Visual Bonsai

Yes I am working on my all encompassing Wissota Chippewa play by play recap. It’s coming, I promise. Although I have to admit, once your toddler can move, your style is drastically cramped at campfire parties. My On Wissota Pond retrospectives will be more like USA Today blurbs for a year or so (maybe 18?). Nah, I’m just kidding. Nothing can stop us from living it up on the 4th, and if we can’t reach the level of lakefront decadence we used to, I’ll write complete malarkey and pretend like we did. Hemmingway style.

Anyhow, if there’s one enduring image that will stick in my mind, and should be recognized by all Chippewa participants, it’s the initiation, the christening, the moment we’ve all anticipated with baited breath since, well, a year ago. All made possible by the venerable, esteemed king of SAS-ege, Mr William Kaluzny (who selflessly sacrificed and took on a 3rd job [sausage making] in the weeks proceeding the gathering) Special thanks Bill! This moment was captured in film by Andrea ‘Annie Liebowitz’ Dutcher.

All behold…

Oscar’s first…

BEEFSTICK!

Notice a few things here.

1- The number of people looking the other way (is it bad to give him so many nitrates so young?)
2- The look on Oscar’s face - Like he’s contemplating, I’m used to bananas…”what have we here?”
3- Cousin Charlie has a tortilla chip in his hand - Clearly a child ahead of his time, the second best food to a beefstick. Probably more practical for everyday living.
4- The blood on the right knee. My kid is tough. He eats beefsticks and doesn’t take any lip. (on a regular sleep schedule, otherwise it’s cry cry cry)

Yes, that is a fine moment. Almost brings a tear to my eye…

More recap to come soon. Hope you all had a safe trip home.

In case you forgot, last year was a lot of fun.

Trying to upload pics for a ‘we got to minneapolis’ update. Sorry for the delay…

Here’s something utterly useless and uninteresting unless you work with search engines for a living. This blog ranks # 6 in google for ‘clean cut haircuts‘.

Wow, whew, booya, beer!

Yep, we’re back and breathless from all the traveling. I think we’re done for a while. We got the big time 4th of July experience con Oscar. That is, not only did we get the Chippewa Falls trip, but with made it there and back successfully with the little big guy.

“Yeah, that’s me. Stylin’ on the dock checkin’ out the walleye. “

C. Hudson style we were out the door at 6:40 Saturday morning. 40 minutes behind schedule. Even with the early departure we hit the traffic at the Riverside toll plaza on I90. Part of the open road tolling initiative by Rod Blagocan’tspellhisdamnnameforshjit. Anyhow, the roads don’t seem any more open Rod. But thanks for trying.

Arrived on the scene around 12:30, in time to pack up the clubs and head to the TPC at Ojibwa for the 1st round of the Wissota Dundore Open, the 2nd tournament on the aforementioned Dundore Hackers of America Tour 2006. The field of 2 teed off behind a group of 3 sluggish locals, one of which carried his own mini-cooler of Leine’s. Hmm. Carts are good? No?

The round was back and forth on the forgiving 2600 yard track. Down one into the last hole, I drained a curling downhill 20 footer for par (yes par). Ralph, scrambling from the rough has to make a 15 footer for bogey to tie, and bam. Good. 1st round draw. A pair of 40s on the board.

Back to camp Jo for dinner.

Oscar, my caddie, sizes up tomorrow’s new entrant, the savvy Cornell pro, Andrea “Center Cut” Dutcher.

With Indie Flick style, I will now jump non-chronologically back to a few hours before with no narrative explanation to show you some pictures magnifique of the new Hutchinson household, fresh from the fastest remodeling job in history. Maybe Dick will be there to tell us how they were able to accomplish such a feat!

Um…Dick?

Ok, maybe we’ll have a look around for ourselves.

Here’s Dick’s wake….and a hell of a nice view from the back porch to boot!

Mmmm….a real camera could get this framed just right. Hint Hint;)

This is the view looking east, which we’ve never seen before. Camp Jo is to the right, south, about a 1/4 mile or so.

Let’s walk down the stairs and check out the water…

Cleo, how’s the water?

Very nice and fish are good too!

We’re looking forward to many good years on the water here! Anyhow, back to Camp Jo for some cocktails before dinner…

Ralph and Oscar, how did you guys get here? Wha? What have you done with my son!???? Good god. Hopefully he’s young enough he’ll be able to recover from this. Thanks Bill!

As you can see, everyone is pretending like they didn’t see anything…

After a night of rest (lol) the golfers were back at the TPC Ojibwa for another 9 holes. But not before a breakfast of the best italian and polish sausage ever made..

We made sure to give Andrea the clubs with the corroded grips, and the ploy worked. Ralph and Jeff had another down to the wire game, this time Jeff almost giving it away on the last hole with a double bogey for 38. Ralph missed a 10 footer to tie. Whew.

So, another chronological leap in pictures and we’re ready for the Sunday main event, the showcase of showcases, the 2006 Wissota Iron Chef Off. This year, the main ingredient is Ribs! Wait, that was last year. This year too! That’s the way we like it.

The contenstants, Bill and Bing, are back and don’t seem to be rattled by all the buildup in the press.

Gentlemen, start your grills….

And today’s secret ingredient is….

This year the contenstants decided to switch equipment, Bing gets the propane grill this year. No hair dryers were reported. However, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t any excitement. One play can change a game, and in this case, Bings special ingredient, the dry rub, was lost to an accident after only one application.

After salvaging the rub, Jo runs back into the kitchen and lays out the accoutrements…

Just in time for the ribs hot off the grill. Bills on the right, Bings on the left.

The ribs were as good as ever, despite the dry rub disaster, and we all enjoyed them as if it was our last meal on earth.

And when the eating was done, it was time to say goodbye….

To the group that never stops…

We say, see you next year at Camp Wissota, east and west!

A few parting shots for the Audubon channel…

When the boaters retreat….it’s the best time to meet…

On the dock where the sun says goodnight…

And if you look closely you’ll see the ducks moving slowly…

And the pelican says, “turn out the light…”

Buen Viaje everyone. See you next year.