ANNUAL SUMMER ESCAPE, 7-12 AUGUST 2012

ANNUAL SUMMER ESCAPE

We headed to the cabin on Tuesday, August 7^th with Linds for our annual retreat. We had a couple of days of rain mid-week and were not able to get outside for our usual activities. During the week, Linds prepared some tasty dishes including a shrimp appetizer and a chicken/green olive/artichoke/tomato dish that was terrific. We always complete a project with Linds and this year it was an upholstered headboard that turned out very nice.

Linds and I got out on Wednesday the 8^th between showers for a special duty. We went into the Nicolet National Forest to rescue two little white pines we found growing by the roadside. This is a practice that gives the trees a chance, as they are certain to be snow plowed, cut off, or run over before too long. After 30 minutes of driving narrow logging roads we found two white pines 2-3’ tall growing within a couple feet of the road. Linds dug them up carefully and brought them back and planted them in memory of two little angels, Catherine and Hattie. Linds took charge of the digging, planting, and watering. I took care of the photography. We will continue to water and look after these trees because they were planted with special purpose. White pines grow well. In just a few years these will be stunning and we will all remember with pride our rescue and the reasons why.

After the periodic rain on Wednesday and Thursday, we made the most of Friday. Golfing in the morning at Big Sand, and kayaking in the afternoon with Connie and Gary Greene on the Deerskin River.

If that wasn’t enough, after kayaking we went to an early dinner at Eagle Waters and stopped at the new brewery in Eagle River, Tribute Brewing. Had a great time sampling some guest beers and talking with the owner, Bill Summers.

A highlight of the summer was a visit with Nathaniel (Puddy) Greene and girlfriend Shainah Reid. They came up Friday evening and we could not have had a better reunion at the lake. We went on a bike ride on the new trail going west from Land O’ Lakes at the Forest Lake Country Store. This was a ride led by Dick Leinenkugel of the Leinenkugel Brewing Company. Here’s a picture of our group of 7 with Dick after the ride. Pics here also of Linds, Puddy and Shainah.

Puddy had not been here for several years and he has a storehouse of wonderful memories from coming to Manuel Lake throughout his childhood when our families vacationed together. He quickly “went native”, eagerly jumping in the lake for a swim. He and Shainah went sailing, her first time. From the shore, I heard plenty of “Oh my God” as the boat tipped in the wind. We walked the nature trail and Puddy climbed the white pines that the four kids used to spend hours climbing. He even remembered many of the branches – their bends, breaks and formations. On this walk, I learned that one of these trees was the General Store and the other was the Rain Fort Tree. On Saturday night we had a campfire on the beach and roasted marshmallows, using original “pot passers” that Puddy’s dad Gary had made some years earlier. I had left these pot passers in the shed, just where Gary left them.

Mary and I hiked into Blackjack Springs Wilderness with Linds and made sure we visited the memory box with the guest book.

Puddy and Shainah, and Connie and Gary all left about Noon on Sunday. Mary, Linds and I were not far behind.

HAWKEYES IN BADGERLAND, 22-26 JULY 2012

My cousins from Ankeny, Iowa visited for five days at the cabin. It was a 500-mile trek for Cyndy, Jeff and Greg. Cyndy and Greg visited last in 2010 but Jeff had not been in the northwoods since he visited with my Dad in 1994. When Jeff was here last, I took a picture of he and my Dad on the pier. So, this picture represents Jeff's return.

We had a great time, as these pictures attest. We drove into Michigan’s UP on our way to Black River Harbor on Lake Superior. Along the way, we visited a couple of waterfalls. There is a suspension bridge over the Black River upon which we tested its capabilities.

Greg brought his Flip Uno game and we played many games on the dining table downstairs. What a hoot! We golfed at Big Sand Lake Golf Course outside of Phelps. Cyndi and Greg enjoyed kayaking on the lake, and Greg still possessed the fine kayaking skills that he learned at the cabin two years ago.

The cousins left on Thursday, but not before posing with the bear by the front door. Mary and I stayed another day to clean up and do laundry, leaving Friday. With our extra time, we hiked into Whispering Lake in the Blackjack Springs Wilderness. We found this neat looking fire ring that someone created out of little rocks. I showed Mary the memory box and she signed the guest book.

7 Days North of the Tension Zone

We enjoyed a nice break at the cabin from 10-16 June 2012. A few highlights:

Out on the gravel part of Deerskin Road we saw two black bears about a mile from the cabin. These were sightings on separate days, so I don’t know if it was the same bear or not.

I take quite a few walks around our property and on the nature trail. Here are a few images from one of those hikes.

Walking down Black Bear Lane one afternoon, we saw an animal run across the road about 50 yards from us. Not sure what it was. Kind of like a fisher, but may have been bigger like a wolverine. However, wolverines are not supposed to be down in this area. It was not a coyote, wolf or bobcat. Mary figured it had to be the mythical Hodag.

We went kayaking with Greene’s on the upper Wisconsin River. Put in about 2 miles from the headwaters at Lac Vieux Desert. We floated down about 2.5 miles and then paddled back upstream where we put in. The pictures here represent that trip.

Went kayaking again on Thursday the 14^th on the Deerskin River. It had been 12 years since I had been on the Deerskin. We put in at Rangeline Road and paddled upstream from there. It was a warm day, but a cold front was coming in with showers. You can see the rain in this picture, and later, mist rose from the river. What a great time to be on the river. This picture shows Mary, the maiden of the mist on the Deerskin.

There are various styles for paddling a kayak. One of my favorites is the "recliner" style of paddling as demonstrated here. That's our sailboat and pier in the distance between my feet.

Saturday morning we rode the paved bike trail from Land O’ Lakes to the Forest Lake Country Store. That round trip was about 10 miles, but we extended it. We knew that the bike trail continued west from there, as part of the Wilderness Lakes Trail system, but were uncertain where the trail was and what it was like. So we went exploring. We found an outstanding, new, paved trail with stunning scenery and lots of hills. Reminded me of the Birkie Trail, but for bikes.

Before heading back to the cabin and leaving for Madison, we stopped at the Buzz on B in Land O' Lakes for coffee.

2012 Memorial Day Weekend

Mary and I beat the traffic north by heading to the cabin Thursday afternoon. We enjoyed stunning weather the entire weekend. I rescued two turtles that we noticed in the gravel road. I always usher them off the road when we encounter them on a roadway. The first was a softball-sized painted turtle and then we came across the snapping, basketball-sized monster you see here. She did not want to take direction from me. At this time of year females are out laying eggs and many wander onto gravel roads, believing it’s much like a gravel riverbank or lakeshore.

Glenn and Peggy Hojem were up as well. We took two bike rides with them. The first on the St. Germaine to Sayner trail and then on the trail out of Land O’ Lakes to the Forest Lake Country Store and back.

It’s a green wonderland. The hosta garden is in full bloom, the hummingbirds are back, and the black oak by the deck is wrapping us in its canopy.

I got the sailboat out and went sailing 5 times over the weekend. In the sailing picture, I am leaning well over the edge of the boat (this is called hiking) to oppose the heeling force of the wind as it pushes sideways against the sail.

11 – 13 May 2012, Mother’s Day Weekend

Mary, Linds and I went up Friday about mid-day for a nice weekend at the cabin. Dano came up later Friday. Both girls surprised Mary by taking Friday off so they could spend a little more time which was great.

We took a bike ride on the Three Eagle trail Saturday morning; went from the Eagle River side to Three Lakes. On the way into Three Lakes we went by the Petroleum Museum on Highway 45. From the museum we went to the Three Lakes winery, enjoyed sampling wine and bought four bottles which we had to carry back by bicycle the 8 miles to Eagle River.

It was a gorgeous weekend and we took two walks. On Saturday we walked the nature trail. On Sunday morning after breakfast we walked down Black Bear Lane and on the way spotted this woodpecker working a tree. The bird was only 10 feet or so away and it continued pecking the tree as we walked by. Usually they don’t let you get this close.

Sunday morning we dug up a couple of ferns and a princess pine and planted them at the back of our lot in Madison. We all hit the road about mid-day Sunday. Time spent with your adult children is the best gift of all.

Spring Cleaning Weekend, 3/29-4/2 2012

Mary and I got away for one of those Thursday to Monday stays at the cabin. We worked a great deal outside in the cool spring air. We completed a little raking and clean up around the yard, carefully picked leaves out of the hosta garden and put up the deer fence around the garden. We took a couple of nice walks. The picture here is on Black Bear Lane on Friday, with a little snow on the ground.

We rescued 21 trees, of which 16 were red pine, 4 white pine and 1 white spruce. I planted 15 of the trees, mostly around the circle driveway, and brought 6 reds home to plant beyond the end of our lot. I should explain our practice of “tree rescue.” We often set out on a mission to save trees that have begun to grow near a roadside in the national forest. They have no future because they will be clipped off soon by mowing, grading, or snow plowing operations. So, we rescue them and bring them onto our land. Not all of them survive, but many do. The trees we saved this time were along Hunter Road and Board Bridge Road.

We also picked a few rocks while we were out rescuing trees and I added those rocks to the rock wall I am building to support the sidewall of the circle driveway.

There’s a historical perspective here. I used to dig up and transplant trees and pick rocks with my parents. Trees also occupy a good bit of my attention up north. It’s as though I have a personal relationship with them. Most days I take a walk on our nature trail and pass by all these trees to see how the kids are doing.

-       There’s the Colorado blue spruce that my Dad and I planted in the early 1990s. (1st pic below)

-       There’s all the red pines that Linds, Dano and Mary and I planted in 1987-88 and they are marvelous 30’ trees now. (2nd pic below)

-       There’s the 30’ red pine in a ways from Black Bear Lane. I dug this up from the side of the road; it was about 1’ foot tall and deformed into a pretzel-like shape. Not sure why I even bothered. In the last 20-some years it straightened up and grew into a great looking tree.

-       There’s the huge red pine to the right of our driveway at Black Bear Lane. This represents the largest red I dug up that survived. It was about 5-6 feet tall and I had to dig a hole the size of a barrel to ensure I got most of its root system. (3rd pic below)

Most of the trees I dig up are 6” – 24” in height. But sometimes I might find a larger one and will give that tree a chance. Just this trip, I dug up 2 five-foot reds that were tipping at a 45-degree angle at the road’s edge. I thought they deserved a chance because they wouldn’t last the summer where they were.

Beyond the role that trees play in helping sustain the environment, and in creating a feeling of natural beauty and serenity, it’s fair to say that trees have significant emotive power for me.

We took a few walks throughout the weekend. Here's a picture with some fog rolling in.

BRANDY IN THE BLACKJACK

A few guys and I escaped for a long weekend up north. Had quite a time.

Saturday morning we helped Glenn squeeze his big brown couch out of his cabin. We got an okay from a fellow in town to leave the couch on the sidewalk in front of the junk store downtown in Phelps. Pictured on the couch on the sidewalk are Gary Greene, Glenn Hojem, and Mark Hanson.

From there, Gary, Hanson and I took a hike in the Blackjack Springs Wilderness. We hiked in to Whispering Lake and took the trail to the right up to the high point overlooking the lake. While up there we noticed a wooden box affixed to a tree down closer to the lake. You can see this box in the picture of the lake. It’s in the lower left part of the image. We thought at first the box might be a wood duck house or something like that. Gary ventured down first to take a look and discovered it was something totally unexpected.

On the hinged door were written the initials “DRS” and a date when the person was born, and another date when they died last fall, in their mid 80s. In the box were a hand-rolled cigar, a shotgun shell, a small spiral notebook with pen, and a half-pint of blackberry brandy. A message was written on the inside door of the box. It read, “Dad loved spending time in these woods. Have a drink to celebrate all the good times we had. He worked hard to protect the Blackjack for future generations.” We made entries in the little notebook and sniffed the brandy. Well, it smelled good; how do you suppose it might taste? Gary and I each poured some brandy into the bottle cap and enjoyed a tribute to this fellow. From reading other entries in the notebook, I was able to determine that the Dad mentioned was Dan Satran, a noted newspaper publisher, editor and writer in Eagle River for many decades.

Later, in the early afternoon we headed to Land O’ Lakes for a bike ride on the trail system out to the Forest Lake Country Store and back. It was a 10.23-mile round trip, and as you can see in the photo of our bikes with a snow pile, it was an unusual mix of seasons during an unusual spring.