by Greg Koelker
October has always been our favorite month. After we moved out to the farm in 1977, El and I took vacation on the first two weeks of October. El kept up the tradition after I started teaching.
October is perfect: Sweatshirt weather, fall colors, the aroma of wood smoke evoking memories of my grandmother’s wood cook stove, Friday night football, tailgating at Badger games, Homecoming, farmers busy harvesting, hiking on trails in our enchanted forest drawing in the musky, earthy scent of the woods, collecting hickory and walnuts, planting next season’s garlic and spring flowers, carving pumpkins, baking squash, the blue snarl and good, cool sweat of making a firewood stack, fall panfishing, squirrel hunting, time in a tree stand, visits to apple orchards, apple everything made fresh and hot, homemade soups on the stove, hot chocolate, pumpkin spice cookies baking, star gazing complete with meteor showers on frosty nights, Oktoberfesting and Squirrel Picnic, and the World Series.
The World Series is special for Brewers fans this fall. The Crew sits atop the National League with 103 wins! They still have to win their spot in the fall classic, but they are the best they’ve ever been I think. They are so close.
Our good friend Bruce Martin sent this on Monday; it kinda says it all Brewerwise:
“We are giving ourselves another shot at the title. That is all you can ask each year is for your team to put yourselves in that position where they have a chance. We are in the best stretch of baseball that the Brewers as a franchise have ever had. This is the golden age for us. Enjoy the hell out of it.” Thanks Bruce.
Go Brewers!
Until next time, get out – watch for running deer. We had two dash across Proksch Coulee road last evening on our way home from a soiree with the Vernon Reporter staff and board in Viroqua. Good people, good food, and a beautiful evening. Oh, another good thing about October; it is not November! As Bruce wrote, “Enjoy the hell out of it”
Peace
See Grouse Hollow Journals and more at VernonReporter.Com.
Greg Koelker is a lifelong resident of the Driftless region along the Mississippi River. He is the acclaimed author of the “Grouse Hollow Journal,” a column that celebrates rural life, nature, family heritage, and the traditions that bind communities together. While technically focused on the “outdoors,” his writing often explores broader themes of community values and education.
Add comment