Gone Fishing

Grandma lived about 90 miles from us in Morse, Wisconsin. The year we moved into our new house, it was decided that we three children would spend the week with Grandma. We all loved the idea of a vacation at Grandma's house. I was about 10, my brother 2 years older and my sister 4 years younger. The Bad River runs through Morse, so it was a quick walk to a fishing hole. Sometimes we would fish from the bridge, but more often Grandma would take us a little further. We would walk the railroad tracks, balancing on the rails until we got to the slightly overgrown trail that would lead to the falls. We sat on a large flat rock, baited our hook and waited for the fish to bite. While there were trout in the river, it was rare that we caught any but it didn't matter. We were just as happy catching chubs and shiners as we would bring them back to the feral cats that lived near Grandma's. By the end of the week, the cats were very well fed and were hoping for something besides fish for dinner.

The summer vacations at Grandma's continued for several years. Fishing was always a focus, but we also spent time berry picking, picnicking, helping Grandma bake. Some days it would be cookies, while other days it could be cupcakes. Grandma's sister Mildred would also come to visit and would take us to Ashland for a picnic at Prentice Park where we would be able to watch deer and swans. In the evenings, we would sit around the card table and play cards. The games were either smear or 500. While I remember the names, I don't remember how to play either game.

It was a quieter time, before video games and home computers. There weren't any children in town our ages so Grandma made sure we had fun. Fond memories.