West Bend Germanfest

 Saturday, August 27, 2022

I should have stayed in West Bend yesterday, because here I am again today in this lovely city, this time to enjoy Germanfest.

Steve and Karen from Hartford sat across from us shortly after we arrived.  As we began talking, Karen asked if  we knew Adolph and Magdalena Meinhardt.  Of course we did; they belong to the Austrian American club and we see them at almost every meeting.  Magdalene has a beautiful voice and yodels.  Karen is a soccer player and physical therapist who treated Adolph when he injured himself playing soccer.  She also knows him from playing soccer at the Bavarian Bierhaus.  Karen also knows my former neighbor Jerry Panek, who is prominent in soccer activities.  

We had the most delightful time sharing people we know, sites in Germany and just fun conversation.

Museum of Wisconsin Art

Friday, August 26, 2022

Life Enrichment Director Abby Syverson drove Joe and Sharon Malenda, Linda Mistele, Barbara Schmidt and me to the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) in West Bend.  The white and multi-window building is very modernistic surrounded by clouds of hydrangeas.  I became a one-year member for two with my $25 admission.  

The featured exhibit was Tom Jones: Here We Stand that features almost one hundred and fifty photographs of the Ho-Chunk Nation.  Here is just a sample.

The immense size of this 14 x 24 ft. painting of The Flagellants by Carl von Marr caught everyone's attention as the subjects are beating themselves begging for God's mercy during the Bubonic Plague.

It was amusing listening to Fred Stonehouse tell of his dream that inspired Dream of the Marsh Potatoes about a classmate that inserted an "r" in certain words and it really is "mash" potatoes.

Tom Uttech's Nin Gassinsibingwe ("I wipe my tears" in the Ojibwe language) is surrounded by Still Lives by Jennifer Angus.  Each motif is an arrangement of four cicadas with bell jars containing insects in various settings.

Robert von Neuman's Portuguese Fisherman is an example of his work that features common people in human scenes of everyday life.  He was on the faculty of Wisconsin State College, later UW-M, when I was a student there.

I will surely make use of my one-year membership by visiting this museum again.

We completed our outing with a photo in front of an outdoor sculpture.

The Warehouse - William Kentridge

 After our strengthening class Abby took five of us to The Warehouse Art Museum (WAM) https://www.thewarehousemke.org/ to view the current exhibition of art by William Kentridge. 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kentridge.  

It was mostly black and white, with emphasis on human rights, history and apartheid.

Here is "The Widow of Lampedusa"

and a Portrait of Emmy Hennings.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmy_Hennings

"She Wolf and Jugs" symbolizes the birth of Romulus and Remus.

This "Untitled" (Photograph of Triumphs and Laments in Rome)  brought to mind the movie "The Portrait of Dorian Gray.

Also a bronze sculpture "Shadow Figure 1"

Many other pieces filled the gallery.  

While waiting for our group to assemble, we chatted with John Shannon, who together with his wife Jan Serr founded the gallery.  Here is their unique story.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/arts/2019/01/18/collectors-transform-warehouse-into-one-kind-milwaukee-art-space/2601472002/

Doug Scott

 Tuesday, August 16, 2022

https://www.foresthomefunerals.com/doug-scott

St. Catherine's church had only a few people when Peter and I arrived shortly before noon, but it was almost completely filled by the time the 1:00 p.m. mass began.  Before mass, a brass band played "When the Saints Go Marching In", followed by it being sung by the choir.  The mass was celebrated by three priests with a full choir paying tribute to Doug.  The homily was very personal, since the priest knew Doug so well.  And even the petitions were special for artists, musicians and runners.  Everyone was invited to the the Bavarian Bier Haus at 4:00 p.m. to celebrate Doug's life.

We took a slow ride since it was not even 3:00 p.m. and waited in the lobby while the dining room was being prepared.  We each had complimentary beers at the bar and soon the dining room was filled, spilling out into the bar. 

The Milwaukee Alpenbläser that Doug co-organized, plus Peggy Mueller, played while we visited and had a light buffet lunch.

Twelve alumni of the UW-Madison band also played some familiar band music for Doug.

It was obvious how Doug touched so many lives in countless ways by the number of people that gathered in his memory.

German American Day

 Saturday, August 13, 2022

With overcast, cloudy skies, it looked like the rain could come at any moment.  Peter and I were determined to go to the German American Day at Carl Schurz Park in Stone Bank come rain or shine.  Find out more about Carl Schurz here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Schurz

 Last year we turned around at Guerkey's Corners when it was pouring, but not raining in Stone Bank.  Peter bought wrist bands beforehand from Margie Greis; the advantage of getting wrist bands in advance was paying $5.00 instead of $7.00 at the entrance.  Peter had folding chairs and steins that we set up to watch the parade.  The parade was at 1:00 p.m., not 2:00 p.m., so we missed it.  Peter met many of his friends among the large crowd as we strolled through the park.  The food line was long, but moved steadily forward.  Peter had a Hungarian brat, I had a hot dog and we shared some potato salad.  We found a table in the shelter to have our meal with beers. 

Rudy Mittner joined us as we listened to a band and watched dancers.

Margie and Walter Greis sat down with us until we were ready to leave at about 6:30 p.m.  We never made use of the folding chairs or steins; they stayed where we left them until we were ready to leave. As we were driving out of the park it started to drizzle and continued intermittently until we got to Peter's house where I parked my car.

Since I was on the road I decided to drop by at Jay and Laura's to pick up a smoked fish they had for me from Door County.  We had a nice visit before I left for home.

2022 Das Fest

 Friday, August 5, 2022

I had suggested Sail Loft for our Friday dining out to take advantage of their outdoor seating during this pleasant weather.  Peter suggested going to Das Fest in Elkhorn, where we would have not only food, but outdoor seating and entertainment.  I could not disagree with that.

We had parking reserved for disabled and seniors, which was convenient, and we were early, so there were not that many people.  We went through the merchandise barn where Peter found a German V-necked tee shirt he'd like.  He didn't want to carry anything around, so he planned to buy it on our way out.  We were each carrying a stein, that was enough to carry.

I read my blog from last year, so we planned ticket buying accordingly, to avoid having left-over tickets.  Peter bought two tickets, enough to share a 12-oz. cup to Leinenkugel.  We found a nice shady area and watched the Live Glockenspiel.

We caught the first set of Alte Kameraden, but it was steamy hot in the tent.

It was much cooler in an open shady area with a light breeze cooling us off.  We enjoyed a couple of other bands before looking for something to eat.  We didn't find the vendor that sold the sausage we had last year, but settled on a kilometer sausage in a French roll for me and leberkaese in a French roll for Peter that we enjoyed with another cup of beer.

Alas, Peter could not find the shirt he had planned to buy on our way out.  Perhaps it was for the better; maybe it wouldn't have fit.

Book Club,. Lunch and Movie (Almost)

 Tuesday, August 2, 2022

We had one of the most lively book discussions for The Patron Saint of Liars, by Ann Patchett.  Everyone except Kathy had reasons to dislike Rose and her lack of parenting skills.  Kathy defended her for various reasons, but did not totally enjoy the book.  Some of us had lunch at First Watch which replaced Ruby Tuesday at Southridge.  The place is light and spacious.  We had to rush eating, because we wanted to see "Where the Crawdads Sing".  I had a very large salad that was quite good, but had to have most of it boxed.  When we got to the theater, I barely made it to the restroom, because I was reacting to the salad.  I excused myself from seeing the movie which was for the best.  The effects of the salad still lingered.

The afternoon wasn't altogether lost; Briana was our performer for the afternoon and I watched from the best seat in the house on my balcony.