003-06:002008-12-09T10:44:50.131-06:00

I worked in radio for close to two decades, in all flavors of position. From music director to afternoon drive host and as news director. I've watched the meteoric rise of Conservative Talk from the sidelines, generally, but worked in stations where it was "piped in."In all my years, I've never read a better assessment as to why it works, and what the strange appeals is to these seemingly

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-46938972927514848412008-12-03T00:45:00.004-06:002008-12-03T01:04:20.547-06:00

"Santa Baby, won't you bring me one of these bad boys? Please? I'll be your bestest friend forever! I'll carry your lunch, parallel park your Olds,or dance with your sister." Yes, the rumors are confirmed with - of all things - blueprints and strange ads by Nikon themselves. The hottest Digital camera in the world is for sale (pre-sale, technically) according to my camera-conscious photo buddies

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-47637205259691079932008-11-29T10:31:00.002-06:002008-11-29T11:13:50.237-06:00

This photo has it all: A classic Buick LeSabre, vintage Airstream, mock windmill and a smiling family in their Sunday best! If it had a puppy and a Gerber baby it would qualify for federal restoration funding. GBA! (Ah, that's "God Bless America") Let loose with the captions!

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-38687852931271422422008-11-28T02:02:00.008-06:002008-11-28T03:27:17.821-06:00

It's a pretty emotional story. What to do about the "Big Three" and Detroit? Many people are convinced they should just be let out to pasture and shot, others want bankruptcy - so they can "slim down" - others want a full-blown bailout package to keep the (face it) millions of jobs tied to this industry.They're all right to some extent, and all equally wrong. Here's a perfect example of both.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-4352552191158925652008-11-26T23:52:00.009-06:002008-11-28T01:45:52.324-06:00

In the early hours, while the Sun was still warming Europe and beginning to tint the Lake Superior sky, I rolled across the little camper bunk and listened. Listened still. No breathing.Drumming insects, rustling grass, cool din of the Shasta's fridge, waning campfires and something else - a vague, lilting rhythm. Saucy, possibly scandalous New Orleans jazz. End of the night at an outdoor party,

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-77670718870040317332008-11-26T22:56:00.003-06:002008-11-26T22:59:24.074-06:00

Happy Birthday, Orv!

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-50062461875125988592008-11-26T22:12:00.007-06:002008-11-26T22:56:16.264-06:00

All photos taken Thanksgiving Day, 2006 at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed and built Seth Peterson Cottage, on Mirror Lake near the Wisconsin Dells. Owned by the State DNR, and up for rent by the weekend! (Thanks to Brother Brian and Cheryl Freeman, and the 'rents for footing the bill at this Amazing Piece of architectural history.) And yes, I'm including a rare, former smoker self-portrait (the

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-19779016499289602008-11-26T21:20:00.006-06:002008-11-26T21:42:24.745-06:00

Some photos tell stories accidentally. Those stories not only have dialog and humor, but act as a snapshot that could be deep and interesting or dryer than cotton lint. Hmm, what was the occasion? Thanksgiving, maybe? Retirement? Or are they several siblings or cousins, seeing each other for the first time in years? Maybe only neighbors. Maybe mob figures on Holiday.Regardless, it's a caption

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-82300221198392727042008-11-26T14:51:00.008-06:002008-11-26T15:26:54.150-06:00

Check out this beauty! A versatile and sleek peek into the 20th err, 21st Century! It represents a throwback to several eras, when power, style and Pioneer Spirit ruled! This is not ordinary car; it's a low slung, sleek futuristic buggy! Hola! That's one hot tamale!(The photo above is from the C. Dickenson RV/MH Museum Collection, no details.)

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-69320203999821331822008-11-25T00:17:00.015-06:002008-11-26T14:58:10.894-06:00

I think I was born in the last few days of the "Baby Boom." So technically, I am a "boomer."But in reality, I am a part of much more crystalline definition, a smaller, more interesting and exciting band of group dynamic: "The Big Wheel Generation."We can blame it all on the Big Wheel.We were the first "gen" to capitalize on that new found (herein officially named only on TTG) "Turnpike Directive

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-16216177311787732662008-11-24T22:19:00.004-06:002008-11-24T22:55:39.560-06:00

Wars, chemical weapons, hostages, POW’s, drug busts, Special Forces, etc. all bring to light the need for a new $6 million man.No, I’m not talking about quasi-actor Lee Majors, with his wandering “bionic” eye and monotone baritone, or even Lindsey Wagner’s sheepish “Bionic Woman” reprisal. And no, 2007's short-lived "Bionic Woman" TV version seemed more concerned with fashions and villainous

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-51559119882068597172008-11-22T21:17:00.006-06:002008-11-22T21:24:24.740-06:00

Oh, doesn't it make you want to throw on some Bermuda shorts, grab a High Life and head for the fishing hole? Maybe grab a heater along the way, and then complain about the way music has gone "downhill," you know, with all that "rock-and-roller stuff." Heck, I'm thinking of investing in the National Broadcasting Corporation, ever since they added stations west of the Rockies! You know this radio

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-28966426072368003412008-11-22T20:53:00.005-06:002008-11-22T21:06:05.544-06:00

This shows how far we've come: From a world where physical writing was the norm, to a world where home-based printing presses became affordable for the masses! Suddenly, not only could we write and print, we could write and embarrass the heck out of ourselves, for the world to see. Yes, for one of my first jobs, I sold these things, serviced them and was a master at finding a cartridge for the

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-25144706907139037132008-11-22T18:20:00.010-06:002008-11-22T18:37:21.509-06:00

She's a sassy little vixen, all smooth and shiny like a lake's reflection on a sunny day. Spartans were known for their shiny polished styling, variety in sizes and lush, rich interiors and woodwork. They have become one of the primary vintage campers for restoration, in part because of that classic look, which I like to call the "Jetson's Style." Here's a few prime Spartans for the first time on

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-56852020231446392282008-11-22T18:10:00.004-06:002008-11-22T18:18:41.914-06:00

Buddy the Bishon-Poodle shows how to negotiate a corner in the snow. Critters are great in that first cool storm. They're easily entertained, err, just like me.Skating, no matter how poorly, is rewarding and exhausting, even for kids with young hearts and fresh lungs.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-34729920974769203112008-11-21T18:03:00.011-06:002008-11-22T17:50:42.441-06:00

I've been asked - well, after suggesting they ask - to include the link to my photo biz slide shows.I have the non-traditional wedding gallery (less than three dozen shots, about 45-seconds) and the artsy-fartsy "Inanimate Series." Which is artsy inanimate shots, in a series, or "slide show" as the kids these days are calling them. Enjoy. and E-mail me for rates and shooting info. It should work

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-75723159784361595152008-11-21T17:20:00.002-06:002008-11-21T17:25:10.879-06:00

As The Holiest of Seasons is about to open here in Wisconsin, it is wise to put it all in perspective.I've always loved this photo, and found I had it on my old hard drive. Don't know anything about it, except it seems like an ad for seat belts, or maybe an insurance company. Possibly a PSA for Halloween safety - you know, the kids dressed as a rhino and got hit crossing the street. Or maybe

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-10738669609807795142008-11-21T12:32:00.005-06:002008-11-21T12:49:16.477-06:00

From the musically-challenged mind of Jonaimal comes one of the legendary lost "Skibvids," which were about thirty years ahead of their time. That time was apparently those lost hours when we move our clocks forward or back. You know, "spring forward," slash "fall back." Where do those lost hours go? Now we know. They are filmed and released thirty years later, to a waiting - but nearly geriatric

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-49639496923848772392008-11-20T10:50:00.003-06:002008-11-20T10:55:57.460-06:00

Courtesy the C. Dickenson Collection and the RV/MH Museum. No info on either, but the home made version is a stretch for this quality site. The other Shasta and the classic Shoebox Chevy are what many folks try to achieve.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-9212651577529661272008-11-19T21:23:00.009-06:002008-11-19T22:38:29.369-06:00

This is an amazing, mashed-up clip from the 1982 underground favorite film "Koyaanisqatsi," (The Hopi Indian word for "life in motion," or "life out of balance.") It is the first of three films using time lapse, fast motion, extraordinary videography and a creepy soundtrack to study the way people and the planet work. And, I guess, how we do stuff. This version is mashed with a song by "The

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-858580799227304652008-11-19T16:09:00.005-06:002008-11-19T16:34:52.154-06:00

Call me a Scrooge, I don’t mind. I wouldn’t mind a little visit from a few aged spirits on Christmas Eve, if you know what I mean.My Scrooge-ism started when I was a retail "associate" and it never went away. People who are locked in the throws of the Holidays can be as patient as a bull on meth.Maybe they can’t help it, the “hustle and bustle” of the joyous holiday season overwhelms them when

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-60731989741556936302008-11-18T19:35:00.006-06:002008-11-18T23:52:15.286-06:00

The State of Wisconsin spent $10,000 in 2003 to explore alternate names for "Food Stamps." I'm sure we could have received pretty good ideas for free.I had a college graphic design class where the professor sought out local and regional projects for his students to be part of. It gave underling, wannabe artists a chance to either design a portfolio-worthy logo or a real, live advertisement.During

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-89580023077771279032008-11-18T00:09:00.007-06:002008-11-18T11:49:04.232-06:00

He was killed while I was in-utero, so I have an alibi, but after watching PBS' "The American Experience" program on Lee Harvey Oswald, it shows how troubling that period in history really was. It was odd watching the films of the Warren Commission, and seeing a young, fit and spry(?) version of Gerald Ford. The details, conclusions, intrinsic holes in the case and the fact that over two-thirds

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-59722880265807046492008-11-17T17:46:00.003-06:002008-11-18T00:07:48.803-06:00

It all started with a simple rusty exhaust system on the old F-150.Time took its toll on the trusty black workhorse truck’s pipes, and it was time to do it right.My neighbor works at a local auto shop, and offered to tear off the old “grandpa” exhaust system – which made you look at the gauges to be sure it was running - and treat the V-8 Ford to a little, ahem, “massage.”That massage did not

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-85212902551800426012008-11-17T15:59:00.009-06:002008-11-18T19:33:39.861-06:00

This is one of the gem photos recovered by C. Dickenson a few years back at the RV/Motor Home Museum in Indiana. It's just a cool look at a camper kitchen that is probably long gone.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-27160079449058996962008-11-16T23:33:00.007-06:002008-11-17T00:01:46.217-06:00

Every state, municipality, region and even school needs a symbol or two.Wisconsin is known for cheese, Packer football and sadly, serial killers.Only one of these symbols has made its way to our license plates. (I doubt we’ll ever see: Wisconsin, “America’s haven for the criminally insane.”) That is a good thing.But there is a renewed push for more “Official State Stuff.”Having a state bird,

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-27855747168917195172008-11-16T22:49:00.008-06:002008-11-16T23:19:20.325-06:00

Courtesy Charles Dickenson and the RV Museum in Indiana, which so graciously allowed Charlie to copy EVERYTHING THEY HAD, and then allowed him to give it to me for the price of a beer!I will routinely post some of the photos, postcards, literature, advertisements, as well as many of my own collection. Enjoyio! Free hook-ups means something all together different now. Ahem.This one is about as

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-10139625790566056972008-11-16T22:11:00.008-06:002008-11-16T22:38:17.523-06:00

I've been getting some flak on the James Bond post, about the famous boat jump. Here's the background and the coolest piece of rock in any film, just as a bonus.As I mentioned in a previous post, the boat jump was helped and made possible through a group of Tulane Univ engineering students, and reportedly, a little jet fuel - it depends who you believe."Oh, James..."As I hinted in the previous

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-48441549180657399102008-11-16T21:08:00.007-06:002008-11-16T21:42:51.617-06:00

My late grandmother, Bea, spent the last two decades of her life struggling to open medicine bottles. I remember her standing in the kitchen, reading the cap on the aspirin and twisting with a grunt, over and over.“It’s not childproof… it’s Beatrice-proof!” she would joke, handing the bottle to a nearby grandchild. It took one idiot with a grudge to create the great Tylenol scare that made us

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-45376428542524681862008-11-16T00:32:00.010-06:002008-11-16T22:27:22.117-06:00

Vintage Camper postcard #21966 Aristocrat LoLinerToday's beauty is chosen for a reason: It's the "sister camper" of my surly beast.This vintage 66 Aristocrat shares everything but a toothbrush with my 1969 Shasta LoFlyte.Only this one is finished.Built on the assembly lines at Goshen, Indiana, this "resto" Aristo was part of the legendary "Lo's." Shasta, Aristocrat and Mallard all had their own

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-17222964216895503322008-11-15T23:06:00.008-06:002008-11-16T22:28:05.110-06:00

(Originally published in July 2003)From the dark caverns of Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave to the salty shores of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.The Road is a poem.Usually, vacations are just about the final destination. In our quest to escape the civilized tedium of everyday life, we oftentimes forget that the journey is as good, or as bad, as the final stop.In the past two weeks, we racked up almost

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-17787182075860160142008-11-15T04:05:00.005-06:002008-11-15T04:26:39.524-06:00

-"Five dollar foot long..."-NASA's $57,000 pencil-Prototype iBullet-In a bizarre twist of technology, the three men were all hoping to impress the ladies with their new invention: A portable lipstick factory!(Here's the skinny: The creators of Explorer 1 holding a model of it on the press conference at launch day (or the day before), February 1, 1958 (or January 31, 1958). Starting from left side

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-56993233371182139172008-11-15T03:12:00.011-06:002008-11-15T04:01:23.876-06:00

Because of his place in history. Here's a strange hero: Laika, the Soviet Space Dog. The first living creature in Space. Other than abducted Midwestern folks, OF COURSE. BTW- "Laika" means "barker" in English. Hmmm, maybe that's why they sent him into space. He was no "hero," he was driving his neighbors nuts!Ah, waxing poetic about Space, "The Final Frontier."Just think how we take the moon for

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-77666303583985685752008-11-15T02:57:00.006-06:002008-11-15T03:01:44.047-06:00

Watch here for a diatribe about the Esperant Pines. A 500-acre "lost" grove of untouched, 600-800-year-old Upper Peninsula magic.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-45678098906666714032008-11-15T01:40:00.011-06:002008-11-17T15:56:05.141-06:00

(Photo Credit: NASA. So We The People ALL paid for it. I know I got my .0000017 cent's worth!)Just got back from 'Wicked," at the (Historic) Orpheum Theatre, in downtown Mpls. Got there in my "Historic" Jeep. Went to the someday-to-be-remembered-fondly-but-not-in-a-historic-way Rock Bottom Brewery. Tasty viddles with cute sounding beers: Itasca is the only one I remember.I highly recommend "

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-10135684211581719112008-11-14T14:37:00.006-06:002008-11-14T14:54:52.845-06:00

This farm straddles the Polk and Barron County lines, between Luck and Cumberland. Long abandoned, I've noted it for nearly a decade and in the last few months, the roof and cupola have begun to fall in. It is dying in slow motion. This is the raw photo:

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-713083896808257212008-11-14T01:10:00.006-06:002008-11-14T01:39:05.585-06:00

The ice hung from the garage ceiling like some eons old stalactite, formed like a piece of pottery by the unending tug of gravity.It was anything but an ancient piece of earth art.My drain was frozen, and the shower became little more than a big bathtub with no drain.Am I wrong or is plumbing technology sort of trapped in the 60s? I’ve busted open a wall or two and seen pretty much the same stuff

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-22681303462858567812008-11-13T23:13:00.005-06:002008-11-13T23:17:40.442-06:00

The great bird gave up its struggle after about five minutes.She had spent several months in rehabilitation before that frosty morning in Highland Park Reserve. Her wings were weak, but her captivity probably made the urge to hunt again even stronger.Poised on my Mother's arms, the nameless Red Tailed hawk’s giant talons seemed to claw at the air, awaiting a chance to strike out and break back

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-54359667937986252642008-11-13T21:52:00.004-06:002008-11-13T23:15:43.339-06:00

Wisconsin is unique. Maybe to a fault.Except through court-ordered "financial responsibility," state drivers don't need to carry one dime of automotive liability insurance.What seems to some like a pleasant throwback to the days of covered wagons and liveries run by guys named "Bronc," others see as a ridiculous liability to the rest of the taxpayers.Since accidents happen and someone has to pay

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-46757884939656086722008-11-13T17:04:00.003-06:002008-11-13T17:11:56.402-06:00

Like many kids of the 70s, I grew up with the “ABC Wide World of Sports” theme lighting up my rainy Saturday afternoons. Sports are one of the few universal languages we share - aside from the “Macarena” and Jell-O with fruit. It was the late Roone Arledge who recognized that language, and forced the world to at least share a few vowels and consonants.He changed the world and how we see

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-37840743675523979712008-11-13T16:38:00.006-06:002008-11-15T03:06:44.881-06:00

(Originally printed in 2003)I am now convinced that anything once considered sacred is now on the block and open for offers.The San Diego Padres new downtown stadium required a name, of course. The Petco Corporation bought that right, even though they did not earn it. The company contributed nothing to the construction, not a single nail, rivet, weld or even advice.They just wrote a check and

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-13215272762261435542008-11-13T14:19:00.005-06:002008-11-13T23:30:26.604-06:00

Going back centuries, everyone on Death Row was given a Final Request.When the death penalty became popular again in the 1970s, those final requests turned into their own, quirky, little arterial death sentences instead of requests. They ignored the inherent, grandiose honor of one last taste of life’s gift. They ordered Moon Pies, malts, Whoppers, ice cream and French Fries buried in syrup and

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-36774269825970236912008-11-13T11:32:00.007-06:002008-11-14T15:06:08.460-06:00

“When harbored amongst you are only ghosts, dreams and nightmares, it’s a little hard to imagine Heaven.”Pell-Mell Thoughts can strike at the strangest time, triggered by the least likely signal. A SCUBA diving flag on a Jeep originally triggered a rushing start to this hanging ocean tale:The railings were still wet from the last rogue wave, as were my glasses.Splashes matching the tallied pulse

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-24438908751739378252008-11-13T11:22:00.003-06:002008-11-13T11:29:05.421-06:00

Many folks equate fishing with retirement. They imagine spending their final years getting up before the sun, packing up the Alumacraft, and heading for their “secret hole” to wet a line.What could be more noble, relaxing or environmentally sound than fishing?Lots of things. I’m afraid fishing has become the “untouchable” holy pastime. To come out against it is perceived as un-patriotic and

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-67151765426386379022008-11-13T10:47:00.003-06:002008-11-13T11:16:41.775-06:00

I love those first few weeks of winter, when the home and life are buttoned up in preparation for the long, cold season.The final coats of paint, the weather-stripping, the topping off of radiators, and chopping of the wood.Well, the wood chopping part is a bittersweet pill.Winter is a rite of passage unlike any other, and one of the reasons I couldn't live in the Deep South for more than a few

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-89757717215824646492008-11-13T03:08:00.003-06:002008-11-13T03:13:20.431-06:00

The logo from my vintage 1969 Shasta LoFlyte camper. Noted for its short ceiling - only 5'11" - and low step. I will show more of the trailer in the future. Cuz I KNOW you're SUPER interested...

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-64322199900848510462008-11-13T02:47:00.003-06:002008-11-13T03:24:56.112-06:00

Similar mower, with my Bro on back at their Red River Valley farm at Crookston, MN. We hooked it up on the concrete after a burnout on the gravel. Rode the wheeeeelie for a good twenty feet before Grandpa Oscar - who owned the mower - came around the corner and blew a gasket. The only time he got really mad at me.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-33682559535307422262008-11-13T02:04:00.004-06:002008-11-13T02:45:38.588-06:00

Originally, the boat went about 15 feet. So the movie guys enlisted Tulane Univ students to help. They designed a better ramp, and the one-take jump scene over the bayou, filmed with assistance of that specially-constructed ramp, unintentionally set a Guinness World Record at the time with 110 feet cleared. Unfortunately, the waves created by the impact caused the following boat to flip over. The

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-25448119387250640852008-11-13T02:03:00.003-06:002008-11-13T03:03:22.477-06:00

These kids were taking part in a "pioneer school" project this past summer, through the Amery School District. They held the classes at a restored one room school, owned by the Polk County Historical Society in Balsam Lake, WI. The girls in my classes were never this cute!

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-16437828462498449922008-11-13T01:23:00.003-06:002008-11-13T03:21:35.714-06:00

This M60 A3 tank at the VFW Post #6856 outside Milltown, WI. comes courtesy the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 1st Battalion 632nd Armor division. The not-so-old tank now sits poised, forever it seems, about halfway between Balsam Lake and Milltown on State Highway 46. It's unclear if the tank ever saw any real action, but the M60 A3 was the cream of the M60 crop, with a reliable but slow

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-57604454181560026892008-11-12T18:27:00.007-06:002008-11-13T03:18:37.028-06:00

It all started several years ago at a North Carolina mall, when I ordered a BLT sandwich at a small restaurant. The less than brilliant young woman asked me if I "wanted tomato on that?""Ah, isn't that what the 'T' stands for in 'BLT'?" I asked."No, 'BLT' means 'Bacon and Lettuce Together," she said with straight face."Sure, throw the tomato on there anyway," I said, holding back my squawks.From

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-17853862850324549512008-11-12T17:50:00.006-06:002008-11-12T18:00:51.248-06:00

Left - A bedroom window in the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Seth Petersen Cottage, near the Wisconsin Dells. Photo by the AuthorEnough with the schmooshie, cooshie, feels so gushy ‘normal’ Thanksgiving columns.How about one that tells it like it really is, and doesn’t really care if you agree or not?Call it ‘The Cutting Edge Turkey Day” column if you’d like, just don’t call it “sweet,” “feel good,

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-61168816584290804412008-11-12T14:52:00.004-06:002008-11-12T15:10:30.077-06:00

The Holidays are upon us like a fudge on ice cream, like glitter on a prom date, like invasive Ladybugs under my siding... Here is the wish list I've always wanted to write, but was constrained to reveal.1 Gift cards that don't expire or become worthless under bankruptcy.2 Flip down Christmas lights, so they are always ready for a little celebrating.3 No buying of socks, shirts, sweaters, undies,

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-90039341561424021212008-11-12T14:45:00.002-06:002008-11-12T18:03:35.825-06:00

Photo of the Franconia Sculpture Park, near Taylors Falls, Minnesota. Summer 2008. Copyright of the Author

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-82226019586706694602008-11-12T14:25:00.004-06:002008-11-12T14:44:41.321-06:00

I am really NOT looking forward to the pending debate on Health Care. It has become a go-nowhere-fast issue, and while some progress has been made in a few states - my home state of Wisconsin among them - it troubles me that "employer-mandated" care plans seem to the end result.I cannot say this enough: GET EMPLOYERS OUT OF THE HEALTH CARE ISSUE! Period.Single payer, keep the HMOs involved, but

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-73805631224401925682008-11-11T23:16:00.000-06:002008-11-11T23:24:59.630-06:00

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852019099146624725.post-88420693152147460452008-11-11T23:12:00.002-06:002008-11-12T15:17:13.550-06:00

This is a real house! It is located in Atlas, Wisconsin.I will never feel bad about letting my paint job go a year too long ever again.God Bless those without any sense of good taste, for they shall inherit Small Town America.

G Marshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12293866786282040599noreply@blogger.com1