Local Writers | Lodi Valley News

A Thanksgiving Poem

Rating 4.33 out of 5

Lodi, WI
11/30/09

Let Us Give Thanks

By Max Coots

Let us give thanks for a bounty of people:

For children who are our second planting, and, though they grow like weeds and the wind too soon blows them away, may they forgive us our cultivation and fondly remember where their roots are.

Let us give thanks:

For generous friends…with hearts as big as hubbards
and smiles as bright as their blossoms;

For feisty friends as tart as apples;

For continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us we had them;

For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;

For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn — and the others — as plain as potatoes, and so good for you.

For funny friends, who are as silly as brussels sprouts and as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes, and serious friends as complex as cauliflowers and as intricate as onions;

For friends as unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle as summer squash, as persistent as parsley, as delightful as dill, as endless as zucchini, and who — like parsnips — can be counted on to see you through the long winter;

For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening-time, and young friends coming on as fast as radishes;

For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils, and hold us despite our blights, wilts, and witherings;

And finally, for those friends now gone, like gardens past, that have been harvested – but who fed us in their times that we might have life thereafter;

For all these we give thanks.

A Market – A Musing

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Goldie The Chicken visits Lodi Valley Farmers Market

7/15/2009
Lodi, WI Wisconsin

By Gail Lamberty

Last Friday’s Lodi Valley Farmers’ Market was your chance to “Talk to the Animals.” In conjunction with the Lodi Fair, we thought we might have some critters join us for the afternoon. Many folks stopped by the market table to chat with Two Toes, Flap Jack, Goldie and Peanut. The chickens and the pygmy goat at the market stole the hearts of big and little kids alike.

Two Toes, Flap Jack and Goldie are 8 week old chicks with glorious plumage. The “chicken whisperer” was there to reassure them there were there to be admired for their beauty. The chicks seemed to like the pretzels almost as much as Will and Tyler their handlers for the day. Pam, our master gardener, raided her own chicken coop to give them a day at the market. Many thanks, Pam, to you and your grandsons. Read more »

Fishing Has No Boundaries and the Take an Adult Fishing Event

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Nice Smallmouth Bass

Lodi, WI Wisconsin
7/14/2009

This past weekend was the fourteenth annual Fishing Has No Boundaries (FHNB) event for physically challenged and disabled individuals. FHNB was started in 1986 in Hayward, Wisconsin and now has over two dozen chapters nationally in 23 states. There are Wisconsin chapters in; Hayward, Eagle River, UW-Oshkosh, Chippewa Valley, Madison, and Fond du Lac.

Fishing Has No Boundaries took over Governor Nelson State Park with almost 100 participants and over 300 volunteers who are the one’s who make this great event possible. The participants pay a nominal fee with a portion of the fee going to the national organization for the development of new chapters. The disabled anglers get two days of fishing and fun on the water with experienced guides and anglers, boats and pontoons that can accommodate wheelchairs, bait, boxed lunches and beverages for two days, adaptive fishing gear for those who need it, safe dock loading, FHNB hats and T-shirts, and fish cleaning. After Saturdays fishing, the Yahara Fishing Club puts on its fabulous fish fry for all the participants and volunteers using many of the fish caught that day. Read more »

A Market – A Musing

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Is that Larry beneath the Hat?

Lodi WI, Wisconsin
7/8/09

By Gail Lamberty

The wagon came and circled. It wasn’t followed by war whoops or shooting. It was surrounded by generosity and kindness instead.

Lodi Valley Farmers’ Market and the Lodi Area Food Pantry have been partners for a number of years in providing fresh produce to the elderly, shut-ins and those among our community who are experiencing rough times. Donations from the market on Friday are stored in two coolers in the market barn and distributed on Saturday am. Read more »

River Currents

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Gary's New Puppy

Lodi, WI Wisconsin
7/7/2009

My New Roommate and Companion

Many of you readers have sent me wonderful and heart-touching letters and emails over the years when I have had to put a dog down and more recently when my last Labrador, Bo, passed away last December. Dogs and their stories, many of them sad and tear-jerking, strike a common bond with many people from many different walks of life in today’s world.

I have written about my Labs and their escapades both good and bad over the last two decades. My dogs are my family and only dog owners can feel the heartache and joys that they bring to you in a life that is way too short. Throughout all my writing, stories about losing a companion bring me more emails and letters than anything that I do in the world of the outdoors. Dogs of all breeds and kinds are a common thread between so many of us. Losing a life-long pet is one of the worst things that can happen to a dog owner and brings all of us to tears when facing this terrible time. You never completely get over the loss of a dog that you have raised and spent year’s together hunting and enjoying the outdoors. The bond is a strong one and many who don’t have dogs don’t understand this powerful relationship. Read more »

A Market – A Musing

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI Wisconsin
7/1/2009
By Gail Lamberty

When we scheduled the “get grilling” market for Friday June 25^th were not thinking of grilling our own hides. It was a scorcher! Never to be called “wimps” our vendors showed up in good spirits with garden goodies galore! The first beans and (probably) the last asparagus were at the vendor booths. As always, you can get the expected and unexpected at the Lodi market. Read more »

River Currents

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Hanson's 52" Madison Chain Muskie

Lodi, WI Wisconsin
6/30/2009
by Gary Engberg
©2009 Gary Engberg Outdoors

Understand Fish Movement Through the Seasons for Success

Last week’s hot weather has raised local water temperatures to mid summer temperatures of 75 to 80 degrees. The warmer water has allowed all fish species to finish their spawning and recuperate for the rigors of this annual ritual. Even the last fish to spawn (largemouth, catfish, bluegills, and sunfish) are recovered and feeding heavily in local lakes and rivers.

What warm water, weed growth, and post spawn fish when all put together mean that fish are active, aggressive, and hungry. The metabolism of fish has been raised and most fish must regularly feed just to maintain their weight. The young fish of the year are trying not to be eaten themselves while feeding non-stop for their own growth. If you can now find fish, they should be willing biters! Read more »

Foibles of Finney, pt. 4

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI-4/17/09

by Lisa Fichter
“A Dog’s Best Friend”

I mentioned her earlier, Camille The Cat. She had become very special to me in the first year of my life. I considered her one of my best friends although I’m not sure the feeling was always mutual. You see, I grew to be around 50 lbs that first year and sometimes I didn’t know my own strength. Camille was an old cat that much I knew. The Woman had adopted her from the Humane Society several years before I came to live with them and she was never sure how old Camille was. The Woman said of Camille that she was a good girl who never, ever, caused anyone any trouble. I hated to admit it but I had to agree. Read more…

Review of Your Marketing Sucks

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Your Marketing Sucks
Reviewed by Wendy Soucie

Talk about controversial! Imagine saying that to your client or manager? Mark Stevens, as president of a marketing firm, has done it and lived to tell about working with those clients to improve their sales and profits through his “Extreme Marketing” approach. I first read this book when I started at my current job. In fact, it is required reading to ensure our professional staff focuses on the right things when working with a client. Read more…

Without Zoloft

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI-4/09/09

Writer Toni Martin creates a poem about the trials and tribulations of coming off Zoloft. Please click on “Local Scribes” above to read poem. Lodi Valley News encourages submissions by writers from the Lodi WI and Lake Wisconsin area. We encourage writer and artists of all ages and abilities to submit their poetry, short stories, photograhy, cartoons or other artwork for publication.

Review of “Back of the Napkin”

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI-4/6/09

The Back of the Napkin
Reviewed by Wendy Soucie

Have you seen the TV commercial, “Let Brown Help You”? The long-haired guy draws a picture of boxes that turn into the solution to your freight problems – a UPS truck. I love that guy. He can draw and even I get his visual! He is showing us, with no text, how to solve a problem. That is visual thinking. I selected this month’s book, The Back of the Napkin, by Dan Roam, because it discusses developing visual thinking. Roam’s book explores the concept of visual thinking with a plethora of examples, and then carries it further by providing concrete steps to understand the process of thinking visually. Finally, it discusses and shows how to apply it in business. Read more…

Gary’s Fishing Poem

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Our own Gary N-Ski, resident photographer and co-owner of Lodi Valley News, has penned an ode to the simpler days of fishing-the days before glitter boats, tsunami-like wakes, high tech rods and bullet-proof fishing line. Find the poem on our Local Scribes page.