RAIN!

It’s raining! About midnight last night we started to get some rain. It kind of drizzled and dribbled throughout the night. Then this morning we have received some heavy showers. Hopefully more will come during the day. One day like this will not be enough but it is a start. All the lake levels are low and we really need this rain.

The work on the Pagami Lake fire continues on. As of this morning the Forest Service says the fire is 87% contained. In some areas they are even beginning mop-up operations. Part of this is to haul back out all the unneeded equipment. At the end of big fires there is usually a huge pile of wet hose to be dried. It is all part of the process.

I worked at Chik-Wauk Museum yesterday. Around noon we had a very excited couple come in. They had just seen a huge bull moose by the Seagull Creek area. You can’t imagine how excited they were. The woman said she was still shaking. When I got home, Bruce told me he had heard that there was a bull moose courting a cow moose in that area. Of course, I saw nothing when I drove home. It all goes back to being in the right place at the right time.

Bruce and I drove home from the lodge the other night and saw a rabbit in the driveway. We often see rabbits around the house. This one, however, had white feet and white ears. It is just another sign that winter is coming. I think that the next part to change color on a rabbit is its belly. We will see.

The other night we went to dinner at Hungry Jack Lodge. It was for the 75th anniversary of the Gunflint Trail Association. About 70 people attended including owners, employees and past owners. During the evening we exchanged stories and memories of Trail years. Everyone also brought a poster with some information about their business. Lisa Wagner was there to video many of the stories to save for the 100th anniversary.

The GTA is the second oldest tourism organization in the State of Minnesota. We have had our differences but have also found that we can accomplish much more by working together than by fighting. In recent years we have worked to get ambulance service, a fire department, Fire Wise protection around homes, trees replanted, advertising to bring guests in. The list is endless. Most of it could never have been done by working alone. I wish Congress would learn that lesson.

I can still hear the rain outside. It is a really gray day but just what we need. This rain will take down the last of the leaves. The only fall color left is the needles on the tamarack trees. They will be gone soon. Then we will wait for the first snowfall.