968 E.Steger Rd -- Crete, IL
(708) 672 - 1167

I GREW UP IN LANSING, ILLINOIS AND ALWAYS SPENT MY SUMMER VACATIONS IN MERCER, WISCONSIN AT MY GRANDPA ISAACSON'S LITTLE COTTAGE ON THE TURTLE FLOWAGE WITH MY PARENTS AND MY OLDER SISTER. GRANDPA'S COTTAGE HAD THREE ROOMS - A KITCHEN AND TWO SMALL BEDROOMS - NO INDOOR PLUMBING! THE OUTHOUSE WAS SITUATED NEAR THE BOATHOUSE. WE WOULD DRIVE GRANDPA TO MERCER EVERY SUMMER, BECAUSE HE HAD ASTHMA, AND SPEND TWO WEEKS WITH HIM. NOW WE ALL KNOW HOW OUR PARENTS ASKED US ALONG THE WAY IF ANYONE NEEDS TO STOP AT A GAS STATION TO USE THE RESTROOM - WELL I KEPT QUIET. ONE VACATION, WHEN I WAS VERY SMALL AND WAS ALREADY POTTY TRAINED WE ARRIVED AT GRANDPA'S PLACE. I HAD TO GO TO THE BATHROOM SOOOOOO BAD. I WAS TAKEN TO THE OUTHOUSE BY MY FATHER AND AS A LITTLE GIRL OF MAYBE TWO OR THREE I WAS HORRIFIED! UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WAS I GOING INTO THAT STINKY, DARK, SPIDER INFESTED PLACE TO GO POTTY - SO I CRIED. MY DADDY STOOD IN FRONT OF ME SHAKING HIS FINGER SAYING, "DON'T YOU WET YOUR PANTS" AND THAT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO USE THAT OUTHOUSE. AS TEARS RAN DOWN MY CHEEKS, ALL I KEPT SAYING WAS "LET'S GO HOME AND COME BACK TOMORROW. LET'S GO HOME AND COME BACK TOMORROW" AS THE PEE RAN DOWN MY LEGS. WELL, DADDY FELT SO SORRY FOR ME HE WENT TO THE BOATHOUSE AND BUILT ME A POTTY CHAIR. EVERY YEAR I COULDN'T WAIT FOR SCHOOL TO BE OUT FOR THE SUMMER BECAUSE THAT MEANT WE'D SOON BE LEAVING FOR OUR TRIP TO MERCER EVEN THOUGH I KNEW I'D HAVE TO FACE THAT SMELLY OUTHOUSE ONCE AGAIN. LOOKING BACK I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING. I'LL ALWAYS HAVE ALL THOSE WONDERFUL MEMORIES OF GOING TO THAT LITTLE COTTAGE IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN IN MY HEART. LINDA (ISAACSON) BRUNS CRETE, IL

Wisconsin is very fun, Especially when under the bright warm sun! Oak, pine, and birch wood trees, All the many flies and bumblebees! Bass, perch, muskies, and bluegills, Heard at night are the whip-poor-wills. Land O' Lakes, Conover, Three Lakes, and Eagle River, Cool brisk mornings sometimes make me shiver. Jigs, Bobbers, and Spinnerbait, To catch a fish you have to wait. The deer, chipmunks, and squirrels are fun to feed, In the water there are cattails and seaweed. There are leathery eggs that turtles lay, When they hatch, baby turtles walk away. It' s fun to watch a butterfly, Spread it's wings and flutterby! Along the road there are pinecones, And all different shaped rocks and stones. There are many birds like eagles, loons, and robins, Our cabin Fernwood lies on Lake Buckatoban! * * * * * * * * * * My name is Lauren Ferber and I live in Valparaiso, Indiana. I wrote this poem while on my Wisconsin trip last summer. This poem is dedicated to my Grandma, Ann Ferber, who was born in Three Lakes. Also to my Great Uncle, Art Godleski, who lived in Three Lakes. Every summer, my family and I travel to Up North Wisconsin. I've been going there since I was just 3 months old. We stay at a cabin called Fernwood that's on Lake Buckatoban in Conover,Wisconsin. I like to fish for whatever will bite my line! Last Summer, I caught my largest bass, it was 19 1/2 in. and weighed 3 lbs. When we're there, we go to Three Lakes, Eagle River, and Land O' Lakes to walk around and shop. We always stay for a week in the end of June, or the beginning of July. I just love everything about the Northwoods of Wisconsin!

So many stories.............. so little time! I can remember the first time I went "Up North" It was about 13 or 14 years ago, long before my husband and I were married. His mom has a cabin in Mercer. I was awestruck by the beauty! I cried the day we drove away from the cabin to head home. It was a wonderful time. Good food, good company, and lots of beverages! I saw deer and bear and fished more in that week then I did in all my years combined. We canoed and ate. We fished and ate. We went sight seeing................. and ate! And at night, I slept like a baby. Of course, I've been going up there since. This summer, I won't be going Up North, though. My husband is in the military and will not be back from Iraq until the end of the year. Wendy St. John, IN

Last summer my husband Gary and I went up to Eagle River for vacation with Gary's best friend, Gary, and his financee Sue, both their families, my stepdaughter and her friend. We stayed for a week at a resort that had really cozy accommodations. One of the highlights of the trip was Gary and Sue getting married in the woods. It was beautiful - simple, but beautiful! The month we went up to Eagle River was August. The weather was horrible - cold (REALLY cold), rainy, grey skys, very, very, gloomy. Couldn't sun, swim or boat. We all hung out together, relaxed in front of the fire, tooks naps, read books, went for rides, shopped. It was the BEST vacation I've ever taken. Chris Lombardi Crete, IL