We Are Green

The Gunflint Trail is turning into a deep green. Two weeks ago we were a dusty brown. The difference, of course, has been rain. Starting last Wednesday we have gotten inches worth of rain. All the lakes have come up. The swamps have filled up. The trees that were hurt by early springs and then frost have been budding out.


The rain has helped the berries to blossom out. After a bit more rain the next couple of days, they are ready for sunshine. We have enough water to combine with sunny days and give us a bumper crop of berries. It all sounds pretty tasty to me.

Fishing has been really good. Lake trout remained in shallow waters with the cooler temperatures. One of the neighbors was fishing off his dock and just kept reeling in the trout and throwing them back. All were in the four to five pound range.

Jon Schei was fishing on Saganaga with a party of six people (two boats) the other day. The party did not want lake trout. Instead John led them to a mess of walleye and bass. That night the kitchen was busy cooking all their fish up. Even with six people, they couldn’t finish up the fish.

Work on the zip line is going very well. The tower by Lonely Lake just needs the roof put on. I believe that today or tomorrow, the builders will start on the next platforms. One of them will have a spiral staircase to gain a little elevation. The guys are also starting to lay out the steel cables that guests will ride on.

In addition to using the main tower for the zip line, this tower will offer a wonderful elevated spot to watch the animal activity on the Lonely Lake. Between birds and beavers in the summer and deer in the winter, who knows what will be seen. Maybe a wolf or lynx will venture onto the ice in the winter. And there is always the possibility of moose coming in for a drink in the summer.

Ronnie Smith and her crew are quickly planting flowers all over the place. The main load of flowers arrived last Thursday. Once the flowers get in, we just have to give them a couple weeks to get over transplant shock and then they will burst into color. The contrast from the whites of winter to the many colors of summer flowers is always amazing. Both are beautiful but also very different from each other.

Mandy is busy with the horses. One of the guests reminded me that Mandy is also our unofficial vet. This guest has a dog covered with red spots on her belly. Mandy had the book to explain the spots (black fly bites) and give the correct medication to use. Everyone on the staff has some special skills that we use from time to time.

The new swing set for young guests is almost up. We bought a kit and not all the parts were in it. So Jason has to call the company for the missing parts. Meanwhile the swings are working just fine. They are located between the lake and the wood-fired oven. It is a nice place for parents to relax on the patio while the kids play on the swings.

Another May

On Monday the construction for the canopy/zip tour started. We are all getting excited about it. One of the purchases made for the tour is pictured here. We needed two 6 passenger ATV’s to take people up to the start. Here is one of them. I was the first person to get certified to drive. So, I may be your chauffeur to the beginning of the tour.


I watched the arborist climb the big white pine in the back yard. Ever tree we use will be checked by him to make sure that it is sound. Just watching him climb up that tree with a rope was amazing. He has a sonar thing (I am really into technical terms) to make sure that the tree is sound without putting even one hole in it. Last I heard, all the trees we had picked were fine.

The back parking lot is now a construction zone for a couple of weeks. Steps and platforms are being built. Rolls of metal cable are sitting on pallets. Anchors are stacked. Beyond the pole building, Jordy Kirk is building the administration and equipment storage area. Things seem to be popping up all over.

We have just finished painting the outfitters new canoer cabins. Electrical fixtures go in this week. Picnic tables are ready to be placed around. Next week the shrubs, trees, and flowers arrive. The whole area had been transformed.

Bruce and I took a little time off on Saturday to fish a bit. I didn’t even get out fishing once last summer. Of course, no one on the staff (except Don) expected us to come in with anything. Within a mile of the lodge and an hour of when we left, Bruce had caught 2 four-pound lake trout. I was the official netter. Then we dragged some bait around for a bit longer with no luck. It didn’t make any difference. We had a dinner and then some. Don got a fillet for having faith in us. The second fish went in the freezer.

My garden is starting to come alive. I just counted and there are about 50 spears of asparagus popping up. The chives are overwhelming and will be appearing in the dining room all summer. Rhubarb is just about ready to pick for lodge desserts. Leaves are coming out on the raspberry bushes. They are a little slow since Bruce dug out all the grass around them. There will still be plenty for jam.

Next week the lodge flowers will arrive. Among them are broccoli, basil, parsley and tomatoes for my garden. The beds are ready for them and I can’t wait to get at it. Within a couple of weeks, these items will also appear in the dining room.

One of my neighbors has a wonderful greenhouse and often she shares her extra produce. So I now have 3 bell pepper plants and 4 tomato plants in huge pots outside. One of the tomato plants is almost four feet tall. Sue also gave me some fresh basil leaves. We had spaghetti with fresh pesto that night for dinner. Life is good!

Spring Flowers

We have been getting some rain for several days. I can see on the main dock cribbing that the water now covers another log up. Bob Baker at Gunflint Pines keeps official track of the lake levels on Gunflint. As of several days ago, he says the water has come up 19 inches since the ice went out. That is good news. Our days are getting longer. One of my joys comes in the early morning before getting out of bed. As you may know, we bury our buildings up to the window level to provide good insulation. The same is true in our bedroom. I can look at all the animals running past the window from my bed. This morning is was a rabbit. A couple nights ago a mama bear and two cubs went by. Once or twice I have seen wolves. There are always squirrels and chipmunks. Deer come by all winter. There is something nice about watching them from your bed. The Gunflint Green Up people went up to Chik-Wauk to work this year. They cleaned up trails and planted about 3400 trees. The trees were spruce, white pine and red pine. They all look so little that it is hard to believe these seedlings will ever grow up. One of the most surprising things about our Saturday planting was to see just how many are growing up. Ever group saw trees that were 2-3 feet tall. My personal inspiration is the tall red pine by Chik-Wauk’s mail box. I know that it was planted by Ralph and Bea Griffis. The tree has got to be 25-30 feet tall. All it takes is a little time. Watching trees grow takes patience. Out my office window I am watching the iris grow. Every fall and spring they get a tablespoon of bone meal. The iris plants at Chik-Wauk were thinned last fall and I got what was taken out. Into the ground they went immediately. This spring I counted and there were 40 iris coming up. If they all bloom, I will try to remember to get a picture. My favorite iris bed is where Bruce goes minnow trapping. At the perfect time in June it is just filled with blooming iris plants. The first time I saw it, Bruce asked if I wanted to cut some to bring home. I just couldn’t do it because they looked so perfect in their natural setting. Speaking of flowers, Bruce saw lots and lots of blooming blueberry bushes while out on the green up. He is already tasting them. Just hope that we don’t get a late frost. Grandson Grant (age 4) called last night. They were having some blueberry jam for dinner. He wanted to make sure that I was going out to pick blueberries and make jam for them. I guess my work is cut out for me.

It's May -- Almost

This past weekend was Work Weekend. I think it was the best one we ever had. Naturalist John took a group to put out the furniture around the grounds and on the patio. They finished by weeding gardens everywhere. Ronnie Smith is going to be thrilled with the job they did on the gardens. Below is their picture. Katie from the front desk took two couples to clean the new canoer cabins in preparation for painting. Getting all the bits of garbage and sawdust out is a huge job. At the end you feel like have the sawdust settled in your hair. They never stopped even for a picture. Next weekend these units will all get a paint job inside and outside. The large group as shown in picture number two worked cleaning the grounds around the new cabins. They built rock walls and gardens. They hauled rocks into piles and filled bags with those little pieces of paper that accumulate around building sites. The one ton truck was totally filled with branches and roots. Finally they celebrated with the first fire in the pit.

Reservations are still coming in. We have some openings May 6-11 that needed to be filled. Bruce has a special up for them. If you can get away, it is a really good price to visit us before the summer rush. This afternoon, Don, Marilyn, Bruce and I are off to Duluth. It is the annual Upper Lakes food show. We will be viewing all the new food items to possibly put on the menu. Last year this was where we bought the cone-shaped dishes for ice cream. Tomorrow morning there will be no breakfast for any of us. There are enough samples of food to keep us well filled. Next weekend is Green Up. Once again people will spread out to plant trees in places burned by the Ham Lake Fire. There will also be a big effort up at the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center. The historical society is working to re-establish the trail to Gneiss Lake. This year they are working on the section to Blueberry Hill. I must admit that I am not to sure exactly where that is. Next week I will be able to give you more information. On the May 13th work starts on the canopy/zip line project. We are all excited. Yesterday I got a driving lesson on one of the new Polaris 6-passenger ATV’s that will be used to take people up to the start of the canopy tour. I will most definitely NOT be one of the guides on the tour. I think I will be a much better chauffeur. Of course, I will still have to take one run down the line. Looking over my shoulder from above will be Bruce’s mother, Justine. The horses arrive tomorrow. Mandy and Betsy, her new wrangler, have been busy working at the stable to get everything ready. Jason Merrill hooked up the water line. I also use that line to water my garden. It seems like everything is beginning to pick up and get busier. Even with all the snow gone early, April is not a month that has a lot of guests. As a result, it is most cleanup and preparation. It will be good to be filled with guests.

April Showers

Another sign of spring has appeared. Yesterday there was a loon swimming just off our dock. I haven’t heard any calling but this one was sure big and beautiful. It is warm enough to have our bedroom windows open so we will start to hear the loons calling soon.

With the ice off the lake, the deer have disappeared into the woods until next November. Bruce and I filled our bird feeders since there are no deer to empty them overnight. Right away yesterday we had purple finches, chickadees, and pine siskins all over. These little birds can empty the feeders almost as fast as the deer. Now I am looking to see if any of the American goldfinches are starting to turn into their summer yellow feathers.

I talk about April being slow but we have actually been very busy for April. This is not a lot but each year we seem to get a few more people who come up to just relax and hike before the summer crowds hit us. This weekend we have a bunch of dog lovers staying with us. The dogs enjoy walking in the woods without leases. Actually they run and smell all over.

We spent Saturday night in Duluth with Lee, Eva, Grant and Mae. The event was going to the water park at the Edgewater. It was a big success. For a 2-year old and a 4-year old, this water park was overwhelming. It took four adults to be with them all the time. By the time we left after pizza, all six of us were tired out.

Next we went to the park at the end of Park Point. The day was so beautiful that no one wanted to go in. So we spent the rest of the afternoon walking along the shore by our hotel. Grant climbed all the big rocks. Mae picked up the pebbles and threw them two feet. Tucker strained at his lease to keep us moving along. You could tell it was a wonderful Saturday afternoon. There were people wandering all over the lake front.

Sunday morning the weather had done a 180. It was overcast, misty and cold. We still went for a little walk. Just as we started a big ore ship was coming out onto Lake Superior. You should have seen Grant run to see the ship. What fun he had!

Bruce and I drove home and managed to get here before the rain and snow of the evening. On Monday morning we had 4” of snow with ice beneath it. It is slowly going away and may be gone today. We are set for more rain/snow. My garden is calling me but there is no sense in being out in this mess. The good news is that we need all the moisture we can get.

There is no picture today. Gray and rain does not leave much exciting for a picture. For that we need sunshine. Maybe it will happen next week.

Lisbon

After our time in Morocco, we flew to Lisbon for a week. There were six of us on this portion of the trip. Bruce leased two 2-bedroom apartment right in the center of town. It felt really good to be staying in modern apartments. He found them on VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner). We spent the next few days leisurely visiting Lisbon.

There were three main areas we all enjoyed. By train we visited Belem just on the outskirts of Lisbon. It is a large area with museums, monasteries and located where many of the voyages to the world by Vasco De Gama, Magellan and others started from. We spent quite a bit of time wandering around the area.

One day we took a tour to Sintra. Located just outside Lisbon, this is a small town with two castles, both of which we toured. The town itself is filled with winding streets and small shops. Naturally, we found a few things we could not do without. Our guide that day was just excellent and knew the histories well. Since he had lived in the States for several years, he also spoke English very well.

The most unexpected place we visited with the Oceanario in Lisbon. It is the second largest aquarium in the world and has live exhibits of all the various ocean areas. We spent probably three hours exploring it. The sea life they showed was amazing.

Of course, our favorite activity was just exploring and walking the streets of Lisbon. There are many outdoor cafes where we had tea and pasties and watched the traffic flow by. Just around the corner from our apartment was a wonderful ice cream shop. We visited it several times.

As you might expect, finding good restaurants was high on our list. One night we ate in a restaurant that specialized in presently traditional Fado music. Another night we ate in a monastery that was now a restaurant. There was also a good restaurant just around the corner. Another night we ate in an Italian restaurant. We even had take-out pizza for dinner.

What kind of food did we like best? It started with breakfast in our apartment with fresh pastries from a nearby shop and strawberries from a street vendor. Lunches were just pickups depending on where we were except for the day we were in Belim. Here there is a restaurant that has been making custard tarts forever. We all over ate there along with the lines of people who buy tarts and sit outside eating them.

My favorite dinner entrée is actually an appetizer. I just love baby clams steamed in wine with cilantro. I ate it three times for dinner. Of course, what makes it the best is how fresh the clams are. Salmon was another great favorite in our group. Lamb was always available. As you might guess, we ate too much but the choice was wonderful. Sometimes we were able to get a table that overlooked the dining room. Bruce and I love to watch the operation of a dining room. I am sure that comes as a great surprise to all of you.

Now that we are home, it is good to look back on this wonderful trip and to start planning our next trip.

Morocco

Bruce and I just returned from a trip to Morocco and Portugal with 9 friends. I forgot to let you know we were going in the rush to get everything finished up. I’ll tell you a little about Morocco today and then Lisbon next time.

After 24 hours in transit we arrive at our riad (b and b) in Marrakech about midnight. From the airport it was a 20 minutes drive through narrower and narrower streets and then a ten minute walk through the really narrow streets.

The next morning we woke early to the sounds of Muslims being called to prayer (5:00 a.m.). Breakfast was on the porch. Our day was a guided tour through parts of the old city. Just walking around was an adventure as we competed for space on the streets with other walkers, bikes, motorcycles, cars and donkey drawn carts. It is all fascinating and so unlike what we have at home. The souk is like a rabbit warren of streets and alleys.

Our guide showed us a tannery, rug stores, metal shops, etc. But the best part came in the evening at the main square. There each day a small city of about 125 temporary restaurants is set up. Locals and tourists combine to frequent the restaurants which accommodate about 25-50 people each. The food is all made on site quickly. Bruce ordered a bunch for us and we ate until we were stuffed. Then it was time to wander the square with its venders and entertainers. I tried to avoid the snake charmers.

After another day in town, we headed for the country. The first day was fine. After that our three 4x4’s and head guide were into country they had never been before. That second day we tried to cross a pass that was clogged by snow for 100 feet and no way around. It was back down a one-way, rocky road and then the long way to our hotel. We got there about midnight. The next two nights we spent at a tent camp on the edge of the desert but the guide and drivers didn’t know how to get there so it was another late arrival.

Our day in the tent camp revolved around a camel ride. Again directions seemed to be a problem but at least it was daylight and not over a mountain pass. We only had to go back a short distance to meet up with the camels. Here I am on my trusty camel. Our final day in the Sahara was another day of getting lost. We drove about 30 miles past our camp and then had trouble finding it on the way back. That night we stayed in huts built of one foot thick mud. They had beds, one electric light bulb and a door held on with wire hinges.

The food was surprisingly good but very repetitive. For one or two meals each day we ate their national food – tangine. Cooked in a clay pot with a cone shaped top, this is basically a pot roast with meat (beef, chicken or lamb), vegetables, potatoes, olives, prunes, and nuts mounded inside and cooked until very tender. The most outstanding food was the fresh oranges which were in season. They were served peeled and sliced with cinnamon. Tree ripened fruit is much better than what we get.

Our homecoming surprise was open water and no snow. Bruce does not ever remember ice out this early. Jason brought the dock over yesterday on March 31st. It is good to be home.

The Poles Arrive

Over the weekend we had the closest to a blizzard that there was all winter. We got close to 8-10 inches of snow. Yesterday I sat in my office and listened to the wind howl. The falling snow was blown into the windows. It was a good day to be inside looking out.

First thing this morning Bruce was out grooming trails. He had guests right behind him waiting to ski. The A loop is finished. Tonight Bob will do the B loop. Then on Wednesday it is predicted that there is a 70% chance of more snow. Right now we have clear skies and gleaming white snow. It is just glorious out. In the sun, the temperature is up to 25 degrees. It is a little cooler in the shade.

Lee and Eva brought Grant and Mae up for the weekend. They managed to fill their time with dog sled rides, snowmobile rides, ice fishing and sledding. In the afternoon when Grandma and Grandpa were worn out, it was time to hit the Legos in our house. Also Grant got instructions from Grandpa on how to build a wood fire in the fireplace. All in all, we had a wonderful weekend. I wasn’t very sociable with the guests but grandchildren come first.

Today was a big day for the zip line construction. The poles that will be used to build two platforms arrived. The picture above shows part of the unloading process. The poles range in length from 35 to 50 to 60 feet long. They are made of Alabama yellow pine and cost around $2000 each. When erected, 10% of the pole is buried in the ground. Luckily for us, we only need three platforms. The rest of our stops will be attached to 200-300 year old white pines. A professional arborist will inspect these trees to make sure that everything is sound and we will not be killing the tree.

The driver must have had a great time coming up the Gunflint Trail. I would not have enjoyed being in the opposite lane and meeting him on a curve. He is from Alabama. And don’t complain about filling up your car with gas. When his truck is filled, it takes $800 of fuel. It was fun to see some forward progress on the zip line.

The question comes up about why we got the poles this early. Construction doesn’t start until May 1st. As part of the spring thaw, a road ban is put on the Gunflint Trail. To protect the road, the county limits the weight of loads during the road ban. Believe me when I say that this load would have exceed the weight limit. Once the ban is on it is in operation for at least six weeks. That would have pushed back when we could start this project. So, now that little sticking point is not a problem.

If you think you can get away, plan to come up the Gunflint Trail. We are in a winter wonderland. Everything is covered with snow. The ski trails are perfect.

Animals All Over

With the holiday weekend over, things have slowed down a bit here. The dining rooms were particularly busy every day of the weekend. We all get geared up when there are lots of people to serve. Also Bruce and I enjoy talking with everyone. Like any job, it is much more fun when you are busy. Everyone has a different story to tell you and they are all excited about their day. Then you get to tell them another neat place to be tomorrow.

While we were gone, Bonnie had her trail camera out again. This time it was behind the volunteer fire department garage. The picture above is what she caught on camera. It is a lynx walking away from the camera. You just never know what is wandering round the woods during the night. Last summer and fall we had a lot of rabbits around our house. I can’t remember when I last saw one. This picture tells us what happened to all of them.

We are still having an amazing number of wolves showing up at all times during the day. Before the weekend, there was one on the ice in front of the lodge about noon. We all got a great look at it. In addition to her lynx picture, Bonnie got two more wolf pictures that week. Jennie Hughes, who does our massages, saw a pack of eight on Loon Lake.

Today was the best wolf sighting that we have ever had. Even Bruce had never seen this before. As you know, the managers eat lunch at the big table in the bistro every day about 11:30. I always like to sit so that I can look out the window. So after lunch we are all getting up to clear our plates to the kitchen. I looked out the window. There was a deer running from east to west about 100 feet out on the ice. Right behind it was a wolf that was obviously looking for dinner. Both animals were quickly out of sight.

With all these encounters, the question remains: did the deer get away or did the wolf get it? I drove down to the public landing. There were no fresh tracks. I walked out on the ice until I could see all the way into the summer home bay – nothing. I walked around the trees below Cabin #11 – nothing. We will never really know what happened.

And then there is the question of my always absent camera. Maybe I should hang from a string around my neck. It is never where I need it. Even if it was there, I would forget to use it. It is really easy to get caught up in the moment when something like this happens.

Just to put an exclamation mark on the noon hour, a second wolf appeared just after the chasing one disappeared. Don walked down to the shore to look for the end of the chase. Suddenly there were four deer behind him. He looked and there was a wolf in front of him. He was the protector for the four deer!

A Quick Trip

We arrived home after a trip that covered lots of miles in a short time. Basically we visited friends in Rochester, went to a grandson’s birthday in Missouri, went to some classes for outfitters in northern Florida, spent a couple night in Cedar Key north of Tampa, went back to Missouri and then up to Minneapolis (grandkids) before driving home. On the way we picked up a truck load of hickory for smoking, a bunch of small lockers for the zip line administration building and 250 smoked pork chops for the dining room. We were so loaded that people were pointing at us.

We took some classes on social media during the trip. Needless to say, Bruce and I have a lot of catching up to do. As soon as we think we got it down, something new comes up. We also learned a lot just talking to the other outfitters who were there. We are all different and yet all the same. Being a small business person is about learning forever.

In Florida Bruce and I took our first zip line tour. That’s me in the picture. The only reason it’s not Bruce is because he got the camera first. I made it just fine but that first zip was breathtaking and I had to think a bit before stepping off. Bruce, of course, just takes off. I was glad that my first zip was not in front of my staff.

Another highlight of our trip was a visit to the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge near Cedar Key. We took a couple of hikes and saw different trees that we have. For me the most interesting was a visit to a mound of oyster shells. Scientists saw that native peoples have been shelling oysters there for 6500 years. I could believe it looking at the mound. It is covered with vegetation but immediately below the surface are oyster shells. We also managed to find some good seafood. In fact speaking of oysters, Bruce downed a dozen fresh oysters as an appetizer one night. It is not for me.

Sheryl has a friend stopping off to see her. John McCarthy is from St. Paul. He just finished spending three nights and four days cross country skiing from Snowbank Lake (Ely) to Round Lake. Except for a few tracks at the beginning, he saw no people and no ski tracks during the trip. I didn’t ask how long the trip was but it must have been about 40 miles. That is a long ski trip to take alone with no roads or help nearby. Congratulations, John!

There was another deer kill on the lake this morning. All our wolves must be eating well. By noon almost every scrap of food and bone is gone. Even the birds are having a hard time finding something to eat. I don’t feel like any one animal has priority over another and this is just part of life in the woods.

Early February

I have four more pictures to frame for the cabins. Problem is that I can’t decide which pictures to use. Bonnie has already hung up five pictures from the thirties and forties at the outfitters. Then we have a set of pictures of Bruce harvesting birch bark, Justine growing up in Barrington, Illinois, and old pictures of winter at the lodge in the 1930’s. These last three sets will be in cabins so look for them when you visit us again.

While looking through the old pictures, I discovered a “Diary for Gunflint.” From the text and handwriting, I believe that Grandma Spunner (Justine’s mother) wrote it. There is also a small section written by Grandpa Spunner when Grandma was out of town. He is the only one I know who would complain about rheumatism and know how to spell it correctly. The problem with transcribing or even reading is that Grandma Spunner’s handwriting is very bold and difficult to read. Also she is writing with a fountain pen and the ink sometimes goes onto another page. The diary covers 1931 Nov. to June, 1932 Nov. to June and 1933 Nov. to Dec. Once I get it finished, I will put some in here.

All winter we are having lots of guests driving up and seeing moose on the way. In fact there are a lot more moose seen than in the past two years. Especially at night, it can be difficult to see the moose. Their eyes are not caught be the headlights like a deer’s. The best thing is to watch for tracks on the road. Then you will sometimes see a big black hunk in front of you. It is quite a sight and you don’t want to get to close.

The ice on the lake has been heaving. Generally the pressure from heaving causes to ice to come up and create a pressure ridge which can be as high as five feet. If you are snowmobiling around, it is hard to see because of the shadows and you can be thrown. Even more dangerous is when the ice heaves down. Then you have open water or thin ice for a period of time. This happened on Gunflint last week and the snowmobile and rider went into the water. Luckily the rider got himself out and his partner quickly came back for him. The next day the snowmobile was chopped out of the ice and towed in to thaw out. You must remember that ice on a lake is always changing so be alert.

Bruce and I are off again on Thursday. It is time to go to Missouri for Zach’s birthday. We are taking the large truck to bring home more hickory for smoking in the summer. On the 5th we will fly to Panama City for some outfitting meetings. We are also going to check out another canopy tour. This one is in operation so I will be going for a ride. Wish me luck. When we get back to the Twin Cities, we will get to visit Lee, Eva and the kids for a bit. Then it is home on the 12th.

White Flakes Coming Down

A couple weeks ago, Bonnie set up a camera on one of the trails behind our maintenance garage. She has had great luck with it. The first night she got three great wolf pictures. On the 19th she started with a deer picture and then got two wolves before 11:00 p.m. These pictures above are two of those. It is interesting to wonder if the wolves and deer ever meet since they use the same trail.

On Friday Don, Jason and Lance walked out to test the ice again. I followed along for pictures. The picture above shows the three of them. Don is out quite a bit further on the ice. You can see the rope leading from Jason and going out to Don. The holes revealed a constant depth of 10-12 inches. Also our friend, Bob Baker, reports that he has found the same depth all over the lake as he has been fishing.

Bob’s fishing is a source of great joy to us. Last week he brought us two fresh trout. They were of the size that it was more than we needed for one meal but not quite enough for two. What to do? You guessed it! We ate them both for one meal and they were wonderful. Thanks, Bob

After about an inch of snow over the weekend, we are getting more snow now. It is not a huge amount but just enough to freshen up the trails. After lunch Bruce will be out grooming. When it stops, Jason will be out plowing. Others will be out shoveling the snow off the steps. It is quite a bit of work to clean up from even a light snowfall.

So last week I drove to town with a list of errands. It was warm and the road was slippery. After the straight stretch south of the north Brule, I saw a big beautiful moose on a curve. With the slippery roads, I didn’t want to jam on my breaks. The moose also slipped on the road and went to his front knees. Luckily he quickly got up and off the road. Naturally, I didn’t have my camera with me. It would not have made a difference as I was concentrating on avoiding the moose, not taking his picture.

Later in the Day: I started this blog in the mid-morning. It is now 3:00 p.m. and the snow is still coming down. Jason has the plow truck taking off the snow accumulation in our driveway even though it is still snowing. When this is finished, I will go out and shovel. Don tells me it is to continue all night. I still can’t see across the lake so life is good.

Ever since Bruce and I figured out how to make money from snow, I love every flake that comes down. All of you in the Twin Cities must know we are getting new snow because the phones are ringing off the hook.

Winter Projects

Life is very quiet around Gunflint right now. In fact things are so slow that Bruce and I will probably not go down to the lodge after dinner. At the lodge we have two guests for dinner in Justine’s and only three cabins full. The staff can probably handle it without us.

So what projects do I have when it is slow? My big one is pictures. I got a number of handmade wooden pictures frames this fall. There are lots of old picture of the lodge and outfitters. The idea is to take some of those pictures and enlarge them and arrange them into groups of three or four to tell a story for one of the cabins. So there may be a group of pictures showing the original lodge as it was expanded. Or maybe there will be a group of pictures showing some of the old entrance signs for the lodge. I also have a group of pictures showing Justine as she was growing up or Bruce as he was growing up.

One group that I just gave to Bonnie shows Bruce gathering birch bark like the Native Americans did for birch bark canoes. The pictures tell the story but I have to say that watching him do it was more fun. You can only do if for a couple weeks in June. Then you have to know exactly how deeply to cut the bark so that the tree is not killed. When done properly, the tree will scar but will continue to grow. Above is a picture of Bruce popping off one of his pieces of birch bark.

As of this week we are also finalizing our plans for a new activity at the lodge. Since last summer Bruce has been investigating canopy/zip line tours. He has explored the internet, talked with friends across the country, visited sites, and two companies visited to give us a proposal. The long and short of it seems to be that this is an environmentally friendly activity to add. It uses no motors and makes no sound. We have a spot in the back basin to put it and you don’t have to clear a lot of land and trees.

But even more intriguing is that it seems really FUN. Bruce and I are going down to Florida to visit with a friend who has a canopy tour. We already saw one in Arkansas but didn’t get to ride it was as they were closed. This time I will be riding. Stay tuned for my report on this. If I can do it at my advanced age, anyone can do it. In fact I think I see Bruce’s mother, Justine, and she is the first one in line.

Our plans are to start construction in May and be open the beginning of July. Along with the actual construction there will be an intensive training program for those who will be operating the tour. There is a national organization who certifies the construction and operation of these tours. Naturally, the organization’s name has total slipped out of my mind but I know that they will be looking us over.

Hopefully this will all be running when you visit us this summer.

A Warm Winter So Far

Above is a picture of our front desk staff. Sometimes it is nice of have a mental picture of the person you are talking to. From left to right you have Katie, Kaci, Marilyn, and Dave. They are the four who answer the phone the most. Of course, Sheryl, Bonnie, Bruce and I also answer the phone from time to time. Marilyn tells me, that the front desk is the glue holding the rest of us together. So you best nice to them or who knows where they might stick you.

Wolves are still all over the place. At breakfast the other day, everyone in the dining room got a see a wolf hanging out by the large point to the left (west) of the lodge. Last Sunday my big brown wolf calmly walked right in front of the lodge in the middle of the afternoon. He was about 20 feet out on the ice and totally unconcerned about any activity from us.

Adam had the most interesting sign of wolves. In the back basin Bruce has marked some large pines with red tape. From the tracks, the wolf walked up to one of the trees and pulled the red tape off. We don’t know if he thought it was food or if the tape was blowing in the wind and irritating him.

This past week we have gotten several inches of new snow. Although it has been warm up here for January, we have been able to maintain our ski trails. Dave Tuttle was out yesterday and groomed everything. Guests tell me that it is really great to get out.

The new snow also has everyone looking again for wolf tracks. At this point we are all looking for more signs of wolves. Luckily we have not yet seen any of the more unpleasant signs of wolves – dead deer. That sign will come too.

The ice on Gunflint Lake still does not give us a lot of confidence. After this next weekend, we will probably go out and test it. I am sure that many think we are being overly cautious. They are correct but this is most definitely a better safe than sorry situation.

Like most of you, we are having a very warm winter. Usually the temperatures hit 40 below this first week of the New Year. During the day they warm up to 30 below. This year nights are in the high 20’s. During the day we have temperatures that hover a couple of degrees above freezing. We all feel that true winter will come soon and will last way into April. Like everything about the weather, there is nothing we can do. That is what makes it so frustrating – no control. So hang in there, winter will eventually come to Minnesota.

Happy New Year!

Above is a picture of Bryan Ziegler and Sara Daggett. They are guests at the lodge over the New Year’s holiday period. They also got engaged on the 31st. At dinner I was able to admire Sara’s ring. We wish them the very best in their new lives. Their engagement was the perfect event to end one year and start another.

Gunflint Lake froze on the 28th – finally. The entire lake went in one night. Then the next day we got 4 to 8 inches of snow depending on where you measured. Bruce and Bob Baker were quickly out grooming the ski trails. It was a perfect amount of snow to start laying tracks. All the guests have been out and about enjoying the trails. For many it was a great improvement over their lack of snow at home.

Yesterday and today we are getting more snow. Right now the wind has come up and the lake is filled with blowing snow. It is just what we wanted. This will blow the snow off the new ice. Then tonight and tomorrow night the temperatures are due to get below zero. With little snow on it, the ice will start to increase in size and strength.

Meanwhile we continue to tell everyone to stay off the ice. It is so hard when the lake looks perfectly safe. The miserable wind is helping keep people off the ice. As I sit here at my computer, I can hear it howling outside. It will be a good night for a fire in the fireplace.

Many of you have read my stories about other people seeing animals in the woods. Today I have my own story to tell.

The other morning I was sitting the kitchen talking to Grandson Tanner. Suddenly a deer came flying past my garage door and up the driveway. Right behind it was a huge brown wolf. The wolf was just loping along. Wolves cannot outrun a deer but they can keep running forever. They will literally run a deer to the ground.

I did not see the outcome of this chase but the wolf was a magnificent animal. Every attribute that the description “alpha male” brings to mind was present in this animal. In just a minute he was gone but I have a picture in my mind of him that will never go away.

Unfortunately, there is a little more to my story. On top of the stove sat my camera. It remained right there during the entire encounter. My friend, Melissa, would be very disappointed in me. Honestly, it was too exciting to even think about the camera. I need more planning before I can get that perfect wolf picture.

Bruce and I had a quiet New Year’s Eve. The dining rooms and bar were busy at the lodge but we don’t stay open any longer than normally. With neighbors and lodge guests, it was fun to share the good feelings of a new year. We also would like to extend those feelings to you and your families.