- Hi, I'm Jake, and this is my band, The Chardon Polka Band.

You're going to hear us play a lot of music on this show.

There's Mike, Mitch, Bob, and the guy with a mustache is Brian.

Since I was 16 years old, polka music has been my job, and at that job, I get to see and do some pretty crazy and interesting stuff, and I want to share those experiences and the music I love so much with all of you.

This is "The World According to Polka."

♪ Things really couldn't be much better ♪ ♪ You don't hear me complaining about the weather ♪ ♪ You don't like it ♪ Well, I guess that's the way you are ♪ ♪ We can listen to some birds ♪ Maybe forget about the things we've heard ♪ ♪ It does ya good to have a song upon your heart ♪ Nothing seems to inspire a song quite like spending a little time in the great outdoors.

And today we're here at Claridon Woodlands Park, part of the Geauga Park District right here in Northeast Ohio.

We're blessed to be surrounded by such great examples of the natural world right here in our own backyard.

And you might not think so at first, but nature can have a profound impact on polka music, and that's what we're going to be discussing on the program today.

And we're diving in headfirst with the classic hiking anthem, "The Happy Wanderer."

(birds tweet) (van zooms) ("The Happy Wanderer" begins) ("The Happy Wanderer" continues) ("The Happy Wanderer" continues) ♪ I love to go a-wandering along the mountain track ♪ ♪ And as I go, I love to sing, my knapsack on my back ♪ ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ Val-deri ♪ Val-deri ♪ Val-Dera ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ♪ ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ My knapsack on my back ("The Happy Wanderer" continues) ("The Happy Wanderer" continues) ♪ Now I wave my hat to the folks that I meet ♪ ♪ And They wave back to me ♪ Yoohoo ♪ And blackbirds call so loud and so sweet ♪ ♪ From ev'ry green wood tree ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ Val-deri ♪ Val-deri ♪ Val-Dera ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ♪ ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ My knapsack on my back All right, boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, now it's time for one of the greatest yodelers in the Northern Hemisphere, Mr. Mike Franklin.

("The Happy Wanderer" continues) ♪ Hey ♪ Val-Deri (Mike yodeling) ♪ Val-Deri ♪ Val-Deri (Mike yodeling continues) ♪ My knapsack on my back (Mike yodeling) Mike Franklin, everybody.

("The Happy Wanderer" continues) ♪ I overhear the skylark ring ♪ They don't ever rest at home ♪ But just like me they love to sing ♪ ♪ As o'er the world they roam ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ Val-deri ♪ Val-deri ♪ Val-Dera ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ♪ ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ Val-deri, val-dera ♪ My knapsack on my back ("The Happy Wanderer" continues) ("The Happy Wanderer" continues) ♪ My knapsack on my back ("The Happy Wanderer" concludes) (birds sing) I love to go a-wandering along the mountain track, and as I do, I love to sing, my knapsack on my back, "The Happy Wanderer."

And in that song, we discuss what you see when you go out wandering in this wonderful world.

What do you see when you take a little wander outside?

Do you see birds in the trees or bees buzzing around the flowers, a stream, a lake, the beautiful leaves in the fall?

Well, my very dear friend, Mike Franklin, took a walk around this world to ease his troubled mind.

And when he did, he saw some sights that helped inspire this next song.

("Can You Carry Me" begins) ("Can You Carry Me" continues) ♪ Can you carry me up the hill ♪ I'm caught between a rock and the memories that kill ♪ ♪ Can you carry me ♪ Can you carry me ♪ Can you me up the hill ("Can You Carry Me" continues) ♪ I've gained some weight lately though ♪ ♪ Just thought that I should let you know ♪ ♪ It may be harder than you think ♪ ♪ We'll stop halfway up and have a drink ♪ ♪ Can you carry me up the hill ♪ I'm caught between a rock and memories that kill ♪ ♪ Can you carry me ♪ Can you carry me ♪ Can you carry me up the hill ("Can You Carry Me" continues) ♪ We may see bears along the way ♪ ♪ We may see rabbits as they play ♪ ♪ Check my pocket for a gun ♪ If all else fails, we'll turn and run back down the hill ♪ ♪ Can you carry me up the hill ♪ I'm caught between rock and the memories that kill ♪ ♪ Can you carry me ♪ Can you carry me ♪ Can you carry me up the hill ("Can You Carry Me" continues) ♪ Battling the yetis, the cliffs and snow ♪ ♪ I'll find a way to let you know ♪ ♪ That if we're lost and doomed and cursed ♪ ♪ I'll be the one to eat you first ♪ ♪ Can you carry me up the hill ♪ I'm caught between a rock and the memories that kill ♪ ♪ Can you carry me ♪ Can you carry me ♪ Can you carry me up the hill ("Can You Carry Me" concludes) (yeti growls) - Who the heck was that?

("Can You Carry Me" begins) (yeti growls) (van zooms) (yeti paces) - Once again, this is "The World According to Polka," and we are out here in the Geauga Park District.

Now, The Chardon Polka Band and my own family truly love the parks.

On any given day, you can find Emily, the kiddos, and myself out here, kayaking, biking, or just enjoying the scenery.

We love raising our kids in an area that values parks and nature itself.

We have so much we can explore right here, winter, spring, summer, and fall in Northeast Ohio.

When I was a kid, I was raised on family hiking and camping trips.

And my very first musical experiences were around a campfire.

Every night after dark, my dad would get out his guitar, and he'd sing to all of us.

And eventually, we'd join in and we'd sing songs until it was time to go to bed.

These are still some of my most cherished musical experiences.

And so I thought it might be fitting for The Chardon Polka Band to do some campfire music on today's show.

This is an old campfire favorite called "Goodnight Irene."

And I couldn't be more excited that my father who sang all those songs with me around the campfire growing up is going to sing this one with us today.

("Goodnight Irene" begins) ♪ Oh, Irene goodnight ♪ Irene goodnight ♪ Goodnight Irene, goodnight Irene ♪ ♪ I'll see you in my dreams ♪ Last Saturday night I got married ♪ ♪ Me and my wife settled down ♪ Now me and my wife, we are parted ♪ ♪ And I'll go to the other side of town ♪ ♪ Irene goodnight ♪ Irene goodnight ♪ Goodnight Irene, goodnight Irene ♪ ♪ I'll see you in my dreams ("Goodnight Irene" continues) ("Goodnight Irene" continues) ("Goodnight Irene" continues) ♪ Stop your ramblin' ♪ Stop your gamblin' ♪ Stop stayin' out late all night ♪ ♪ Go home to your wife and your families ♪ ♪ And turn on some polka music ♪ My friends have arrived ♪ Irene goodnight ♪ Irene goodnight ♪ Goodnight Irene, goodnight Irene ♪ ♪ I'll see you in my dreams ♪ Goodnight Irene, goodnight Irene ♪ ♪ I'll see you in my dreams ("Goodnight Irene" concludes) "Goodnight Irene," a song that maybe you've sang around a campfire.

Now if you're out enjoying nature, you're bound to run across some critters.

And this next song is about one of the craftiest critters you could ever come upon, a fox.

("The Fox" begins) ♪ Well the fox went out on a chilly night ♪ ♪ He prayed for the moon give 'em a light ♪ ♪ He had many miles to go that night ♪ ♪ Before he reached the town oh ♪ ♪ Town oh town oh he had many a mile to go that night ♪ ♪ Before h reached town oh ♪ He ran 'til he came to the farmer's pen ♪ ♪ Where the ducks and the geese were kept therein ♪ ♪ He said a couple of you are gonna grease my chin ♪ ♪ Before I this town oh ♪ Town oh town oh, a couple of you are gonna grease my chin ♪ ♪ Before I leave this town oh ("The Fox" continues) ("The Fox" continues) ♪ He grabbed a gray goose by the neck ♪ ♪ He threw the duck across his back ♪ ♪ He didn't mind the quackin' quack ♪ ♪ And the legs are dangling down oh ♪ ♪ Down oh down oh ♪ He didn't mine the quackin' quack ♪ ♪ And the legs up dangling down oh ♪ ("The Fox" continues) Quack, quack Hear that dad?

That's a quack, quacking up.

- Quack, quack.

♪ The old gray woman she jumped out of bed ♪ ♪ Out the window she stuck her head ♪ ♪ Crying John John, the gray goose is gone ♪ ♪ And the fox has gone to town oh ♪ ♪ Town oh town oh ♪ John John the gray goose is gone ♪ ♪ And the fox has gone to town oh ♪ ("The Fox" continues) ("The Fox" continues) ♪ The fox rand to nice warm den ♪ ♪ There were the little ones, eight, nine, and 10 ♪ ♪ Crying Dad Dad better go back again ♪ ♪ For it must be a mighty find town oh ♪ ♪ Town oh town oh ♪ Daddy daddy better go back again ♪ ♪ For it must be might fine town oh ♪ ("The Fox" continues) ♪ The fox and his wife without any strife ♪ ♪ Cut the goose with a fork and a knife ♪ ♪ They never had such supper in their life ♪ ♪ And their little ones chewing on the bones oh ♪ ♪ Bones oh bones oh ♪ Never had such a supper in their life ♪ ♪ And the little ones chewing on the bones oh ♪ ("The Fox" concludes) (Mike laughs) - When you're out communing with nature and enjoying the parks, you might see some animals, but you may also see some people.

And one of the people that I always seem to run across wandering around out here in the woods is my good buddy John Kolar, and that's because John Kolar is the chief naturalist of Geauga Park District.

And we've gotten to come talk to us more about the parks and nature on the show today.

(relaxed folk music) All right, folks, I'm here with John Kolar.

He's the chief naturalist of Geauga Park District.

- Yes sir.

- We're in the beautiful Big Creek Park, one of many parks for Geauga Park District - Yep, one of many, yep.

- Tell me about Geauga Park District.

- Well, we've been around since 1961.

We have over 85 miles of trails, 27 open parks.

People always ask me, "What's your favorite park, John?"

That's the number one question I get.

And I always tell people it's the park that I'm in at the time.

I mean, Big Creek Park here is, you know, hemlock, ravines, rolling hills if you want that.

Burton Wetlands has a great glacial kettle lake.

And then one of our newest park, Welton's Gorge, has Geauga's Little Grand Canyon.

So really something for everybody for sure.

- That's right.

I live pretty close to Welton's Gorge.

- It's pretty cool, huh?

- And we're actually on this episode sharing some music from over there that the band did over there.

- Oh, nice.

- It's a fabulous place.

Me and Emily and the kids go over there almost two, three times a week.

- Yeah, it's pretty spectacular.

- And what do you do here at the parks?

- Well, as chief naturalist, I oversee all the educational programs, exhibits and displays, recreational programs, things like that.

So I still get out and do a lot of the programs, but I do a little bit more of the management of all those things as well.

- So programs, by programs you mean, you know, the parks aren't just a place you visit.

They are a place where me as John Q.

Public can get involved, right?

- Absolutely.

- Tell me about some of these programs.

- Oh, we have so many different programs for programs for little kids in strollers to seniors.

I mean, we have educational hikes, lectures, birdwatching.

We have a high ropes course.

We have boating programs, snowshoeing, you know, educational, recreational.

Again, something for everybody, I'm telling you.

- And something in every season, correct?

- Something in every season.

I heard snowshoe.

- We do not shut down, yep.

- I go to some of these programs, and one of my favorite things I have witnessed at these programs is your famous owl call.

- Oh?

- Would you be willing to do the owl call?

- Which owl do you want?

I mean, come on, there's... (Jake laughs) I mean, you've got the great horn, the screech, the barred.

Probably the bard I would say is like Geauga County's owl, you know?

And yeah, so barred owl kind of sounds like it's saying, "Who cooks for you?

"Who cooks for you all?"

Are you ready for it?

(Jake laughs) Brace yourself 'cause this is crazy, okay?

(John calls) And you know what, a lot of times, they will call back when you do that too.

- It's a little early in the day for them I think.

- Yeah, well actually, barred owl is funny that they actually will call during the daytime.

So I've called and had them come call back.

It's a real thrill doing that for a public program.

People are like, "Whoa, it's amazing.

"I can't believe he can call in owls."

I can call in other things too.

I just won't do it today.

(Jake laughs) Just not gonna do it today.

(both laugh) - One of the things I wanted to talk to you about today for the barred owls, for us as humans, for all the critters out there, and these plants that provide us oxygen, why are the parks important and what can we do as humans to be stewards of all of this?

- Sure.

Yeah, well, I mean, I think our parks are critically important because they help to preserve and protect these natural resources and give.

You know, our mission is to give people the opportunity, you know, to protect the resources, but then to get people out to enjoy these resources.

So, I mean, I think what the average person can do is, you know, first of all just get out and appreciate nature, but I always encourage people to bring a friend out with you, you know, people who maybe aren't into nature as much.

You know, you get people out into nature and let nature do the rest.

It's addicting.

I think you have the same nature, nature disease that I have.

We're nature nerds and just can't get enough.

The more you learn about nature, the more you discover there is to discover.

- One of the ways we want to experience nature today is through song.

So before we go, before we wrap up, could we try a song together?

- Oh.

All right.

- All right.

And I think we're gonna bring Jeff out from behind the camera.

He said he brought his fiddle.

So we're gonna bring Jeff.

Jeff in on this one.

- Oh, nice, okay.

We'll do a little ditty.

- So we're here.

We got John, chief naturalist of Geauga Park District.

We got Jake, chief accordion player for The Chardon Polka Band playing the guitar on this one, and chief videographer of "The World According to Polka," Mr. Jeff Graw playing the fiddle on this one.

And we're gonna play "Keep on the Sunny Side."

Good song for Geauga Park District.

- Mhm.

("Keep on the Sunny Side" begins) ♪ There's a dark and troubled side of life ♪ ♪ There's a bright and a sunny side too ♪ ♪ Though we meet with the darkness and strife ♪ ♪ The sunny side we also may view ♪ ♪ Keep on the sunny side ♪ Always on the sunny side ♪ Keep on sunny side of life ♪ It will help us every day ♪ It will brighten all the way ♪ If we keep on the sunny side of life ♪ ("Keep on the Sunny Side" continues) ("Keep on the Sunny Side" continues) ♪ Keep on the sunny side ♪ Always on the sunny side ♪ Keep on the sunny side of life ♪ ♪ It will help us every day ♪ It will brighten all the way ♪ If we'll keep on the sunny side of life ♪ ("Keep on the Sunny Side" concludes) - I don't know about you, but I truly enjoyed our conversation with Mr. John Kolar.

He's a remarkable individual and so are the rest of the folks who help manage and maintain these beautiful parks.

Now, John and I sang a song called "Keep on the Sunny Side," but that's not the only tune inspired by the sun.

That big burning ball of gas up there in the sky gives us the solar energy we need to live, but it also serves as the inspiration for many fine songs like "Sunshine on My Shoulders," "Here Comes the Sun," "Walking on Sunshine," and this next one, a personal favorite, "You Are My Sunshine."

("You Are My Sunshine" begins) ♪ You are my sunshine ♪ My only sunshine ♪ You make me happy ♪ When skies are gray ♪ You'll never know, dear ♪ How much I love you ♪ Please don't take my sunshine away ♪ Now take it away, Mitch.

("You Are My Sunshine" continues) ("You Are My Sunshine" continues) ("You Are My Sunshine" continues) ♪ You told me once, dear, you really love me ♪ ♪ You said no one else would come between ♪ ♪ Then you left me for another ♪ Well you shattered all of my dreams ♪ ♪ You are my sunshine ♪ My only sunshine ♪ You make me happy ♪ When skies are gray ♪ You'll never know, dear ♪ How much I love you ♪ Please don't take my sunshine away ♪ ♪ Please don't take my sunshine away ♪ ♪ Please don't take my sunshine away ♪ ("You Are My Sunshine" concludes) - Now.

I have had just an incredible time with the program today.

Nothing lifts my spirits quite like taking a deep breath (inhales) of fresh air in this beautiful world.

And it also inspires some great music and creativity.

And I hope you've heard that for yourself as we've shared some songs inspired by nature.

This is a show, at least at face value, about polka music.

And you might be saying to yourself, "Just what does all this nature stuff have to do "with polka music?"

Well, folks, if we destroy the Earth, where are we gonna polka?

This is our world.

We have to do our best to make it a good one and to keep it around for everyone to enjoy because that is "The World According to Polka."

(birds sing) (upbeat polka music) (upbeat polka music continues) (upbeat polka music continues) (upbeat polka music continues) (upbeat polka music continues) (upbeat polka music continues) (upbeat polka music continues)