Enjoy moments of Zen in Mount Carroll The store the merrier Savannain Finding stories in the art of the country yearshonoredFirefighterfor72ofservice PRSRT STD U.S. Sterling,PermitPAIDPostageNo.440IL61081 *****ECRWSSEDDM*****PostalCustomer
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The owner of a Lanark gallery has put her heart into a business that takes customers on a journey of discovery around the world. answering the fire
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3Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 Publisher/Ad Director Jennifer Heintzelman Magazine editor & Page design Rusty Schrader For Advertising Contact Jill Reyna at 815-631-8774 or jreyna@saukvalley.comPublishedbySaukValleyMedia 113 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon, IL 815-284-222261021 Have a story idea for Carroll County Living? E-mail rschrader@saukvalley.com Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Carroll County Living may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad con tent is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its ac curacy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertis ers listed in any portion of this magazine. inside 12 I think, therefore I am creating Everything can play a part in art, just ask the mind behind the Mount Carroll gallery where people find moments of Zen. 20 The store the merrier
32 Still
The owner of a flower shop and boutique prides herself on giving customers a lot to smile Art of the country
After years of working as a welder and driving his own semi trucks, Meador is doing what many of us hope to do when our working days are done — doing what he wants and doing it on his own time. For him, doing what he wants is about tapping into that spark of creativity to fire up the welder and give scrap metal a second life.
METAL cont’d to page 6
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or some people, heavy metal is all about the hair. For Ron Meador, it’s all about the Hairy. No, he’s not in an ’80s rock band, but if you stop by his yard art gallery in Chadwick don’t be surprised if you find an electric guitar planted out front, recycled and rusty — just not ready to rock. The guitar won’t have heads banging, but it’ll turn a few when they see it. It’s made out of chains and bolts and springs and other things, and it’s just one of the pieces that Meador has made for his home-based business, Hairy’s Yard Art.
ALEX T. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COM
5Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 efore he turned out metal masterpieces, Ron Meador spent more than a decade as a welder before hitting the road as a truck driver — but the drive to create never left him. For him, one man’s junk is another man’s rooster head, flower petal or frog leg. “I keep buying junk and it kind of mounts up,” Meador said. “I use whatever I can.”
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6 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022
The inspiration is his own, but the iron comes from wherever he can get it: Much of it he’s been collecting for years, and some of it has been brought to him by people he knows. But whatev er he gets, he’ll find a way to use it, turning rods, sheets, springs, chains, beams, auto parts and more into animals, motorcycles, musical instru ments, plants, outdoor equipment — you name it.
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Many of the pieces aren’t unlike other works you’d see at craft shows and flea markets — whim sical animals, rusted rebar rebooted into yard art — but some of his works are metal masterpieces.
PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COMT.ALEX METAL cont’d from page 4 METAL cont’d to page 7
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And about that name: Hairy’s Yard Art? Well, that’s Meador recycling again. He turned his CB handle from his trucking days, “Hairy Beast,” into a moniker for his metal-based business. He started accumulating scrap for about 40 years ago, but these days, all those pieces look a lot different than the piles they started out as. As he squirrelled away countless piec es of fencing, chains, disc blades, wrenches and brake springs in his shed and garage, he knew one day he would make good use of all of it. ome tocreationsMeador’sofspringlife,likethesemetalmembersoftheanimalkingdom.
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The aforementioned guitar for one, or a violin made from chains and grates, or a pile of parts turned into a chopper that looks like it’s ready to rumble down the road. Where some people see junk, Meador sees inspiration.
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“I keep buying junk and it kind of mounts up,” Meador said. “I use whatever I can.”
“All of that time I was driving a truck, I knew I wanted to do the yard art thing,” Meador said. “I started sav ing stuff and building a few sculptures back when.”Regardless of what the piece is, Meador can make it into something else — inspiration is in the eye of the beholder. Take an elbow socket, tilt it 45 degrees and put some screws on the side and you’ve got a catfish with a gaping mouth. Brake springs taken off his semis over the years are now part of a cattail plant, one that looks like a hot dog on a plant stem and found in tallgrass areas. Sometimes ideas and designs just come to Me ador as he’s eyeballing a load of metal, if not in whole then in parts. “That’s the beginning of a giraffe,” Meador said, pointing to some curved piping, “Those are its back legs, I got two other legs over there, I got the head over there, and I’ve got all of the different increments over there, but some day I just got to get to it.”
“You got to have a lot of angles to look at stuff,” he said.
7Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 SLOAN IMPLEMENT OF LANARK 26208 U.S. Hwy 52 • Lanark, IL 61046 (815) 493-2191 • SLOANS.COM Your Local John Deere Dealer See Us For All Of Your Equipment Needs! Sales • Parts • Service Rusted relics are instrumen tal in Meador’s work. Without them, he wouldn’t be able to create pieces like these: a cello and an electric guitar. Many of his pieces start off as sketches before he fires up the welder.
PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COMT.ALEX METAL cont’d from page 6 METAL cont’d to pages 8 & 9
8 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 Custom Home Builders Kevin Miller, General Contractor 12841 IL Rt. 73, Lanark, IL 815-493-6576 kmillerchb@frontiernet.net Custom Homes • Remodeling • Decks • Garages www.lakecarrollhomebuilders.com here’s a whole flock of feathered friends hanging out by Meador’s shop ... pelicans, pheasants, owls and other yard birds. Meador sees potential in every piece of metal. What may look like old shovels and picks to most people are rusty pieces full of potential to Meador, waiting to be transformed into a critter, a creature, or whatever else his mind and muscles can make of them. Above, Meador holds an eagle talon that he’s been working on. And the best part of his metal menagerie? He doesn’t have to worry about these birds flying off. PHOTOS: ALEX T. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COM
9Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 SM-ST1998916
PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COMT.ALEX METAL cont’d from page 8 METAL cont’d to page 10
Some ideas are gleaned from pictures Meador sees. For example, a raven he plans to make: “I looked at some pictures on the internet and sketched it out a little bit, what the tail and what the head looks like, and then I’m going to try. That’s all I can do.”
And what about those projects that don’t quite make the cut? “If I don’t like it, it just goes back in the pile,” he Meadorsaid.grew up in rural Lanark and was inspired to make welding a career by an uncle of his who en joyed fixing farm ma chinery. He took welding classes at the Whiteside Area Vocational Center in Sterling while in high school, and re turned to the “Hardware Capital of the World” to work at the former A.E. Bogott and Sons metal fabrication company. After 13 years of welding steel, cast iron, stainless steel and aluminium, he moved on to run his own trucking company. Owning a fleet of trucks also meant maintaining and fixing them, and that meant building up a lot of parts that had reached the end of their road. But they would someday start a new journey, going from parts to art. eador’s work runs the gamut, from smaller, simpler pieces, to ones where he real ly cranks up the creativity, like this impressive piece: a chop per that looks like it’s ready to head out on the highway.
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pieces are rusted. The petals on
Even after leaving Bogott, Meador never lost his passion for welding. He’d make a few little things here and there, but nothing like some of the projects he does these days. With all that welding gear, a garage big enough to park a semi in, and plenty scrap and time on his hands, he knew he wanted to do something, and being creative seemed like a natural fit. Meador’s art got a boost and started to generate a buzz when several pieces went on exhibit in August 2021 at Clinton Community College’s Sixth Annual Arts at the Arb at the Bickelhaupt Arboretum in Clinton, Iowa. His works of both flora and fauna were displayed along with the many trees and bushes there, giving visitors who roamed the grounds a good look at the marriage of metal and nature in Meador’s work. The college had sought out someone from the region who utilized farm-related items in their art, and found Meador. all of Ron’s this colorful flower engine parts — now that’s some flower power!
ot
were formed from
PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COMT.ALEX METAL cont’d to page 11 METAL cont’d from page 9
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The exhibit in Clinton proved to be an interesting experience, and he learned a thing or two to improve upon his craft, such as adding his “HB” nickname initials to give his pieces a signature. “A lady there, she knew art pretty well, and I didn’t really consider myself an artist — just a truck-driverturned-make-things-out-of-junk guy — and she told me, ‘You’re a true artist,’” Meador said. “A lot of peo ple kept telling me that they like this kind of stuff, and she gave me a lot of good pointers.” Meador’s works can be found at hairysyardart. com, and people can also contact him to commis sion creations. He also sets up at farmers markets in Milledgeville, Lanark, Mount Carroll and Lake Carroll during the summer, as well as some special events throughout northern Illinois. The shows have proven to be a bit of a workout, too, with many heavy pieces being lugged to and from his dealer space. He’s usually the first to come and the last to leave.
More info Go to hairysyardart.com, email meador6565@gmail.com or call 815-441-0923 to learn more about Hairy's Yard Art.
METAL cont’d from page 10
While Meador usually works with his own materi als, he has turned other people’s scraps into some thing new; he once worked with a pile that someone’s late father had collected over many years and repur posed them into several sculptures to adorn the outside of the home. He’s also donated works to benefits to help families raise money for certain causes, giving him some pride knowing that his craft can help others. And it all starts with a pile of scrap. “It was someone else’s junk and now I just recycle it,” Meador said. n
Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 202212
hen it comes to creating artwork, Heather Houzenga not only thinks outside the box, she might just use it in one of her pieces. For her, all the world’s a canvas; you just have to be creative when it comes to seeing the potential — and Houzenga’s crea tivity knows no bounds.
There’s no color of paint too plain, no ordi nary item that can’t be extraordinary, no trin ket too trifling. There’s a place for everything, and it’s in the pieces she creates for her Zenga’s Now and Zen Gallery in Mount Carroll. From art work that mixes lights and darks to jewelry and decor made from pieces that might have otherwise been des tined to be discarded, Houzenga enjoys turning the key to unlock the potential in whatever she finds, adding items to her ever-expanding palette. “It’s just how my brain works, and always has,” Houzenga said. “You just got to be able to think outside of the box. We’re programmed so much to buy something and throw it away. There’s a use for everything. You don’t have to throw it away, you just have to find a way to reuse it.”
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ZENGA’S cont’d to page 14 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 13
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Houzenga’s creations are branded under the name Zenga’s, another play on words using her last name. Her creations include paintings, three-dimensional assemblages, jewelry, collages, stained glass works, prints, ceramics, clothing and whatever else comes to mind, and no two pieces are the same.
havepartnerHouzengaHeatherandJayPauleyfoundahomefortheirartandmusicindowntownMountCarroll,atZenga’sNowandZenGallery. ZENGA’S
The pieces in her gallery aren’t the only place her creativity is on display — it’s in the displays, too. Suitcases to prop up a shelf, dresser drawers become shelving. They’re all answers to the question: ‘How can I use this in a different way?’ “When people are looking to get rid of stuff, I’ll come and take a look and see if there’s anything usable that I can refresh again and give a new life to,” Houzenga said. “Even our stained glass has been recycled from people who were getting rid of it, and I have a few designs that I do specifically.” cont’d page 13 ZENGA’S cont’d to
from
“Everything’s one of a kind,” she said. “You’re not going to find anything like it anywhere else because of all of the materials.”
ALEX T. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COM
page 15
The gallery is open only on Saturdays, or by chance whenever she’s at the store. As for her day job, Houzenga splits her time teaching elementary school art at the Easton Valley and Andrew school districts in Jack son County, Iowa, just across the Mississippi River. A few years ago, she took some time off from teaching to explore her creative side and put together more pieces to sell. After a couple of years, she eased back into teaching, a couple of classes at first and then back full-time.
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The gallery grooves to a 1960s and ’70s vibe, from its decor to its art to the music piped in through the the sound system — and she has her partner of 3 years, Jay Pauley, to thank for that. An occasional feature of Carroll County Living highlighting local landmarks and locations off the beaten path. We’ll feature a photo and it’s up to you to guess where it was taken.
ZENGA’S cont’d from page 14 ZENGA’S cont’d to page 16
“I quit teaching for about 3 years and de cided that I wanted to brand myself,” Hou zenga said. “I just jumped in head first and started coming up with product lines, jewelry, clothes, bags, and things like that. I then went back to teaching for just a little bit, and the whole time I just kept creating and kept marketing myself.”
The Sisler Bridge was built in 1925 to carry traffic over a small stream, and continues to hold up after nearly 100 years. Where is it? Answer on page 39.
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In the past year, Houzenga has given Pauley some space to display crates of records for people who want to listen to music made be fore the dawn of digital era.
“I started bringing them in little by little, and, next thing you know, there were hundreds,” Pauley said. “We’ve had people come in who had no idea that there were albums here. It’s a good part nership from a vibe standpoint.” LP’s have made a comeback in recent years. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl outsold CDs in 2020 for the first time since the 1980s. And it’s not just people who grew up with records. Whether you’re 78, 45, 33, or 16, all ages have taken a liking to those polyvinyl chloride platters again, proving that some things don’t always their lose luster; it just takes people a while to take a shine to them again — and it’s not just people who want to wax nostalgic.
Pauley has put his own spin on the gallery, selling records from that creative and colorful time in American history. He’s amassed a large collec tion over the years, many of them featured on “Pure Vinyl,” a radio show he once hosted.
ZENGA’S cont’d from page 17 ZENGA’S cont’d to page 17
“It isn’t just a bunch of folks who go through and go, ‘I remember when I had this record back in 1973,’” Pauley said. “I just love being able to share that love of music, especially the eclectic music where someone walks in and recognizes the name of a group and they’re the only other person on the planet that I’ve run into who’s heard of that band.”
She’s also shared her artwork with peers, submitting it to art exhibitions, where it’s earned local, regional and even national awards.
Sometimes during classes, Houzenga will bring in artwork from when she first started drawing to show to her students, giving them something they can shoot for“Icreatively.thinkithelps for the kids to see that I do this, too,” Houzenga said. “Jay has his records, but he’s also an actor, and we’ve had the kids come to see him perform.
I think it’s really important for the students to know that it’s a possibility and inspire them.”
ZENGA’S cont’d from page 16 ZENGA’S cont’d to pages 18 & 19
Some extraspace became avinyl frontier that musiclovers can explore at Ze-nga’s Now and Zen Gallery,where Jay Pauley’s discs aren’tcompact, but they are cool.“Pure Vinyl” is the name ofa radio show he oncehosted.
Houzenga and Pauley also are theater directors at Easton Valley High School, and coordinate after school arts programs.
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18 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 Own a piece of guitar art, no strings attached, or check out some fancy footwork. Just stop by Houzenga’s gallery. Some of the pieces there are eye-catching, some are thought-pro voking, but they’re all one of a kind. “You’re not going to find anything like it anywhere else,” she Somesaid.artwork takes a heroic effort to create, like these Wonder Woman pieces amazingincorporatethattheAmazon. For Houzenga, inspi ration and ideas come from everywhere — a guitar, boots, a superhero — “You’ve just got to be able to think outside of the box,” she said. APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COMPASCHALT.ALEXPHOTOS:
19Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 She enjoys sharing her passion for the arts through her involvement in the Scenic Art Loop, a nonprofit organization promoting the arts throughout the Driftless Region of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin; as well as serving as an artistic vendor coordinator at Codfish Hollow, a barn-themed event venue in Maquoketa, Iowa. While Houzenga enjoys being able to share her work with others and earn extra money, budding young artists benefit from buyers who visit her gallery. Ten percent of the proceeds programming.children’sareatothepurchasesfromatgallerygoessponsoringartistsandartSonexttimeyou think about tossing some thing out, think again — think outside the box. Maybe you’ll turn that miscellany into a master piece, and before you know it, you’ll open your own gallery. Who knows? The possibilities are endless. Just ask Houzenga. “Anything’s possible,” she said. “Welcome to my brain.” n Dennis Huttenlocher dennish@csbnow.com NMLSLena/Freeport#757614 Matt Moyer mattm@csbnow.com NMLSFreeport#1253425 Sam VenHuizen samv@csbnow.com NMLSStockton#1747098 Citizens State Bank NMLS #740680 Our experienced lending team can help you choose the right loan to fit your needs and will guide you every step of the way. WITH CSB, OWNING YOUR HOME IS JUST A CLICK AWAY! Go through the entire process onlinefrom application to approval! csbnow.com/mortgage-application/ Scan this code to start! SM-ST2002345 Call 815-232-8612 to arrange a personal tour! Like us Facebookon1711 W. Church Street, www.parkviewhome.orgFreeportParkviewRetirementCommunityParkview’s continuum of care provides 5 levels of care Maintenance-free independent condos Convenient enhanced independent apartments Cozy and comfortable assisted living apartments Memory care apartments Private and semi-private 24 hour nursing care Serving the Community for Over 95 Years! Zenga's Now and Zen Gal lery is at 208 W. Market St. in Mount Carroll. It's open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday, or by appointment. Call 563-212-7155 for more information on Zenga's, go to informationgasscenicartloop.com/zenorfinditonFacebook.Call815-631-6110formoreonPureVinyl,orfinditonFacebook. ZENGA cont’d from page 17 When the wheels in Houz enga’s head start turning, she just can’t stop — and when she’s on a roll, there’s no telling where her creative spirit will take her. In this case, it took her to her 1970 VW bus, which is hard to miss when it’s in Mount Carroll ... or anywhere for that matter. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COMT.ALEX
Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 202220
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SASSY STEMS SASSY STEMS cont’d to page 22
For a little more than a decade, Rice has searched far and wide to come up with pictur esque flower arrangements, home decor, appar el, jewelry, purses, furniture, candy, and much more for her friends and neighbors. She’s got it all at Sassy Stems Floral and Gift Boutique, her elegant business inside a rustic two-story build ing at the edge of downtown. Gifts of all kinds can be found throughout the store, so something’s bound to brighten someone’s day — and Rice prides herself on offering a place where even window shopping can make people happy. Sometimes, Rice says, customers will stop in every so often just to see what’s new in the store.
By Cody Cutter | Sauk Valley Media
The smile on Christie Rice’s face is the kind of smile she likes to see on cus tomers’ faces when they browse through her Sa vanna shop, Sassy Stems. "I have a lot of people who come here because they said it makes them happy, just to come in here," said Rice, shown here with her granddaughter, Claire.
hristie Rice has called Savanna home for her entire life, so she has a pretty good idea of what people in her hometown want in a store — and it all stems from putting a smile on their face.
“I have a lot of people who come here because they said it makes them happy, just to come in here,” Rice said. “I don’t want people leaving here upset.”Having a happy haven in her hometown is something Rice is used to. Her mother, Kathy Carlson, once worked at, and later managed, a flower shop in town for several years, and Rice would get to see firsthand the positive power of the flower. In fact, it proved profound enough that mother and daughter dreamed of having a place of their own one day to share what they loved with their community.
22 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022
“My mother’s dream was to have her own flower shop,” Rice said. “She fell ill and wasn’t able to do it. So I kind of did it. I went into it on my own. My other job was too much for me, and I thought, well, she wanted to start one and wasn’t able to, so I started it.
“I felt like I needed to. I needed to do it for her.” Rice wasn’t alone in getting her store up and running, and the concept of a mother-and-daugh ter operation did, in fact, become a reality. Rice’s daughter, Kelsey Rice, has become a blossoming talent at the shop, working alongside her mom, doing flower
Sassy Stems opened in 2010 just a couple of blocks north of its current location at 700 Main St. After just 2 years, the current building was built and Rice got an offer to move there, with plenty of space to fill.
815-291-2866 • Lena, ILRoutineNewwww.superiorhvacservices.cominstallation•Remodelingmaintenance•Repairs Call today for a free estimate 24-HOUR SERVICE ON ALL BRANDS SASSY STEMS cont’d from page 21 SASSY STEMS cont’d to page 23 There’s a lot more than just stems at Sassy Stems — the shop is en eclec tic mix of merchandise: home decor, clothing, jewelry, personal care prod ucts and more. And if you see this female feline roaming the store, it’s the “shop kittty,” Suzie, who helps Christie keep an eye on things. CUSTOM KITCHEN CABINETRY MADE LOCALLY OLD WORLD CRAFTSMANSHIP Call Wayne for your free consultation 815-631-5950 24911 PAYNE ROAD, SHANNON IL • wayne@mulletcustomcabinets.net
Carlson, however, wouldn’t get to see that dream come true. She died in August 2007, but the dream she shared with her daughter didn’t die with her. Rice was determined to make their dream a reality as a tribute to her mother.
The benefits of blooms extend well beyond the smiles they bring. They’re sort of a one-size-fits-all kind of gift. Birth days, anniversaries, congratulations, milestones, the circle of life from birth to death, saying you’re sorry or saying “I love you,” or just because … flowers can be a part of any Rice said she tends to shy away from the basic arrangements when she can, preferring to bring something a little extra, a little more creative, to her work. Customers can stop in to check out what styles are available, or find them on maderangement,customersalsopre-madewherefloralandgiftboutique.com,sassystemsarrangements,bothandcustomized,canbeordered.Sometimes,likeapre-madearbutwantafewtweakstoit.Thatcanbedoneaswell.
Though Rice likes to bring her own touch to her store, she’s also keen on keeping customers happy, so keeps her finger on the pulse of what’s popular. “I try to do what’s trendy and what’s in style,” Rice said. “I can’t buy everything that I strictly like because not everyone likes that, so I need to go outside of my box and say, ‘I need to try this.’”Having a business in a town the size Savanna — with about 2,800 people — one can’t limit themselves to having just one thing to sell, Rice said. Stores have to diversify to keep customers from hitting the road for a bigger town and bigger store.
If you’re looking for another type of gift, or something to go along with the blooms, the upstairs is a full boutique with women’s accessories, clothing and shoes, and the ground level has home decor, jewelry, lotions, soaps and silks.
“You can be creative and do whatever you want,” Rice said. “It’s fun. Flowers make people happy, and there’s not much of that around — a lot of people don’t seem to be happy these days.”
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23Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 Delivery is available within about 40 miles of Savanna, in both Illinois and Iowa. Wedding and funeral arrangements also are available.
SM-ST2003934
Sassy Stems Floral and Gift Boutique, 700 Main St., in Sa vanna, is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Find it on Facebook, go to callemailsassystemsfloralandgiftboutique.com,sassystemsfloral@gmail.comor815-273-7668formoreinformation.
24 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022
The apparel is one example: Sassy Stems carries name-brand clothes that you might be hard-pressed to find in nearby towns. “There were a lot of people who were excit ed to find out we had clothing upstairs,” Rice said. “Savanna doesn’t have a [new] clothing store anymore, and it used to have several.”’
While flowers take up a majority of the floor space, Rice keeps her other in ventory fresh — there’s more than just stems at the shop. Sometimes customers are surprised to discover the variety that can be found behind the store’s doors.
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Even before they walk in, there’s some thing to check out at Sassy Stems. A deck out front offers a spacious space where people can have a seat and enjoy a treat. It’s not unusual to see customers at Shim er’s Ice Cream Shoppe next door come over and sit on the deck and delight in the colors of the flowers in the hanging pots, watch the cars go by, or gaze at the boats as they mozy down the Mis sissippi River on a lazy summer day. Rice has enjoyed meeting many new people who stop in to the store, whether they’re locals or newcomers to the city, and there have been more newcomers recently. Savanna’s profile as a tourist town has gotten a boost in recent years after being named the No. 1 “Best Small Town for Adventure” by USA“IToday.know a majority of everyone in Savanna and everything about this town,” Rice said. “People I went to school with have come back that I haven’t seen since I went to school. It’s kind of nice, and they’ll stop in and say hi.” Whether it’s old friends or new customers, Rice is happy to see them, and she’ll do her best to make sure they’re happy to see her too, because when Savanna smiles, Rice smiles. n
SASSY STEMS cont’d from page 23
25Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 26 Rooms Invite You To Travel The World, As You Explore Beauty, Art, And Culture... With A Love Story To Tell. Tours Every Weekend in October Saturdays & Sundays 10am-5pm (last tour starts at www.havencrestcastle.com4pm)140N.5thSt. • Savanna • (815) 273-3900 Tickets available online or at the doorFreeCrownsforallchildren SM-ST2004722
26 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022
new Lanark business is more than just a shop and art gallery — you could even call it a kitchen. It’s where Lois Grove mixes together ingredients from around the world in a melting pot of creativity, talent, imagination and inspiration at Majestic Skyscape.
MAJESTIC cont’d to page 28 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 27
Nestled in the scenic countryside just a couple miles west of Lake Carroll, the shop in rural Lanark opened just a few months ago, on May 17. The art gallery/store is filled with an eclectic selection of decor, art pieces, and gifts from near and far. Many pieces are handmade and many come with a something extra: a story — and Grove is more than happy to tell the “There’stales.a story to a lot of it, and it’s waiting to be told,” Grove said. “I’ve had a voyage with every single one of these pieces, and it’s not just by chance with all of these things comePeoplehere.”willthrough the door as custom ers, but they’ll leave as newshegoing,thatoncejusthadn’townertorjourneytheirGrovetravellers,worldwithservingastourguide.Grove’sownfromcollectoartisttobusinesswasoneshereallythoughtoftakingafewyearsago,butshestarteddownroadshejustkeptandintheprocessdiscoveredawholeworld.
Left: Majestic Skyscape is nestled in the rolling hills of Carroll County’s scenic countryside near Lanark, just a few miles west of Lake Carroll.
PHOTO: CODY
CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COMByCodyCutter|SaukValleyMedia
28 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 Restoration • Brick Stone • Fireplace Commercial & Residential Mark Dollinger • Owner SM-ST2004530 15357 Lovers Spring Road, Lanark, IL dollingermasonry@hotmail.com815-541-063061046 SM-ST2002378 F RED’S M AN C AVES & D EB’S S HE S HEDS Move in Ready! 24’w X 48’l X 16’h CustomSpacesDesigned Perfect for your workshop out of the house, storing your RV or large boat. Thearepossibilitiesendless. Conveniently located off of Route 78 on Commercial Drive Mt. Carroll, IL • (815) 244-1566 She eventually found a place where cultures and creativity could come together under one roof, and it wasn’t far from home. Grove’s commitment to sharing her passion led her to open Majestic Skyscape on land she shares with her hus band, Rod. Lois, a Thomson native, and Rod, moved to their property 15 years ago to enjoy the scenic timbers and the rolling valleys that lead north toward Northwest Illinois’ sce nic Driftless Region. Lois recently retired from the health care field after four decades and Rod works in construction. In 2019, she had a week off for vacation and was looking for something to do. She stumbled upon a picture of a painting with colorful bubbles and waves that caught her eye and thought that would be a neat thing to try. That chance discovery led her down a rabbit hole to a wonderland of world culture. fromwillCustomersfindpiecesaroundtheworld at Majestic Skyscape, as well as some made right in their own backyard, like this piece that owner Lois Grove created using the paint pouring method. The pieces are “fun and beautiful,” she says.CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM MAJESTIC cont’d from page 27 MAJESTIC cont’d to page 29
MAJESTIC cont’d from page 28 MAJESTIC cont’d to pages 30 & 31
29Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 BUSHMAN’S SERVICE • MICHELIN • FIRESTONE • MITAS • BKT Offering a full line of passenger, light truck & ag tires 309 N 815-225-7411MilledgevilleWashington Make Someone Smile... With Flowers Handcrafted Bouquets & Arrangements Unique Gifts & Home Decor Flower Fan-A-See www.flowerfanasee.com Mon - Fri 9am-5pm • Sat 9am-Noon 904 S. Clay St. Mt. Carroll, IL 815-244-1123 You can light up your life with lamps that are works of art, from Majestic Sky scape. The ornate, ostrich egg lamps at left have in tricate rightthecarveddesignsintoshell,andtheTurkishlampsatwilllightuptheroomandsparkaconversationwhenpeopleseethemhanginginyourhome.CODYCUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM
“It’s really interesting to look and find all of the different art,” Lois said. “Once you get your heart into it, it just goes and keeps going” — and Grove just kept on going. She’s found pieces not only from throughout the U.S., but around the world, too — Africa, Asia and Europe, and elsewhere — bringing a little piece of each country’s culture to her Carroll County shop, where customers can go on their own journey of discovery. For Lois, anything can be a work of art, even every day items like lamps. Lois has a collection of ornate and distinc tive pieces from Turkey and South Africa. The ones from Turkey can paint a room in color with their stained glass shades, and her South African lamps help coax light out of its shell: They’re made from ostrich eggs, with various scenes carved into the shells.
The piece she saw was created with the paint pouring meth od, and Lois delighted in discovering the process of pouring cups of paint on canvas and letting the colors spread and swirl their way into a work of art. The paintings are like a colorful Rorschach test — everybody sees something different. “I had a week off once, and I thought, ‘I got to do something during that week,’” Lois said. “Somehow this popped up. I start ed out very, very, very basic, and went from there. “They came out, I thought, fun and beautiful.” Some of her own works are displayed throughout the store. One painting led to more, and that led to an association with like-minded artists, each with their own unique styles. Lois con tinued to immerse herself in the world of art and it didn’t take long for her journey to take her to work from around the world.
30 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 Shannon Marine Services • Outboard & Stern Drive Repair • Prop Repair • Winterization & Storage 13S. Shannon Route www.shannonmarine.comShannon 815-864-2565MarineServiceCelebrating30years1992-2022 • Lawn & Garden Repairs • Small Engine Repairs Call for great prices on.... Thursday-Saturday 10am-5pm • Sunday 1-4pm Tuesday & Wednesday By Appointment Only 16164 Carter Rd. • Lanark • Text (815) 275-6470 • Get Your Culture Fix Eclectic Artisan Gallery, with local, across-thecountry and international art. One of a kind finds! SM-ST2002359 Fall SeptemberavailableDecor1 Clay, glass, jade, wood ... Pieces in all sorts of me diums can be found at Majestic Skyscape, and all sorts of styles, too: ornate, opulent, fascinating and fun — and what’s more, anyone can find something in their price range, owner Lois Grove said. PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM
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n More info Majestic Skyscape, 16164 Carter Road in rural Lanark –about 2 miles west of Lake Carroll – is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Find Majestic Skyscape LLC Eclectic Art Gallery on Facebook, email logro 23@yahoo.com or call or text 815-275-6470 for more information. MAJESTIC cont’d from page 29
At Majestic Skyscape, Lois has put out the “Welcome” mat for both artisans and art lovers, inviting them to a place she calls her “little slice of heaven,” where customers can look at pieces and see more than just merchandise, they can see whatever their imagination lets them — the sky’s the limit.
Also among her items are one-of-a-kind glass vases from Wales, created by artists who haven’t been formally trained in their craft — not that you’d know it by looking at their pieces. Lois also sell pieces that not only give something to the buyer, but to the countries they came from. A line of bracelets made with recycled paper by Kenyan women are purchased by the nonprofit Just One Africa organization, which then sells them to retailers and uses the money to buy water filters for the people of Kenya. Earrings that resemble butterflies come from the Save the Monarch jewelry project and the proceeds go to support efforts to plant milkweed — which monarch caterpillars feed on — on government-regu lated Monarch migration routes across the U.S.
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There’s more than just decor in her shop. Lois has practical pieces, too — bowls and boxes, drink coasters and serving trays made from re claimed granite, and more, and each with a distinctive design. They can add color and culture to a home, or make great gifts: get well, birthday, weddings, special occasions, or just a way to say “I’m thinking of you.”
There’s something for everyone, Lois said, no matter what their price range is. “I have products from one end of the spectrum financially to the other, so anyone can come in and feel relaxed and find something in their price range,” Lois said. “That was important to me also, because when most people think art they think ‘expensive.’ I didn’t want to give that thought or uninviting feeling.”
32 Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 Dental Care for the Whole Family 120 S. Broad St. • PO Box 43 Lanark, IL Dennis815.493.224461046J.WaltersD.D.S AL’S AUTOMOTIVESERVICE,QUALITYINC•COMPLETEREPAIR•ASECERTIFIEDTECHNICIANS 102 East Market Street Shannon, Illinois 61078 Phone: (815)864-2569 Hours: 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
33Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 ProcessingJohnson’sPlant Inc. Custom Butchering Quarters and Halves For Sale 205 IL Rt. 40 Chadwick, IL (815)684-518361014 SM-ST2001948 Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm • Saturday www.specialtouchflowers.net9am-noon ~ FLOWERS AND GIFTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS ~ Visit the Used Book Store Twice Sold Tales 504 W IL Rt 64. Lanark • (815) 493-6366 Freshest Flowers Around hree more years of serving the Milledgeville Fire Protection Dis trict, and then Keith Oncken will call it “TheyWell,quits.maybe.justinstalled me for three years, so I think probably at the end of this term I will,” said Oncken, who turned 90 in April. “I hope my health holds. I’ve been very lucky.”
SaukZoellnerAlexaByValleyMedia ONCKEN cont’d to page 34
The Milledgeville resi dent and president of the Fire TrusteesDistrict’sProtectionBoardofhasspent 80 percent of his life in volved in the district, having served as either as a firefighter or a fire trustee board member for 72 years. Oncken joined the district as a volunteer firefighter in 1950, when he was 18 years old and newly married. He continued in that capacity until 1968, at which point work on the farm kept him from being able to respond to many of the calls for service. But his role in firefighting wasn’t over. That year they first installed him as a trustee in the District, On cken said, and he’s held a position in it ever since, serving as its president for more than 50 years.
Milledgeville is a volunteer fire protection district, he said. Firefighters get paid some, but Oncken didn’t have figures available.
One change he said he’s been glad to see through the years is the focus on firefighters’ protective equipment.
ONCKEN cont’d from page 35 ONCKEN cont’d to pages 35 & 36 SUBMITTED
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“I think they called up about six other trustees and the closest one to me was 52 years,” Oncken said.
Milledgeville Fire Protection District Trustee Keith Oncken (left) and Chief John Caudillo were on hand to present awards during the district’s annual Awards Night on March 12 at MillWheel Tavern in Milledgeville.
The IAFPD was established in 1942 as a not-for-profit organization to protect the interests, rights and privileges of Fire Pro tection Districts in the arenas of legislative, administrative, or judicial action. The organ ization works on behalf of 635 fire protection district members throughout Illinois. When asked what has kept him with the Fire Protection District for so long, Onck en said he’s always been interested in the profession.Eventhe changes interest him — although some he’s liked less than others.
Your local, member-owned cooperative. “The one guy — he’s kind of a smart pup and he says, ‘Well that guy’s going to live to 100. We might as well put him on,’” Oncken said. With a chuckle, he added, “He gives me a rough time.” His lifetime of serving the public hasn’t gone unnoticed. Oncken was honored by the Illinois Association of Fire Protection Districts during its 78th annual conference in Cham paign, which ran from June 23-25.
“Back when I came on, they didn’t have [oxygen masks],” he said. “They’ve improved the coats and the pants and that stuff, too.” Fire trucks have gotten larger and can haul more water, Oncken said. When he signed up, the district had one pumper with out a cab and a 1,000-gallon tanker. But those improvements come with a cost.
“Three months ago we purchased a new pumper,” Oncken said. “This pumper is go ing to cost us $779,000 and it’ll be two years before it’s delivered. Luckily, we’ve got threefourths of the money saved, so we’re in good shape financially.” PHOTO
“One thing that I wish the state would back off a little is the training for these firemen, be cause you know, there are more volunteer fire departments in the state of Illinois than there are paid,” Oncken said. “They require so much training. We’re short of help. That’s part of it, because it takes them away from their families.”
35Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022 Top: Oncken and Illinois State Fire Marshal Matt Perez pose for a photo during the ceremony. Bottom: Illinois Asso ciation of Fire Pro tection SUBMITTEDposeKunkelPresidentHillDirectorDistrictsMarvin(left)andViceBrett(center)withOncken.PHOTOS SM-ST2002352 Savanna Thomson Mt. Carroll 815 273-2261 815 259-2455 815 244-2261 “ ” An Independent Bank... We’re Here to Stay! OPEN YOUR ACCOUNT TODAY Hometown Free Checking - Free ATM Debit Card - Free Notary Service - Free Online Banking & Bill Pay - Free Mobile App - No Minimum Balance - No Monthly Service Charge - Unlimited Check Writing Oncken was presented with his 2022 Illinois(atServiceOutstandingAwardright)attheAssociationofFireProtectionDistrict’sannualconference.Heearnedtheawardforhis72yearsofservicetotheMilledgevilleFireProtectionDistrict—18asanactivefirefighterand54asatrustee.Herecentlywassworninforanother3-yearterm.ALEXAZOELLNER/SHAWMEDIA
Oncken said the support from his family always has been a huge factor in his continuing service to the Milledgeville Fire Protection District. He and his wife, Lynn, were married for 67 years when she died in 2017. The couple had three daughters: Vicki, of Aurora; Deborah, of Dixon; and Kristy, who died in 2014 after battling breast cancer. “I had very good support from my wife and children, because my girls were just growing up at that time [I was a firefighter],” he said.
36Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022
Today, the girls are all grown up, but their affection for their father is as strong as his determination to find time for family, work and community — a man, Deborah said, who’s blessed their lives with a sunny disposition, kindness, and a clear vision of right and wrong. He’s also a man who’s blessed his community with decades of devotion to his hometown. For more than 70 years, his friends and neighbors have put their trust in him as he does his part to keep their community safe. He could easily re tire from public service and no one would blame him, but Keith Oncken isn’t quite ready to quit yet not as long as he’s still got some fire in him. n A newspaper clipping from the Sept. 13, 1950, Daily Gazette announcing Keith Oncken’s marriage to Lynn Hull. Below: A clipping from the Dec. 28, 1984, Daily Gazette reporting on the Milled geville Fire Department’s Christmas party, where Oncken was among those being honored.
Left:
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The son,tributefollowingwaswrittenbyDebCrowdaughteroflongtimeMilledgevilleFireDepartmentfirefighterandtrusteeKeithOncken,forhis90thbirthdaycelebrationonApril16.
37Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022
Dad remembers walking to the one-room schoolhouse about 2 miles away, sometimes riding his pony. Life was particularly difficult when my grandfather died of tuber culosis in 1942, when Dad was only 10 years old. Hannah and the four boys eked out a living on the farm and Hannah remained a strong and formidable presence in their lives — and they all later in life were devoted to her until she passed away when she was 95. “Gram,” as we called her, rejoiced in her ten grandchildren and for many years she hosted family holidays in the big old rambling farmhouse. These are some of my fondest memories. Dad was a very good athlete, and by his senior year became captain of the basketball team. He met my mother, quite literally, by ac cident. Lynn, my mom, was the daughter of a Methodist minister and her family moved to Milledgeville when she was about 16 years old. She became a cheerleader, and one evening when my Dad bolted onto the gym, he bumped into my mother and she fell into the bleachers, and I guess the rest is history. Mom and Dad were married for 67 years, and she passed away on Nov. 2, 2017, after dealing with many health issues. The last 12 years of her life, Mirna Cabrera took tender loving care of my mother and the two became very close.
Deb Crowson and her father, Keith SUBMITTEDOncken.PHOTO
Keith Eugene Oncken was born at home on April 19, 1932, the fourth and youngest son of Arthur and Hannah Oncken. He had three brothers, Arthur Jr., Lyle and Lauren. They lived on a farm south of Milledgeville and all worked hard at raising chickens, dairy, hogs and cattle. They raised corn and had a potato field, as well as a large vegetable garden that helped sustain them during the Depression years.
Editor’s Note:
FATHER cont’d to page 38
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FATHER cont’d from page 37
After high school, Dad considered joining the Marines because World War II had ended and the world was still reeling in the aftermath. Instead, he married my mother and for a year or so they lived in a trailer adjacent to my grandmother’s farmhouse. Dad obtained a job at the Milledgeville farmer’s grain elevator, and then Vicki was born in 1951. Dad and Mom built a house in Milledgeville, and I was born in 1955. When I was two, Dad leased a farm a mile west of town and I was soon exposed to farm life. He raised chickens, hogs, dairy and a few cattle — and life was good. In 1960, he got the opportunity to lease a farm 5 miles east of Milledgeville that had more acreage and more outbuildings. My mother was dismayed at the state of the farmhouse, which needed interior painting and was mice-infested, plus she was 6 months pregnant with Kristy, a surprise child. I remember those first few weeks of dining in our big old kitchen, eating Swiss steak, mashed potatoes and green beans, and watching the mice come out foraging for crumbs. My mother would shriek but soon we all adjusted and life became better and my Dad built up his dairy herd. Dad worked many long hours and eventually milked over 100 cows by himself. He would stumble into the house and we would have a late dinner — often 7:30 or 8 o’clock. We girls com plained about the late dinner hour, but having a meal together was sacred. It was the only time we could share details of our day, laugh, and argue. I credit my mother with insisting that we take a family camping vacation every summer, forcing my Dad to leave his dairy herd for 2 weeks. For many years, my cousin, Bobby, milked the cows while we traveled to Colorado, Yellowstone, the Tetons and Glacier National Park. We pulled our tent camper and filled the Buick with six of us: Grandma Hull often sat in the back seat with Vicki and I, and tried to deter us from fighting. Kristy would sit in the front seat between Mom and Dad. Of course, in those days, we didn’t wear seat belts, nor was there any air conditioning. My father was always involved in the community in various capacities. He served 12 years on the Milledgeville School Board, and in 1973 he handed me my high school diploma — a very proud moment for us both. He served 53 years as supervisor of Elkhorn Grove Township. He began serving as a volunteer firefighter at the age of 18, and to this day he has served either as a firefighter or a fire trustee board member for a whopping 72 years — and he recently signed up to serve another 3-year term. Dad has always possessed a strong work ethic. He farmed for over 30 years, and then after he lost the farm, he worked 33 years at the Milledgeville Farmers’ Elevator as a grain handler. We girls have always appreciated our parents’ desire for us to further our education. In fact, there was never any discussion about whether we would attend college; it was expected. All of us earned college degrees and enjoyed successful careers, thanks in large part to our parents’ values. As we celebrate today the life of this remarkable man, we all wish him well and we thank him for his sunny disposition, his kindness, his clear vision of right and wrong, and for all the ways he has touched our lives. n
39Carroll County Living | Fall/Winter 2022
Sisler Bridge on Old Galena Trail Road
— By Cody Cutter, Sauk Valley Media
The Sislers lived along the Galena Trail, one of the earliest major roads in the county, which spanned from Peoria to the lead mines in Galena. While Old Galena Trail Road continues to take traffic across Carroll County en route to Galena, the construction of modern roads to accommodate heavier traffic lead this road to be used less and less.
aNsweR WhereNS is itE
he rise of automobile traffic and the subsequent decline of getting from one place to another on horseback necessitated the building of stronger bridges along Carroll County’s roads in the 1920s, including the Sisler Bridge on Old Galena Trail Road, about 200 feet from state Route 78. This bridge carries traffic over an unnamed creek.
The bridge’s contractor, Ole H. Kleven, was a Norwegian immigrant who came to Elk Grove, Wisc., in 1904 where he established the Elk Mound Concrete Company with two partners. Kleven learned the masonry skill in his native Norway. In 1918, he went into business on his own and was contracted to work on several con crete bridges in Carroll County and other places between here and his home.
Most bridges similar to the Sisler that still remain see far less traffic these days, some due to the rerouting of roads — like the Elliott Bridge, built in 1927 on a former alignment of the Elizabeth Blacktop between Mount Carroll and Elizabeth, which now is Davis Road.
Many bridges constructed in the county were named after the land owners of nearby property. The 38-by-18-foot Sisler Bridge was built in 1925 and named after the Sisler Family, who owned approximately 80 acres north of Mount Carroll. (seen in the 1893 county map at left, with the red arrow pointing to the bridge’s location) The first of the family who settled on that land, during the mid-1800s, was William and Jane Sisler (seen in photo at left).
Several other bridges in Carroll County were constructed by Kleven and his crew and are identified by the name plates attached to them. Some have been replaced by newer structures, but some remain and still carry traffic. Go to bridgehunter.com/il/carroll to read more about Carroll County’s historic bridges.
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