Days Remembered on Lake Superior's Shores ~ December 3, 2015

Here I am, on the shore of Lake Superior today.  I am inside the doorway, looking out the window, of an old fisherman's home ~ or, shall I say.....what's left of it.  I think they have been gone from this world somewhere around 20 years now.  But, I was thinking about some of the things this old fisherman did over the years ~ and what he thought when he looked out the window some days.  This is kind of a sheltered little cove.  However, you can see the waves are breaking in here pretty good today.  The life of the commercial fishermen on the shore of Lake Superior wasn't an easy one, for sure.

I found yet another old boat I hadn't noticed before.  Just numbers on this one, no name.  It was an interesting old boat too.  I'm sure, if it could talk, it could tell a lot of interesting stories. 

Just inside the door, I saw this beautiful old sewing machine.  Notice ~ there is still thread in it.  I guess I had never realized some of those old sewing machines were so ornate before.  This was a beauty in its day.  I'm sure it did its share of serious work too.

Here is another shot of the little cove the fisherman fished out of.  Notice the waves.  There is also that old scale in the foreground, covered with lichens and blending right in with the rocks on the shore.  I just thought this was the neatest old thing when I first discovered it on another trip.  The leaves are all down and gone now so I notice a few more things each time I walk around ~ always being careful not to disturb anything.  Some things are to be looked at and pondered ~ not disturbed.  Just think about all that has happened here over the years.
I should add, the first time I saw this, I had no clue what the heck it was.  I posted a view of it taken from the other side.  I was pretty sure a few of the people that had commercial fishermen in their families would know what it was and enlighten me.  And, they did.  I was amazed at how many knew what it was and in some cases, still had them.   But, I bet most of them aren't blended into the scenery as well as this one is.  A piece of the Hovland history, for sure.

Here is another shot of this old scale, taken from the other side.  This is more like the original I took several weeks ago. 
I spent a bit of time just standing on the rocks ~ watching the waves roll in.  I wondered about the times he had to go out and pick those herring or trout in some of this rough weather we get on the North Shore.  He was a tough old fisherman, for sure.  They had to be.  I had noticed how gnarled his fingers were from years of picking nets.....way back when.  I'm sure the old fishermen must have had their share of arthritis from picking all those fish in that cold water. 
I never used to get quite as interested in all the old fishing history around here as I do now.  I watched it and knew several of the old fishermen.  I guess I just took it for granted ~ like a lot of younger people do.  Now ~ when I look at some of this stuff and think about it ~ I appreciate it a lot more, I think.

This is just a scenery picture from out on the end of the point today.  It is a pretty spot. 

Last of all ~ I found this old net rack today.  I thought it was pretty cool.  It isn't real close to the lake so the fisherman had to haul his nets a ways to use it.  It's pretty much surrounded by the brush and trees now.  But ~ another piece of history discovered today.  It might make you appreciate that next fish you buy in a store ~ just a little bit more, now.