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| I remember when it read "434" ...55 years ago. |
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| Every town's gotta have one.... |
Ahhh, so now you know...a "Luck-y Cousin" is a Jensen cousin whose parents were born and raised in Luck, a small town up in the northwest corner of Wisconsin...very, very close to the Minnesota - Wisconsin state line.
My mother, Lyleth, had six (count 'em...6!) sisters and brothers and most of them remained close to "home" through their adult life. That's how I came to spend time with so MANY cousins, each and every summer until I was about 12 years old. Then my summers transferred time to Camp Birchwood in...northern Minnesota, close to Steve's old stomping grounds. The times with "the cousins"(numbering 19?) run deep in my memory bank of wonderful days and nights.
What an amazing afternoon when 20 cousins, kids of cousins, and kids of kids of cousins, show up at cousin Todd and Bette's lake house. No, we didn't all instantly recognize each other! The last visit from me was maybe 11 years ago, and some of these folks I have not seen since I was about 8 years old...which makes that...60 years.
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| Great lakeshore for a potluck! |
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| From this family (maybe 1922)....to....THIS FAMILY...(2015) |
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| Just some of the cousins that showed up for the Great Short Notice Cousin Meet Up 2015 |
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| Nan and Peggy...still laughing after all these years! |
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| Grinning at faces remembered, and faces newly met! |
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| Gigi....we have the same passion for "the perfect purse"....but, oh, the pockets! |
It is wonderful to see so many faces I recognize and remember, and some I remember a little...and then some wives, and kids of the cousins or kids of the cousin's kids...that I now meet for the first time! There are still more cousins, scattered around in California, Colorado, southern Wisconsin, Texas, New York and Vermont. Maybe, just maybe...some time soon we should plan an intentional "Great GREAT Luck-y Cousin Meet Up"....
My how we've changed! Here are some of the "oldest" cousins, probably because Irma, Luvern and Lyleth were having coffee on the back porch. Sadly, my sister, Mary passed away in 1982. (she is holding me in this photo)
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| Jacquie(Nelson), John(Mitby), Mary(Rich-Yates) and Nan(cy) (Simpson)...one fine summer day |
I am so thankful that cousin Jacquie gets the ball rolling on this get together, that Todd and Bette offer their lake house property on an incredibly beautiful, not too warm, not too cold, afternoon...and to everyone geographically close enough, who manages to make time to join in the fun.
There are a few things on my "to do" list and the next few days we cross them off. Cousin Jacquie joins us for a little boating adventure on the St. Croix River. Here's a welcome addition to the sign at check in: "Dogs welcome if they are leashed."
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| Jacquie, Nan, Sparky and Skipper |
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| Paddle wheels a turnin' |
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| Sister ship to our ride |
Interesting to think about the St. Croix River, merging with the Mighty Mississippi....a few states down river from here. America's waterways come alive on this trip!
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| Rock formation: "Old Man of the River" |
The boat crew points out different rock formations: a cross, thus "St. Croix" is named, an elephant, and how about the head of this old man. See it? (no idea what the elephant has to do with anything!)
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| Not exactly a cruise ship! |
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| Skipper watches the paddle wheel action. |
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Sparky up by the wheel house hoping for "sea time" credit.
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Of course, time on the water means you work up an appetite...which lately I keep thinking "I could never be hungry again after this meal..."....so we are off to the latest rage, "The Drive-In," for lunch.
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| Did we have some? |
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| YES. |
The root beer seems to taste and look like...it did 50 years ago. The girls wore skirts from the 50's, and the only thing really missing is...no waitresses on roller skates. How come?
We spend time out at Jacquie's lake house on Round Lake, which is connected to two more lakes, Church Pine and Big Lake. Why not paddle board all three?
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| Church Pine in front of Todd and Bette's place. |
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| Paddling the cut over to Church Pine from Round Lake |
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| Long way down to Jacquie's dock! (thank you Steve for transporting the board up and down!) |
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| Searching for frogs...on the lily pads? |
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| My new ride....Fancy Pancy! |
I am anxious to get to the edge of town in Luck and see the historic marker that describes the Danish emigrants who form a co-op and start the first creamery. My great grandfather, Jorgen Jensen is among them. Later, two of his sons, John and his brother Pete, own and operate the Jensen Bros. General Merchandise Store "downtown."
We find the marker, although names are not specified. A visit to the new Luck Library and Museum turns up some interesting traces of family history!
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Old photo of main street in Luck, WI
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Christmas plate from Jensen Bros. Store 1910
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Hanging in my kitchen today is a row of beautiful blue Royal Copenhagen Danish christmas plates given to me by my Aunt Luvern over many years. Plates commerating the year is a customary gift among the folks in Denmark and who live on the island of Moen, near Copenhagen, where my grandfather was born and lived until the family sailed for America is the late 1800's. I guess the brothers carried out this tradition with gift plates for their customers at Christmas.
I also find an interesting chair on display at the museum. This chair was used by a professional photographer in the area. It was a BIG deal to have a photograph taken. Something about the chair looks very familiar to me....
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| Photography studio chair |
See what I mean about familiar? That's my grandparents with my mother on the left, and Lyleth on her own on the right. This must have been taken in 1911, the year she was born.
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| Same chair? Maybe!? |
A good look around the museum also turns up one of the prize displays...could not miss it...a whole wall dedicated to "The Duncan Yoyo!" How well I remember running to the back door of the factory in Luck, hoping that one of the discarded yoyo "seconds" would be a green one! Lime green! Funny, still a favorite color for me.
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| I'll take that one! (it's green) |
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Yes, there is actually a book....
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A good thing about a small town is that you are never very far away from...well, anything. Our morning excursion is over to cousin Jody's house and dock for paddle boarding. After the town touring we arrive back at her home for happy hour, before we head out for dinner at...The Thirsty Otter over on Balsam Lake.
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| The boys ready for a cruise |
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| Nan and Jody ready to order.... |
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| All you can eat RIBS!! |
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Cousin Jody, daughter Jennifer and husband Ed
It's almost Friday...and time to turn the wagon West. Amazing that our camping spot in Luck is at the Luck Golf Course (and campground)....and I'm pretty sure I have an old photo of Grampa John and one of his sons, swinging a golf club here....right HERE...but...almost 60 years ago. The question remains...how can that many years have slipped by? |
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| Swings at the Luck Golf Club and Campground...yes, he's got a dog! |
Oh my...what good fortune to spend time connecting with family known and newly known...in places full of memories from years long ago.
What a Gift.
What LUCK!
