Cool Snow and Warm Seas

I know that most of you in Minnesota are digging out. We got more snow too. All it did was turn the Gunflint into a winter wonderland. Once you are dug out, get on the phone and make plans to come up. All the trails are in glorious condition. It is so wonderful outside.

Our animals still continue to amuse us. The wolves have been really after the deer. So the deer have figured out the best place to lie down at night. It’s in the sled dog yard! The sled dogs are, of course, chained with some distance between them. The wolves don’t like coming in among the barking dogs. The deer have figured out where the middle ground is between all the dogs. Pretty smart animals.

Meanwhile down here at the house, Freddy Fox, Jr. has a girl friend. They both appeared outside out kitchen window last night. She is a little shyer than he. Lee came down for dinner and we had just finished making pigs of ourselves over some walleye. There was one small piece left. Bruce threw it to Freddy who gobbled it up. Next we were throwing some of Tucker’s treats which seemed to go down equally well.

We assume that Freddy and his girl friend are paired up for the delivery of spring fox kits. I don’t know exactly what the gestation period is for a fox but assume about 6-8 weeks or somewhat like a dog. In the May we often see young kits sunning themselves on the warm pavement of the Gunflint Trail.

Bruce and I are about to take off for two weeks this Monday. On Tuesday we will fly to Fort Lauderdale. Then we drive down to the Keys for a week with friends. The second week will be spent with friends north of Orlando in The Villages. I am having real problems convincing myself to pack summer clothes.

The Keys are one of our favorite places. We owned a home there for about 20 years. Bruce is an avid diver especially when hunting lobster or spearing fish. I snorkel some and tend the boat. The whole area is so laid back that we practically live in shorts and sandals. Being Kerfoots, we are planning meals in our favorite restaurants.

Not too many years ago we were with the Red Cross in Florida for some hurricane. The group we were with decided they wanted fish for dinner. Their idea of a good fish dinner was Red Lobster. Bruce almost died. The next time we went out for fish, we picked the restaurant. It was a little local place that just served fresh, local fish.

Don’t forget to come up to play on our ski trails. We will miss seeing you but the skiing is so good that you won’t miss us.