Catching My Breath

Today is the day that I am officially catching my breath. That means the wash is caught up. I made pesto and zuchini relish yesterday so nothing is pressing in the garden. Ok, there are still lots of weeds but they will always be there. We have no guests. Dinner is simple and Bruce went to town.

I have three piles of stuff to deliver to my neighbors and today is the day. My decision was made without regard to the fact that it is a perfect late summer day. I am forced to drive around with clear skies and a pleasantly warm temperature. After lunch I picked up my friend, Eleanor Matsis, to drive along with me.

First stop is on the North Gunflint Lake Road. Dave at Moosehorn gets the most numerous pile of stuff. Some of it came from his wife, Paula. I bet Dave didn't even know it was gone. One item was an old postcard of a Borderland Lodge cabin that I scanned for the historical society. The building is still standing.

On our way out we stop at John Schloot's to return more pictures that I have scanned for the historical society. Although there are two cars, no one is home. I am sure that they are enjoying today on the water somewhere. I left the envelope of pictures between their doors.

Now it is on to the south side of the lake. I have a note that came to me but actually is for John Hendricksson. John and Julie have a beautiful tree-lined driveway. The cedar trees give it a wonderful cool temperature. We stop and talk for a bit before backing out.

Last stop is Vi Nelson's. Vi has been coming up to Gunflint in the summers since she was a small girl. Her cabin was built by her father who was an expert carpenter. He didn't just put boards and nails together. The construction of even a small cabin was planned to be efficient with space and pleasant to the eye. We had a nice chat about many of the useful and unique touches he put into the cabin.

The last thing she showed me was most interesting. It was a old map of Lake Superior. Vi doesn't know how old the map is but I know that it was printed before the U. S.-Canadian border had been definitively settled and surveyed. The lakes from Superior west are not aligned properly. Also the map shows Hunters Island (now in the Quetico Provincial Park) as part of the United States. Today the international boundary goes just south of Hunters Island. This piece of land was hotly disputed during the making of the border. It is my guess that the map was printed before 1822 which is when James Ferguson and George Whistler first surveyed west from Lake Superior along the present border. When this map was printed is going to be a little puzzle that will nag at me until I get it figured out.

As we drove along today, both of us could feel that touch of Indian summer in the air. The days are getting shorter and the nights are finally cooling down regularly. Along the side of the road, the plants and small shrubs are starting to turn color. Fall is definitely coming. After a busy summer, September is wonderful.