Nothing says "fun at the beach" like a polka in northern Minnesota.   This is my dad playing the song that I remember most as a child growing up, the Tick Tock Polka.  I was always fascinated at how loud his accordion was back then, and like comfort food, that particular polka is very meaningful to me.

My Dad learned how to play while still a 12 year old kid and I remember the story of how when he was in the army in Korea, some of the brass found out that he could play and they miraculously dug up an accordion for him.

In this video of 2015 he's now 83 years old.  So, for as long as Northwind Lodge (Jasper Lake Resort) has formally been a resort in Lake County, my dad has been playing his accordion.

That's a lot of history at this Minnesota resort.
 

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Painting Dogs in Northern Minnesota

July 5th and another laid back day at Northwind Lodge.  Looks like I'm heading backing to my former life of painting.  I kind of missed it, actually.  It's nice to be back in familiar waters once again.  

Spectacular weather, beautiful days. good fishing and a little bit of paint.  How come you aren't here?

Click Here to see the finished painting of Delilah & Cookie

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Chair #2 for Incredible Ely is finished - Fire!

Chair #2 for the Charish Fundraiser Auction by Incredible Ely is done.  In some ways it was easier and harder than Chair #1 the moose, but I was happy with the end result.  I've noticed that people react differently to different scenes (well, duh) - what I mean is that it is interesting to watch them.  People focused on the eyes of an animal and stay there.  They look at the other parts, too, but the eyes are the center of concentration.  

Scenery with different aspects in the picture, require more time to study it (duh, again), but they focus on the fire and then move around the scene for several long seconds.  The surprise for me was noting that even a painted campfire draws in humans, particularly those who like the outdoors.  A campfire is like a magnet whether real or depicted.

I think that attraction goes back millennia as the fire is where the warmth, food and light were and remain today.  It's in grained into the instincts of humans.  When in trouble or having fun, a fire is a source of comfort and protection.  Hence the reason for the long observances by several people in the store here while I was painting.

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