Tipi Poles

Bill Susag left a message on my smarter-than-me-phone at midday, yesterday: “I am heading out to brother Mark’s house.  Come on over if you want to visit.”

Mark lives along the North Hills, not far from my house.  Since I was doing nothing of particular importance, I drove over and see what the brothers were up to.

Upon arrival at Mark’s place, I found the boys inside the house untangling strings of Christmas tree lights and plugging them in to see if they were in working order.

“What’s up, kids?” I asked   

“We are going set up my tipi poles and wrap Christmas lights around them,” Mark said.  “It was Bill’s idea.  And it’s a good one.”

Mark has an authentic tipi.  Many years ago, he spent part of a year living in his tipi out in the wilds.

I visited with the boys long enough to help them stand the tipi poles—which are nothing more than debarked lodgepole pine (appropriately enough).   

I may drive over one night after dark to check out the finished result.

The Susag Brothers at Work

—Mitchell Hegman